SIU Business Center Closure Would Hit Du Quoin Hard

Weekend newspaper reports pointed to the possible closure of the Small Business Development Center at SIU by March 31 in the absence of a state budget agreement.

For Du Quoin, it's a very serious matter.

Both Du Quoin Chamber president Robyn Laur Russell of Du Quoin and Champion Communities executive director Rex Duncan have offices in that center.

Moreover, they have brought huge investments in Du Quoin and the businesses here through their work.

The Southern Illinoisan newspaper reports that the center, which assists 600 Southern Illinois small and start-up businesses on average each year, receives all of its $350,000 budget through grants distributed by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Without a budget, that money has been held up in Springfield since the beginning of the center's fiscal year in January.

The university has been funding the group's efforts since then.

"It'll be a big loss to the region," Greg Bouhl, the center's director, said. "Small business creates jobs and brings investment to our area," quoting from the story.

In 2014, the center's staffers helped create and retain more than 300 jobs throughout Southern Illinois, while assisting 45 entrepreneurs create new businesses.

The center employs six full-time employees and several student workers, all of whom will lose their jobs at the end of March.

The center is named for the late Du Quoin state senator Ralph Dunn

Rex Duncan of Champion Communities was contacted over the weekend about the possibility of the center closing.

"I'll defer to Robyn as to how services - if any - can or will be offered should the SBDC be forced to close. Should the SBDC close, I just don't know how those services can be replaced or replicated," said Duncan.

"Champion Community Investments does have some USDA grant funds that would allow very small businesses with 10 full-time employees or less to work with CPA firms on their business and financial planning, but those funds are quite limited and irreplaceable unless that grant is re-funded," Duncan said.