Ana Alfaro is executive director of the Fresno State Women’s Entrepreneur Center, winner of the 2025 Women’s Business Center of Excellence for the 15-county San Joaquin Valley & Central Coast region of the SBA. Photo contributed

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the Fresno State Women’s Entrepreneur Center (WEC) as the 2025 Women’s Business Center of Excellence for the 15-county San Joaquin Valley & Central Coast region on Monday. 

The recognition honors the center’s work in providing entrepreneurs with resources such as counseling, consulting, mentoring and training, with a focus on supporting women in rural areas. 

“The SBA is proud to recognize the Women’s Entrepreneur Center for their success in helping small businesses start up, scale up and succeed in this region,” said Fresno District Director Dawn Golik in a news release. “We especially appreciate their efforts to serve women in the Valley’s rural communities,” 

Ana Alfaro, the WEC’s director, reflected on the organization’s commitment to supporting over 1,900 entrepreneurs throughout the region. 

“Being recognized as the 2025 Fresno District Office Women’s Business Center of the Year is an incredible honor for our entire team,” Alfaro said. “At the same time, it is a great commitment to continue serving our community members with excellence. Supporting 1,914 entrepreneurs and small business owners over the years has been a privilege; each one has trusted us to walk alongside them as they build businesses that strengthen the Central Valley’s economy.”

Barbara Foster, the acting executive director of the Office of Community and Economic Development at Fresno State, mentioned the important role of community partnerships in the center’s success.

“The Women’s Entrepreneur Center at Fresno State is honored to have been selected as the Fresno District Office Women’s Business Center of the Year. The support we have received from the SBA and our community partners has enhanced our ability to engage

with hundreds of small business entrepreneurs in our region providing training and technical assistance to further the hopes and aspirations of these entrepreneurs,” Foster said. 

The Fresno State Women’s Entrepreneur Center was established in the fall of 2022 to help fill the gaps in small business technical assistance services for women across Central Valley.

The SBA will present the award to the Fresno State Women’s Entrepreneurship Center at the Resnick Student Union on Wednesday at 10 a.m.