RANDOLPH CENTER, VT (Oct. 21, 2020) — State Director, Linda Rossi, announced that Debra Boudrieau has been selected as the 2020 State Star of the Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC). The award, bestowed annually, celebrates a member of the organization’s team for exceptional commitment to small business success.
“Due to COVID-19 we have to wait until next year’s conference for in-person recognition on the national level, but we did not want to wait that long to honor Debra for the extraordinary work she has accomplished,” said Rossi. “Always a stellar member of our team, her timely and correct interpretation and reporting on disaster recovery particularly during the pandemic has made an immense impact on VtSBDC, business owners throughout the state, and other organizations nationwide. She works endless hours to support others, and we are lucky to have her.”
Boudrieau has been a highly respected member of the VtSBDC team since 2010, and has always been a source of detailed, helpful information for her colleagues and clients. She is known for her work on the VtSBDC Disaster Recovery Guide written during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, and since then used by SBDCs nationwide in responding to natural disasters.
Since the pandemic, Boudrieau’s role has expanded to develop a Recovery Roadmap to help businesses make critical decisions during these challenging times. She continues to immerse herself in in-depth study of federal and state business lending programs, interpreting their complex nuances for her peers and clients. Beginning with Business Lending 101 in March 2020, Boudrieau has led the way through 14 iterations of lending documents, now dubbed the “01s.”
Boudrieau also serves on America’s SBDC Disaster Recovery & Resilience Interest Section, a forum for network staff interested in disaster recovery and resilience issues. The group compiles and shares information, tools and best practices, while coordinating with America’s SBDC staff to disseminate information to the network to better serve clients.
One VtSBDC advisor wrote: “Anytime a COVID financing 01 document was produced, it required evening and/or weekend hours to create. She did it time and time again. And we don’t even know what she has done for her individual clients behind the scenes. State Star recognition doesn’t even scratch the surface of what she is due.”
Boudrieau is the Area Business Advisor in Windham & Southern Windsor Counties. She was nominated State Star unanimously by her peers, who described her as “intelligent, passionate, caring and resilient.” Rossi said she is grateful for Boudrieau’s impact on VtSBDC which has had a ripple effect throughout the state and across the nation.
“I am extremely grateful and proud to be part of the VtSBDC team that has worked tirelessly to provide support to small businesses in Vermont as they manage the effects of COVID-19,” said Boudrieau. “ I get to work daily with entrepreneurs who inspire me with their creativity and dedication to their businesses. That I can offer them any knowledge or clarity is what makes my job so rewarding. To receive this honor in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic is indeed humbling.”
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