Raymond A. Peter Named Area Manager of the Florida SBDC at UCF in Palm Coast

January 26, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or hthayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – The Florida SBDC at University of Central Florida (SFBDC at UCF) today announced that it has named Raymond A. Peter as Area Manager of the FSBDC at UCF’s Palm Coast office. He will be responsible for managing the FSBDC’s activities in Flagler County and providing counseling services, seminars and workshops aimed at assisting FSBDC at UCF clients start new businesses and then grow them into successful small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In addition, Peter will be active in guiding the Palm Coast Business Assistance Center (BAC) which houses the FSBDC and contributes significantly to the economic development of the area.

Peter, age 68, is currently a consultant and certified business consultant for the Florida SBDC at UCF’s satellite office in Palm Coast. He joined the FSBDC after an accomplished career in marketing, sales, partner relationship management and IT consulting with over 30 years at International Business Machine (IBM). In addition, he is an active entrepreneur and co-owner with his wife of a small business, Designs By Kathryn Inc. Prior to joining IBM, Peter, a Vietnam Veteran, served in the US Army, reaching the rank of First Lieutenant in military intelligence

“Ray brings a great mix of skills to the Florida SBDC at UCF in Palm Coast” commented Eunice Choi, FSBDC Regional Di-rector for Central Florida. “His combination of sales and marketing experience, hands-on familiarity with running a small business and the excellent work he has done as a consultant for the FSBDC make him the right fellow to lead our Palm Coast satellite office and assist the FSBDC’s clients with growing their businesses.”

Peter succeeds Joy Roy who will remain with the FSBDC in a reduced capacity. Roy will dedicate his time to training, working with a few larger size businesses, development of the 2015 Palm Coast Business Expo, now in its 4th year, and will contribute to the FSBDC’s overall strategy for Palm Coast.

Peter earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MBA from Queens University. In addition, he studied at the IBM Management School and Harvard Business Leadership Academy. He resides in Palm Coast with his wife Kathryn Teiro-Peter. In his spare time, Ray assists his wife with her residential interior business and enjoys swimming, playing golf and having the six grandchildren come to visit.

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF
With its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of the UCF Office of Research & Commercialization and the Florida SBDC Network (FSBDC Network). THE FSBDC at UCF provides business seminars and no-cost, one-on-one business consultation to emerging and established businesses. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 10 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2013, the FSBDC at UCF served more than 7,200 entrepreneurs and small business owners through consulting and training, resulting in 7,507 Central Florida jobs created, retained or saved; $1.0 billion in sales growth; $51.5 million in capital formation; $87.7 million in government contract awards; and 129 new businesses started.

About the FSBDC Network
The FSBDC at UCF is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide service network funded in part through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network is hosted by the University of West Florida and is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

For over 35 years, the FSBDC Network has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations, dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with management and technical assistance, enabling overall growth and increased profitability for the businesses and economic prosperity for the state. The FSBDC Network is a statewide service system of 41 centers with 60 outreach locations, including the FSBDC at UCF.

In 2013, the Florida SBDCs served over 34,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners through consulting and training, resulting in 39,536 jobs created, retained and saved; $5.5 billion in sales growth; $197.3 million in capital accessed; $602.2 million in government contract awards; and 685 new businesses started. And, for every $1 of Florida public and private sector investment in FSBDC programming, $35 was returned to the state in tax revenue

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862 sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com