Small Business Development Center Approved for Columbia County, Oregon

The Center will be the Oregon Small Business Development Center’s 21st location in the state

The Oregon Small Business Development Center Network (Oregon SBDC) announced the approval of a new Small Business Development Center in Columbia County, Oregon. The Columbia County Small Business Development Center (Columbia County SBDC) is the first new center formed in Oregon since 2013. It marks the network’s 20th Center offering core business advising services in the state of Oregon.

The Columbia County SBDC will combine with a newly formed Business Resource Center (BRC), co-locating small business advising and coaching with economic development, business retention, recruitment and expansion, and tourism. Additionally, the Center and staff will have access to all programs, protocols, systems, training, and software within the Oregon SBDC to enhance its already considerable capacity.

In addition, the new Columbia County SBDC will collaborate with BRC partners to conduct outreach and client recruitment that will serve every community throughout Columbia County. The advising services provided will be consistent with the other Oregon SBDC offerings, which include—as mandated by the federal Small Business Administration—no-cost advising and coaching to any business.

The Columbia County SBDC will be operated under the direction of Columbia Economic Team (CET) Executive Director Paul Vogel.

“This exciting development really is all about timing, and the timing is just right,” said Vogel. “Historically, our county has been difficult to serve by the Portland Community College SBDC due to geography and population factors. We’ve been experiencing significant growth, however. And the COVID pandemic both underscored the glaring need for business support and provided funding sources to make it possible,” Vogel added.

The Columbia Economic Team, a private/public membership organization serving Columbia County launched an initiative to form the Business Resource Center and SBDC after filling grant making and other small business assistance gaps during the pandemic and economic downturn.

“On the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Columbia County SBDC is a much-needed and anticipated resource for local small-business owners,” said Mark Gregory, state director for the Oregon SBDC. “With the new SBDC’s presence in Columbia County, there will be opportunities to expand and create new businesses, and provide business support solutions for the many challenges Oregon’s small-business communities face as they emerge from the pandemic in 2022.”

The Oregon SBDC would like to thank several state and local partners and investors. These partners include:

• Columbia County Board of Commissioners
• Columbia Pacific Economic Development District (Col-Pac)
• The City of St. Helens
• The City of Scappoose
• The City of Clatskanie
• The City of Vernonia
• The City of Columbia City, Oregon
• Sen. Betsy Johnson
• U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
• The Columbia Economic Team
• CET Executive Director Paul Vogel
• Tammy Marquez-Oldham, PCC SBDC Director

For all press inquiries please contact Paul Vogel at paulvogel@columbiacountyoregon.com.