SBA News:ALBUQUERQUE ― The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has named the New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) the 2016 top in the nation.
Director Joe Long and staff are invited to Washington, D.C. during National Small Business Week May 1-2 to accept the award. In addition to being recognized in D.C., the New Mexico team will be honored at a special Awards Breakfast on May 5 at 8:00 a.m. at the Sandia Golf Club, 130 Rainbow Rd N.E. in Albuquerque.
The New Mexico Center was chosen from among 14 VBOCs across the country for their aggressive outreach programs provided to veterans in four states and more than 30 municipalities and reservations in New Mexico.
“I’m proud of the success of the New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center and for being selected as the top Center in the nation for 2016,” said South Central Regional Administrator Yolanda Garcia Olivarez. “The Center staff has worked diligently to provide business counseling, training and technical assistance to our Veterans. Serving our Veterans is one of the highest responsibilities one can have and the NM VBOC has honored our veterans with providing high quality care and commitment.”
“This award recognizes our New Mexico VBOC team for being the best in the nation,” Acting District Director Kerrie Hurd said. “We are proud that New Mexico veterans have access to exceptional entrepreneurship support as they start and expand businesses, increasing job opportunities in our state.”
The center also delivers the Boots to Business (B2B) program which is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the SBA. The curriculum provides assistance to transitioning service members exploring self-employment by teaching key business concepts necessary in developing a business plan.
Participants are introduced to SBA start-up capital access, technical assistance and on-line courses. The team has delivered 49 B2B seminars to 14 military installations in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. New Mexico’s VBOC has reached more than 700 individuals during the past year.
Annually, the VBOC hosts and executes a Veterans Business Conference whereby hundreds of veteran entrepreneurs receive instruction on topics that include: How to Do Business with New Mexico’s laboratories, How to Create an Effective Website, Understanding the Secrets of Franchise Opportunities and, Where the Money Is.
Of the many VBOC clients, Air Force veteran Chris Sweetin, owner of 3D Security Training Solutions in Albuquerque said, “Rich Coffel of the VBOC was immensely helpful to me in starting my business and also in helping to address my business challenges. His access to state government contacts helped me to resolve certification issues that saved me an incredible amount of time in continuing to operate my business.”
About New Mexico VBOC Staff
Joseph C. Long is the Veterans’ Business Outreach director. Long is a 37-year Marine Corps veteran. He has owned three businesses and managed a fourth. Richard Coffel is the Veterans’ Business Outreach Director. He assists veterans who want to start or expand their business. Veteran’s Business Advisor, Richard Coffel assists veterans who want to start or expand their business. He served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force and previously worked at the New Mexico Workforce Connection as a Disabled Veteran Outreach Program specialist. Coffel has owned his own business and managed a business for his wife. Danelle Lucero serves as the Director of Business Operations. She is the daughter of a U.S. Army Veteran Juan Jacquez, a Prisoner-of-War for four years during the Vietnam War who spent much of his captivity in the infamous North Vietnamese Hoa Loa Prison Camp, sarcastically nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by its captives.