CENTER RECEIVES COMPUTER EQUIPMENT

The Small Business Development Center has received computer equipment designed to aid small businesses.

The center at 222 N. Pacific on the Southeast Missouri State University campus is one of four small-business centers in the state that have been designated IBM/Lotus Learning Centers. The others are in St. Louis, Columbia and Joplin.

"We have two full computer centers," said Buz Sutherland, director of the local business development office.

Sutherland said one of the centers is a demonstration center designed to explain the benefits of computers to operators of small businesses.

The second computer system at the facility allows small-business operators to do financial statements. Sutherland said a businessman can bring in a floppy disk, put it in the computer and do a monthly financial statement. When done, the businessman simply removes the floppy disk and takes it with him.

There is no charge for either service, Sutherland said.

"IBM and Lotus Development are providing the computers and computer software," he said.

The computers and software, valued at about $10,000, have been in operation for about a month, Sutherland said.

The business development center held a grand opening for its new computer services Thursday afternoon.

Sutherland said he hoped Thursday's grand opening, with its demonstration of the computer equipment, generated increased interest on the part of small-business operators.

"It's another tool for the Small Business Development Center to aid small businesses in the area," he said.