Mark A. Martinez, a senior business advisor for the University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center, poses with his State Star Award from the South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center Network. His award was announced in the spring. Martinez was recognized as the top producer in the regional network of 79 counties and is one of four awardees representing Texas. The State Star Award is a national award and recognition from America’s Small Business Development Center. It recognizes business advisors who meet a set of goals which include how many clients are being advised, number of hours spent with clients, how many jobs each advisor helped create, number of jobs retained, number of new business creations or starts, business expansions and capital infusion, or the amount of money an advisor helps his clients secure through loans, grants or personal investment to start or expand their business. For 2020, Martinez helped create 149 jobs and retain 83 jobs; had nine business starts and 16 business expansions; secured more than $3.3 million in capital; more than 1,200 hours of service; and 60 long-term clients.
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.
