Bringing it home: Steven Ayers brings a passion for small business ...

Bringing it home: Steven Ayers brings a passionfor small business to SBA Kentucky postBusiness First of Louisville - by Lucy M. Pritchett Business FirstCorrespondentRon Bath | Business FirstSteven Ayers is pictured in his office where a few of the eagles he has collected over the years are displayed.Steven R. Ayers is a dapper fellow with silver hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. Hewears a crisp white shirt and a tie that has the look of an abstract painting -- a nod to hiscreative bent.He brings an enthusiasm for helping businesses grow and a delight in meeting andovercoming challenges to his position as director of the Kentucky district of the U.S.Small Business Administration, a position he's held for four years.He sits confidently and comfortably at his wooden desk in a spacious corner office on theground floor of the Romano L. Mazzoli Federal Building, 600 Martin Luther King Place.Two flags -- the Stars and Stripes and the SBA flag, with its royal blue background andgold lettering -- flank his desk.Emblems of strength, the American eagle, are here as well. Two porcelain eagles, out ofhis collection of 40 or so, soar from pedestals atop a small bookcase.Between them sits a copy of the statue of the three servicemen at the Vietnam Memorialin Washington, D.C."I turned 19 in the rice paddies of Vietnam," Ayers said of his service as platoon sergeantin the U.S. Marine Corps. "I was very young and, as a leader, men would come to mewith their troubles -- most of which, at my age, I had no experience in. I just tried to putmyself in his position in search of a solution."It is a long way from leading soldiers in Vietnam to leading a staff of 10 as districtdirector of the Kentucky Division of the SBA.Along the road to Louisville, Ayers stopped in California to pick up a bachelor's degreein social ecology and a master's degree in business administration.Now he and his staff help entrepreneurs in 120 counties "to grow prosperity in thecommonwealth of Kentucky through small-business ownership," he said."Small businesses are the engine of our economy," Ayers said. "Sixty to 80 percent ofnew jobs in the country are created by small businesses."

seasoned staff, and he gives us opportunities to develop programs using the skills wehave developed over the years. He is not a micro-manager."Calling Ayers a catalyst for change, Ritter said he bridged the gaps in communication inthe agency that were caused by downsizing."That was no small feat," she added. "He took our issues and got them into the light ofday."At one time, the office had 45 employees. When Ayers came in 2004, it had 20. Thatnumber since has declined to 10.Exploring KentuckyLong before he came to Louisville, Ayers was in Saudi Arabia for 16 months in the1980s as installation project manager for Science Applications International Corp. andresponsible for delivering a $365 million command/control/communications centerthrough a contract with the U.S. Navy.He had to leave the country every three months to renew his visa, so he and his wife,Carol Ayers, took the opportunity to travel a bit: England, Spain and Jamaica.When the couple moved to Louisville, Carol Ayers retired from her position in publicrelations and public information with the TVA in Chattanooga, Tenn."I love being retired," Carol Ayers said. "Steve is very thoughtful and considerate. Hebrings me coffee every morning. The bad news is that he brings it at 5 o'clock," she saidwith a laugh. "He gets up every morning at four and runs. By the time he brings mecoffee, he is ready to talk."Steven and Carol Ayers are discovering Kentucky a little at a time, including theKentucky Horse Park and the scenic Kentucky Bourbon Trail.Pork chops at Jack Fry's Restaurant are high on Steven Ayers' list as well. The couple isinvolved with Old Friends Inc., a retirement and rescue facility for pensionedThoroughbreds in Georgetown, Ky. And through Operation Migration, they are on amission to teach whooping cranes a migration route between Wisconsin and Florida.While living in Tennessee, Steven participated in several projects for Habitat forHumanity. Around the house, Carol Ayers said, "Steve can fix things ... some of the time.I don't like to leave him unsupervised with tools, though. Especially power tools."One tool he does enjoy handling is a golf club. He sports one trophy for sinking a 40-footputt at a course in Chattanooga. Despite that, he admits he really hasn't quite gotten theknack of the game."I used to take it too seriously. Now I just enjoy it. I don't even care if I keep score."He said with a big smile, "I bought a hybrid golf club, which is for people like me whocan't hit with an iron."Steven R. AyersDirector of the Kentucky District of the U.S. Small Business AdministrationOn the job: Since May 2004Birth date: Jan. 6, 1951Education: Bachelor's degree, social ecology, University of California, Irvine, 1975;global MBA degree, National University, San Diego, 200lResidence: Polo Fields

Wife: Carol AyersHometown: Middlesboro, Ky.Military service: Served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam (1968-72),achieving the rank of platoon sergeantPrevious experience: Science Applications International Corp., Huntsville, Ala., 1982-87 and 1989-93: Tennessee Valley Authority, Chattanooga, Tenn., 1987-89 and 1993-2004Rule of thumb: "A senior vice president once told me, 'Don't hesitate to step up and signup for something even if you haven't any experience.' "Last big purchase: 2005 BMW Z4 gray convertible six-speed, which he bought new