Carroll County's Small Business Development Center Director Earns National Award

Lisa Shimkat helps Carroll County entrepreneurs with business start-up and growth.

AMES, Iowa — Lisa Shimkat, regional director of the North Central Iowa Small Business Development Center in Fort Dodge, was named the 2010 Iowa “State Star” by the national Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC).

Carroll County is included in NCI-SBDC's service territory. Lisa works closely with Carroll Chamber of Commerce and Carroll Area Development Corporation to bring technical assistance services to individuals who are interested in starting a business and to small businesses seeking growth opportunities.

The national association annually recognizes Small Business Development Center employees for demonstrating exemplary work performance, significantly contributing to the organization’s economic development efforts, and showing a strong commitment to small businesses.
“This nomination by Lisa’s peers recognizes the outstanding job she has done for the business communities in the ten counties served by the North Central Iowa Small Business Development Center,” says Iowa SBDC State Director Jim Heckmann. “Lisa always works extremely hard for her clients and for our organization. Her dedication deserves this recognition.”

Iowa’s Small Business Development Centers are an outreach program of Iowa State University's College of Business. Partially funded by the U. S. Small Business Administration, the organization has 15 regional assistance centers located strategically across the state. Since program inception in 1981, the Centers have helped hundreds of thousands of Iowa businesses and entrepreneurs through individual, professional counseling and affordable training.