A&M, UAH expand role in support for small business

Under a new agreement among Alabama A&M University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, both universities will add staffed small business development centers at their campuses and maintain a presence at the chamber.

The arrangement will take advantage of the expertise, advice and economy of campus-based business graduate students and faculty to help provide small business support.

Together, the universities will provide on-site counseling services to individual small businesses and continue a series of small business seminars at the chamber.

"The rapid growth of the Huntsville regional economy, which continues as a result of opportunities arising out of the Base Realignment and Closure process, has driven this very strategic move by our universities and the chamber," said Alabama A&M President Dr. Robert Jennings.

"The Huntsville and North Alabama region is a very healthy environment for small business development and technology-based entrepreneurship, and we look forward to providing this leading edge economic development service through the universities' on-campus programs and at the chamber of commerce," said UAH President Dr. Frank Franz.

"The chamber of commerce looks forward to providing continued support to local small business activities through this partnership with our universities," said Ron Klein, vice chairman of small business at the chamber.