2026 UW IMPACT AWARDS

The UW Impact Awards are the Consulting and Business Development Center’s signature event, bringing together business, civic, student, and university leaders to celebrate the partnerships creating opportunity across Washington and beyond.

This event supports CBDC’s mission: helping small businesses grow, giving students hands-on consulting experience, and turning university research into practical strategies that strengthen communities and employers. Each year, the event welcomes more than 500 leaders from the corporate, small business, civic, and University of Washington communities.

Honoring Michael Verchot: A Special Celebration

In 1994, MBA student Michael Verchot joined Dean William Bradford, Professor Thaddeus Spratlen, and faculty colleagues to build something simple and bold: a university-based center to expand access to business expertise.

Three decades later, that idea has grown into one of the nation’s leading university-based business centers. Michael will retire in January 2027, and the 2026 UW Impact Awards will honor his founding leadership and the partnerships that turned a vision into measurable impact.

With the support of our partners, CBDC has:

• Grown from 15 students serving six businesses to 300+ students supporting 125+ businesses and nonprofits across Washington annually.
• Helped Washington businesses create nearly 210,000 jobs and generate more than $360 million in new revenue since 1995.
• Through the Ascend National network, helped 500+ multi-million-dollar firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs generate more than $4.4 billion in new revenue.
• Advanced and shared research supporting the growth of underserved businesses through the largest group of business faculty researchers in the nation.

Launching the Next Chapter

As we celebrate Michael’s retirement, we also mark the Center’s next chapter of growth. We hope you will join us for the 2026 UW Impact Awards, a moment to honor what our partners, students, faculty, and business leaders have built together, and to help carry that work forward.

Proceeds from this event support CBDC programs. You can register now or make a donation below.