[photo caption – U.S. Congressman Bill Foster (D-Ill.), center, formally presented USF College of Business & Health Administration Dean Dr. Shannon Brown, left, and USF President Dr. Arvid C. Johnson, right, a $500,000 U.S. Small Business Administration FY23 Congressional Community Project Grant in July 2023.]
[photo caption – JBJBusinessGroup, Inc. President Dr. Jerry Bell, Jr. (far right side of image), won a Department of Defense (DoD) Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) Pitch at the Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) Summit held in Detroit, Mich. in July 2024.]
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Joliet, Ill. – Since 2014, the University of St. Francis’s (USF) Business Incubator has supported economic growth in the Will County region by fostering new business development. In 2023, the USF College of Business & Health Administration successfully launched a Small Business Accelerator with a $500,000 U.S. Small Business Administration FY23 Congressional Community Project Grant supported by U.S. Congressman Bill Foster (D-Ill.) to contribute a next level of regional business support. The new project benefitted regional small businesses in underserved categories in an ongoing effort to build the region’s business landscape. The Accelerator provided its business members with equity-free funds and a variety of other benefits including training, mentorship, access to the business incubator, networking opportunities, and both curricular and co-curricular programming for founders to expand their business knowledge.
In total, the USF Small Business Accelerator was able to support eight businesses through the project grant, including JBJBusinessGroup, Inc. The small business joined the USF Business Incubator in 2019 in an effort to move their business model into a location and environment that would offer new access to resources. Over the next few years, JBJBusinessGroup, Inc. continued to slowly build and thrive – even during the COVID-pandemic – and in 2023, became one of the recipients of grant-funding from the USF Small Business Accelerator. Just one year later, through networking, training, mentorship, and a successful pitch to the right audience, their team is celebrating success. The company recently won a Department of Defense (DoD) Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) Pitch, which is a shark tank-style competition. The Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) Summit, held in Detroit, Mich. in July 2024, was sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) and provided a platform for building business-to-business relationships and offered smaller companies an opportunity to meet industry leaders in the field.
“The University of St. Francis College of Business & Health Administration is pleased to showcase JBJBusinessGroup, Inc.’s success and to have played a small part in their chance to participate in the MPP Summit in July. Our Business Incubator and Small Business Accelerator have provided numerous links for funding and connections for business members, and our university students, to open their networks and seek new learning” said Dr. Shannon Brown, Dean of the USF College of Business & Health Administration.
JBJBusinessGroup, Inc. not only participated in the pitch and was granted approval for a Mentor Protégé Agreement, but they also won the audience and judges’ vote for the best pitch.
“This is huge for my company, where the Department of Defense is going to invest about $1.8 million into resources to support my company over the next 3 years, to help me become a better supplier to the Department of Defense. As the father of a son in the army and an army veteran myself, I am thrilled to be able to continue supporting the war effort,” said JBJBusinessGroup, Inc. President Dr. Jerry Bell, Jr.
“Since joining the USF Business Incubator and Accelerator programs, I have gained access to mentors, and I have appreciated working with students to support my business. I’ve attended many federal contracting training events that have enhanced my ability to be more informed and have a better network for getting federal contracts. Additionally, being located in a HUBZone and being part of this program will accelerate my ability to hire and support the local workforce,” Bell added.
USF Business Incubator director and associate professor Dr. Bonnie Covelli has worked alongside the entrepreneurs and has seen first-hand the impact small businesses have within the Will County region.
“USF is proud of our ten-year span serving regional small businesses through our entrepreneurial incubator and accelerator programs. Over the past year, the accelerator funding allowed us to infuse much needed short-term funds into the businesses. We are grateful for the opportunity to have helped move these businesses to their next stage of development,” Covelli said.
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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 3,300 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.
University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.
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