News

Ann Desch Named State Director- Small Business Development Center Network

Brings Hands On Community and Business Development Experience

Helena, MT – April 18, 2002 – Ann Desch has been named Director of the State’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network by the Montana Department of
Commerce. She had been manager of the Department’s Community Development Block Grant Program for economic development.

The SBDC program is a partnership between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Commerce.

“The SBDC network will have the benefit of a new dimension of leadership with Ann at the helm,” said Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Commerce. “Her
familiarity with local governments and community development organizations as well as her managerial experience with other federally-funded state programs gives her
the skills to guide the ten statewide subcenters.”

“Ann’s knowledge and broad administrative and organizational experience will provide a solid foundation for the SBDC program,” said Michelle Johnston, District Director,
Montana SBA District Office. “Working together, the SBA and the SBDC network will continue to flourish, providing financial and technical assistance to small
businesses throughout Montana.”

The SBDC subcenters provide a variety of services including free confidential one-on-one counseling and a wide range of business training options. Desch also will
manage the Department’s MicroBusiness Finance and MicroBusiness Technical Assistance Programs as well as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Outreach Program.

Prior to her present position, Desch was the program manager for the Montana Department of Commerce Economic Development Loan and Grant Fund geared to
assisting businesses in small Montana communities. She also has been the Department’s Community Development Block Grant program officer for the Public Facilities
and Housing Program as well as a planner for the Department’s Community Technical Assistance Program.

Since 1985, Desch has worked at the state level in various programs with communities across the State, dealing with transportation and land use planning, community
and economic development issues.

Desch has a M.S. in Rural, Town and Regional Planning from the University of Montana, Missoula, as well as a B.A. in German from Portland State University, Portland,
Oregon. She studied in Stuttgart, Germany, during college.

Desch has earned certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners as well as an Economic Development Finance Professional.

Her professional affiliations have included the American Planning Association, Montana Economic Developers Association and the Montana Association of Planners
where she was a Board member from 1993-1994. Desch also is a member of The Western Planner Journal where he has served on the Editorial Board since 1991, and
was the Montana representative to the Board from 1991-1995.

Desch is currently refreshing her German language skill as a participant in research being done by Parvis, Inc., of Bozeman, to evaluate developing language proficiency
through distance-learning partnerships via the Internet. In 2001, Parvis received a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant for this project from the
National Science Foundation.

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THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Small Business Development Center
1424 Ninth Avenue
Helena MT 59601

Contact: Ann Desch
SBDC State Director
406/444-4374

For Immediate Release

$32.3 MILLION INVESTED IN MONTANA SMALL BUSINESSES IN 2001
Commerce SBDC Network Assists Nearly 1500 Entrepreneurs

Helena, MT – April 18, 2002 – In 2001, over $32.3 million was invested in 170 small Montana companies working with the Department of Commerce Small Business Development Center (SBDC) statewide counseling/technical assistance network.

The SBDC network counseled nearly 1500 Montana entrepreneurs in such diverse businesses as marketing, medical and small plane flying services (46%), retail (20%), manufacturing (16%), construction (5%) and wholesale (2%).

The combination of SBDC counseling, along with financing from Commerce’s MicroBusiness Finance Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, the Small Business Administration and local Montana banks, created or retained 709 jobs in Montana companies.

The types of businesses that received funding were service, retail, manufacturing and construction.

"One of the keys to small business success is having access to the training and resources that will help them navigate the road to success," said Mark Simonich, Director, Montana Department of Commerce. "Equally important is that these services be easily accessible where they are most needed – in our local communities where these entrepreneurs work and live. One way we provide these services efficiently and effectively is through our SBDC network."

One hundred and fifty training courses ranging from NxLeveL business plan basics to business management, marketing and sources of capital were offered both on and off Montana reservations. Among the 1,580 course attendees, business plan writing was the most popular (44%), followed by how to start a business (32%).
For SBDC clients, how to start a business was the most popular subject (45.6%) followed by how to identify sources of capital (24.1%).

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The ten Small Business Development Centers operate in partnership with local public or private economic development groups and are funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Montana Department of Commerce and local contributions. SBDC offices are located in Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Colstrip, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, and Wolf Point.

Following is information on SBDC activity by area.

· Billings SBDC serves Big Horn, Carbon, Golden Valley, Musselshell, Petroleum, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland and Yellowstone counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 262
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, marketing, financial analysis and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $ 16,033,500
o Types of Businesses: restaurant, consulting, construction, daycare center, retail, auto lube center, importer
o Jobs Created / Retained: 122 / 54
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 27 (Business Start-Up, Time Management, Hiring & Retention, Government Contracting, HUB Zone, Loan Packaging)
o SBDC local information:
Scott Langman, SBDC Subcenter Director
Big Sky Economic Development Authority
222 North 32nd Street, Billings, MT 59101
406-256-6875

· Bozeman SBDC serves Gallatin, Meagher and Park counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 200
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, marketing, financial analysis and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $2,377,810
o Types of Businesses: retail, medical services, information technology, consulting, manufacturing
o Jobs Created / Retained: 29 / 41
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 17 (Business Start-Up)
o SBDC local information:
Kent Wood, SBDC Subcenter Director
Gallatin Development Corporation
222 East Main, Suite 102, Bozeman, MT 59715
406-587-3113

· Butte SBDC serves Beaverhead, Deer Lodge, Granite, Jefferson, Madison, Powell and Silver Bow counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 146
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, financial analysis and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $4,090,832
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o Types of Businesses: outfitting, franchise, daycare center, flying service
o Jobs Created / Retained: 21 / 12
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 12 (Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Budgeting, Writing a Business Plan)
o SBDC local information:
John Donovan, SBDC Subcenter Director
Southwest Montana Headwaters RC&D
305 W. Mercury, Suite 211, Butte, MT 59701
406-782-7333

· Colstrip SBDC serves Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Powder River, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure and Wibaux counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 89
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, accounting and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $705,991
o Types of Businesses: consulting, retail, outfitting, truck parts, food manufacturing
o Jobs Created / Retained: 5 / 17
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 10 (Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Agriculture, Business Start-Up, Business Plan Writing)
o SBDC local information:
Travis Wright, SBDC Subcenter Director
Southeastern Montana Development Corporation
6200 Main, Colstrip, MT 59323
406-748-2990

· Great Falls serves Cascade, Fergus, Glacier, Judith Basin, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 187
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, marketing and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $1,022,000
o Types of Businesses: motel, veterinary clinic, retail, restaurant, fitness center
o Jobs Created / Retained: 26 / 29
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 14 (Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Financing, Business Plan Writing, Business Feasibility)
o SBDC local information:
Suzie David, SBDC Subcenter Director
High Plains Development Authority
710 1st Ave. North, Great Falls, MT 59403
406-453-8834

· Havre SBDC serves Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty and Phillips counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 54
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, marketing, Government procurement and sources of capital
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o Dollars Invested: $613,500
o Types of Businesses: retail, meat processing, barber, restaurant, grocery
o Jobs Created / Retained: 22 / 16
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 28 (Market Analysis, Business Plan Writing, Cash Flow Projections, Home-Based Businesses, IRS Tax Requirements, Leadership Skills)
o SBDC local information:
Tracey Jette, SBDC Subcenter Director
Bear Paw Development Corporation
48 2nd Ave., Havre, MT 59501
406-265-4945

· Helena SBDC serves Broadwater and Lewis & Clark counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 117
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, marketing, financial analysis, government procurement and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $1,339,421
o Types of Businesses: plant nursery, manufacturing, dog kennel, publishing, retail
o Jobs Created / Retained: 23 / 23
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 3 (Business Start-Up, Writing a Business Plan)
o SBDC local information:
Ross Johnson, SBDC Subcenter Director
Gateway Economic Development Corporation
1015 Poplar Street, Helena, MT 59601
406-447-1512

· Kalispell SBDC serves Glacier (only the Blackfeet Reservation), Flathead, Lake and Lincoln counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 133
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, marketing, accounting, government procurement and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $4,096,000
o Types of Businesses: auto body shop, welding, retail, sports facility, manufacturing, coffee shop
o Jobs Created / Retained: 64 / 40
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered: 14 (Business Assistance, Personnel Management, Business Plan Writing, Market Research, Business Start-Up)
o SBDC local information:
Cliff Bennett, SBDC Subcenter Director
Kalispell Area Chamber of Commerce
15 Depot Park, Kalispell, MT 59901
406-758-2802

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· Missoula SBDC serves Mineral, Missoula, Ravali and Sanders counties.
o Number of Clients Served: 220
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, accounting, marketing, financial analysis and sources of capital
o Dollars Invested: $2,042,611
o Types of Businesses; tea shop, video studio, performing arts, log furniture, restoration
o Job Created / Retained; 46 / 99
o Number and Kinds of Courses Offered; 29 (Business Start-Up, Loan Packaging, Government Procurement)
o SBDC local information:
Eric Bailey, SBDC Subcenter Director
Montana Community Development Corporation
103 East Main, Missoula, MT 59802
406-728-9234

· Wolf Point SBDC serves Daniels, Garfield, McCone, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Valley counties.

The Wolf Point SBDC was only active from July – December 2001.

o Number of Clients Served: 20
o Areas of Counseling: business start-up, accounting, financial analysis, government procurement and sources of capital
o Types of Businesses: NA
o SBDC local information:
Jay Boysun, SBDC Subcenter Director
Great Northern Development Corporation
233 Cascade Street, Wolf Point, MT 59201
406-653-2590

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