UTSA official appointed to state small-business assistance advisory task force

Robert McKinley

By Kris Rodriguez
Public Affairs Specialist

(May 24, 2014) -- Gov. Rick Perry has appointed UTSA Associate Vice President for Economic Development Robert McKinley to serve as a member of the Office of Small Business Assistance Advisory Task Force.

The task force advises and assists the Office of Small Business Assistance, governor, lieutenant governor and speaker with issues that relate to small businesses, and provides information in plain language to the public on issues related to small businesses.

Since 2003, McKinley has led the UTSA Institute for Economic Development with a portfolio of a dozen centers and programs that provide business training, consulting and research to more than 38,000 clients annually across the South Texas border region.

In 2013, the institute's client services generated more than 4,100 new jobs, 523 start-ups and 519 business expansions, generating increased revenues and financing exceeding $1.6 billion. The institute's International Trade Center generated $439 million in trade last year for area small businesses, leveraging the new Latin American SBDC networks as distribution channels.

"The institute is a recognized leader in U.S. small-business development, and we continue to share our knowledge and best practices with partners across the globe," said McKinley. "For more than a decade, UTSA has led the expansion of the Small Business Development Center program as a part of President Obama's Small Business Network of the America's initiative. As one of the U.S.'s closest trading partners, Mexico was UTSA's first partner in the SBDC expansion program, and since 2003, they have grown from one pilot SBDC to more than 117 in 2013."

McKinley is a member of the U.S.-Mexico Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council and the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation Strategic Task Force. He also serves as a board member of the Associación de Empresarios Mexicanos.

Additionally, McKinley is the past national board chairman of America's Small Business Development Centers, past chairman of the City of San Antonio Small Business Advisory Committee and a past board member of the Texas Business Incubation Association.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Community Development degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Events

Wednesday, April 24, 11:30 a.m.

Denim Day

Join the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.

Student Union Window Lounge, Main Campus

Wednesday, April 24, 5:00 p.m.

Simplifying Citations With Zotero

Learn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.

Virtual Event

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Submit an Event

Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.