UHV business speaker series to feature SBA Houston District Director
The University of Houston-Victoria will welcome the district director for the Houston District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration next week.
Mark Winchester will be the keynote speaker for the UHV College of Business Distinguished Speaker Series on April 8 at UHV Katy, 22400 Grand Circle Blvd., at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
A meet-and-greet reception will be held from 6:30 to 7 p.m. before the speaking event.
“Attending a distinguished speaker series conference allows students to gain valuable insights from successful professionals, inspiring them with real-world experiences and providing guidance on how to navigate their own career paths,” said Xavier Garza-Gomez, interim dean of the College of Business. “We also invite faculty and the public to join this interesting event, fostering a collaborative environment where knowledge can be shared by all.”
Winchester brings more than 22 years of federal service and economic development experience to his role as the district director for the Houston District office of the U.S. Small Business Administration where he oversees the delivery of SBA programs and services to 32 counties served by the district. Last year, under his leadership, the district facilitated more than $1.5 billion in loan guarantees and surety bonds for small businesses.
In recognition of his federal service, he was the recipient of the 2015 Ike Award, an honor established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957 to honor exceptional civilian contributions to the federal government.
“The UHV College of Business distinguished speaker series is a great program for students not only to listen and learn from success stories of our distinguished speakers but also have the opportunity to connect with their classmates, professors and alumni,” said Kaveh McAdam, community engagement director. “It is great to see some of our alumni attending these events during our networking sessions before and after the event.”
Before he joined the SBA, Winchester served nearly eight years at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, holding roles as assistant director for the Small Business Development Center and the director for both the Veteran’s Business Outreach Center and the Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center. A Gulf War veteran, he also served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force.
Throughout his career, Winchester has dedicated himself to empowering business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. His message to students and business professions alike is to stay determined and follow their true passion.
“You don’t have to go it alone,” Winchester said.
The Distinguished Speaker Series is a free event and is open to the public. For more information, please reach out to McAdam at the UHV College of Business at mcadamk@uhv.edu or contact busadvisor@uhv.edu.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.