WMU News

Women's business development pioneer to speak

April 8, 1999

KALAMAZOO -- The creator of one of Michigan's first women's business development centers will be featured in an open meeting of the Haworth College of Business' Women's Business Development Center on Wednesday, April 21.

Carol Lopucki, regional director of Small Business Services for the U.S. Small Business Administration in Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties, will discuss the process of developing a successful women's business development center at 7 p.m. at the Kalamazoo County Chamber of Commerce, 346 W. Michigan. The event is one of the activities of the Women's Business Development Center which was recently established by Western Michigan University's Haworth College of Business.

The meeting is open to the public and free of charge. Free parking is available behind the building with an entrance from Water Street.

Lopucki is one of the first in Michigan to establish a women's business development center and has served as a resource to Pat Guenther, director of WMU's new center. Lopucki has held her current position since 1995 and before that was director of EXCEL, Excellence in Entrepreneurship, a grant program of the U.S. Small Business Administration that assists women who are business owners.

Also on the meeting's agenda is a discussion of the results of eight focus group meetings held in November and January to identify programs and services needed by women developing businesses.

The Women's Business Development Center was created in February to provide support for women business owners, potential owners and professionals through training, group and individual problem-solving consultation, current business information and networking opportunities.

For more information, call the Women's Business Development Center at (616) 387-2714.

Media contact: Marie Lee, 616 387-8400, marie.lee@wmich.edu


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