Whitfield Delivers USDA Support For Small Business And Emerging Technology

Press Release
MSU News Bureau

Murray, KY

U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) was on Murray State University ’s campus today to announce the award of two grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture totaling $229,966 to the school for its Small Business Development Center and the Western Regional Center for Emerging Technology.

Whitfield praised the work that these two programs were doing to pave the way for new businesses in western Kentucky and remarked on the number of young people represented.

“I’m excited to be able to bring tax dollars back to this area to support economic development,” Whitfield said. “The state of Kentucky is very fortunate to have both the Small Business Development Center and Innovation and Commercialization Center located on the campus of Murray State University to help with start-up businesses and to assist the many young people and others that choose to work in this area.

Accompanying Congressman Whitfield to Murray ’s campus was Ken Sloan, rural development state director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sloan commended Whitfield for recognizing the importance of supporting rural development and making it one of his top priorities throughout his political career. “We feel this is a good program for rural development because it also helps train people to create jobs,” Sloan noted.

“Murray State has been in the past an important cog in the wheel of the economic engine of western Kentucky and we intend that it stays that way,” remarked Regent Alan Stout, board chair. “We want to continue to support the economic development efforts throughout western Kentucky and our region, as well as the agriculture and agribusiness communities in our region. Murray State has played a pivotal role in those areas in the past and we will continue to do so in the future.”

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Murray began operation in 1981. With service centers located in Hopkinsville , Owensboro and Paducah , the SBDC now reaches 24 western Kentucky counties. Each SBDC in the network has a strong link to Murray State ’s college of business and public affairs. The ongoing work of the service centers includes consulting, training and advocacy. The centers provide technical assistance to small businesses in the region, both existing and start-ups.

Today’s grant for $116,966 will allow each of the four service centers to continue to provide free, confidential and personalized business consulting service to folks that are interested in starting, expanding or improving their existing small business, said Mickey Johnson, district director of the Murray State University Small Business Development Center. Conducting a variety of business related training programs is another important focus of the SBDC.

Reports for the program year ending last September show that Murray ’s SBDC consulted with 442 clients, provided over 1,800 hours of consulting service and presented 98 training events attended by 663 individuals. “Those are the raw numbers,” Johnson stated. “The economic impact tells the whole story. Out of that bunch we had 23 new business starts and our clients reported that 164 new jobs were created from those businesses. In addition, clients also reported retaining 60 jobs as a result of consulting they received from the SBDC.

“This grant will not only allow us to continue our work,” Johnson stressed, “but also look for ways to expand the economic development and outreach mission to the communities and small businesses of west Kentucky.

The Rural Business Enterprise Grant for $113,000 will provide funds for equipment and building expenses to advance the mission of the Regional Business and Innovation Center as it widens the gates for more entrepreneurs within the 20 western-most counties of Kentucky to perfect and market their services through the Western Regional Center for Emerging Technology (WRCET) housed there.

Still a relatively new program, plans to develop the RBIC were created by the 2000 legislature. Working together, leaders from each of these 20 counties developed a plan for what they wanted the west Kentucky center to be. “The outcome of that was that there would be a center located in Murray with additional offices in Hopkinsville , Madisonville , Paducah and Henderson ,” RBIC director Buddy Buckingham explained. Although most of that has already taken place, Buckingham said that funds from this grant are extremely vital to accomplish their goals.

“Investments made by Murray State , along with the economic development administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, TVA and others have had quite an impact on our program and in helping to get it off the ground. Until this began, there had not been any opportunity for entrepreneur development in the state of Kentucky ,” Buckingham noted. “Now there is an avenue that they can follow through and get the help that they need, not only financial help but help from the academic community and others that can help them to make their businesses a success.”

The Center has already attracted over 35 clients who have raised over $13,000,000 in state and private investment for their companies and have provided over 150 new jobs in the region. “We are growing quite rapidly,” Buckingham said, “and we are thankful to the USDA and others that help us to do that.”

“We thank Congressman Whitfield for his strong support of MSU’s work to foster business development in our region,” said Dr. Randy Dunn, president of Murray State University . “These USDA grant awards will enhance our ability to support economic development efforts that strengthen our community and our region.”

President Dunn reaffirmed the university’s commitment to building relationships and looking for partnerships in Kentucky as well as around the world. “We are very excited about those opportunities,” Dunn exclaimed. “As we seek to build relationships and start partnerships, I believe we do that best when we take care of the home crowd first. This area is first and foremost to us for that purpose. I want to thank Congressman Whitfield and Ken Sloan for assisting us in that mission to serve the communities here in far western Kentucky.”