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Posted: 10/24/13

TAMIU’s SBDC Part of Successful Accreditation

 

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The UTSA South-West Texas Border SBDC network, which includes the Texas A&M International University Small Business Development Center (TAMIU-SBDC) as a partner, recently earned full accreditation under the America’s Small Business Development Center and the U.S. Small Business Administration guidelines. The official report assessed no conditions to the program, and cited several areas that provided commendations of excellence in program management and execution.

The accreditation process consisted of an extensive self-study followed by a full week of onsite reviews and exploration by trained accreditation process team members from Georgia and Wisconsin. The purpose of the review is to ensure that the Malcolm Baldrige quality-based standards are embedded in the daily operations of an SBDC, which encourage continuous improvement.

The review cycle is every fourth year and focuses on the review of responsiveness to small business clients, funding organizations, leadership, and the well-being of employees, as well as on evaluating performance-based outcomes and innovation. Continued federal funding is dependent on successfully earning accreditation, which sets the Small Business Development Center program apart from its peers.

 For more than 27 years, the South-West Texas SBDC Network has helped small businesses start and expand, and has been nationally accredited since the accreditation requirement was first instituted.

“Our longstanding relationship with the State of Texas and the Small Business Administration has allowed us to provide quality services to our small business owners and community,” said Albert Salgado, SWTXB SBDC Network state director. “The reaccreditation of the SWTXB Network further proves our ability and dedication to providing the best-in-class services and resources to small business owners, and the professionalism and caliber of our advisors,” Salgado continued.

As a part of South-West Texas Border SBDC, the TAMIU-SBDC serves Webb, Zapata and Jim Hogg Counties. The TAMIU-SBDC is staffed by professional business advisors providing high-quality business advising, research and training on a variety of small business startup and expansion assistance.

“The TAMIU-SBDC program takes pride in partnering with all of the SBDC’s in the South-West Texas Border Region in exceeding all impact and investment goals that have a very strong and positive economic impact throughout our region.  We are fortunate that we also have the support of the leadership of the three counties that we represent,” said Mercurio Martínez, Jr., TAMIU-SBDC director.

In fiscal year 2012-2013, the TAMIU-SBDC served over 500 clients, delivered more than 2,500 hours of counseling, helped small businesses create 412 jobs and retain over 120 jobs, provided assistance to entrepreneurs and business owners to start 41 new businesses and expand 26 businesses with a total investment of $2.7 million. The TAMIU-SBDC also held 111 training events with 2,607 attendees.

For more information on TAMIU SBDC services and training, visit http://sbdc.tamiu.edu or call the TAMIU SBDC office at 956.326.2827.


Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu