The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UCF received several awards at the recent Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) Annual Professional Development Conference. Congratulations to the winners:
Florida Star of the Year–Jill Kaufman. She was recognized as the Florida SBDC Network employee whose contributions to the SBDC program were exemplary with respect to new program development, innovative special projects, client impact and overall Network performance. In her four years of service to the Network, Kaufman, Program Manager of the SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council Program, has helped her clients create 207 jobs, retain 454 jobs, increase sales by $36.5 million, obtain $9.5 million in capital formation and win $30.6 million in contracts. Kaufman will also be recognized as the Association of SBDC’s State Star for Florida at a special event during the National Association of SBDCs 30th Anniversary Conference scheduled for September in San Antonio, Texas.
Florida Volunteer of the Year Award–Gary Slavin. He was recognized as the regional volunteer that made the greatest contribution to the Florida SBDC Network. Slavin began working with SBDC at UCF clients in November 1995—his first client still contacts him for business advice. Slavin jumped at the opportunity to volunteer with the SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council and attended the program’s inaugural reception in 2003, where he signed up to become a volunteer advisor. Since that time, Slavin has served on five advisory boards for the SBDC at UCF/Orange County program. In 2009, he also became a volunteer for the SBDC at Seminole State College’s Advisory Board Council and currently serves on one board for that program. Slavin also received the Regional Volunteer of the Year Award for Central Florida.
Regional Certified Business Analyst (CBA) of the Year Award–Doris Bernal. She is the manager and certified business analyst for the SBDC at UCF’s sub-center at Daytona State College and was recognized for demonstrating the greatest enhancement of scope, quality and/or impact of counseling services. Bernal is an expert in international business and export consulting and a former bank manager. In 2009, Bernal assisted her small business clients with $6.2 million in capital formation, 131 jobs created or retained, 12 business starts and $695k increase in sales.
Regional Employee of the Year Award–Nilda Perez. She is the program assistant for the SBDC at UCF’s sub-center in Kissimmee and was recognized for the greatest contribution to the operations or special projects for the region. Perez has served the SBDC at UCF-Kissimmee for the past three and half years, providing administrative and operational support to the area manager, coordinating events, and promoting SBDC services to the Hispanic community within Osceola County.
For more information on the SBDC at UCF visit their website.