Release Date: 05/22/2009
Contact(s): Ingrid Battershell, Director Nebraska Business Development Center, 308.635.7513 or Jerry Terwilliger, REAP Panhandle Business Specialist, jerryt@cfra.org or 308.247.9926

Scottsbluff, NE - Jerry Terwilliger, REAP Panhandle Business Specialist, was named the Nebraska recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration Financial Services Advocate Award for 2009.

Pictured left to right, Barb Foster, Lead Business Development Specialist (Omaha office) for the U.S. Small Business Administration; Jerry Terwilliger, Panhandle Business Specialist, REAP; Ingrid Battershell, Director of Nebraska Business Development Center in Scottsbluff.

Jerry has been employed by REAP for the past 8 years. As a business specialist, he provides one-on-one technical assistance consulting on cash flow and budgeting, loan packaging, and business plan preparation. The Nebraska Business Development Center in Scottsbluff nominated Jerry for this award. They describe Jerry’s contributions to Nebraska small businesses below.

Jerry goes above and beyond his job description in providing services to a client. He has spent hours assisting a client with their accounting records so that the client could see how their business was actually performing. He has trained clients on how to use their Quick Books software. Jerry knows what is going on in the small business community and is always willing to step up and offer his services and knowledge to keep a small business viable and operating.

Jerry has used his life’s experience in his position as Business Specialist with the Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP). Jerry teaches REAP’s Basic Business Management Training course that includes marketing, customer relations, financial management, promotion and advertising and goal setting. As part of his employment, he is an expert on the Quick Books financial and accounting software, prepares loan packages for REAP and other financing options, and works with clients prior to and after they start a new business. He feels his banking experience enables him to “sort out the reality from the hype” in working with start-up businesses.

In addition, Jerry is involved in many community activities that are not part of his employment. Jerry is a member of the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce. During 2007, he worked with the community in trying to retain a local grocery store. This store had lost its manager and was in danger of closing. Jerry stepped up to the plate and offered his services in working to find a way to keep the store open.

This grocery was the only grocery located in Mitchell and is an essential service. He used his knowledge of potential entrepreneurs in the area to help find a manager or to find a suitable buyer for the store. He was very committed to keeping this business operating in Mitchell. He has volunteered to work with the Chamber on special projects that affect small businesses and their owners.

Jerry has served on the Panhandle Area Development District loan committee since it was formed in 2004. PADD created a loan fund to serve the 11 counties in the Panhandle with micro lending gap financing. He was asked to join for his knowledge of reviewing financial statements and lending practices from when he was associated with First National Bank. Jerry is very committed to the loan process and feels “that the micro loans offered through PADD be used to help small businesses but not increase their debt load when there is no capacity to repay the loan.” He thoroughly reviews each application and asks questions of the applicant prior to the loan committee meeting.

In all instances, Ingrid Battershell, the NBDC director, found Jerry to be very professional, knowledgeable and truly caring about the clients. He uses his career experience and his community involvement to further the cause of entrepreneurship. It was an honor to nominate him for the Financial Services Champion Award.

REAP and the Women’s Business Center are programs of the Center for Rural Affairs, headquartered in Lyons, Nebraska. The Center is a private, nonprofit organization working to strengthen small businesses and rural communities through action oriented programs addressing social, economic and environmental issues.