KOSBE/TSBDC’s Aundrea Y. Wilcox Appointed to 2012 TNCPE Board of Examiners

Kingsport, TN, July 12, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at ETSU and the Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) are proud to announce, Aundrea Y. Wilcox, MBA, executive director, of the Office of Small Business for the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce has been appointed by the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE) to the 2012 Board of Examiners.

Wilcox is also the Senior Business Counselor of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Kingsport Affiliate Office, and the author of the new book, Startup Savvy: Strategies for Optimizing Small Business Survival and Success. Every year, the TNCPE award program recognizes organizations demonstrating excellence in business operations and results.

As an examiner, Wilcox is responsible for reviewing and evaluating organizations that apply for a TNCPE Award. The Board of Examiners comprises experts from all sectors of the regional economy, including health care, service, non-profit, manufacturing, education and government. All members of the Board of Examiners must complete extensive training in the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. Examiners take the skills developed during training and the assessment process back to their own jobs, benefiting and improving their own organizations in the process.

Each year, the TNCPE Board of Examiners contributes more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service to organizations across Tennessee.

Established in 1993 as a public-private partnership by Governor Ned R. McWherter, the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence strives to promote economic development by helping companies and organizations grow more competitive in today’s global marketplace through affordable, in-depth assessments.

A statewide non-profit, TNCPE is patterned after the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the national standard for recognizing organizational excellence. More than 1,200 organizations have participated in and benefited from the TNCPE program. Four Tennessee businesses—Caterpillar Financial Services, Pal’s Sudden Service, Eastman Chemical Company and Federal Express—have received both the prestigious Baldrige National Quality Award and the TNCPE Excellence Award. For more information, visit www.tncpe.org.

It is the intent of KOSBE to be the go-to organization in the Tri-Cities for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their businesses, by creating and developing the right tools and resources and cultivating the right partnerships. In partnership with Tennessee Small Business Development Centers (TSBDC) at ETSU, KOSBE can more effectively serve the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses. For a complete listing of services, tools and resources, visit kosbe.org.

The cooperative agreement between KOSBE and East Tennessee State University is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA’s funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Additional funding is provided by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the state of Tennessee.

To schedule your free confidential counseling appointment in a private setting by TSBDC-certified counselors in person, online by phone or e-mail call Marybeth McLain at (423) 392.8825 or e-mail, mmclain@kosbe.org.

For more information about the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office and your Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE), visit tsbdc.org and kosbe.org or call (423) 392.8825. We’re social too; follow us on Facebook, Kosbe – The Small Business Connection, Twitter, @KOSBEConnection, LinkedIn group, KOSBE - The Small Business Connection and our YouTube Channel, KOSBEConnection.