Small business development, affordable housing focus of forum
The University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center and several financial agencies are teaming up to present an upcoming free forum about community development opportunities.
The “Building Communities through Small Business Development and Affordable Housing” forum will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Multi-Purpose Room of the UHV University Center, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St.
The forum is co-hosted by the SBDC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Houston branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Experts from these agencies will share their insights about alternative funding sources in rural and small business lending, as well as community and economic development. They also will discuss the latest updates about affordable housing lending opportunities and resources.
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| Joe Humphreys |
The forum is aimed at both financial institutions and community-based organizations, UHV SBDC Director Joe Humphreys said.
“Small business owners, community planners, nonprofit organizations, builders and Realtors could all benefit from the presentations,” he said. “We are excited to host this important forum at UHV and think it will be a useful tool for area residents involved in lending and economic development. I want to thank all the agencies for coming together to make this event happen.”
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| David Summers |
Lunch will be provided to forum participants. David Summers, UHV associate professor of entrepreneurship in the UHV School of Business Administration, will make a luncheon presentation titled “The Truths and Myths about Entrepreneurship and Small Business in Economic Development.”
The UHV SBDC offers assistance on starting, growing and financing a business; contracting opportunities; and recovering from disaster. It also helps new businesses start and existing businesses expand through a combination of consulting and training in areas like market identification, raising capital and developing a business plan. Most of its services are free to area small business owners. The center serves Aransas, Bee, Calhoun, DeWitt, Gonzales, Goliad, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria counties.
Advance registration is required for the free forum. The deadline to register is Feb. 15. To reserve a seat, call 361-485-4485 or 877-895-7232, email sbdc@uhv.edu, or go to http://www.uhv.edu/small-business/.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
