CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC) business coach Donna Schramm recently attended the America’s SBDC National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was named West Virginia’s 2023 State Star award winner.
“It was an honor and a privilege to represent West Virginia and the amazing work all our coaches do to help the small business community in this state. Nashville was a great host, but this West Virginia girl is glad to be back in the Mountain State,” said Schramm.
Schramm joins the ranks of honorees from each state recognized at America’s SBDC National Conference.
The criteria for State Stars include the following:
- Being an exemplary performer
- Making a significant contribution to their state or SBDC program
- Showing a strong commitment to small businesses
Schramm has been a small business coach with the WV SBDC for 24 years. She is a two-time recipient of the America Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) State Star award, the first in 2009. She has held multiple positions with the SBDC and currently is the Northern Regional Coordinator, working with the other business coaches in north-central West Virginia. She assists small business clients and resource partners through one-on-one coaching, training, and spearheading community events with local agencies.
She has a Business Administration degree with a specialization in finance from West Virginia University, is a Certified Business Advisor and holds an Export and Trade Counseling Certificate.
She and her husband own and operate two small businesses in their hometown of New Martinsville, WV. She also stays busy keeping up with her two teenagers and their activities.
She is part of the West Virginia SBDC statewide network of business coaches who provide confidential one-on-one consulting for small businesses interested in starting and growing in the Mountain State.
WV SBDC is an accredited member of America’s SBDC, a federal partner with the SBA, and a division of the WV Department of Economic Development.
WV SBDC business coaches have professional certifications ranging from exporting, innovation, technology and economic development, to finance, management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
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