The Small Business Development Center at Temple University assembled with Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) across the state for the 2023 Growth Conference Awards Ceremony in Erie, Pa. Hosted by the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ lead office, the awards are presented to centers and individuals for their outstanding performance and service. The Temple team took home five awards, serving as a testament to their hard work, dedication and commitment to helping small businesses succeed.
On behalf of John Ondik, Karl Kraus accepts the 2022 Capital Investment Award.
John Ondik, senior business consultant, was awarded the 2022 Capital Investment Award, which is given to the business consultant with the largest total dollar client investment in the Pennsylvania SBDC network for the last full program year. Ondik has been involved with the SBDC network for over three decades, beginning as an MBA consultant at the Wharton SBDC in 1992. In 2004, he took on a part-time program executive role, which he continued until the Wharton SBDCs closure in 2019. He then joined the Temple SBDC as a part-time consultant and instructor. When asked about what his role at the SBDC means to him, Ondik says, “I love the SBDC model; I love working with our clients and helping them grow their businesses; and I love being around the folks who make up the SBDC network: talented, passionate professionals who are deeply committed to small business and communities. I expect I’ll be with SBDC as long as they’ll have me.”
Elaina DeHoratius, BBA ’17, MS ’19, was named the 2023 Rising Star. One of the highest accolades achievable by the PASBDC team, the Rising Star award honors team members under age 35 for leadership and dedication to serving clients. Dehoratius has been at the SBDC for almost six years. She started as a graduate student consultant while working toward her MS in digital innovation in marketing at the Fox School of Business and was hired as a full-time consultant specializing in digital marketing and communications following her graduation.
Program Manager Janice Crile won the 2023 Game Changer Award for her contributions to the Pennsylvania Digital Transformation and eCommerce Program (PADTEP). PADTEP is a statewide program providing digital marketing and eCommerce consulting, training and audits for small businesses and entrepreneurs. When asked what this award means to her, Crile says, “I am honored to work with the Temple SBDC team. Together we achieve outstanding results for small businesses throughout Pennsylvania. I sincerely thank the PADTEP team and the small businesses I have worked with to accomplish digital transformation. I also want to thank our funders, the Economic Development Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, who provide financial support.”
On behalf of Erika Tapp Duran, Howard Brown accepts the 2023 Founders Award.
Erika Tapp Duran received the 2023 Founders Award, which is awarded to the consultant with the highest number of business starts in the PASBDC each year. Tapp has been a business consultant at the SBDC since 2019 and specializes in start-up assistance. She is proud of the work the center does, saying, “I love my work. Just about every day, I have a client with a type of business that I’d never heard of before. Our clients are passionate about their business and driven to succeed. They are as unique as individuals as their businesses are. Starting a business is tough. Being able to support our clients as their reach for their dreams is a privilege. We have an awesome team at Temple. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!”
In addition to individual awards, the center also won the 2023 Student Program of the Year, which honored the Digital Connect Students within PADTEP. The Digital Connect program, in partnership with the College of Science and Technology, pairs small businesses with a team of university students to create and enhance eCommerce and business websites to refine and amplify the business’s online presence. This includes website creation, digital storefront assistance, website integration and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In 2022, the team completed 52 websites. eCommerce Consultant Sheila Bishop manages the program and says, “Working with the students in the Digital Connect program has been a highlight of my career. It is rewarding working with the students as they develop their skills working directly with business owners. The clients express tremendous gratitude for this no-cost service and the experience of working with the Temple students.”
These awards come at a momentous time for the center. The year was a challenging one, as the search for a permanent director took longer than expected. To be recognized for the outstanding work the center does, especially during a time of uncertainty, solidifies the strength and tenacity of this hardworking group.
“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to lead this team of talented and skilled individuals,” says Karl Kraus, who acted as interim director during the year. “These awards recognize some of the results of the hard work, dedication and perseverance of the professional staff and the Temple students who work with us to help the small businesses in the Philadelphia region to develop economic success and build wealth within the community.
“But there are so many more successes in addition to these awards–the local boba tea shop that was able to grow their business through an improved website, the technology developer who was able to raise a seed round of equity funding to continue to bring their innovations to market, the maintenance company that was able to grow over the years and hire scores of employees in North Philadelphia neighborhoods. These and many more are the true measures of our success and what brings our team to work every day to serve our mission of economic development for all in the community.”
Howard Brown, the new executive director, is looking forward to guiding this award-winning team. “As the leader of the TUSBDC, I am very proud of the work of our team and their unwavering commitment to our organization and the communities we serve,” says Brown. “These awards underscore our values, which are lived out every day through our incredible team members, especially in support of our mission to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners with the knowledge they need to make smart decisions and prosper.”