Penn State SBDC Aids Area Small Businesses
February 12, 2003
University Park, Pa. – In 2002, Penn State’s Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) helped clients start 15 new businesses and purchase eight businesses, creating 112 full- and part-time jobs in Centre and Mifflin counties.
Penn State’s SBDC, part of a statewide network, provides business consulting and seminars for small companies located in Centre and Mifflin counties and environmental management assistance in a 19-county area.
In 2002, Penn State’s SBDC served 276 clients for a total of 5222 hours of business consulting and assisted 19 clients to obtain loans totaling $2,573,301. The Center also provided seminars on business topics attended by 530 business owners, prospective owners and employees.
Donna Holmes, Penn State SBDC director, says, “In addition to providing business consulting, our Center houses one of Pennsylvania’s six Environmental Management Assistance Programs which provides free, confidential environmental services including energy assessments, and help with health and safety regulatory compliance and environmental and energy technology development.”
In 2002, the Penn State SBDC Environmental Management Assistance Program served 83 clients and responded to 138 requests for information. The program serves Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Cameron, Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Union, Snyder, Juniata, Perry, Centre, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Blair, Bedford, and Fulton counties.
The SBDC network is funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the private sector and their host colleges and universities. This support enables consulting services to be provided at no charge.
**bah**