FAIRFIELD, LA – As part of the ongoing Prosper Jefferson series, the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce team up to bring a seminar on small business financing on Wednesday, September 23, 2015, at the East Bank Regional Library's Jefferson Room, 4747 West Napoleon Ave. in Metairie, from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Three financial experts will cover a wide variety of topics, including:
• Understanding your financial statements
• Knowing your business valuation
• Business financing opportunities available through JEDCO
• What you need to know to get financed
The 3 speakers are:
• Eric E. Bosch, CPA, is a partner in the audit and assurance services division of LaPorte, CPAs & Business Advisors. After graduating from the University of New Orleans, Bosch began his career at LaPorte in January of 1990. Since that time, his primary practice area has been community-based financial institutions and the financial services industry, and he currently serves as the leader for LaPorte's Financial Services Industry Group. In addition to providing audit and accounting services, Bosch has assisted financial institutions with initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic planning. Bosch serves as the treasurer for the Jefferson Chamber Foundation Academy and for the Girard Playground Booster Club. He also serves as a faculty member for the Delgado Community College 10,000 Small Business Program, which is funded by Goldman Sachs.
• David Cusimano's career has included starting and running small businesses, aeronautical engineering, mergers and acquisitions and management consulting. He is the founder of Emerge Dynamics Active Management Consulting, co-founder of Day Flier, Inc., and Gulf Search Capital, LLC, and a minority partner and/or advisor to a several regional small businesses. His diverse background is tied together by a unifying theme of identifying opportunities where others see problems and wrapping strategies of success around them. He specializes in business process improvement, customer experience management, merger and acquisition strategy, valuation, and financial modeling and analysis.
Cusimano has earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University, a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Texas at Arlington, and an M.B.A. with concentrations in finance and international business from Tulane University's Freeman School of Business. He is a Certified Turnaround Analyst (CTA) and Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA). Cusimano is a faculty member and with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Delgado Community College where he facilitates the program's financial modules and workshops. He has also taught courses in economics at both Delgado Community College and Tulane University.
• Alberto Queral was hired by JEDCO in 1995 in the capacity of Commercial Loan Officer. He was eventually promoted to his current capacity of Director of Financing. Prior to his employment at JEDCO, Queral worked within the banking industry for approximately 15 years, where he developed commercial banking experience, including both consumer and commercial lending. Queral is primarily responsible for the lending function at JEDCO and management of the finance staff. He is also fully bilingual in English and Spanish, a skill that allows him to serve the Parish's Spanish speaking constituency.
The JEDCO finance program provides loans for acquisition of fixed assets, working capital and initial inventory for Jefferson Parish-based businesses, both new and established. The program has the ultimate objective of promoting economic development and job creation / retention activity in Jefferson Parish. A JEDCO loan accomplishes what is commonly referred to as "gap" financing, as these loans provide terms and conditions that are ordinarily not available conventionally.
Queral has also completed courses in financial accounting, management, economics, business and other general studies while following a business administration curriculum at UNO. He graduated from Leadership Jefferson, a program of the Jefferson Chamber. Until 2014 he assisted and lectured students from UNO's ExCel course, a business program with the purpose of preparing persons with disabilities from across Louisiana start businesses.
Admission is free, and the event is open to all businesses and entrepreneurs.
Online registration in advance of the event is encouraged.
Register here: www.jedco.org/events
JEDCO, Jefferson Chamber To Host Small Business Financing Seminar
