James King Named Chairman of National Association of Small Business Development Centers

Albany – The State University of New York and New York State Small Business Development Center (NYS SBDC) today announced that James King was recently elected Chairman of the Board for the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) at the organization’s 2012 national meeting in New Orleans. King is State Director of SBDC.

SUNY is the lead host for the statewide SBDC network, which includes the City University of New York (CUNY), Pace University, and Columbia University. 

“Jim King’s election as chairman of the national small business development network is a well-deserved recognition of his outstanding leadership in New York State and of SUNY’s progress toward driving economic development,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “We are pleased to have Jim represent SUNY as he helps shape a national agenda for economic support in communities throughout New York and across the nation.”

“I am honored and privileged to lead such a distinguished group nationally,” said King. “The ASBDC is a vital part of the SBDC network and I look forward to helping contribute to the critical small business initiative that is so vital to our national economy. The support and partnerships we have in SUNY and within higher education throughout New York State, and the many local, regional, and individual contributors who collectively encourage new and existing small businesses to expand and grow, have made this possible, and I thank each of our partners for the critical roles they play in our ongoing success.”

The ASBDC is a partnership program uniting private enterprise, government, higher education and local nonprofit economic development organizations, hosted at higher education institutions throughout the nation. The organization is dedicated to the sound development of entrepreneurs and small business throughout America. Founded in 1979, the ASBDC provides a vehicle for continuous improvement of the Small Business Development Center program, exchange of information among all members regarding objectives, methods and results in business management and technical assistance, and advocacy of America's small business community.

The ASBDC officers and board members are made up of SBDC State and Regional Directors from across 11 different states. King replaces Al Salgado, Director for South-West Texas SBDC, as Chairman.

About the SUNY Small Business Development Center
The SBDC, administered by the State University of New York, has 24 regional service centers located throughout the New York State on SUNY, City University of New York (CUNY) and private university campuses. Since inception in 1984, the SBDC has provided small business advisement services to more than 354,000 New Yorkers. The SBDC also provides training and business research to existing business owners and entrepreneurs. SBDC clients have invested over $4.7 billion in NY, impacting 158,000 jobs. 

The SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of New York, local communities, and host campuses. As a result of this leveraged support, the SBDC staff provides confidential one-on-one business advisement services at no direct cost to the citizens and entrepreneurs of New York.

For more information about the SBDC, visit www.nyssbdc.org.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating approximately 468,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses with nearly 3 million alumni around the globe. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.