SBA Update
New Internet Reporting System—The U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. General Services Administration have developed the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) to streamline reporting of small business subcontracting activity on large federal prime contracts. The Internet-based reporting tool will give agencies immediate access to analytical data on subcontracting performance. ESRS eliminates submission and processing of several paper reports and replaces them with electronic versions.

Give a Lending Hand Initiative—To provide faster service to business owners affected by the hurricanes, the SBA has launched the “Give a Lending Hand” initiative. The organization is asking for volunteers from the business lending community to help process business disaster loan applications. Private loan officers will be hired temporarily by SBA as “special government employees” to review and recommend to approve or decline business disaster loans. Those involved will be detailed to the Fort Worth, Tex., processing center for a minimum of 60 days. Those interested should contact Allan Hoberman at .

Chamber Elects Executive Committee
The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has named a new executive committee: Tom Bowser, chairman of the board; John W. Bluford, first vice chair; Robert D. Regnier, second vice chair; Anne D. St. Peter, vice chair/treasurer.

Members of the board of directors elected to a three-year term are: Richard W. Brown, co-chair, Stowers Institute for Medical Research; Irene Cumming, president and CEO, the University of Kansas Hospital; William Downey, president, Kansas City Power & Light; Mark Jorgenson, regional chairman-Kansas City Market, U.S. Bank; Len Lauer, COO, Sprint Nextel; Fred Logan, partner, Logan & Logan L.C.; Clyde McQueen, president & CEO, Full Employment Council; Susan J. Mosby, president, Infinium; John F. Murphy, chairman, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP; Henry Sandate, owner/agent, Henry Sandate Agency-State Farm Insurance; Don Trigg, chief marketing officer, Cerner Corporation; Bridgette Williams, president, Greater Kansas City AFL/CIO; Karen Zecy, president, American Micro Co.

BRIDG Develops Marketing Tool
A new tool developed by the Business Research Information Development Group (BRIDG) at the University of Missouri-Columbia will help business owners find out whether there is an audience for their product or service. The Business Indicators Analysis Tool is a free online resource that provides business owners with data to use in developing a marketing or business plan. Business owners can access data on a specific industry or on customer demographics. The tool is located at www.missouribusiness.net/bridg/indicators/index.asp.

MED Week Winners Announced
The Kansas Department of Commerce’s office of Minority and Women Business Development has recognized several Kansas businesses for outstanding achievement in celebration of Minority Enterprise Development Week.

Woman-owned winners in the region are: Manufacturing Firm, Asset Lifecycle, Beverly Drew, Topeka; Professional Service Firm, MB Piland Advertising & Marketing LLC, Martha Bartlett Piland, Topeka; Retail Firm, freda and maude, LLC, Michele Billam and Miki Hicks, Topeka; Service Industry Firm, Personal Best Pilates Studio, Carrie Jessee Cohn, Overland Park. Minority-owned businesses: Professional Service Firm, Pars Consulting Engineers, Inc., Dr. Rafie Hamidpour, Overland Park; Service Industry Firm, Riojas Enterprises, Inc. aka Able Employment, Carlos Riojas, Kansas City, Kan.; Supplier/Distributor, Mickey’s Promotions, Michaela Shaver, Topeka. Women Business Advocate: Leigh Klein, Kansas Women’s Business Center, Lenexa. Young Entrepreneur, The Sitting Connection, Pamela Carper, Topeka.

Partnership to Help Small Businesses
The Missouri Small Business Development Centers have reached an agreement with Business Loan Experts, a provider of SBA and other loans, to provide technical assistance to small business Community Express loan applicants in Missouri.
Community Express loans are SBA loans specifically designed for applicants who are located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) or other SBA-designated areas.

Under the agreement, Business Loan Express will refer clients to the Missouri SBDC for pre-loan technical assistance, including individual business counseling. After the loan has been approved, the Missouri SBDC will continue to provide technical assistance to ensure progress on the plan and assist with any management problems that arise.

Stottlemyer to Head NFIB
The National Federation of Independent Businesses board of directors has selected Todd A. Stottlemyer as the new president and CEO of the organization. Stottlemyer is currently CEO of Virginia-based Apogen Technologies, an IT services company.

MO PTAC Clients Set Record
Business clients of the statewide Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (MO PTAC) have achieved a new 12-month level of business volume in government contracts for fiscal year 2005. Last year, clients collectively received $170.7 million in government business through 1,129 contracts with federal, state and local governments. The previous best for government contract volume was 2003, when 331 contracts exceeding $96 million were awarded. Individual contract amounts during fiscal year 2005 ranged from a high of $12 million to a low of $17.