ATHENS, Ga. (Oct 6, 2005) — The first group of business consultants from the Georgia Small Business Development Center Network left for Bay St. Louis, Miss., on October 2nd to help get businesses back on their feet in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For two weeks, the consultants will help the Mississippi SBDC provide assistance with business disaster recovery and disaster loans. Additional consultants will travel to Mississippi and Louisiana over the next few months.

“We were asked to assist because the business consultants in our program are recognized as some of the most knowledgeable and experienced in the country,” said Allan Adams, interim state director of the Georgia SBDC.

The group includes three consultants from the University of Georgia’s SBDC: Ron Simmons of Gainesville, Ga.; David Lewis of Brunswick, Ga.; and Darrel Hulsey from Gwinnett County, Ga. The fourth consultant is Cecil McDaniel of the Clayton College and State University SBDC.

“They took us on a tour when we first got here,” Lewis said. “It’s indescribable. You see pictures on TV but you can’t understand it until you see it firsthand. Everything is gone for miles and miles.”

The consultants expect to help business owners apply for assistance packages, reconstruct financial information and make decisions about their business’ future. On the first day, the team helped 36 people.

“These people need help, they need it desperately and they need it quickly,” Lewis said.

About the Georgia SBDC Network: With 19 offices located throughout the state, the Georgia SBDC Network provides business assistance to the small business community. Consulting is provided in all areas of business, including financial analysis, business planning, bookkeeping, marketing, personnel management, and strategic planning. Special emphasis programs to assist minority- and women-owned businesses and for companies interested in exporting are also provided. For additional information, or for the office located near you, visit our web site at www.sbdc.uga.edu.

The University of Georgia SBDC is a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach.

This article was posted on Thursday, October 6th, 2005 at 5:51 pm and is filed under News.