EUGENE, Ore. - Mark Gregory is the new state director of the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network (OSBDCN). For the past six years, Gregory has served as associate state director of the Network. He was selected after a national search.
"I am very pleased to welcome Mark to his new role as state director of the OSBDCN at Lane Community College," states LCC President Mary Splide. "Small business is the core of Oregon's economic well-being. Mark's experience, vision, energy and commitment will boost small businesses and the community colleges who work with them."
In his role as associate state director, Gregory provided administration, strategic planning and program oversight to Oregon's 19 Small Business Development Centers. He provided training, communication, management assistance and budget support to Center directors and staff. Gregory's prior experience includes eight years as owner and CEO of a popular restaurant chain in Alaska. He was also a regional SBDC director for more than 10 years in Alaska, after a successful career in banking.
Gregory, whose term as state director officially begins Nov. 1, replaces outgoing state director Michael Lainoff, who began service as Oregon's state director in September 2008. Lainoff had served as the SBDC director at Oregon Coast Community College before moving to Arizona, where he spent 13 years, including service as founding director of the Arizona Rural Policy Institute at The W. A. Franke College of Business, at Northern Arizona University.
"For the past 24 years, I've been privileged to serve as an SBDC advisor, center director and state director," Lainoff said. "I'm now looking forward to further adventures, and have full confidence in Mark Gregory's successful leadership of the Oregon SBDC Network. Over the past six years he was an outstanding deputy state director, and will ensure that Oregon's small businesses continue to receive invaluable confidential advising and highly-informative training."
Gregory holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Southern Oregon State College and an MBA from the University of Alaska Southeast.
"As associate state director in Oregon, Mark has been extremely successful in leading new statewide innovative initiatives, and as importantly, finding funding for these new programs," said Jim Lindly, director of Lane Community College's SBDC. "He also has strong skills in information technology, process improvement, and strategic planning which will help the OSBDCN and the 19 statewide SBDCs expand their business and economic development services throughout Oregon in the future."
Oregon's 19 SBDCs provide business management assistance to small businesses at every stage of their "life cycle," from start-up to succession. In addition to free counseling services, these Centers offer a wide variety of training activities and information resources. Oregon's small businesses are critical to the state's economic recovery. The SBDCs are key to Oregon small business success.
About Oregon Small Business Development Centers: Oregon Small Business Development Centers provide comprehensive management assistance, training and information resource services to established and prospective businesses. Professional certified business advisors provide assistance at no direct cost. OSBDCN is sponsored by 17 community colleges, two regional universities, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Oregon Business Development Department, and is accredited by the Association of Small Business Development Centers. The Network has 19 Centers located throughout the state with headquarters at Lane Community College. All SBA and OSBDCN activities are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangement for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. More information is available online at www.BizCenter.org or by calling 541-463-5250.
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