FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Innovation and technology businesses sprout up in the fertile fields and research labs of Arkansas, not just in Seattle and the Silicon Valley. The Arkansas Small Business Development Center, the state’s largest and most comprehensive business assistance program, is changing its name to underscore its commitment to help Arkansas science and technology entrepreneurs.

WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29

WHERE: Wal-Mart Executive Board Room, 5^th Floor, Willard J. Walker Hall, Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, Harmon Avenue (parking at Harmon Avenue Parking Garage).

SPEAKERS:

Larry Brian, director of the Small Business Development Center
G. David Gearhart, chancellor of the University of Arkansas
Janet Roderick, director of the Arkansas Small Business Development Center State
Dan L. Worrell, dean of the Walton College
Don C. Bland, senior management director of outreach for Walton College
Small Business Owners

Arkansas Small Business Development Center assists innovation-based businesses through its network of offices across the state. Established in 1980, the program is a partnership of the federal Small Business Administration and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business. In addition to the lead center in Little Rock and the office at the University of Arkansas, other regional offices are located at Arkansas State University, Henderson State University, Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology in McGehee. All services, which include consulting, research and training, are available at low or no cost through the centers’ partnership with the Small Business Administration and higher education institutions across Arkansas.

Uniting private enterprise, government, higher education and local non-profit economic development organizations, the Small Business Development Center national network is the Small Business Administration’s largest partnership program, providing management and technical assistance to help Americans start, run and grow their own businesses. With approximately 1,000 offices across the nation, the Small Business Development Center network assists approximately 725,000 small businesses every year.