Laura D. Katz

Laura Katz is the area director of the Athens office and is a public service associate within UGA’s Public Service and Outreach unit.

Ms. Katz has extensive experience in marketing and business development for both large corporations and small business. She has helped develop, price and bring to market new products for companies such as Motorola, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco and Levi’s. In the second part of her career, she has worked with small business owners implementing business development and marketing plans.

In 2011, Ms. Katz joined the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center as a consultant and since then has earned several awards: an UGA SBDC Consultant of the Year (2014), recognized as an ASBDC State Star (2015), three UGA SBDC Flewellen Awards for consulting excellence (2013, 2015, 2018) and an UGA SBDC Program Innovation of the Year Award (2017).

In 2015, Ms. Katz achieved the rank of UGA Public Service and Outreach Associate Faculty and was promoted to Athens Area Director. Katz is a nationally recognized speaker on Marketing, Work/Life Balance, and Agribusiness. Her program “FarmSMART” is implemented nationally by the SBDC’s of Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri in response to the SBA’s Rural Initiative.

Recently, two of Katz’s client’s won SBA awards for the state of Georgia for their achievements as business owners: Tonya Barr-Dugas, CEO and Pete Dugas, COO and owners of TSAV were awarded “SBA Small Business Owner of the Year 2018” and Tiffany Hines, President and owner of Global Escapes was awarded “SBA Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2019.”

Ms. Katz enjoys working with small business owners, utilizing her education and experience to help transform their businesses.

Education

Experience

Accomplishments

Articles

Leadership

Program Lead, “Women’s Business Expo,” Athens SBDC, full day program for 50+ women business owners with speakers, luncheon, and booths. November 30, 2012; lead role on program development based upon attendee research and organization of day’s activities.
Invited Speaker, “Medical Practice Marketing Strategies,” developed and facilitated 2 hour program, to residents of the Mercer Medical School Practice Management Rotation program; May 2013.
Invited Speaker, “Organizational Strategies to Enhance Work/Life Balance” developed, presented and facilitated exercises for a 1-1/2 hour program to 26 women business owners at Valdosta State University SBDC Women’s Symposium; November 2011.
Committee Chair, “Annual Consultant’s Training 2013” for the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center statewide training conference. Over-all development and management of 6 person committee to put on 3 day statewide training conference; June 2012-May 2013.

Honors and Awards

“Flewellen Award for Consulting Excellence 2018” earned for outstanding performance as a valued public service professional in the Georgia SBDC Network for 2018.
“Innovation of the Year Award 2017” nominated and selected for developing module 1 of the “Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program.” The award recognizes an outstanding continuing education program, that results in a significant impact on the operations or services of the UGA SBDC. The program may be a single class or a series of classes that leads to measurable impact and outstanding outcome.
“Flewellen Award for Consulting Excellence 2016″earned for outstanding performance as a valued public service professional in the Georgia SBDC Network for 2015.
“ASBDC State Star of Georgia 2015” earned national award as an America’s SBDC “State Star” which recognizes SBDC employees exhibiting exemplary performance, those who made a significant contribution to their state or regional SBDC program and show a strong commitment to small business.
“Consultant of the Year 2014” nominated and selected for outstanding accomplishments during the year, including his/her work with the business community, program development, research, publications, presentations, professional development activities, involvement in business-related organizations, projects and programs 2014.
“Flewellen Award for Consulting Excellence 2013” earned for outstanding performance as a valued public service professional in the Georgia SBDC Network for 2013.