FORT SMITH -- Small businesses in the Fort Smith area will have help close by with the opening of a regional office of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center.
The center is dedicated to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs launch and develop businesses, according to a news release. The regional office will work with all types of for-profit businesses.
"Serving Crawford, Sebastian and Scott counties, clients can receive one-on-one confidential consulting and cutting-edge market research at no charge," the release states. "Businesses and entrepreneurs can also expand their expertise by participating in affordable educational events."
Latisha Settlage, interim dean of the College of Business at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, led efforts to get the $78,000 to fund the center. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides funding for such offices.
"UAFS and the College of Business are proud to support economic development in the River Valley through this partnership," Settlage said in the release. "We look forward to engaging our faculty and students with the work of this business outreach center."
The regional office will report to the College of Business and open after a director is hired, according to the release.