Coleman Movers & Shakers — Eric Dunham, Brian McDonald,  SBDC Advisory Board, and New South Carolina WBC

July 9, 2020 

By Caity Witucki
Contributing Editor, Coleman Movers & Shakers

Coleman Movers & Shakers — Eric Dunham, Brian McDonald,  SBDC Advisory Board, and New South Carolina WBC

Eric Dunham Joins First Bank of the Lake

Eric I. Dunham has joined First Bank of the Lake’s  SBA Lending team as Vice President, Business Development Officer. In this role, Dunham will be responsible for growing the bank’s assets by capitalizing on his strong track record and relationships in the Manufacturing and Export arena.

Dunham has over 25 years of commercial lending experience including 15 years of SBA 7(a) lending experience. He will be originating SBA 7(a) loans from $1 to $5 million throughout the United States with a focus on the Southeastern region of the country.

“Eric’s expertise in Manufacturing and Exports will help us effectively manage and grow our business,” says Annemarie Murphy, Executive Vice President, President SBA Lending at First Bank of the Lake. “We are thrilled to have him on board. Eric’s wide-ranging experience is a tremendous value to First Bank of the Lake and our customers,” 

Brian McDonald Selected as District Director for SBA’s Minnesota District Office

The U.S. Small Business Administration has selected Brian McDonald to be the district director of its Minnesota District Office. In this role, he will manage the strategic efforts and daily operations of SBA’s small business support throughout the state.

McDonald is well acquainted with the needs of state’s 500,000 small businesses, having served as SBA’s Minnesota deputy district director since 2017. Under his leadership, McDonald’s team works to facilitate SBA-backed loans, advocate and train small businesses for federal government contracting opportunities and improve entrepreneurial development and strengthen business growth in all 87 Minnesota counties.

Prior to moving to Minnesota, McDonald spent five years with SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development in Washington, D.C. In addition to his experience with the SBA, McDonald served on the President’s Management Council as a Policy Analyst at Health and Human Services, served in the U.S. Department of Treasury’s CDFI Fund, and has private banking experience.

SBA Administrator Appoints New Members to National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board

On July 1, 2020 SBA Administrator, Jovita Carranza, announced the appointment of six new members to the National Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Advisory Board.

  • Kristen Bailey – Co-Founder and CEO of Sweets and Meats BBQ (2014), and SBA 2019 Ohio Small Business Person of the Year

     

  • Lea Marquez Peterson – Appointed in 2019 as an Arizona Corporation Commissioner and President of Marquez Peterson Group.

     

  • Louis Foreman – Chief Executive of Enventys and Founder of Edison Nation in North Carolina, re-appointed to the SBDC Advisory Board.

     

  • Senator Bruce Thompson – State Senator for Georgia, U.S. Army National Guard, CEO of Quoteburst Software Solutions, Strong Tower Funeral & Crematory, BTE Holdings, and 2 Hawks Development.

     

  • Bertica Cabrera Morris – Born in Havana, Cuba, and owner of Bertica Cabrera Consulting in Florida since 1993.

     

  • Benjamin Kwitek – Director of Innovation at University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Board Member of IP2 (Intellectual Property, Innovation and Prosperity) at Stanford University, Founder of Gellyfish Technology, Bullet Proof Technology, My BetterSelfie, Roundabout Signs, LLC, and InterForm Incorporated

The SBA’s SBDC program is a cooperative effort of the private sector, the educational community, and federal, state and local governments to deliver counseling, training and technical assistance in all aspects of small business management through its more than 900 centers nationwide.  SBDCs play an essential role in the economic development of their states and local communities through their direct, face-to-face counseling of small businesses.  

SBA Launches New South Carolina Women’s Business Centers

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced the launch of two South Carolina Women’s Business Centers hosted by HBCU Benedict College in Columbia and Community Works Women’s Business Center in Greenville.  

The new centers will carry out the mission of helping women-owned small businesses start, grow, expand and recover their businesses as America works to restart the economy. 

“The SBA’s funding of the Women’s Business Centers will continue to empower women entrepreneurs in South Carolina, especially as businesses start to recover,” says SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. “The new Women’s Business Centers will provide the entrepreneurs with greater access to the training and technical assistance services they need to reopen, sustain or grow their businesses as well as serve as the engine for job creation.” 

The SBA’s Women’s Business Centers are a national network of more than 100 centers that offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs on numerous business development topics, including business startup, financial management, and procurement.