Hendrick named ‘Star’

James Hendrick, a business counselor at the Mississippi Small Business Development Center at the University of Mississippi, has been named the 2011 State Star for the MSBDC network. The award was presented at the annual Association of Small Business Development Centers fall conference in San Diego.

Hendrick was chosen for the honor for being an outstanding performer, making a major contribution to the MSBDC program and for his work in coordinating bi-monthly internal professional development sessions for fellow business counselors.

A native of Russellville, Ky., Hendrick earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from UM. He also won the university’s prestigious Gillespie Business Plan Competition in 2006. He serves on the advisory board for the Gulf Coast Patent Association.

In the five years since he joined MSBDC, Hendrick has helped organize more than 50 internal training webinars, including guest speakers from entities such as the Mississippi Contract Procurement Center, the Mississippi Technology Alliance, Point of Sales Companies, MSU Extension Service and the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. He has assisted more than 415 Mississippi inventors and helped clients with basic trademark and copyright issues.