Rebecca Lobina, the regional director of the Missouri Small Business Development Center at Northwest Missouri State University, was honored April 13 for her work and achievements during the fiscal year.

Lobina was recognized in two award categories, she was among the top five in Greatest Impact Generation: Business Starts and in Highest Number of Counseling Hours.

The University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program (BDP) recognized individuals and teams for their performance and accomplishments during its annual professional development conference. Programs included in the BDP are the Missouri Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) and Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC).

Lobina serves Northwest in a dual role as director of continuing professional education as well as regional director of its SBDC. She works with the SBDC as a management and consulting professional for small businesses, offering insights related to process improvement, fiscal management, customer insights, and attaining annual goals through strategic planning and deployment. She also directs the development and deployment of Northwest’s continuing professional education programming to area businesses and residents through online and in-person meetings, conferences and client-based education.

Last year, the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized Lobina for her commitment to education in the Kansas City region.

The Northwest SBDC serves a nine-county area in northwest Missouri and focuses on economic development assistance for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. It provides individual business counseling to small business owners and individuals, bringing Fortune 500 resources to business owners in the area at no charge to the business. The center also conducts conferences and workshops on relevant topics of interest to small business owners.