Our office will be open limited hours during the week of June 26th so that our staff can attend a meeting of our NWTSBDC region office. Hours that week are Monday-Thursday, 8am-noon and Friday 8am-5pm. Appointments will not be available.  

We'll be closed Monday, July 4th to celebrate the holiday and will resume normal hours Tuesday, July 5th. We wish everyone a very safe and happy 4th of July! 

Pay Rate  Competitive pay is important if you want to attract and keep qualified employees.
Partnering with Texas Workforce Solutions, we can provide you with reports that show local and state pay scales for whatever job type you're looking to fill. 

Job Posting  Looking to fill a new or vacant position at your office? SBDC clients can forward the position information to Gina Woodward at gina@wtsbdc.com to have it included on our Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin pages as well as an upcoming newsletter free of charge!

The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce is hosting their annual business awards. Two awards are available and Amarillo area small businesses and professionals under the age of 40 are eligible.

The Jim Henson Top Small Business Award is presented one area business that best displays the qualities of steadiness, growth or innovation and community service. Nominations can be submitted by business associates, customers, friends or family members. To view the requirements and nomination form click here. This is a prestigious award and the SBDC is proud to have had clients win in past years. We encourage you to nominate your favorite small business! 

Amarillo's Top 20 Under 40 is presented to area professionals under the age of 40 who have shown an exceptional commitment to community service and personal achievement. Although only 20 awards are given, it's quite an honor to be nominated for this award and all nominees are honored at a reception before the winners are announced. Click here to view the requirements and nomination form.

The deadline for both nominations is June 6th. 

How much will your heirs have to pay the IRS in order to save the family farm or ranch?
Due to rising land values, mineral appreciation and other factors, many landowners are not prepared for the successive ownership of the family farm or ranch----in spite of extensive estate planning.  

Attend a Saving Family Lands seminar to learn how an agricultural conservation easement can help your family protect the farm or ranch while potentially saving millions in taxes.  Led by Steve Small, nationally recognized expert and author of the IRS conservation easement tax code; this seminar is geared towards landowners and their advisors.  Attendees will receive step-by-step instructions on how to file with the IRS, a copy of Mr. Small's book Preserving Family Land, advice on how to negotiate a conservation easement that works for you and your family, ample time for Q&A, and much more.  This seminar is all the more timely due to tax incentives for conservation easements that expire at the end of the year: With the current $5 million exclusion that also expires in 2012, there has NEVER been a better time to save on estate taxes.