/ en /news/2023-09/promoting-small-business-development-southwest-virginia <span>Promoting small business development in Southwest Virginia</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Mon, 09/25/2023 - 14:33</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">Elected officials, economic developers and small business owners operating in Scott, Lee and Wise Counties, known as the LENOWISCO Planning District, gathered Sept. 20 in Scott County to highlight the importance of ÑÇÖÞAV’s support of small businesses innovators through its <a href="https://masonsbdc.org/">Small Business Development Centers</a>.</span></p> <p><span><span><span>Mason President Gregory Washington highlighted state and federal investments in Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) managed by ÑÇÖÞAV.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Local business owners Renee Huffman Morris of Henry’s Produce, Jan Meade of Ivils Tutors, and sisters Melissa Hubbard and Jan Brown, owners of the Whistle Pig Country Store in Lee County, spoke about their experiences working with the Mason-operated SBDC in Duffield, Virginia, and the critical support they received to develop business plans, locate accounting and business services, and find mentorship on their journey to start a business. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Keith Harless, town manager of Pennington Gap in Lee County; Jeannie Stidham, Town of Pennington; and Jean Jordan, representing Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA); detailed ongoing efforts to incentivize small business development in the region by leveraging SBDC funds and other grant opportunities to provide workforce development and employment opportunities. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Kris Westover, Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) president; William Brownsberger, MECC’s vice president for academic affairs; and Virginia House of Delegates Majority Leader Terry Kilgore (R-1) also attended.  </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The Virginia SBDC network is a partnership among the U.S. Small Business Administration, ÑÇÖÞAV, and premier local host organizations throughout Virginia, with continued investment from the Virginia General Assembly. </span></span></span></p> <figure role="group"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2023-09/SWVA%20SBDC%20main_crop.jpg" width="750" height="429" alt="A group of people pose for the camera in a loose semi-circle" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>From left, Melissa Hubbard, Mark Smith, Jeannie Stidham, Keith Harless, Jean Jordan, Tracy Nayar, MECC President Kris Westover, Mason President Gregory Washington, Del. Terry Kilgore, Lauren Posey, William Brownsberger, Jan Brown, Renee Huffman Morris, Becki O’Quinn-Purdie and Jan Meade. Photo by Justin Barker/MECC</figcaption></figure></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="bb746127-66a6-4211-af10-549eccb247a1"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://masonsbdc.org/"> <h4 class="cta__title">Get resources for growing your small business <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="4ad59f52-43fc-4fef-98b1-4c5d4913089e" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="e0030bb7-0c70-450e-95bb-a05519cf3f90" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-2d6f0e29b959ba288068b65eb96c29f078bf4c82b93cffc37caca4c5de25167a"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-07/george-masons-startup-incubator-puts-ceo-path-developing-accessible-electronic-health" hreflang="en">George Mason’s startup incubator puts CEO on path to developing accessible electronic health care records</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">July 15, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-04/opportunity-starts-here-partnerships-grow-here" hreflang="en">Opportunity Starts Here, Partnerships Grow Here</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">April 12, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2023-09/promoting-small-business-development-southwest-virginia" hreflang="en">Promoting small business development in Southwest Virginia</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 26, 2023</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2023-06/award-will-help-virginia-sbdc-assist-businesses-looking-go-global" hreflang="en">Award will help Virginia SBDC assist businesses looking to go global</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">June 26, 2023</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2023-04/podcast-ep-48-everything-business" hreflang="en">Podcast - EP 48: Everything is business</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">April 28, 2023</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1831" hreflang="en">Small Business Development Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/966" hreflang="en">Workforce Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 25 Sep 2023 18:33:22 +0000 Colleen Rich 108656 at