New Consultant Joins Small Business Development Center at Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern University announces Bruce Avant as the new business consultant for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) based out of the College of Business Administration.  In his new role, Avant will provide individual instruction to entrepreneurs,  owners and managers.

Avant joins the Georgia SBDC network to provide low cost training and free consulting services to help people with business plan development, market analysis and marketing strategies, financial analysis, compliance and legal issues. As a consultant, Avant will also help prepare loan applications for people wanting to start their own business or expand an existing one. He has extensive experience with community bank management, business development and commercial and Small Business Administration program lending. Before joining the SBDC, Avant served as senior vice president of Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company’s Small Business Center for a nine county area. He also served as president of Ogeechee Valley Bank in Millen and executive vice president of Farmers & Merchants Bank in Statesboro. Avant earned his finance degree from Georgia Southern and his MBA from Valdosta State University. He is also a part-time marketing instructor at Georgia Southern. Georgia Southern’s SBDC is located at 1100 Brampton Avenue, Suite C in Statesboro. Appointments can be made by calling (912) 478-7232. Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 120 degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement.  Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.