Published
in the News-Press
on May 1, 2004, Business Money Section, Page 6d
Local businessman wins leadership award
by Dick Hogan, Staff, News-Press (HOGANdhogan@news-press.com)
The head of a nonprofit agency that helps Southwest Florida
businesses expand has won the 2004 McDowell Leadership Award
from the National Association of Development Companies.
The association is the trade group for companies such as
the Southwest Florida Regional Development Corp., whose president,
Tom Wallace, received the award.
Wallace took over just under two years ago as the agency
was on the verge of decertification because of inactivity.
He was able to turn the situation around, "Starting with
no full-time staff, minimal administrative support, and barely
$40,000 in reserves," according to an association release.
Now the agency is on a solid footing, Wallace said, as he
faces the challenge of where to go from here.
"The past two years have been about proving this is
a viable enterprise," he said. "The next two years
are about seeing if we can run a business for the greater
good."
So far most of the agency's work has been in helping businesses
take advantage of Small Business Administration programs to
obtain financing for expansion, Wallace said.
In the future, as the agency starts to generate capital,
he expects to be able to expand the "micro-loan"
program that helps very small businesses with loans of $32,000
or less.
Grants and scholarships are other possibilities, Wallace
said.
LOAN PROGRAM
WHAT: Southwest Florida Regional Development
Corp.
PURPOSE: Arranges loans for local businesses
to expand and provide more jobs
WHERE: 13180 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 232,
North Fort Myers 33903
PHONE: 239-652-5588
INTERNET: e-mail admin@srdcorp. org or go
to www.srdcorp.org
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