Quad State Small Business Groups Being Led by Jefferson County Initiative
February 25, 2014 By
JCDA Hires Jefferson County’s First Business/Entrepreneur Coach
Publisher’s Statement: Although the Quad State Business Journal is finally having other writers than the publisher, this subject is personal. I have been wanting to see a development like this in our Quad State region ever since the QSBJ was published in a newspaper version under my friend Peter Heerwagen’s guidance–over 20 years ago.
While the Quad State region boasts some of the finest county development authority leaders for individual counties, we are indeed blessed to see some of the concepts and initiatives of Jefferson County’s John Reisenweber make it through the default bureaucratic web into fruition.
The following is unedited. As the co-founder of the organization that popularized the term business coaching through the National Association of Business Coaches (quick backgrounder here: http://www.wabccoaches.com/about/history.htm), I and thousands of others have been witness to what sound business coaching can accomplish in a huge ROI for organizations and entrepreneurial start ups alike.
While good business coaches do not have to come with the background of Jefferson’s business coach Tom Halverstadt, it sure does not hurt! The requisite background begins with a passion to want to see businesses succeed in their marketplace and the business coach being able and willing to share their own business battle scars.
Having trained business coaches myself who had backgrounds of small business owners to medical, legal and financial professionals, having the passion and foresight to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with owners and ‘see’ opportunity for businesses where their owners could not is huge. The good news is that that skill can be trained into a willing heart.
We do know that this terrific Jefferson County business coaching initiative has been attempted by other US counties and for one reason or another, did not make it past the necessary hurdles to be felt in the respective marketplaces.
We urge Quad State leaders to study what Mr. Reisenweber has accomplished for the three West Virginia counties with an eye to seeing a business coaching initiative take root in their own jurisdiction. May we support this initiative in any way we can and help it spread throughout our region. -Steve Lanning.
(Jefferson County, W. Va.)–The Jefferson County Development Authority (JCDA), through a partnership with the West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WVSBDC), has hired Tom Halverstadt as the county’s first business/entrepreneur coach.
Funded entirely by the WVSBDC with financial support from local business community partners, this new position will serve Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan Counties, with no cost to local taxpayers.
Promoting job creation and business viability and expansion, Halverstadt will work with entrepreneurs and small business owners, providing in-depth, one-on-one business consultative services, at no cost, to recently formed companies and established small businesses seeking to expand, diversify, or attract new capital investment.
“The WVSBDC partners with key economic development organizations with an entrepreneurship focus across the state to establish and staff an effective business coaching network throughout West Virginia,” said Kristina Oliver, state director of the WVSBDC. “We seek to partner with organizations that have common goals and missions around growing the economy in their area through small business and entrepreneurial success. We are very excited to welcome Tom Halverstadt to our network. He understands and has a passion for this work, and will be a valuable asset to both the WVSBDC and the Jefferson County EDA.”
Halverstadt is an accomplished business leader, having held executive positions as CEO, COO and CFO. He was a CPA for ten years with Deloitte, a Big Four public accounting and professional service firm, working primarily with manufacturing, retail, nonprofit and county governments. Most recently he has provided business advisory services to small and midrange size companies throughout the Eastern Panhandle. He attended the University of Maryland and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
“Tom has an in-depth understanding of business strategy, financial planning and operations management, all of which are key elements in business growth and expansion,” said John Reisenweber, executive director of the JCDA. “We are confident that his expertise and experience will translate into a significant positive economic impact on the region. We are grateful to the SBDC for recognizing the thriving business community in Jefferson County and for its commitment to serving its needs.”
The WVSBDC is a division of the West Virginia Development Office and promotes economic development through a program of practical, interrelated services, providing assistance to existing small businesses and the emerging entrepreneur. The organization is funded by the State of West Virginia, the United States Small Business Administration, and West Virginia community colleges and Workforce Investment Board partners.
Halverstadt will be the featured speaker at the April 3rd Eastern Panhandle Entrepreneurs Forum, held at the Inn at Charles Town, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Members of the community are invited to attend this free event and learn more about the business coaching process.
###
Resources linked: http://www.wabccoaches.com/about/history.htm
Publisher’s Statement: Although the Quad State Business Journal is finally having other writers than the publisher, this subject is personal. I have been wanting to see a development like this in our Quad State region ever since the QSBJ was published in a newspaper version under my friend Peter Heerwagen’s guidance–over 20 years ago.
While the Quad State region boasts some of the finest county development authority leaders for individual counties, we are indeed blessed to see some of the concepts and initiatives of Jefferson County’s John Reisenweber make it through the default bureaucratic web into fruition.
The following is unedited. As the co-founder of the organization that popularized the term business coaching through the National Association of Business Coaches (quick backgrounder here: http://www.wabccoaches.com/about/history.htm), I and thousands of others have been witness to what sound business coaching can accomplish in a huge ROI for organizations and entrepreneurial start ups alike.
While good business coaches do not have to come with the background of Jefferson’s business coach Tom Halverstadt, it sure does not hurt! The requisite background begins with a passion to want to see businesses succeed in their marketplace and the business coach being able and willing to share their own business battle scars.
Having trained business coaches myself who had backgrounds of small business owners to medical, legal and financial professionals, having the passion and foresight to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with owners and ‘see’ opportunity for businesses where their owners could not is huge. The good news is that that skill can be trained into a willing heart.
We do know that this terrific Jefferson County business coaching initiative has been attempted by other US counties and for one reason or another, did not make it past the necessary hurdles to be felt in the respective marketplaces.
We urge Quad State leaders to study what Mr. Reisenweber has accomplished for the three West Virginia counties with an eye to seeing a business coaching initiative take root in their own jurisdiction. May we support this initiative in any way we can and help it spread throughout our region. -Steve Lanning.
(Jefferson County, W. Va.)–The Jefferson County Development Authority (JCDA), through a partnership with the West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WVSBDC), has hired Tom Halverstadt as the county’s first business/entrepreneur coach.
Funded entirely by the WVSBDC with financial support from local business community partners, this new position will serve Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan Counties, with no cost to local taxpayers.
Promoting job creation and business viability and expansion, Halverstadt will work with entrepreneurs and small business owners, providing in-depth, one-on-one business consultative services, at no cost, to recently formed companies and established small businesses seeking to expand, diversify, or attract new capital investment.
“The WVSBDC partners with key economic development organizations with an entrepreneurship focus across the state to establish and staff an effective business coaching network throughout West Virginia,” said Kristina Oliver, state director of the WVSBDC. “We seek to partner with organizations that have common goals and missions around growing the economy in their area through small business and entrepreneurial success. We are very excited to welcome Tom Halverstadt to our network. He understands and has a passion for this work, and will be a valuable asset to both the WVSBDC and the Jefferson County EDA.”
Halverstadt is an accomplished business leader, having held executive positions as CEO, COO and CFO. He was a CPA for ten years with Deloitte, a Big Four public accounting and professional service firm, working primarily with manufacturing, retail, nonprofit and county governments. Most recently he has provided business advisory services to small and midrange size companies throughout the Eastern Panhandle. He attended the University of Maryland and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
“Tom has an in-depth understanding of business strategy, financial planning and operations management, all of which are key elements in business growth and expansion,” said John Reisenweber, executive director of the JCDA. “We are confident that his expertise and experience will translate into a significant positive economic impact on the region. We are grateful to the SBDC for recognizing the thriving business community in Jefferson County and for its commitment to serving its needs.”
The WVSBDC is a division of the West Virginia Development Office and promotes economic development through a program of practical, interrelated services, providing assistance to existing small businesses and the emerging entrepreneur. The organization is funded by the State of West Virginia, the United States Small Business Administration, and West Virginia community colleges and Workforce Investment Board partners.
Halverstadt will be the featured speaker at the April 3rd Eastern Panhandle Entrepreneurs Forum, held at the Inn at Charles Town, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Members of the community are invited to attend this free event and learn more about the business coaching process.
###
Resources linked: http://www.wabccoaches.com/about/history.htm
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