Mary Beth Brooks, Lori Lieblong and Catherine Corley were recognized as top performers at the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center statewide meeting Oct. 11 in Little Rock.

The three are part of center's University of Arkansas regional office.

Brooks, the center director, was named Capital Acquisition Star. She assisted clients with obtaining more than $23.7 million in capital investment for the year, a record for the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center. Brooks was also honored for her number of capital funding projects, assisting clients with 44 separate funded projects the past year.

Lieblong, a business consultant, made the $7 Million Club. This was her third time in a row in the Millions Club, which recognizes the dollar value of loans and other forms of capital funding that staff members help their small business clients obtain in a year.

Corley, also a business consultant, was honored as Collaborator of the Year, a new award given to a member of the ASBTDC network for outstanding collaboration, a core value of the center.

Laura Fine, state director of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, presented the awards.

"Congratulations to Mary Beth, Lori and Catherine for their outstanding performance. They are passionate about their work and find innovative and creative ways to help their small business clients succeed," said Fine.

A partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business, Health, and Human Services and other institutions of higher education, the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center assists new, existing and technology-based businesses statewide.

With locations in Fayetteville and Bentonville, the center is a part of the UA Division of Economic Development and serves current and prospective business owners in six counties. For more information, visit sbtdc.uark.edu or call (479) 575-5148.