Local & State Headlines

SBA honors Albany woman

• Her work with small business development wins Thelma Adams Johnson a statewide award.

Susan McCord

ALBANY — The leader of an Albany organization that helps small businesses start up and grow is the recipient of a statewide award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Thelma Adams Johnson, president and CEO of Albany Community Together Inc., was named SBA “Financial Services Champion” for Georgia recently. She will receive the award May 22 at a luncheon in Atlanta hosted by the Georgia Lenders Quality Circle.

“Johnson’s award recognizes her efforts to assist small businesses by supporting additional financial services for startups and existing small companies in the Albany area,” SBA spokesman Jim Hightower said.

The Sylvester native joined Albany Community Together in 2000 as a lender, and in 2002 was named president of the 501(c)3 organization, which was formed by the City of Albany and four area banks to help south Albany businesses that fell into default on loans following the Flood of 1994.

Since 2000, Albany Community Together has helped 74 businesses secure almost $2 million in funding, either through SBA micro-loans of up to $35,000 or from the City of Albany’s economic development revolving loan fund.

“The premise behind every loan is a job,” Johnson said, from her office at the Arthur K. Williams Microbusiness Enterprise Center Friday.

Though the standard is one job for every $35,000 loaned, loans procured with help from ACT have created a job for every $15,000, she said.

Downtown Albany’s Salon Infinity and Two Scoops eatery are two examples of businesses helped by ACT, not just with startup funding but with business organization and marketing assistance, through the office’s business development services.

Any for-profit small business that will be providing services to low- to moderate-income individuals is eligible to work with ACT.

More Headlines>>