SBA Administrator Guzman Celebrates National Veterans Small Business Week

From Nov. 11-15, the Agency Will Host In-Person and Virtual Events, Recognize Five Boots to Business Instructors of the Year

/EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for more than 34 million small businesses nationwide, announced that the SBA will celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW) Nov. 11–15.

“Each year during National Veterans Small Business Week, the SBA highlights the unique entrepreneurial spirit of veterans, service members, National Guard members, Reservists and military spouses,” said SBA Administrator Guzman. “America is the proud home of millions of veterans, service members, and military families. They are our neighbors and friends – and, in many cases, the owners and employees of local small businesses we love and support. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the SBA is going further than ever to enhance and expand our support for veterans, particularly in rural and underserved areas – and it is a profound honor to serve those who have served our country, this week and every week.”

During NVSBW, the public is invited to attend virtual and in-person events across the country  on critical topics, such as military-to-civilian transition assistance, entrepreneurial training, government contracting, disaster assistance, and access to capital resources. View the event calendar for a list of local, regional, and national events.

In addition to local events hosted across the U.S., the SBA will host two national webinars for NVSBW. The Are You Lender Ready? For the Military Community webinar will be held on Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. ET. This two-hour virtual workshop will help veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs learn how to write a strong business loan application and hear tips directly from lenders. Register for the webinar.

A second webinar, Certification Advantage for the Military Community, will be held on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. ET. During this one-hour virtual workshop, business owners will discover how federal contracting certifications can boost their business growth and gain valuable insights to help them compete for government contracts. Register for the webinar.

Additionally, as part of this year’s NVSBW celebration, five dedicated instructors who teach Boots to Business at various military installations and in local communities nationwide are being honored as Boots to Business Instructors of the Year. The honorees are:

• Todd Bennett, 2024 Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) Boots to Business Instructor of the Year, OCONUS instructor, located in South Korea.
• Manzel McGhee, 2024 SBDC Boots to Business Instructor of the Year, Abilene, Texas Small Business Development Center.

• Mitchell Fitzpatrick, 2024 VBOC Boots to Business Instructor of the Year, St. Louis VetBiz Veterans Business Outreach Center.
• David Terrell, 2024 SCORE Boots to Business Instructor of the Year, Southern Arizona SCORE.
• Eric Phillips, 2024 SBA Boots to Business Instructor of the Year, SBA Colorado District Office.

The Boots to Business Instructors of the Year recognition ceremony will be held virtually on Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. ET. Join the ceremony online or dial 206-413-7980 and enter conference ID 644 263 054#.

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About SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development 
The SBA Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) works through SBA’s extensive resource partner network, which includes Small Business Development Centers, the SCORE mentoring program, Women’s Business Centers, and 31 VBOCs located throughout the nation. VBOCs are the leading partner in hosting the Boots to Business (B2B), Boots to Business Reboot, and Military Spouse Pathway to Business programs, which are courses on entrepreneurship offered on military installations, in local communities, and virtually. Since B2B’s inception in 2013, these programs have collectively trained and graduated more than 217,000 service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/veterans. 

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA equips entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. The SBA delivers services through its extensive network of SBA field offices and via partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Christine Saah Nazer
                    U.S. Small Business Administration
                    (202) 756-0304
                    Christine.saahnazer@sba.gov
                    
                    Han Nguyen
                    U.S. Small Business Administration
                    (202) 756-0304
                    han.nguyen@sba.gov
                    
                    Rebecca Galanti
                    U.S. Small Business Administration
                    (202) 756-0304
                    rebecca.galanti@sba.gov