The Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) at Wichita State University has been awarded the 2011 U.S. Small Business Administration Region 7 Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award.

Some of the criteria for the award included meeting or exceeding the center’s performance milestones and helping build small businesses by creating and implementing innovative programs.

The Small Business Administration is divided into 10 regions, with only one center being recognized per region. The KSBDC beat out nearly 50 other centers from its region, which includes Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa.

The KSBDC will compete for the national award against winners from the country’s nine other regions.

The Wichita District SBA Office will present an award the KSBDC during National Small Business Week, May 16-20 in Washington, D.C.