Center has quickly impacted area’s economic vitality
CAMARILLO — The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County’s Small Business Development Center was instrumental in creating and retaining nearly 600 jobs in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties last year through its one-on-one business advising and workshops. These results earned EDC-VC’s SBDC the “Highest Job Creation 2011” award from the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Center Network at the organization’s Professional Development Conference at College of the Canyons on Jan. 24, the EDC-VC reported Friday in a media release.
Of eight centers in the region, EDC-VC’s SBDC also ranks highest in job retention and is third of the eight centers overall. These are impressive results for the Center, which EDC-VC began hosting in July 2010, the organization reported.
“By helping small businesses to secure the resources and tools they need to add and retain jobs, EDC-VC’s SBDC is making a tremendous impact on the economic growth of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties,” Jesse Torres, regional director of the Los Angeles SBDC Network, stated in the media release. “We are proud to have EDC-VC as part of our SBDC family and to recognize Bruce Stenslie, Ray Bowman and their dedicated staff of business advisors for boosting the vitality of their small business community.”
In 2011, EDC-VC’s SBDC has served more than 500 area companies, facilitating an increase in sales of $13 million in the region and providing access to various forms of capital exceeding $11.1 million.
“I take great pride in our team and the reputation we have earned in our community as a result of our hard work, competence and dedication to our mission,” Ray Bowman, SBDC director of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, stated in the release.
Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as a business-to-government liaison to assist businesses by offering programs that enhance the economic vitality of the region. For more information about the Small Business Development Center, loan programs, the Manufacturing Outreach Program, Global Entrepreneur Training in Trade (G.E.T. Trade) program, or other services available to small businesses through EDC-VC, contact Bruce Stenslie at 805.384.1800, ext. 24 or bruce.stenslie@edc-vc.com
Visit www.edc-vc.com for more information.