Press Room >> 2010 Press Releases

For Immediate Release
July 7, 2010

PATT-MCDANIEL ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF SHAURI AS
DIRECTOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS OF OHIO

Columbus, OH – Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel, today announced the appointment of Karen Shauri as Director of the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDC) network. Shauri most recently served as the SBDC Interim Director, and currently also serves as Assistant Division Director of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Division of the Ohio Department of Development.

The Entrepreneurship and Small Business Division is home to the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio, the state's premier technical and management assistance program for small business owners supported through the U.S. Small Business Administration. In 2009, the network of 39 centers across the state served more than 9,158 clients.

"Karen is an excellent leader for our SBDC network and with her background and skill set I know she will lead our network to new heights," Patt-McDaniel said. "She is a known advocate for small businesses, having spent more than 23 years in various roles for the 39 Small Business Development Centers in the state-wide system. She has held the interim position several times in her career, and has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to the sustainability of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the State of Ohio."

The Small Business Development Centers of Ohio are a valuable component of the resources available to small business owners. They are the primary delivery system for counseling and training for entrepreneurs.

"Karen is an excellent example of a visionary leader who can create partnerships and collaborations that benefit small businesses within a community and the state. She understands the mission of the SBDC network and the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Division, and aligns them in everything that she creates," said Iris Cooper, Director of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Division.

"I'm very excited to lead this statewide team of exemplary professionals who help make our small business efforts and programs the best in the nation," Shauri said. "Our goal is to become the number one ranked state for small business."

Shauri received an Urban Geography degree from the University of Hawaii and holds a masters degree from the University of Akron graduate school of Urban Affairs.

Working with our partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, deal-making, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is absolutely necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio's future.

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the Communications and Marketing Office at (614) 466-2609