Coastal Carolina University's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has been named the 2016 Southeast Region SBDC Center of Excellence and Innovation.

Elliott Cooper, Small Business Administration (SBA) district director and acting regional administrator, presented the award during the recent ceremony honoring National Small Business Week.

"Small businesses contribute to our local and state economies by bringing growth, innovation and, most importantly, jobs," Cooper said.

In addition to being named the winner for South Carolina, the Myrtle Beach Area SBDC was also named the winner for the SBA Region IV, which includes South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.

"We are proud to be a vital resource for local small businesses and are humbled to have been recognized at both the state and regional level for the success we've helped our clients to achieve," said Janet Graham, Myrtle Beach area manager since 2004. "It's a testament to the efforts of our team and the passion they show for their work that has allowed the center to earn this award."

In addition to Graham, the Myrtle Beach area SBDC staff includes center administrator Tara Lightfoot and business consultant Bernita Platt, whose background as a tax auditor helps assist clients with bookkeeping and understanding detailed tax questions.

In 2016, consultants with the Myrtle Beach Area SBDC received a 92.4 percent client satisfaction rating from the 137 clients it served. The consultants also assisted in the creation of 11 new businesses, the acquisition

The National Small Business event was hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration-South Carolina District Office, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Business Development Centers, and South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

The Myrtle Beach Area Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is locally hosted by Coastal Carolina University and serves Horry and Georgetown counties. In addition to the Conway location at CCU, there is also a satellite center in Georgetown County at the Georgetown County library. Visit www.coastal.edu/sbdc for additional information, or email Janet P. Graham, area manager, at jpgraham@coastal.edu or call 843-349-5070.