FL SDVOB’s get Preferential Treatment
House Bill 687 became law and leveled the competitive field for Florida’s Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) in June as it received the governor’s signature.
As Governor Charlie Crist signed into law the new legislation mandating SDVOSB preference in state contracting, State Representatives Jimmy Patronis and Marti Coley; Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr.; military dignitaries, along with Certified Business Analysts Tony Zacchio and Brent Peacock of the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) accompanied the governor and looked on during the signing at Tyndall Air Force Base.  The new legislation aims at providing preferential treatment to service-disabled veteran small business owners who do business with the State.   Tony Zacchio, Director of the VBOC, said, “This new legislation will empower our veteran-owned businesses to be more competitive statewide,” and he is confident “the positive trend for these vets will continue nationally.”
The new legislation went into effect on November 11th 2008.

 

The BIG IDEA has hit the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)!

The BIG IDEA starring Donny Deutsch airs on CNBC nightly at 10pm ET and features the best and brightest in the arena of business.  On Thursday September 11th, our very own Tony Zacchio of the VBOC Region IV was featured as a guest expert panelist on the business community’s acclaimed national television show.  With a large and loyal national audience, the exposure and credence for our programs is immense. 
The topic of the segment was based around a couple in Alabama that is trying to launch a new innovative product in the sports training market.  Other panelists included Don Mattingly (Baseball Great & MVP), who spoke of techniques to launch an ecommerce baseball product website; Jim Koch (Founder of Samuel Adams Beer) provided first hand distribution and marketing advice; Keith Meisser (Texas Rangers Team Doctor) discussed following through with physical therapy rehab market; Jeff Taylor (Founder of monster.com) provided website re-design advice; and Mel Robbins provided “life encouragement” advice. 
The husband is a veteran of the armed forces and therefore The BIG IDEA turned to Tony, the Director of the Veterans Business Outreach Center, for assistance with local business counseling resources and mentoring for his budding enterprise.  Check out The BIG IDEA with Donny Deutsch nightly on CNBC at 10:00 pm or online at http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838512/site/14081545/.

 


In-Depth business training for veterans!
http://whitman.syr.edu/ebv/
Veterans with disabilities are being provided opportunities in entrepreneurship, thanks to cutting edge experiential training offered by the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV), held mid-June at Florida State University in Tallahassee FL.  Region IV Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Certified Business Analysts participated in the week long “Bootcamp- like” curriculum by addressing these future entrepreneurs on the role the VBOC can play in their business venture. The EBV was introduced by the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University in 2007. By 2008 the EBV consortium of Schools was launched by partnering with UCLA Anderson School of Management, Florida State University College of Business, and the Mays Business School at Texas A & M University.  Week long workshops in Business Plan Development, Utilizing the Resources of the Department of Labor for self-employment, and how to use Disability Benefits in your self-employment plan were presented as well as addresses on how the Veterans Business Outreach Center can assist entrepreneurs   in all aspects of business start up. On June 12, VBOC Director, Tony Zacchio and CBA, Brent Peacock fielded questions and discussed the advantages of working with the VBOC during the on-going start up process of a small business.  The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans is entirely free as a result of the support of the EBV Universities and private donations from individuals and corporations.

The Wounded Warrior Project began when several individuals took small, inspired actions to help others in need.  One night while watching the evening news, a group of veterans and brothers were moved by the difficult stories of the first wounded service members returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. They realized then and there that something needed to be done for these brave individuals beyond the brass bands and ticker tape parades.  The resulting objective was to provide tangible support for the severely wounded and help them on the road to healing, both physically and mentally. The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors.  To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, To help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

 

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http://www.franchise.org/FranchiseeSecondary.aspx?id=22128
In 2002, the International Franchise Association and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs signed an official memorandum of understanding to jointly promote the VetFran program. IFA’s members’ work in support of our nation’s veterans has been recognized by the Veteran Administration’s Center for Veterans Enterprise that honored the IFA by naming it a “Support Sector Champion” in 2003.  IFA also works with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Congress, military organizations and other entities to promote VetFran via additional government channels.  VetFran and participating companies are frequently featured on Web sites targeted to military personnel leaving active service.  Through the support of the IFA’s media department, VetFran and its member companies are included in new articles about franchising throughout print and electronic mediums and articles regularly appear in IFA’s Franchising World magazine.  Providing information and options to our veterans is one of the missions of the VetFran program.

 

colorSBAVET GAZETTE

Office of Veterans Business Development
                   “We Salute All Veterans”
News Letters: VET Gazette

SBA VET NEWS: http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/ovbd/news/index.html