Members of the Region 5 Small Business and Technology Development Center, covering Arenac, Bay, Huron, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola Counties, will be honored with two awards at the Michigan Celebrates Small Business event in Lansing on April 24. Not only did the entire Region 5 team receive honors for their hard work, one of their team members received a special honor as well.

Christine Greve, Regional Director, and the Region 5 Team hosted by Delta College in University Center, have been named the 2008 Michigan SBDC Service Excellence & Innovation Center of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Members of Greve’s Region 5 Team include James Rowley, Debra Wieland, and Irene Dinauer.

“Christine Greve and her SBTDC Region 5 Team have had a positive impact on the economy by forming local partnerships that have helped existing companies and created new businesses and jobs,” said SBA Michigan District Director Richard Temkin. “I am very pleased to announce that the SBTDC Region 5 Team is the Michigan SBDC Service Excellence & Innovation Center award winner.”

Since January 2003, the Region 5 Team has managed counseling, training, and research activities for small businesses in Arenac, Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties, and recently expanded into Huron, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties. In just five years, the team helped 146 new business start-ups, created 802 new jobs, and infused $31 million in capital into their region. The Region 5 Team also hosted the first Mid-Michigan Inventors Group, a collaborative forum developed to bring together creative people with the interest and ability to make new products. The Team was one of the catalysts that have made this a regular event for budding inventors in the area.

This award honors a Small Business Development Center Service Centers for its innovation and excellence in assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses owners by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible locations. This is the first year that SBA has made this award.

In addition, James Rowley has been named the 2008 Michigan Small Business Counselor of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

"James Rowley has spent a lifetime connecting with Michigan’s entrepreneurs," said Richard Temkin, Michigan District Director for SBA. "Jim has been a collaborative partner and counselor to hundreds of small business owners and for his outstanding dedication to them he has been selected as Michigan’s 2008 Small Business Counselor of the Year.”

As a former co-owner of Rowleys Wholesale, an 87 year old family business in Bay City, Jim is very aware of the hard work and demands of running a successful company. Since joining the SBTDC as a business counselor in 1996, Jim has brought a lifetime’s worth of valuable business experience and knowledge to help his clientele. His client portfolio is very diverse with a primary focus on existing businesses. Through his efforts, many small business owners have experienced increased sales and profit. Jim’s enthusiasm for small business is evident by his willingness to share his extraordinary skills, talents, and passion with his clients, as well as the staff and program partners of the regional office.


The MI-SBTDC is headquartered at Grand Valley State University and supports 12 regional offices and over 30 satellite offices. These offices provide counseling and training to small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the 83 counties in Michigan through a cooperative agreement with the SBA.

Both awards will be presented during the fourth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards dinner at the Lansing Center in Lansing on April 24, 2008. For more information on Rowley and the SBTDC team, please contact the SBA Michigan District Office at (313) 226-6075 x225 or e-mail . Photos are available from the SBA upon request.

These press releases were provided by the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center, Region 5.

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