McGlockton Named “Florida Star of the Year
Aundra’ McGlockton
McGlockton received the Florida Star of the Year Award.
By Giulia Marsico
Outlook Writer
In the four years that Aundra’ McGlockton Sr., has been at Florida A&M’s Small Business Center, he’s won an award for his work and this year is no different.
McGlockton, associate regional director at FAMU’s Small Business Center, was named Florida Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) 2015 “Florida Star of the Year” at the recent performance awards ceremony.
This most recent award for McGlockton comes after a year where he secured $3.6 million in equity investments and loans. His department served more than 290 entrepreneurs and business owners while utilizing more than 5,400 consulting hours, which translates to 884 jobs, $27.8 million in government contracts and $4.8 million in investment capital.
“I have only worked for the FSBDC at FAMU for four years. During these four years, I have been blessed to receive three different awards, three special certifications and a promotion to associate regional director. And for these blessings I give God all the praise,” said McGlockton.
The Star Award is the highest accolade given by the SBDC to employees with exceptional performance and who have established strong contributions to their state network.
“‘Aundra’ has demonstrated that he understands the hardships that small business owners and entrepreneurs face and consistently provides pragmatic, well-researched insight to help them navigate through the common pitfalls of entrepreneurship,” said Michael Myhre, CEO and state director for SBDC network.
The SBDC network is notably recognized through its training, resources and tools that aid in the growth and success of small businesses. Their mission is to promote growth, innovation, productivity and revenue for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.
“My greatest achievements lie in assisting business people in getting their businesses where they want them to go. I want to continue to make significant contributions to the clients that come to the FSBDC at Florida A&M University,” said McGlockton.
Furthermore, McGlockton has worked with local businesses such as Florida Autism Center, Thumb Blades, LLC and At Home Veterinary Care in aiding in the development of their new businesses.
“Aundra’ was exactly what I was looking for. This was a new journey for me and a lot of times I didn’t have the answers to questions in order to move forward; Aundra’ answered them with ease,” said Ralph Jones, owner of Thumb Blades, LLC, from Pensacola, Fla.
As part of the award, McGlockton, along with other State Stars from across the country, will be recognized during the national America’s SBDC annual conference in San Francisco this September. As a State Star, McGlockton will also be part of a select group to visit the headquarters of Google, Facebook, and Intuit.
