UTSA begins SBDC counselor, director training in Dominican Republic

Sosua, Dominican Republic
(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

By Doug CohenMiller
Media and Communications Specialist, UTSA International Trade Center

(July 31, 2013) -- The International Trade Center at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute of Economic Development announces it will begin its four-module Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Counselor and Director Certificate Training in the Dominican Republic this month. The program will help establish SBDCs throughout the country to support business owners and entrepreneurs in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic is the second largest nation in the Caribbean, and along with Haiti, is on the island of Hispaniola.

SBDCs, established throughout the United States by the federal government in partnership with state governments and universities and colleges, assist entrepreneurs and business owners in establishing and growing their businesses through a free and confidential suite of advising services. Services include, but are not limited to, feasibility studies, business strategy, financial planning, marketing, production and professional networking. The centers support new and existing businesses.

The goal of the SBDC Counselor and Director Certificate Training is to transfer the SBDC model methodology and train professionals to manage and operate an economic impact-producing SBDC. The training is part of the International Trade Center and Institute for Economic Development's International SBDC Expansion Initiative that, with the support of the U.S. government, has helped countries develop U.S.-modeled SBDC networks in the Americas since 2003.

UTSA International Trade Center international business consultants Minerva Garcia and Julio Garcia de las Mestas will conduct UTSA's Counselor and Director Certificate Training, which will be offered in four parts. The first module began July 24-26.

"The training will be key for the Dominican Republic, as it will allow the counselors and directors of the forthcoming centers to think and operate as SBDC professionals. After the training, we will continue to assist the Ministerio de Industria y Comercio (MIC) in implementing the SBDC model in the country," said Cliff Paredes, director of the International Trade Center.

Future SBDC directors and counselors will attend the event. High-level authorities such as Ignacio Méndez, vice minister of development of small and medium enterprises of Dominican Republic, and Rafael Ortiz, CONAMYPE management representative of the Salvadorian SBDC network also will be present to support the training.

The International Trade Center at UTSA is one of the largest and most successful trade assistance organizations in Texas. It helps companies become globally competitive through technical trade consulting, customized market research and innovative training programs. The center is a specialty SBDC program in the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network. Follow them on Twitter (@TexasTrade) and like them on Facebook.

For more information about the project, visit the SBDC Global website.