The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UCF received several awards at the recent Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) Annual Professional Development Conference. Congratulations to the winners:<\/p>\n
Florida Star of the Year\u2013Jill Kaufman<\/strong>. She was recognized as the Florida SBDC Network employee whose contributions to the SBDC program were exemplary with respect to new program development, innovative special projects, client impact and overall Network performance. In her four years of service to the Network, Kaufman, Program Manager of the SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council Program, has helped her clients create 207 jobs, retain 454 jobs, increase sales by $36.5 million, obtain $9.5 million in capital formation and win $30.6 million in contracts. Kaufman will also be recognized as the Association of SBDC\u2019s State Star for Florida at a special event during the National Association of SBDCs 30th Anniversary Conference scheduled for September in San Antonio, Texas.<\/p>\n Florida Volunteer of the Year Award\u2013Gary Slavin<\/strong>. He was recognized as the regional volunteer that made the greatest contribution to the Florida SBDC Network. Slavin began working with SBDC at UCF clients in November 1995\u2014his first client still contacts him for business advice. Slavin jumped at the opportunity to volunteer with the SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council and attended the program\u2019s inaugural reception in 2003, where he signed up to become a volunteer advisor. Since that time, Slavin has served on five advisory boards for the SBDC at UCF\/Orange County program. In 2009, he also became a volunteer for the SBDC at Seminole State College\u2019s Advisory Board Council and currently serves on one board for that program. Slavin also received the Regional Volunteer of the Year Award for Central Florida.<\/p>\n