Search
About Us
Contact Us
Site Map
Media
FAQ

New Businesses | Business Purchases | Established Businesses | Technology Businesses | General Information

Arkansas State-Wide Training Calendar

Programs

To register for any of the following programs, contact the ASBDC Lead Center in Little Rock at 1-800-862-2040 or 501-683-7700. or click on the button to register online.

Seminar Highlights: Learn this popular computerized accounting program, hands-on! This seminar teaches how to set up necessary information to set up and use payroll features, originating paychecks and other issues. Participants must be comfortable operating a personal computer in a Windows environment.
Speaker: Linda Harvey, Jones & Company, & Sherry Hensley, Computer Tutor, Certified QuickBooks Instructors
Cosponsor: EAPDD; Joneboro Regional Chamber of Commerce; Jones & Company, Computer Tutor; and Gillmore's Camo

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect your business success, and discussed start-up requirements and common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur.
Speaker: SAU ASBDC Representative
Cosponsor: CABS

Seminar Highlights: Many business owners consider marketing to be just advertising and selling. They don't consider additional techniques that are available to them. In this presentation, the speaker shares approaches that are not only practical and inexpensive but also effective for any size business.
Speaker: Felicia Bozeman, SAU ASBDC Training Coordinator
Cosponsor: BancorpSouth, Magnolia Alliance and GTEDC

Seminar Highlights: Session 1: You will define personal vision and goals . There will also be an introduction of the Model Business Reality Check. One-time $25 applications fee covers all sessions. APPLY NOW LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: City of Gurdon, Southern Financial Partners, Cabe Foundation, & Clark Couty

Seminar Highlights: With the beginner in mind, this hands-on workshop will help you master the basics of Microsoft Excel. Topics to be discussed include creating a simple spreadsheet, opening and saving files, working with workbooks and spreadsheets, entering data, selecting cells, editing data, and the tools to make your spreadsheets stand out above the rest.
Speaker: ASBDC Representative

Seminar Highlights: Introduction to QuickBooks introduces this popular accounting software program to small business owners with little or no experience using it. Topics include: setting up a new company, chart of accounts overview, working with lists, and how to view transactions records and find information in your company file. **Please note that seating is limited so advance payment is required for seat reservations.**
Speaker: Paul Bax, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Cosponsor: Bax and Associates

Seminar Highlights: Intermediate QuickBooks offers instruction in recording transactions and maintaining your company's accounting information using this software package. Topics include: purchases, inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable, classes, and reports. Instructions will be provided on fixing common errors and preparing reconciliations. **Please note that seating is limited, so advance payment is required for seat reservations.**
Speaker: Paul Bax, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Cosponsor: Bax and Associates

Seminar Highlights: This training session will include an overview of the 2 basic loan programs (7a and 504), how to determine eligibility, how to prepare and submit loan applications, and how to service the loan after closing. Lenders will learn how to use the electronic website to increase their SBA participation. We will discuss actual case studies to show you how SBA can help you serve your customer and increase bank income. We will show you how to market your bank%u2019s participation in SBA programs. You will learn the advantages of becoming SBA Express and Patriot Express lenders. Sessions held later in the year will highlight the Small/Rural Lender Initiative as it becomes available. Loan officers new to SBA lending or those wishing to update their knowledge should attend.
Speaker: Pat Walker, U.S. Small Business Administration
Cosponsor: ASBDC, ACCG

Seminar Highlights: Cash planning is a key to business survival! Do you know your cash needs for next year, next month, tomorrow? Don't gamble with your business money. Learn to take control of you cash planning now.
Speaker: SAU ASBDC Representative
Cosponsor: CCCUA/SBAE & Little River Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: Starting a business? Purchasing or refinancing one? We'll walk you through the basics of getting a business loan, determining how much cash is needed, and how to manage that key to survival.
Speaker: Kathryn Peacock, Center Director
Cosponsor: SCORE

Seminar Highlights: Effectively managing the books is vital to small businesses. This seminar will focus on the maintenance of items, lists, inventory, purchases, job costs, and classes. **Please note that seating is limited, so advance payment is required for seat reservation.**
Speaker: Paul Bax, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Cosponsor: Bax and Associates

Seminar Highlights: Payroll provides instruction on setting up the necessary information to use the payroll features in QuickBooks. Topics include: payroll set-up, tracking employee time, issuing paychecks, paying liabilities, and producing required payroll reports. **Please note that seating is limited, so advance payment is required for seat reservation.**
Speaker: Paul Bax, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Cosponsor: Bax and Associates

Seminar Highlights: This training session will include an overview of the 2 basic loan programs (7a and 504), how to determine eligibility, how to prepare and submit loan applications, and how to service the loan after closing. Lenders will learn how to use the electronic website to increase their SBA participation. We will discuss actual case studies to show you how SBA can help you serve your customer and increase bank income. We will show you how to market your bank%u2019s participation in SBA programs. You will learn the advantages of becoming SBA Express and Patriot Express lenders. Sessions held later in the year will highlight the Small/Rural Lender Initiative as it becomes available. Loan officers new to SBA lending or those wishing to update their knowledge should attend.
Speaker: Pat Walker, U.S. Small Business Administration
Cosponsor: ASBDC, ACCG

Seminar Highlights: No matter how large or small, all businesses should have a written plan. A business plan helps to define concepts, evaluate the competition, analyze markets, determine risks and estimate financial potential. Business plans are required to obtain a small business loan. This in-depth seminar discusses the business planning process in detail. Participants will learn about the importance of planning and the elements that go into a good plan. For new entrepreneurs, Starting a Business in Arkansas is recommended as a first step.
Speaker: ASBDC Representative

Seminar Highlights: The US Small Business Administration loan program has helped thousands of small companies get started, expand and prosper. This seminar will discuss the SBA loan program, eligibility requirements and how to apply. Our instructor, Pat Walker, is the SBA loan representative for Northwest Arkansas and will be able to answer specific questions you may have. Those seeking to finance new business start-ups or business purchases and those seeking to expand their existing business are encouraged to attend.
Speaker: Pat Walker, U.S. Small Business Administration

Seminar Highlights: This seminar is for the small business owner and manager. The seminar takes an in-depth look at the numbers on your balance sheet and income statement and helps you better understand what is happening to your business. Topics include understanding the financial position of a business and the presentation of the numbers, as well as how to use the umbers in evaluating business profitability.
Speaker: Herb Lawrence, ASU SBDC Center Director
Cosponsor: EAPDD; Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: Designing a web page for your business is easier than you think! Participants will develop a basic small business website and professional quality "pages" using hypertext markup language (HTML). A comprehensive workbook and disk with an HTML editor and clipart is included in the fee! Participants should have worked with word processing and Internet browsers.
Speaker: Deanna Beshears, Project Coordinator, Rural Sourcing
Cosponsor: EAPDD; Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: No matter how large or small, all businesses must have a business plan! A business plan will help you define your concept, evaluate the competition, determine risks, and estimate your costs. This seminar will explain and illustrate the business plan format.
Speaker: SAU ASBDC Representative
Cosponsor: CABS

Seminar Highlights: Session 2: Transform business ideas into business concept statements . One -time $25 Application fee covers all sessions. APPLY NOW LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Cosponsors: City of Gurdon, Southern Financial Partners, Cabe Foundation & Clark County

Seminar Highlights: Coming up with new product (or service) ideas and getting them into the market is what keeps your business going. But over 80% of new product launches fail. How do you beat the odds? This seminar gives small businesses some common sense ideas for improving your chances of success. Just as importantly, it will explore how to keep bad ideas from getting too far down the path and wasting your time and money.
Speaker: John Riggins, The Riggns Group

Seminar Highlights: This seminar focuses on marketing to businesses, including: * similarities and differences from consumer marketing * the importance of product development, packaging and positioning * how emerging technologies can help in marketing to businesses * different promotion strategies for marketing to businesses * the importance of target market selection in business marketing Attendees will be able to discuss th challenges of marketing to businesses and receive insight for increased success from business marketing programs.
Speaker: Mark Fortune

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect your business success, and discussed start-up requirements and common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur.
Speaker: SAU ASBDC Representative
Cosponsor: UACCH

Seminar Highlights: Session 3: Feedback on business concept statements and consider personal financial readiness. One -time $25 Application fee covers all sessions. APPLY NOW LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Cosponsors: City of Gurdon, Southern Financial Partners, Cabe Foundation & Clark County

Seminar Highlights: Whether you're starting or have an established business, you need to define your concept, evaluate the competition, determine the risks, and estimate the costs. We recommend our "Starting a Business in Arkansas" seminar first.
Speaker: Kathryn Peacock, Center Director
Cosponsor: SCORE

Seminar Highlights: Want to be your own boss but don't know where to start? Many questions entrepreneurs have about starting a business are answered in this three hour workshop. Starting a Business in Arkansas prepares participants for the intensive business planning process. Find out the major steps crucial to starting a business, identify key issues that affect your business success, and discuss start-up requirements as well as common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur.
Speaker: ASBDC Representative

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect the success of your business, and discusses start-up requirements and common pitfalls that you will face as an entrepreneur. Free New Venture Guide and Feasibility Workbook!
Speaker: ASBDC Representative and Metropolitan National Bank Representative
Cosponsor: Metropolitan National Bank

Seminar Highlights: The U.S. Small Business Administration's loan program has helped thousands of small companies get started, expand, and prosper. Learn about business financing opportunities, credit requirements, and other services provided by the SBA.
Speaker: Johnna Bach, SBA Representative
Cosponsor: Community Bank

Seminar Highlights: Life becomes increasingly hectic for entrepreneurs who must balance the demands of business and family. Fortunately there are strategies to help! This fun-filled interactive seminar will include tips on how to delegate (at work and at home), prioritize your tasks, manage your schedule, communicate more effectively, put more fun in your day and even be in two places at once (just kidding)! You will leave this seminar with a new awareness on how to balance your life for less stress at work, more efficiency at home and more time for you!
Speaker: Kim Hodous, President, Balanced Working Mom

Seminar Highlights: The "Starting A Business In Arkansas" workshop is recommended to anyone considering starting a business. Find out the major steps crucial to starting a business, identify key issues that affect your business success, and discuss start-up requirements as well as common pitfalls you may face as an entrepreneur. Learn what to do before you open the doors in order to be successful!
Speaker: Susan Glasgow, ASU SBDC Training Coordinator
Cosponsor: EAPDD; Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: This seminar will explain how and where to get financing for prospective and existing businesses. Credit requirements, places to go for funding and the Small Business Administration's loan guaranty program will be presented.
Speaker: Herb Lawrence, ASU SBDC Center Director
Cosponsor: EAPDD; Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect your business success, and discusses start-up requirements and common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur.
Speaker: Paul Considine, SAU SBDC Center Director
Cosponsor: El Dorado Chamber, SCORE, and GTEDC

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares participants for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect your business success, start-up requirements and common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur. Free New Business Guide and Business Feasibility Workbook!
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: No matter how large or small, all businesses must have a business plan. A business plan will help you define your concept, evaluate the competition, determine risks, and estimate your costs. This seminar will explain and illustrate the business plan format.
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: Many business owners consider marketing to be just advertising and selling. They don't consider additional techniques that are available to them. In this presentation, the speaker shares approaches that are not only practical and low cost but also effective for any size business. Among the techniques to be covered are: developing a competitive edge, public relations, business cards, referrals, the value of a database, the power of a thank you note and gifts, the importance of following up, e-marketing and how and when to use a postcard.
Speaker: Kathryn Peacock, Center Director; Dr. Eddie Hand, Associate Professor of Marketing-UAPB
Cosponsor: SCORE

Seminar Highlights: Introduces this popular accounting software program to small business owners with little or no experience using the software. Topics include: setting up a new company, chart of accounts overview, working with lists, and how to view transactions records and find information in your company file. Pay $49 per seminar or $88 both seminars
Speaker: Lisa Massey, Accountant, Taylor Rodgers & Turner PLLC
Cosponsor: Taylor Rodgers & Turner PLLC

Seminar Highlights: Life becomes increasingly hectic for women who must balance the demands of business and family. Fortunately, there are strategies to help! This fun-filled interactive seminar will include tips on how to delegate (at work and at home), prioritize your tasks, manage your schedule, communicate more effectively, put more fun in your day and even be in two places at once (just kidding)! You will leave this seminar with a new awareness on how to balance your life for less stress at work, the ability to increase your productivity, more efficiency at home and more time for you!
Speaker: Kim Hodous, Owner of Balanced Working Mom
Cosponsor: Balanced Working Mom

Seminar Highlights: Have you ever wondered why a competitor's web site appears higher in search engine results, like Google? It might appear like luck, but the truth is that these sites are probably pursuing a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. This seminar will provide you with successful techniques to get your web site noticed by Google and other search engines and improve your placement in search results pages. Learn how to attract your target audience via search engines, make your web site search engine friendly, optimize content for your target keywords, and much more. In just three hours, you will be exposed to the secrets of site optimization and how you can use this relatively free technique to dominate your competitors on the web. Participants will receive a workbook with invaluable information that can save you thousands of dollars!
Speaker: Shan Pesaru, Sharp Hue

Seminar Highlights: The "Starting A Business In Arkansas" workshop is recommended to anyone considering starting a business. Find out the major steps crucial to starting a business, identify key issues that affect your business success, and discuss start-up requirements as well as common pitfalls you may face as an entrepreneur. Learn what to do before you open the doors in order to be successful!
Speaker: Susan Glasgow, ASU SBDC Training Coordinator
Cosponsor: White River Planning & Development; 1st Community Bank; Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce; UACCB

Seminar Highlights: Many business owners consider marketing to be just advertising and selling. They don't consider additional techniques that are available to them. In this presentation, the speaker shares approaches that are not only practical and inexpensive but also effective for any size business.
Speaker: Felicia Bozeman, SAU SBDC Training Coordinator
Cosponsor: CABS

Seminar Highlights: Session 4: Describe product/services including features, benefits, and uniqueness. One -time $25 Application fee covers all sessions. APPLY NOW LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Cosponsors: City of Gurdon, Southern Financial Partners, Cabe Foundation & Clark County

Seminar Highlights: So you aren't good with numbers? It is easier than you think. This seminar will take the mystery out of financial reporting. Participants will learn financial forecasting and the interrelationships between income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
Speaker: Paul Considine
Cosponsor: Texarkana Chamber

Seminar Highlights: Great customer service is not only a cost-free marketing technique, but it can set your business apart from your larger competitors. In this seminar, participants will learn what inhibits good customer service and how to prevent it, how to transform an unhappy customer into a loyal one, and how to reward good customer service in your business.
Speaker: ASBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Phillips Community College - DeWitt

Seminar Highlights: Want to be your own boss but don't know where to start? Many questions entrepreneurs have about starting a business are answered in this three hour workshop. Starting a Business in Arkansas prepares participants for the intensive business planning process. Find out the major steps crucial to starting a business, identify key issues that affect your business success, and discuss start-up requirements as well as common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur.
Speaker: ASBDC Representative

Seminar Highlights: Introduction to QuickBooks introduces this popular accounting software program to small business owners with little or no experience using it. Topics include: setting up a new company, restricting levels of access for multi-users, chart of accounts overview, working with lists, writing checks vs. paying bills, invoicing, depositing money, credit memos and printing checks.
Speaker: Linda Rogers, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Seminar Highlights: Intermediate QuickBooks participants will acquire knowledge of the more advanced features of QuickBooks. Topics include: entering purchase orders, receiving items, entering a bill, adjusting and reporting inventory, creating job estimates, invoicing, accounts payable management, creating reports, sales tax, bank reconciliations, fixing errors, finding information and accountant's review.
Speaker: Linda Rogers, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Seminar Highlights: The "Starting A Business In Arkansas" workshop is recommended to anyone considering starting a business. Find out the major steps crucial to starting a business, identify key issues that affect your business success, and discuss start-up requirements as well as common pitfalls you may face as an entrepreneur. Learn what to do before you open the doors in order to be successful!
Speaker: Susan Glasgow, ASU SBDC Training Coordinator
Cosponsor: Baxter County Library; Liberty Bank; Mtn. Home Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares participants for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect your business success, start-up requirements and common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur. Free New Business Guide and Business Feasibility Workbook!
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Ouachita Technical College

Seminar Highlights: So you aren't good with numbers? It is easier than you think. This seminar will take the mystery out of financial reporting. Participants will learn financial forecasting and the interrelationships between income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
Speaker: Paul Considine
Cosponsor: Texarkana Chamber

Seminar Highlights: This session offers instruction in recording transactions and maintaining your company's accounting information using this software package. Topics include: purchases, inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable, classes and reports. Instructions will be provided on fixing common errors and preparing reconciliations. Pay $49 per seminar or $88 both seminars
Speaker: Lisa Massey, Accountant, Taylor Rodgers & Turner PLLC
Cosponsor: Taylor Rodgers & Turner PLLC

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect the success of your business, and discusses start-up requirements and common pitfalls that you will face as an entrepreneur. Free New Business Guide and Feasibility Workbook! **Ask about our "Smart Start" option where you attend this seminar and "How to Write a Business Plan" and receive a discount, plus a boxed lunch.**
Speaker: ASBDC Representative and First State Bank Representative
Cosponsor: First State Bank

Seminar Highlights: No matter how large or small, all businesses must have a business plan! A business plan will help you define your concept, evaluate your competition, determine risks, and estimate your costs. This seminar will explain and illustrate the business plan format. **Attend this seminar and "Starting a Business in Arkansas" on the same day and receive a discount, plus a boxed lunch.**
Speaker: ASBDC Representative and First State Bank Representative
Cosponsor: First State Bank

Seminar Highlights: Want to be your own boss but don't know where to start? Many questions entrepreneurs have about starting a business are answered in this three hour workshop. Starting a Business in Arkansas prepares participants for the intensive business planning process. Find out the major steps crucial to starting a business, identify key issues that affect your business success, and discuss start-up requirements as well as common pitfalls you will face as an entrepreneur.
Speaker: ASBDC Representatives

Seminar Highlights: Do you need to learn how to create online order forms and simple shopping carts? This seminar was designed for you! Learn how to use checkboxes, radio boxes, drop down boxes, hidden fields and more. Also gain knowledge about configuring a basic shopping cart. Fee includes a 30 page workbook.
Speaker: Deanna Beshears, Project Coodinator, Rural Sourcing
Cosponsor: EAPDD; Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce

Seminar Highlights: Many business owners consider marketing to be just advertising and selling. They don't consider additional techniques that are available to them. In this presentation, the speaker shares approaches that are not only practical and inexpensive but also effective for any size business.
Speaker: Felicia Bozeman, SAU SBDC Training Coordinator
Cosponsor: CABS

Seminar Highlights: Session 5: Focus on opportunities in the industry and evaluate competition. One -time $25 Application fee covers all sessions. APPLY NOW LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS
Speaker: HSU SBDC Representative
Cosponsor: Cosponsors: City of Gurdon, Southern Financial Partners, Cabe Foundation & Clark County

Seminar Highlights: This hands-on workshop is for beginners and those with limited experience using QuickBooks and how to get your own company set up using this system. Includes half hour of free live support. 3 QuickBooks classes for $125
Speaker: Betty Ann Beckham, QuickBooks Consultant, Beckham Squared, LLC

Seminar Highlights: This seminar prepares you for the intensive business planning process, identifies major steps crucial to starting a business, discusses key issues that affect the success of your business, and discusses start-up requirements and common pitfalls that you will face as an entrepreneur. Free New Business Guide and Feasibility Workbook!
Speaker: ASBDC Representative and Metropolitan National Bank Representative
Cosponsor: Metropolitan National Bank

Seminar Highlights: No matter how large or small, all businesses should have a written plan. A business plan helps to define concepts, evaluate the competition, analyze markets, determine risks and estimate financial potential. Business plans are required to obtain a small business loan. This in-depth seminar discusses the business planning process in detail. Participants will learn about the importance of planning and the elements that go into a good plan. For new entrepreneurs, Starting a Business in Arkansas is recommended as a first step.
Speaker: Mark Kidd, Kidd Accounting and Management Consulting

Seminar Highlights: Money. You can't start, operate, or expand a business without it. Acquiring the capital you need can be frustrating. This seminar will provide you with a wealth of valuable information about building a relationship with your lender and other helpful tips.
Speaker: Paul Considine, SAU SBDC Center Director
Cosponsor: El Dorado Chamber, SCORE, and GTEDC

Seminar Highlights: You'll get straight talk instead of the myths and hearsay that abound regarding the U.S. Small Business Administration. Your SBDC is partially funded through a partnership with the SBA as a free resource to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and prosper. Let us tell you how.
Speaker: SBA Representative
Cosponsor: Simmons First Bank of South Arkansas

Seminar Highlights: Several federal agencies have programs to encourage small businesses to engage in innovation and research. The program is partially funded by the federal agency and requires that the small business match those funds with venture capital from 3rd parties. Typically in three phases, the program leads the entrepreneur through concept, development, and commercial introduction. This two-hour workshop describes the program without going deeply into the complete application process. You will learn enough to decide whether to pursue these government programs further.
Speaker: Sue Coates, Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center

Seminar Highlights: Companies that do business with public agencies are faced with a number of unfamiliar requirements and procedures that do not exist in the private sector. Public contracts and purchases are funded with public money and must comply with legislation and regulation involving social policy and procedures that often create barriers to small business success. This workshop explains what an entrepreneur must do to be eligible for the public-sector marketplace, including adequate working capital, a successful track record of past performance, socio-economic classifications, electronic commerce systems, the various registrations and certifications, and complex contracting vehicles. You will learn how to enhance your company's capabilities to meet these eligibility requirements.
Speaker: Sue Coates, Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center

Arkansas Small Business Development Center
University of Arkansas at Little Rock - College of Business
Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development
2801 S. University / Little Rock, Arkansas 72204
Phone: 501.683.7700 Fax: 501.683.7720

Privacy Statement
webmaster@asbdc.ualr.edu

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran’s status, or disability.