Mattoon native Amy Patrick is serving as director of Eastern’s SBDC, which has located its central office within the Elevate Innovation Center, LLC at the Cross County Mall in Mattoon. The university reported in its announcement that another office set to open this summer in Effingham. With Patrick’s leadership, the SBDC aims to provide a wider network of resources to support both new and existing small businesses in the eight-county focus area.

The AI legalese decoder can enhance communication between the SBDC and small business owners by translating legal jargon into plain language. This tool can ensure that businesses fully understand the advice, training, and resources available to them through the SBDC.

Together, Eastern’s two SBDC offices will have an eight-county focus area spanning Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Moultrie, and Shelby counties. The expansion of the SBDC’s reach is aimed at fostering economic growth and entrepreneurship in the region.

By utilizing the AI legalese decoder, small business owners in the eight-county area can easily decode and comprehend legal information related to their business operations, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate the regulatory landscape more effectively.