Archive for the ‘Business Assistance Programs’ Category

The US Commercial Service and the New Mexico Economic Development Department will host a unique education and training opportunity on April 4-5, 2012 at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. This program is intended for anyone who deals with global trade compliance (including exports, imports, customs, logistics, business development, marketing, procurement, engineering, operations, security, human resources, contracting, supply chain…) and related regulatory, compliance and enforcement issues.

The Southwest Aerospace & Defense Trade Compliance Forum includes a seminar, networking reception, workshop options and a tour of Spaceport America.

Do you know?

• What are you and your organization’s level of exposure, liability and risk when it comes to international trade and the demanding regulatory driven environment?
• What are the key requirements that you and your organization must abide by?
• What are the ongoing challenging, difficult and sometimes sensitive problems the regulations present?
• What are the potentially devastating consequences if you or your organization get it wrong?

If you need or want answers to these and many other questions, this low-cost, high-quality two-day, hands-on, practical-application and case study-focused program is for you.

Day one seminar topics include:

• Overview and Update on US Export Controls;
• International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) HOT Topics: State Department Trends, Defense Service Exports, Export Control Reform Initiatives, Agreements, Brokering, Third-Country/Dual Nationals, D-Trade, Merger & Acquisition Due Diligence, and much more…;
• Automation & Software Essentials in Trade Compliance;
• Industry Panel – How to Successfully Navigate the ITAR Minefield; Enforcement Update and Latest Consequences of Non-Compliance with Important Case Studies and Lessons Learned.
• Day one ends with a Q&A session followed by a networking reception

On day two attendees have two workshops to pick from:

• TRACK 1 is “Challenges Facing Empowered Officials and Trade Compliance Professionals: Minimizing Exposure, Liability and Risk” and includes sessions on Investigations, Disclosures and Decision Making; What the Regulations Don’t Say and How to Prepare for What’s Ahead, Hands-on Interactive Case Studies and ends with a presenter Q&A period.

• TRACK 2 is “Commercial Space and the ITAR” with sessions on What Every Commercial Space Entrepreneur Needs to Know; USML Categories IV, VIII and XV, as well as Relevant CCL Entries; Obstacles to Export; Interagency and Regulatory Conflicts Launch/Spaceflight Insurance Issues, Defense Services, etc.; Spaceports and the ITAR: Compliance Requirements for the Owner, Operators, Tenants, Suppliers, etc.; Hands-on Interactive Case Studies and also ends with a presenters Q&A.

In the afternoon of day two there is a special Spaceport America tour.

Additional details including registration, hotel information and a complete agenda are linked here.

Release courtesy of the NMSU News Center

WRITER: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Sara Patricolo, 575-646-2066, spatrico@nmsu.edu

Small business owners can learn more about how health care reform affects them at the Spring 2012 Domenici Institute Forum. The forum takes place from 4-5 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the KRWG-TV studios on the campus of New Mexico State University. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Bob Graboyes, senior fellow for health and economics for the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation, will discuss the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and what it means for small businesses.

“Small businesses are dealing with numerous challenges in this difficult economy, including health care reform,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Business and director of NMSU’s Domenici Institute. “Through this Domenici Institute Forum, small business owners in the region will have the opportunity to learn from a nationally prominent expert how health care reform is expected to impact them.”

At the forum, Graboyes will discuss 12 needed reforms to the health care legislation that are of importance to small businesses.  In addition to his work with the National Federation of Independent Business, Graboyes teaches health care professionals in master’s and doctoral programs at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Virginia and George Mason University. Graboyes was an economist at the University of Richmond, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va., the Virginia Department of Taxation and Chase Manhattan Bank.

The Domenici Institute Forum is an extension of the university’s yearly Domenici Public Policy Conference. The goal of the forums is to engage the public and encourage them to discuss and take part in issues of public interest, specifically, important policy matters.

The forum will be taped for broadcast, so those attending must arrive on campus by 3:30 p.m. and be at the KRWG studios in Milton Hall by 3:45 p.m. Taping will begin promptly at 4 p.m. For those who cannot attend the forum, KRWG will broadcast the proceedings at 7 p.m. Jan. 19, 5 p.m. Jan. 21 and 11 a.m. Jan. 22. For more information and a parking guide, log onto http://domenici.nmsu.edu.

Release courtesy of the NMSU News Center

WRITER: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu

CONTACT: Sara Pirayesh Sanders, 575-646-7036, npirayes@nmsu.edu

If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur in need of assistance, New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center can help.

The Arrowhead Center currently is accepting applications from small business owners and entrepreneurs for its Entrepreneur Venture Program taking place this spring. The deadline to submit an application is Jan. 16. Those selected will receive specialized support and resources to help their businesses reach the next level of development.

The services that Arrowhead Center’s Entrepreneur Venture Program offers are becoming even more critical in this sluggish economy.

“Entrepreneurship and innovation are topics on the national stage, with an emphasis on job creation through startups,” said Sara Sanders, entrepreneurship director at the Arrowhead Center. “New Mexico needs to be a part of that conversation. Over the past decade, New Mexico’s entrepreneurial activity has not grown; in fact, it has decreased. The Arrowhead Center aims to help change that reality through programs such as this.”

According to the Kauffman Foundation’s 2010 Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, New Mexico was one of three states to record the largest decreases in entrepreneurial activity rates over the past decade. New Mexico ranked below Wyoming and just ahead of Alaska. For the year 2010, however, New Mexico fared better, scoring an estimated 320 per 100,000 adults starting new businesses. That was comparable to Arizona and far ahead of West Virginia’s number of 170 per 100,000.

Services for the Entrepreneur Venture Program are customized to fit startups and established businesses alike. The program’s services include business plans, marketing studies, feasibility studies, financial analyses and industry analyses. Businesses accepted into the program are chosen based on a variety of factors, including the degree to which they contribute to economic development in New Mexico.

Since it was established in 2004, the Arrowhead Center has completed more than 300 business research projects involving more than 300 undergraduate and graduate students. It also has fostered the spin-off of a university genetics-testing laboratory that has resulted in a new for-profit corporation, and completed several state-level economic studies.

For more information on the Entrepreneur Venture Program, call 575-646-7036 or visit http://www.arrowheadcenter.org.

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Economic Development Department, in collaboration with the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership, is offering New Mexico 9000 training classes to prepare New Mexico businesses for ISO 9001 Certification.

The first session is scheduled for December 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the New Mexico State University Albuquerque branch, 4501 Indian School Rd. NE.

New Mexico 9000 was created by the Economic Development Department to provide training and assistance to New Mexico businesses in preparing for ISO 90001:2008. Training will be broken into six half-day sessions over a 3-6 month period.

“This is a great opportunity for New Mexico businesses to access new customers, become more efficient and lower their operating costs,” said Jon Barela, New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary.

The New Mexico 9000 training program has been completed by 155 companies, creating over 1,000 new expansion jobs.

Trained professionals will conduct ISO 9001:2008 classes in:

• Internal Auditing
• Writing Standard Operating Procedures
• Writing Work Instructions
• Understanding the Standard

ISO is a general Quality Management System. Companies like Intel, Boeing and many other companies are requiring that their first tier suppliers be ISO 9001 certified. In turn, those suppliers are requiring that their suppliers are ISO 9000 certified. In addition, government agencies, such as the Department of Defense, NASA and NNSA are also requiring ISO certification of their providers.

ISO 9000 standards have been adopted by 178 countries. There are now more than 1 million companies worldwide that have registered to the ISO standards. Costs associated with obtaining, maintaining, and renewing ISO registration are tax deductible. The cost of the New Mexico 9000 training classes is based on annual company sales revenue, ranging from $550 to $3,300 for the training.

For more information, or to register for the program, contact the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership, at (505) 262-0921 or via e-mail, at info@newmexicomep.org.

The New Mexico Finance Authority, New Mexico Economic Development Department, and Baker Tilly invite you to attend a complimentary seminar to learn how to access nearly $100 million in funding through New Markets Tax Credits and Collateral Support Participation programs for your qualified business or real estate development.

New Markets Tax Credits have helped developers and business owners gain access to a low-cost source of capital to solve a portion of their capital needs while creating significant community and economic impact in distressed areas. The Collateral Support Participation program is a new program initiated to leverage private lending to help finance small businesses which are creditworthy but unable to obtain the capital required to expand and create jobs.

These seminars are designed to inform and acquaint community officials, planners, economic development professionals, developers, and business owners. A special addendum has been added to these sessions which will focus on the unique interests of investors and lenders of New Markets Tax Credits.

Seminar schedule

Representatives will be traveling throughout New Mexico to provide information on how we can help your business realize the vision of your communities’ needs and growth potential. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming seminar! Please RSVP at least a day prior to the event using the links below.

Monday, November 14, 2011

City Hall – Commission Chambers

1376 East Ninth Street, Alamogordo, NM  88301

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Yes, I plan to attend >

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Morgan Hall

109 E Pine Street, Deming, NM  88030

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Yes, I plan to attend >

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Hotel Encanto

705 South Telshor Boulevard, Las Cruces, NM  88011

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Yes, I plan to attend >

For questions regarding these events, please contact:

John Brooks
jbrooks@nmfa.net
505 992 9638

Celina Sandoval
csandoval@nmfa.net
505 992 9642