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Hawaii’s SBA office
ranks No. 2 among
sister agencies

Achievements by the Hawaii District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration merited the agency a ranking of No. 2 among all 68 of the administration's district offices nationwide.

The ranking is based on the performance of each office's financing programs, government-contracting assistance, outreach, counseling and training activities for the community, according to Hawaii District Director Andrew Poepoe.

The Hawaii office's loan volume broke internal records as local companies received more than $63.6 million in government-guaranteed financing in fiscal 2004. The SBA assisted businesses with 518 loans, of which 57 percent went to minority-owned companies and 34 percent went to women-owned businesses.

Hawaii is second only to Harlingen, Texas, in the SBA ranking.

Each office's score is weighted by the number of area businesses.

"We are extremely pleased to reach this level of accomplishment, particularly in comparison with the larger, thriving mainland markets," sad Poepoe.

The office came in at No. 7 last year and Poepoe credits this year's improvement to a great staff as well as partners including the Small Business Development Center, the Women's Business Center and financial institutions.

Buzzbits

Fodor's 2005 list of choice hotels includes the Old Wailuku Inn on Maui among its "True Values." It is the only Hawaii entry ... The folks at McNeil Wilson Communications Inc. don't need no stinkin' flu shots. The company launched an internal public awareness campaign and handed out flu survival kits containing hand sanitizing lotion, wipes, Vitamin C tablets and prevention information.

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