Small Business Development Center back in Putnam County

The New York State Small Business Development Center has opened a satellite office in Mahopac, a return to Putnam County after a 10-year absence.

The satellite office opened next to the Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce in the Tompkins Community Center on South Lake Boulevard in Mahopac, the chamber announced.

“Over 90 percent of the companies that operate out of Putnam County are small businesses,” said Faith Ann Butcher, chairwoman of The Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce. “We want to provide access to educational and financial resources, and teaming up with the Small Business Development Center makes sense.”

The Small Business Development Center is regionally headquartered at SUNY Rockland Community College in Suffern, with additional outreach offices at Fordham University in West Harrison and at 800 Westchester Ave. in Rye Brook. The center provides technical, management and business development assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The state SBDC is administered by the SUNY system and funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the state and host campuses. The centers offer a variety of free business advisement services, training and workshops, including business plans; accounting guidance; financial planning and cost-analysis; loan information and packaging; start-up guidance and entrepreneurial education.

The Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber said it will join the SBDC to host several educational workshops in 2017.