Jacqueline Franco Named New York SBDC “State Star”

The New York Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is excited to announce that Jacqueline Franco, a certified bilingual business advisor at the Stony Brook SBDC, has been honored as New York SBDC’s “State Star” for her exemplary work performance and unwavering commitment to small businesses.

Franco has led the Stony Brook SBDC’s Hispanic Business Strategies Program, an ongoing initiative sponsored in part by Bank of America, which is geared to support business development and strengthen the small-to-medium-sized Suffolk County Hispanic Business Community. Her bilingual workshops and training programs have been instrumental in enabling Hispanic entrepreneurs to sustain and grow their businesses.

Bringing over two decades of industry experience, Jacqueline Franco’s influence at the SBDC has been substantial. In her five years with the organization, she has assisted over 700 entrepreneurs, leading to more than 6 million dollars in business investments and creating and preserving hundreds of jobs. Franco’s unique combination of strategic planning, sales management, and marketing skills has proven invaluable for streamlining business processes and stimulating economic growth.

Sonya Smith, New York SBDC Director, highlighted Franco’s outstanding achievements: “The State Star designation recognizes outstanding achievement in high-quality business counseling and distinguished, long-term service in terms of economic development. Jacqueline’s efforts, which include projects that make the SBDC program more effective in delivering services to entrepreneurs and underserved communities in Long Island, have consistently positively impacted client success.”

Franco accepted the recognition, expressing her gratitude for the support and collaboration she received. “I am truly honored and grateful for this recognition,” she said. “Being part of the SBDC has been a remarkable experience, providing an excellent platform to use my talents and knowledge in assisting those eager to learn how to grow their businesses and thrive the best way possible.”

Franco will be formally recognized at the 44th annual America’s SBDC conference in Nashville, TN, from September 5-8th, 2023.