GREATFALLS—JasonNitschke,whoservesastheRegionalDirectoroftheSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenterattheGreatFallsDevelopmentAuthority,wasnamed2021BootsToBusiness(B2B)NationalInstructoroftheYearbytheU.S.SmallBusinessAdministration(SBA). TheB2BNationalInstructoroftheYearispresentedbytheSBA’sOfficeofVeteransBusinessDevelopment(OVBD).OVBDselectsonewinnerfromwithintheagency,alongwithitsfiveSBAResourcePartnerprogramsnationwide.ThoseprogramsincludetheVeteransBusinessOutreachCenter(VBOC),SCORE,SBDC,Women’sBusinessCenters(WBC),andtheInstituteforVeteransandMilitaryFamilies(IVMF). NitschkewillrepresenttheSBDCprogramsthroughouttheUnitedStates. Nitschkesaid,'It'scertainlyanhonortoberecognizedatalocallevel,orstatelevel.Certainly,atanationallevel,beingoneofsixpeopleacrosstheworld.Receivinganawardlikethis,beingrecognizedbytheSBAastheagencyisreallynice,butIdon'tcometoworkeveryday,inpursuitofrecognition,Icometoworkeverydaytoimpactthequalityoflivesforentrepreneursandtheiremployees,andtomaketheGreatFallsregionaleconomyabetterplaceforpeopletobeincludingmydaughter.' TheSBDCprogramfundsnearly1,000centersand5,000businessadvisorsthroughoutthecountryprovidingbusinesstechnicalassistanceandeducationalopportunitiestoentrepreneurs. BootsToBusinessisanentrepreneurialeducationandtrainingprogramofferedbyprovidingparticipantswithanoverviewofbusinessownership.Itisopentoactivedutyservicemembers,veterans,andmilitaryfamiliesofallbranches. BootToBusinesstrainingattheGFDA TachieNavarro,whoservedintheAirNationalGuard,said,'It'sdefinitelyworthwhile.It'sgoodtogetaframeworkandadirectiontogoifyouhaveanidea,anditgivesyoutheresourcesyouneedtogrowthatidea.' KevinBeaglewasinthemilitaryfor20yearsandcurrentlyrunsasuccessfulbusiness.HealsoservesasthetrainingmanagerforBigSkyEconomicDevelopment.Hestated,''Myprimaryfocuswasalways,youknow,armyandmilitary,butduringthetransitionperiod,theBootstoBusinessProgramalwaysopensyourmindtodifferenttypesofbusinessesthatareoutthere,howtostartbusinesses,connectionsthatyouneedtomake,thenetworksyouneedtomake,andsomebaseeducationthatprovidemeandothertransitioningservicememberskindofagoodfoundationbeforewelaunchedintooursecondcareerorsecondchapterinthecivilianworld.' NitschkejoinedtheSBDChostedbytheGreatFallsDevelopmentAuthorityinOctober2014andtaughthisfirstB2BinNovemberofthatyear.Sincethattime,hehasdeliveredmorethan30B2Btrainingswith450attendeesandindividuallycounselednearly200potentialveteranentrepreneursandtheirspouses.Underhisdirection,theGreatFallsSBDChasbeennamedtheBestManagedCenter(2014)andTopPerformingCenter(2016).NitschkereceivedtheSBA’sVeteransServiceAwardin2017andtheAmerica’sSBDCStateStarAwardforMontanain2018. NitschkewasnominatedbyTomWhite,LenderRelationsSpecialistwiththeSBA’sMontanaDistrictOfficeinHelena,andDustinFrost,DirectoroftheRegionVIIIVBOCinBillings. FrostservesastheDirectorforRegion8VeteransBusinessOutreachCenterandspokeonJason'saccomplishment.Hestated,'Inmyview,it'shiscommitmenttothosetransitioningservicemembersinGreatFalls.Iwouldsayhiscommitment,hisfollowthroughaftertheclass.Hereallycaresfortheseveteranswhoaregoingtostar
