Last week, the Washington State Small Business Center (WSBDC) as part of the nation wide system funded through the Small Business Administration, visited our Congressional Delegation and participated in the SBDC Congressional reception. Washington State University has been partnered with the WSBDC for over 30 years, and was one of the nations beta sites for launching the federal program.
Pictured (left to right): Grant Jones, KuKuRuza Owner, Congressman Derek Kilmer, WSBDC Advisor Rich Shockley, Former SBDC Intern and WSU Alum Craig Murchison
This year the WSBDC State Director, Duane Fladland brought along CEO and Owner of Seattle’s Gourmet Popcorn KuKuRuza, Grant Jones. Highlighting the realities of the challenges small businesses face Jones shared with our Congressional Delegation how crucial the WSBDC is to local business owners. The State Director, Duane Fladland and Terry Chambers, Interim Associate State Director/Network Training Director of WSBDC were able to point to statistics demonstrating WSBD’s return on investment of federal dollars, and jobs both saved and created within each Washington District. Both members and staffers were engaged and energized by the mission and successes of WSBDC. This energy carried through this week’s meetings and we hope to see it carry through the upcoming appropriation season.