HR0174 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0174 LRB100 11611 MST 22315 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) will open on March 1, 2017; and

WHEREAS, The SBDC will be housed in State Farm Hall on the campus of IWU and will be the only one that is on a small, private campus; this will be the 25th SBDC in Illinois and will be directed by Karen Bussone, Assistant Professor of Business Administration; and

WHEREAS, The SBDC will provide assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs in McLean County; it will support entrepreneurs as they strive to develop new businesses; and it will serve as a resource to help existing businesses to grow and remain competitive; and

WHEREAS, SBDCs throughout the United States are hosted by universities in collaboration with region Economic Development Councils, and funded in part through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration; and

WHEREAS, IWU's SBDC will provide aspiring and current small business owners a variety of free business consulting and low-cost training services including: business plan development, manufacturing assistance, financial packaging and lending assistance, exporting and importing support, disaster recovery assistance, procurement and contracting aid, market research help, 8(a) program support, and healthcare guidance; and

WHEREAS, These efforts are done in collaboration with the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the opening of the Small Business Development Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the SBDC at IWU.