The Kentucky Small Business Development Center recognized staff members for their achievements at the annual fall conference held in Lexington.

The center’s state director, Becky Naugle, and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Robert Coffee presented the 2017 Spirit Award to the Murray State University SBDC. The award recognizes the center that demonstrated the SBDC spirit of service to the network and clients during the year.

The Northern Kentucky University center received the Michael Rodriguez Traveling Trophy. This award is given to the center that best meets and exceeds their goals for the last six months of the year.

Shawn Rogers of the Bluegrass SBDC was named 2017 Innovator of the Year for exhibiting a constant willingness to support the network and expand services with a creative approach to problem-solving.

Carla Dumaine of the NKU SBDC was named 2017 Administration Person of the Year. Dumaine was recognized for her diligent work on behalf of clients and fellow co-workers.

Miller Slaughter from WKU’s SBDC was recognized as the 2017 Sutton Landry State Star. This honor is presented to an individual who is considered an example of excellence.

Mark Murphy, Morehead SBDC, set a Kentucky SBDC record this year with over $22 million in loans procured for his clients.

Twelve staff members were inducted into the exclusive Kentucky Small Business Development Center Million Dollar Loan Club. This honor is reserved for management consultants who help business clientele secure $1 million or more in loans to start, expand or purchase their companies. Statewide, KSBDC consultants aided entrepreneurs with more than $65 million in loans during the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

The 2017 inductees were:

Fausto Sarmiento, Bluegrass SBDC

Steve Heil and Patricia Krausman, Elizabethtown SBDC

David Oetken and Vallorie Henderson, Louisville SBDC

Kim Jenkins, Ashland SBDC

Mark Murphy, Morehead SBDC

Michelle Spriggs, Pikeville SBDC

Tamela Darnell, Murray State SBDC

Rebecca Volpe and Kim Wolfe, NKU SBDC

Miller Slaughter, WKU SBDC

KSBDC also assists clients on acquiring equity and investments. The organization recognized the top three staff members in total capital infusions. Mark Murphy, Morehead SBDC, Rebecca Volpe, NKU SBDC; and Kim Jenkins, Ashland SBDC, helped clients receive more than $85 million in capital.

“The economic impact of KSBDC staff’s hard work reaches every county in Kentucky. I am very proud of the contribution SBDC staffs make to our ‘common wealth,’ and it is an honor to recognize their accomplishments,” Naugle said.

KSBDC, part of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, is a network of 12 offices located throughout the state. The center helps existing and start-up businesses succeed by offering high quality, in-depth and hands-on services. KSBDC is a partner program with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information on KSBDC services, visit their website, http://www.ksbdc.org/.