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Small Business Development Center director honored
The Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center at Fort Lewis College is proud to announce that retiring Director, Joe Keck was awarded the Excellence and Innovation Award for the State of Colorado by the US Small Business Administration.
The award was presented by Frances Padilla, Deputy Director, SBA Colorado District Office at a luncheon on Wednesday, May 6, at the Aurora Summit Conference and Event Center before an audience of 200. The event was hosted by the South Metro-Aurora Small Business Development Center.
Keck was nominated by Durango Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jack Llewellyn because, “Joe has done so much for the business community here. He possesses incredible knowledge and is well-deserving.”
Ed Morlan, Executive Director of Region 9 Economic Development District, also nominated Joe who was, “stellar at his job. His dedication to each client and to fostering wonderful working partnerships is commendable.”
Receiving the award, Keck thanked his partners who were all key in contributing to the success of the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Network. “The collaborative environment that our partner organizations have fostered is key to our success and to the work we do.” Keck thanked his staff, advisors, Fort Lewis College, the SBA, Region 9, La Plata Economic Development Alliance, the Women’s Resource Center, the Chambers of Commerce through-out the region and others for their support and collaborative efforts.
Paul McGurr, Dean of the School of Business Administration at Fort Lewis College commented, “It was with great pleasure that I was able to attend the Colorado SBDC Network Small Business Week 2015 Awards Ceremony. The earning of the SBDC Excellence and Innovation Award is a culmination of Joe’s dedicated work on behalf of the small business men and women in Southwest Colorado. For 13 years Joe has been director of the SW Colorado SBDC hosted by Fort Lewis College and he has done wonderful work in the five-county area served by the SBDC.”
Kelly Manning, Colorado State Director for the SBDC noted that, Joe has been a tremendous asset to the SBDC and the small business community. He has done so much to help small businesses grow and sustain during his time with the SBDC. He will be missed!"
The Southwest Colorado SBDC offers free and low cost consulting and training's to local small business owners, both new start ups as well as existing businesses.