Florida SBDC at USF Announces
2025 Regional Performance and Small Business Award Winners
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at University of South Florida (USF) announced its 2025 performance and small business award winners on May 14, 2025, during the 2025 Florida SBDC at USF Annual Business Awards held at USF’s Phyllis P. Marshall Student Center. Winners are now eligible for Florida SBDC Network state awards. State award winners will be announced at the Network’s Annual Conference, held in Tampa this coming August.
During the awards, the Florida SBDC at USF was also recognized with the SBA 2025 Small Business Development Center of the Year Award by the U.S Small Business Administration (SBA). Below is a list of all the award winners, including Florida SBDC at USF performance award winners, Florida SBDC at USF Small Business award winners, and SBA award winners.
“Our Florida SBDC at USF Annual Business Awards continues to be a great opportunity to celebrate entrepreneurship and recognize the Florida SBDC professionals who help businesses in our 10-county Tampa Bay region thrive,” Carl Hadden, regional director of the Florida SBDC at USF said. “We are fortunate enough to have a dedicated team, who worked tirelessly to make this a successful event, and honored to have been selected as the 2025 State of Florida SBDC Center of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Congratulations to all the award winners and I can’t wait to see you all on May 13, 2026, for our next awards luncheon!”
For more detailed information on each award winner, visit https://sbdctampabay.com/award/
SBA 2025 Small Business Development Center of the Year
As the only statewide provider of entrepreneurial and business development services, the Florida SBDC Network plays a vital role in Florida’s economic development by assisting entrepreneurs in every stage of the business life cycle. The Florida SBDC at USF is unique in that its region spans both the South and North Florida SBDC Districts, covering 10 counties including: DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties. Florida SBDC at USF had a phenomenal year in 2024, meeting and surpassing all of their core funding metrics. They brought in nearly $52.6 million in capital and helped 194 businesses start. But where they really shined this year was in the government contracts metric, where they brought in $216.7 million. The region produced 32 written & video success stories, well surpassing their goal and highlighting the incredible accomplishments of their clients. The team continues to shine in telling the story of the greater Tampa Bay region and the strength of the Florida SBDC Network. Overall, the USF region consulted more than 3,901 clients and completed more than 200 training events. Their work helped create significant economic impacts across their region, including generating $625 million in sales and 10,190 jobs supported.
Read more about the winners in our event program at https://sbdctampabay.com/2025awards/
Media Contact: Stephanie Ordonez, [email protected]
About the Florida SBDC at USF
The Florida SBDC at USF helps create a better Florida for all by providing businesses the expertise and resources needed to succeed and grow. The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals. For more information, please visit www.SBDCTampaBay.com