The Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of West Florida (FSBDC at UWF) earned top honors, being named the Florida SBDC Network’s 2026 Region of the Year.
The Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of small business assistance, recently honored outstanding staff, partners, and volunteers at its Annual Performance Excellence Awards Celebration. Presented August 19th, the awards are the networks highest honor, recognizing staff and partners for making a lasting impact on Florida’s small business community.
The FSBDC at UWF, located in the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, continued to have a significant impact across its 10-county Northwest Florida region in 2025, where its team of consultants delivered 11,658 consulting hours to more than 1,258 clients, resulting in helping clients start 144 new businesses, access over $81.4 million in capital, and obtain more than $39 million in government contracts. From assisting entrepreneurs start their first business venture to securing millions in capital and winning government contracts, the FSBDC at UWF continues to strive to be a driving force behind the Northwest Florida economy.
This recognition comes at a perfect time, as the SBDC celebrates it 50 year anniversary, with the University of West Florida serving as one of the original eight pilot programs. In 1972, Allan Cowart, a professor of management at the University of West Florida (UWF), founded UWF’s Resource Center for Small Business Services. This early effort provided entrepreneurial support across Florida’s Panhandle and laid the groundwork for a statewide model of small business assistance. In 1976, Florida was designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as one of eight pilot University Business Development Center programs—now known as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
The accolades did not stop at earning region of the year. Several consultants and staff members were also presented with individual honors. Christa Wilson received a New Business Lifetime Achievement for helping launch more than 125 new businesses, Chip Wells received a Government Contracting Lifetime Achievement for helping clients secure more than $50 million in government contracts, and John Carey won the Florida Ambassador of the Year Award for exceeding performance goals, delivering impactful training programs, and driving strong outcomes.