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SBA Announces 2025 Boots to Business Instructor of the Year Award Winners

GlobeNewswire · GlobeNewswire Inc.

U.S. Small Business Administration

Tue, February 10, 2026 at 11:53 PM GMT+9 3 min read

Recipients to be Recognized During Virtual Ceremony Feb. 19

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced the winners of the 2025 Boots to Business Instructor of the Year awards, honoring educators and professionals whose service and dedication have made a lasting difference for America’s service members, veterans, and military spouses pursuing entrepreneurship.

These awards recognize individuals who go above and beyond to support the men and women who have served our nation, helping them translate their military experience into successful business ownership. Through mentorship, instruction, and unwavering commitment, this year’s honorees play a critical role in ensuring that veterans and military families have the tools and confidence needed to build their next chapter.

“Our veterans and military families have given so much in service to our country, and these instructors honor that service by investing in their futures,” said SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development Assistant Administrator Kevin Barber. “By sharing their expertise and guidance, they help military-connected entrepreneurs gain the knowledge, confidence, and resources they need to succeed in business. We are profoundly grateful for their dedication and for the veterans and spouses they serve.”

The Boots to Business (B2B) program, part of the Department of War’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP), provides foundational entrepreneurship courses to help members of the military community explore business ownership and build essential small business knowledge.

In 2025, the SBA expanded the Instructor of the Year program to include two new award categories, recognizing professionals who provide specialized instruction in areas such as finance and marketing – critical skills for veteran-owned and military spouse-owned small businesses.

The 2025 Boots to Business Instructor of the Year award recipients are:

Tanisha Baptiste-Bynum, SBA’s Connecticut District Office

David Smith, Small Business Development Center at Texas Tech University

David Chappell, Milwaukee SCORE

Jason Payne, Los Angeles Regional Veterans Business Outreach Center

Lisa Nutt, Women’s Business Center of Southern Arizona

David Park, Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Joshua Dunlap, U.S. Bank _(Banking category)_

Shaundell Newsome, Sumnu Marketing _(“Other” category)_

The recipients will be honored during the 2025 Instructor of the Year Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET. The virtual event is open to the public, and registration information is available at bit.ly/4oZCemd.

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Through partnerships with organizations nationwide, the Boots to Business program continues to serve as a vital bridge for veterans and military families transitioning from service to civilian life, providing education, mentorship, and resources that honor their service and help ensure long-term economic opportunity.

For more information about the Boots to Business program, visit www.sba.gov/bootstobusiness.

About the Office of Veterans Business Development
The SBA Office of Veterans Business Development works through SBA’s extensive resource partner network, which includes SBDCs, the SCORE mentoring program, WBCs and 31 VBOCs located throughout the nation. VBOCs are the leading partner in hosting the Boots to Business (B2B), Boots to Business Reboot, and Military Spouse Pathway to Business programs, which are courses on entrepreneurship offered on military installations and in local communities. Since B2B’s inception in 2013, these programs have collectively trained and graduated more than 241,000 service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit sba.gov/veterans.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. Services are delivered through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

CONTACT: SBA HQ Press Team U.S. Small Business Administration [email protected]

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