The Nebraska Business Development Center Is Born

In April, 1977, the Small Business Development Program at UNO began as one of eight demonstration project centers. President Carter's administration believed that the Small Business Administration should utilize university resources to deliver much of its programs. At UNO the program was initially called the University Business Development Center. Its director, Professor David Ambrose, changed the name to Nebraska Business Development Center to avoid confusion with an Omaha-based Urban Business Development Center. Robert Bernier designed a unique logo for the center that remains in use.

The Small Business Institute (SBI) program at UNO became the largest SBI program in the nation. Further growth of the program had to await Congressional enactment of the Small Business Development Act in 1980. Passage of legislation, however, did not bring automatic federal funding to the UNO's program. In the meantime, Professor Ambrose had returned to classroom duties. Robert Bernier became director of the program.

Robert Bernier recalls attending a meeting in Washington, D.C. regarding the funding of collegiate small business programs. The group was told that government funding really meant matching funds on a 50-50 basis. This caused two California schools to drop their affiliation because of California's Proposition 13 law. After another school dropped from the program, only five of the eight demonstration schools remained active. To add to the financing problem, the demonstration projects had three-year sunset provisions. Creative methods were needed to continue the UNO program.

Bernier's solution to the 50-50 funding requirement was to obtain permission to place a monetary value on the faculty time volunteered to operate the program. There was no state funding at the time. Volunteered faculty time alone would be insufficient to sustain a program of quality. In seeking ways to improve the financial affairs of NBDC, Bernier attended a meeting in Maine. At this meeting a SBA official said that nothing could be done about the 50-50 concept. Only some higher authority could change that state of affairs. Bernier's view of that bureaucrat's decision was that half a loaf was insufficient for UNO's needs. Rather than return to Omaha, Bernier flew to Washington, D.C. to find a solution to the 50-50 funding decision. Bernier requested an audience with Nebraska's Congressman, Hal Daub.

Congressman Daub asked for the rock bottom dollar amount needed. Bernier said to the Congressman, "I absolutely need $298,000." Congressmen Daub called the SBA administrator. NBDC was allocated the needed money. Telephone messages from Washington, D.C. awaited Bernier upon his return to Omaha. He was asked "Why did you go to your Congressman?" He replied, "You told me to go to a higher authority, and that's what I did."

Ever since that episode, the NBDC has continued to receive funding. Among all states that receive SBA funding, only UNO is free to name itself, the Nebraska Business Development Center. All other states must call their programs the Small Business Development Center.