Schoolcraft’s Mathur Named Small Business Counselor of the Year

June 2005

Vikram Mathur, corporate services coordinator in the Schoolcraft College Business Development Center, is the recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2005 Michigan Counselor of the Year Award. He accepted the award at an April ceremony in East Lansing.

A committee of SBA personnel, independent entrepreneurs and representatives of nongovernmental agencies named Mathur the winner based on his performance over the past year. As the team leader in the Small Business and Technology Development Center, he had set specific goals the group had to meet.

The SBTDC had to work with 150 new clients, log in 1,200 consulting hours, help create 38 new jobs, assist at least 18 start-up businesses, and generate $1.5 million in capital formation funds, a combination of loans, grants and angel or venture capital financing.

“Last year, my three-person team surpassed all the goals,” he said. “The best one is that we assisted clients in raising $3.2 million. Since January of this year, we have helped clients raise $1.74 million.”

“Vikram’s greatest attribute is that he is always there to support and encourage Michigan’s entrepreneurs,” said Richard Temkin, Michigan District Director for SBA, in a press release announcing the award. “He goes the extra mile to ensure that small businesses are aware of the SBA and SBTDC programs available to them. His knowledge, enthusiasm, dedication and leadership make him highly respected among his peers.”

Under his direction, the Schoolcraft SBTDC has begun to focus on existing businesses and high tech companies. “The SBTDC has made a concerted effort to focus in those directions,” Mathur said. “90 percent of our business used to be with start-ups. We have changed that to a 50-50 ratio of start-ups and existing firms.”

“We never had worked with sophisticated high tech companies before. Now that is one of our focuses, making up about 20 to 25 percent of our clients.”

Mathur, a resident of Northville, joined Schoolcraft in March 1999, coming from Geneva, Switzerland, where he was a consultant with the International Trade Center. The Schoolcraft SBTDC, which he leads, is one of 66 in the state.

Mathur said the offices consult, train and conduct research for clients. In 2004, the Michigan offices served 10,274 businesses, helped create 2,537 new jobs, trained 7,537 clients for at least three hours, and oversaw a total capital formation of $160.4 million. For information on the Schoolcraft SBTDC, call 734-462-4438.