Vincent McCoy, introduced by Bill Hatfield, Inland Empire Small Business Development Center’s executive director gave the club an overview of his agency. Hatfield remarked that they sat together throughout lunch without rekindling the famous feud. Mr. McCoy has an advanced degree in Finance and Management and has been an instructor in Business and Marketing at the Victor Valley Community College District for many years.

The IESBDC is a two-county agency and is funded by the federal Small Business Administration and local sponsors, including 11 cities, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and grants from Comerica Bank and Bank of America.

The center provides counseling, training and “connections” free of charge for any small business applying for assistance.

The Center has a $1.2 million budget, yet has an estimated $17 million economic impact on the region. Seventy percent of their clients’ business’ are improved from the center’s services.

The center is an underused resource, helping only 5 to 8 percent of their potential client base.

For more information, visit the IESBDC website at www.iesmallbusiness.com.