SBA names weVENTURE program as Women's Business Center of the Year

The weVENTURE Women’s Business Center recently was recognized as the 2023 South Florida District Women’s Business Center of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of the agency’s Small Business Week awards.

It’s the seventh time the SBA recognized the weVENTURE Women’s Business Center.

The weVENTURE Women’s Business Center is a program of the Florida Tech Bisk College of Business that provides low- and no-cost business education, training and mentorship to female entrepreneurs.

“With programs designed to help businesses of all sizes and at every step of the business life cycle, weVENTURE WBC is able to provide personalized support based on the client’s unique needs,” weVENTURE Executive Director Kathryn Rudloff said. “This award is a testament to the innovative work that we do to help women and underserved entrepreneurs achieve sustainable business growth. It is an honor to be recognized for our efforts to support the local small-business community. I am so proud of our staff and the dedicated clients we serve.”

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The award acknowledges weVENTURE’s dedication in advocating for and advancing small-business ownership and expansion opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

Women entrepreneurs are the fastest-growing segment of new business starts in the nation. In contrast to the 5.2% growth rate for enterprises owned by men between 2012 and 2019, women-owned companies saw 16.7% growth over that time, according to the National Women’s Business Council, and the trend has continued since the pandemic.

Thompson joins One Senior Place as nurse care manager

One Senior Place recently added Lauri Thompson to the care team of its affiliate, Senior Partner Care Services.

In her role as nurse care manager, Thompson will serve as an advocate for senior clients and their families by coordinating the resources needed for healthy and independent living.

Thompson will assist clients with long-term-care insurance claims and assessing benefits that may be available to them. She will attend physician’s appointments with clients, and serve as a liaison between clients, families and other health care providers.

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Thompson also will assist with managing medications and ensure clients are maintaining a healthy diet, in addition to making certain clients receive the needed socialization for a high quality of life.

Thompson brings to the job more than 20 years as a medical professional. She has been serving the residents of and visitors to the Space Coast since 2008, caring for patients of all ages.

The Indialantic resident spent 10 years as a firefighter/paramedic with the Cocoa Fire Department, where she often assisted senior citizens in crisis.

In 2022, she received the “Stewards of Community Award” from Rockledge Regional Medical Center for her work with the emergency-room staff.

Thompson is a registered nurse. She has a master’s of science in nursing, with a specialization in care coordination. She recently earned the professional designation of Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Care managers provide support for clients and families by improving patient care and reducing the need for medical services by helping clients effectively manage health conditions.

Senior Partner Care Services is based at One Senior Place, 8085 Spyglass Hill Road in Viera.

To learn more about One Senior Place,, go to www.OneSeniorPlace.com.

Mishra will intern at Space Coast Health Foundation

Dhyana Mishra is the Space Coast Health Foundation’s summer intern through the Bank of America Student Leaders Program.

The highly competitive Bank of America internships are paid positions. The students work at nonprofits during the summer, and learn a variety of leadership, business and organizational skills.

Mishra, 18, of West Melbourne, is a graduate of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy and will be a freshman this fall at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. She hasn't yet selected a major.

“I'm looking forward to further explore my areas of interest at Princeton," she said, "including public policy, technology, music and Spanish."

While at the Space Coast Health Foundation this summer, she is researching and working on various policies and initiatives involving the foundation's work in Brevard County.

If you have a Business Newsmakers item you'd like to publish, please email details to Wayne T. Price at wtpkansas@yahoo.com or contact him at 321-223-0230.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: weVENTURE named SBA's regional Women's Business Center of the Year