Small-Business Center Will Support Local Entrepreneurs

George Nethercutt and Spokane small business organizations this week unveil the Spokane Area Business Information Center, a “one-stop shop” to educate local entrepreneurs and encourage small businesses to expand.

The center, housed inside the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce at 1020 W. Riverside, is an extensive business library with six computer stations, financing guides, advertising directories and direct assistance from professionals and government agencies. Prospective business owners can also get advice from the center’s referral list of more than 200 successful, local entrepreneurs.

“We’ll have complete notebooks on marketing, exporting to sister cities and learning all kinds of new tricks - everything from how to open a restaurant specializing in potatoes to starting a fishing company in Chile,” said Coralie Myers, loan officer of the Small Business Association.

SBA founded the center with the Chamber of Commerce and the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

The center’s grand opening begins with an open house and guided tours from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce. Call 353-2800 or 624-1393 for more information.

In other events this week:

Today

Memorial Day. Markets and most businesses closed.

Tuesday

The Conference Board releases its monthly survey on consumer confidence.

Wednesday

Commerce Department releases revised first-quarter gross domestic product.

U.S. representatives George Nethercutt and Helen Chenoweth will address a joint meeting of four area Chambers of Commerce. The luncheon meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Red Lion. Cost is $12.50 for members of the Spokane Area, Spokane Valley, Post Falls or Coeur d’Alene chambers, or $15 for non-members.

ISO 9000 seminar on “How to Select the Registrar and Pass the Audit,” originally set for June 6, begins at 8 a.m. at the Training and Education Coordinating Center, N3939 Freya. Cost: $50. Call 533-4700 for more information.

Thursday

Betsy Cowles, president of Citizens Realty and Lincoln Investment Cos., speaks at the Dean’s Business Forum for the School of Business Administration of Gonzaga University. Cowles presentation on “Renewing Downtown - The Challenge of Change” begins at 7:15 a.m. at the Jepson Center Auditorium. Call Dean Clarence Barnes at 328-4220.

Spokane Air Pollution Control Authority board of directors meets at 8:30 a.m in the lower level of the Spokane Public Works Building, 1026 W. Broadway. Call 456-4727.

Washington State Housing Finance Commission hosts a two-day conference at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park on affordable housing. Call 206-464-7139 or 800-767-4663.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sponsors a one-day training session on EEOC laws at the WestCoast Ridpath Hotel. Cost: $175. Call 800-669-4000.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON THE SHELF Forbes, June 5: US West was the first regional Bell phone company to diversify its holdings in a big way, and the company’s customers are paying the price, says Forbes.

Remedial economics States receiving a D or lower for economic performance on the Corporation for Enterprise Development’s economic report card: Florida, D Illinois, D Maine, D Mississippi, D Missouri, D New Mexico, D New York, D Texas, D Washington, D Oklahoma, F West Virginia, F