Arkansas Tech University will be home to a regional office of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) on its campus beginning in January 2010.

The regional office will serve an eight-county region and will be located in Centenary Hall, a new 60,000-square foot academic building scheduled to open on the Arkansas Tech campus at the beginning of 2010.

The ASBTDC represents a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and other institutions of higher education in Arkansas. The center is dedicated to assisting new, existing and expanding businesses.

“Education and economic development are irrevocably tied to one another,” said Arkansas Tech University President Dr. Robert C. Brown. “We are pleased to welcome this regional office to our Russellville campus and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration, our colleagues at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and other institutions around the state.

“We believe that this office could have a significant impact on the future economy of the Arkansas River Valley and provide outstanding opportunities for Arkansas Tech graduates by encouraging and developing small businesses in the region.”

ASBTDC State Director Janet Roderick said the center at Arkansas Tech will serve Conway, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties.

“ASBTDC is the only entity with a statewide network of offices focusing on entrepreneurial and small business development,” said Roderick. “We are excited about partnering with Arkansas Tech University to extend our network and better serve the area’s small businesses.”

Among the services offered at ASBTDC regional offices are consulting, training and market research. Most services are offered free of charge.

There are approximately 1,000 such centers around the nation. The center at Arkansas Tech will be the seventh in the state of Arkansas, joining existing offices at UALR, Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology in McGehee.

“Under the leadership of President Bob Brown, Arkansas Tech is making significant contributions to the economic development of our state,” said UALR Chancellor Joel Anderson. “Arkansas Tech will be a great addition to the statewide small business development network.”

The network of small business development centers represents the largest outreach program coordinated by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Arkansas Tech’s commitment and enthusiasm for this endeavor bodes well for the development of new businesses and expansion of existing businesses in these counties,” said Linda Nelson, director of the Small Business Administration’s Arkansas operations. “We look forward to working with them in this partnership.”

Click here for more information about the ASBTDC.