(August 29, 2013) The UTSA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted a small business roundtable featuring U.S. Rep Joaquín Castro of the 20th Congressional District. The participants included 22 business owners representing 17 companies from industries such as manufacturing, health care, retail, restaurants and professional services.
All the companies are located in the 20th Congressional District. Congressman Castro and his staff, UTSA President Ricardo Romo, Jude Valdez (Vice President of Community Services), Robert McKinley (Associate Vice President for the Institute for Economic Development), and Albert Salgado (Director of the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network) were in attendance.
The event was held during the congressional break because Congressman Castro wished to hear feedback from small business owners concerning their greatest opportunities for growth and their biggest obstacles to the growth of their companies. Morrison Woods, Director of the San Antonio SBDC, moderated the session.
Among the many opportunities for growth mentioned by the participants were a guest worker program, the Eagle Ford Shale Play and the upward trends in sustainable development. Some of the obstacles to growth identified were the Affordable Care Act, the current federal budgeting process and sequestration, identifying appropriate market niches and cash flow.
Castro said he was appreciative of the business owner’s willingness to share their concerns, and indicated he would use his resources to resolve as many of their issues as possible in the near future.
