The center is being recognized for its critical role in driving economic growth in Colorado and fostering the spirit, support and success of the state’s entrepreneurs and innovators.
NEWS RELEASE
GOVERNOR JARED POLIS
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AURORA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has recognized the Aurora-South Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as this year’s winner of the SBDC Excellence and Innovation Center Award. The center is being recognized for its critical role in driving economic growth in Colorado and fostering the spirit, support and success of the state’s entrepreneurs and innovators.
“Colorado’s successful small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities, and I’m happy to see the hard work of the Aurora-South Metro SBDC being recognized. The SBDC Network saves companies money and helps them grow. This award showcases the great work happening in Colorado and lets entrepreneurs know they have the support they need to grow and prosper,” said Governor Jared Polis.
The Colorado SBDC Network supports the state’s entrepreneurs and small businesses as they launch, grow, and exit their businesses. In 2023, the SBDC of Metrô Aurora-Sul and 13 other centers in the state worked together to serve more than 8 thousand customers and train more than 18.5 thousand people. Their work has helped small businesses create and maintain 3,122 jobs (up from 2,705 in 2022), start 335 businesses (up from 235 in 2022), and increase sales by more than $78 million and capital formation of more than 97 million dollars.
The Aurora-South Metro SBDC is hosted by the city of Aurora and covers Arapahoe and Douglas counties. The center is known for testing new programming for the Colorado SBDC Network and serving a diverse community of entrepreneurs with specialized programming. The SBDC team is comprised of seven full-time employees and several independent contractors.
“The Aurora-South Metro SBDC is a fantastic example of the type of impact our network of SBDCs makes for small businesses across the state. I congratulate them on this prestigious honor, and our network looks forward to continuing to provide excellent support and services to Colorado entrepreneurs,” said Colorado SBDC Network State Director Hannah W. Krieger.
“The small business journey is not always easy, but it is important. Entrepreneurs meet the needs of their communities and create jobs for Coloradans,” said SBDC Aurora-South Metro Executive Director Marcia McGilley. “I am so proud of our dedicated team who work hard to help small businesses in Aurora and Arapahoe and Douglas counties achieve their goals. It is an honor to have our center recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration.”
The SBA Colorado Small Business Awards Ceremony will take place at the PHI Hub at Saltbox in Denver on May 2 at 11:30 a.m. to recognize regional and national awardees. The list of 2024 awardees is as follows:
National Winners:
- Colorado, Region 8 and National Winner – Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Award Winner: Aurora South Metro Colorado SBDC, Aurora, CO
- National Winner of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence – Services: Jacobs, Greenwood Village, CO
Regional Winners:
- Amy McDowell Small Business Service Award: To be announced
- District Director Diamond Award: Front Range Community College – Larimer SBDC and Poudre River Public Library District, represented by Hope Hartman, Larimer SBDC Director and Molly Thompson, Harmony Library Manager, Fort Collins, CO
- 7aLarge Lender: The Huntington National Bank
- 7a Small lender: Banco Regional do Centro-Oeste
- 504 Large Lender: B:Side Capital, Statewide (Headquarters in Denver)
- 504 Small Lender: Preferred Lending Partners, statewide (Denver headquarters)
- CO Farm Lender of the Year: First Southwest Bank, serving Southwest, CO
- CO Community Lender of the Year: Colorado Enterprise Fund (Denver-based)
- 2024 Colorado Wall of Fame Inductee: To Be Announced
For more details about the awards, visit SBA.gov/NSBW. For more information about the Aurora-South Metro Small Business Development Center, visit Aurora-SouthMetroSBDC.com.
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