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BRCC Business Center honored for Helene recovery story

SBC Director Ben Smith (right) guided nursery owner Robert Stine's business recover after Helene wiped out his inventory of plants. [BENJAMIN RICKERT/BRCC]

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 11, 2025

North Carolina Community College System’s Small Business Center Network has honored the Small Business Center at Blue Ridge Community College with a 2025 “Business Success Story: Overcoming Challenges," an account of how the business center helped a nursery recovery from the huge loss of inventory to Hurricane Helene.

This year’s award recipients “embody the very best of the Small Business Center Network,” SBCN state Director Anne Shaw said. “Their dedication, creativity, and commitment to serving North Carolina’s entrepreneurs strengthen our communities every single day.” 

John Loyack, vice president of economic development for the community college system, added in the same release that the leaders and centers recognized “demonstrate how our community colleges drive entrepreneurship, support job creation, and help businesses overcome challenges and thrive.”

Blue Ridge received the award for its story “Replanting Hope: Botanical Treasures Rebuilds After Hurricane Helene,” which chronicles how the Small Business Center supported local nursery owner Robert Stine after Helene destroyed nearly $2 million in his business’ plants in September 2024. 

SBC Director Ben Smith and guest counselors provided “more than 15 hours of counseling and guidance with insurance claims, marketing, and funding access,” SBCN said. With the center’s support and Smith’s “steadfast leadership,” Botanical Treasures secured more than $34,000 in recovery grants and has since reopened as a powerful symbol of resilience in Western North Carolina.

The award-winning story was a collaborative effort between Blue Ridge Community College’s Marketing and Communications Department and the Small Business Center. In a team effort, interviews and photography were conducted on location by Benjamin Rickert, Blue Ridge’s director of marketing and communications, alongside Smith and Stine. Additional support for the story and publicity was provided by Hendersonville’s Formation PR + Brand Inc.

“This story is just one of many examples of how Blue Ridge Community College has leveraged every resource available to support local businesses, partners, students, and neighbors in the aftermath of last year’s historic storm,” Rickert said. “Our communications team was honored to help highlight this important work, and Ben Smith’s leadership has been instrumental in helping businesses pick up the pieces and find a new path forward.”