About Us

Get help to start, manage, and grow your small business in North Dakota.

You have great ideas. Our job is to use our expertise to help make your small business successful. North Dakota Small Business Development Centers (ND SBDC) business advisors have years of experience and know how to help North Dakotans to start, manage, and grow their business. Your success is our goal!

The ND SBDC network of credentialed business advisors empower North Dakota small businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive. We accelerate business growth in communities across North Dakota by providing customized guidance and resources that help owners and entrepreneurs achieve their goals at every stage of their business life cycle. For over 35 years, our network has supported small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state, including stepping up to provide an unprecedented volume of service during the pandemic. When small businesses thrive, communities thrive, North Dakota thrives.

Fully Accredited

ND SBDC is a fully accredited member of the national Association of Small Business Development Centers, a mandatory national standard for all federal SBDC networks. Our national accreditation recognizes and affirms our high-quality small business assistance and is based on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States Department of Commerce.

The national accreditation program sets federal SBDC networks apart from other providers of small business assistance and helps to ensure the ongoing quality of our small business services and a process of continuous improvement for service delivery to clients, referral sources and other program stakeholders.

ND SBDC Staff

Name & Title	SBDC Location Center	Email
Payton Tivis Bismarck Center Director, MBA	Bismarck	payton.tivis@ndsbdc.org
Tyler Demars Specialty Services Director, MSL, ABI	Bismarck	tyler.demars@ndsbdc.org
Laura Weber Business Advisor, Rural Entrepreneurship, ABI	Bowman	laura@bowmannd.com
Sandy Shively Center Director, EDFP, CPBA	Devils Lake	sandyncpc@gondtc.com
Ashley Louw Certified Business Advisor, CPBA, ABI	Devils Lake	ashleynpc@gondtc.com
Matt Ellerkamp Business Advisor, MBA, ABI	Dickinson	matt@ndsbdc.org
Paul Smith Fargo & Southeast Center Director, MS, EDFP, CVGA, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, ABI	Fargo & Southeast Region	paul@ndsbdc.org
Chris Erwin Fargo & Southeast Center Advisor, MBA, MSML, ABI	Fargo & Southeast Region	chris@ndsbdc.org
Nicole Evans Grand Forks Center Director, CBA®, Quickbooks Certified Trainer, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, ABI	Grand Forks	nicole@ndsbdc.org
Greg Syrup Business Advisor, Cares Program Manager, MBA, Angel Fund Investing and Management, ABI	Grand Forks	gregory.syrup@und.edu
Mary Beth Votava Minot Center Director, BCA,CMEA, CBA®, VCA, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, ABI	Minot	marybeth@ndsbdc.org
Keith Olson Williston Center Director, BCA, CVGA CEPA, CBA®, ABI, MCMEA, EDFP, CEB, APBA, PMC, Certified Exit Planning Advisor, ABI	Williston	williston@ndsbdc.org
KayCee Lindsey Certified Business Advisor, CBA®, ABI	Williston- Crosby Satellite Office	dcjda@nd.gov
Tiffany Ford State Director, MBA	Lead Center	tiffany.ford@ndsbdc.org
Marnie Schuschke Associate State Director	Lead Center	marnie.schuschke@und.edu
Danielle Jones Communications Manager, CPBA	Lead Center	danielle.jones.1@und.edu

The Center for Business Engagement and Development, our department within the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration, also hosts two additional national business assistance and resource programs. Each of the three programs has its own unique mission and set of services, however they routinely work together to help businesses start and thrive.

ND PTAC and VBOC of the Dakotas Staff

	Name & Title	Email
	Dave Kleppe- ND PTAC ND PTAC Program Manager, Certified Procurement Officer, CVE, Certified Verification Assistance Counselor, Completed GSA Schedules Training	david.kleppe@und.edu
	Cathy Lindquist- ND PTAC ND PTAC Program Advisor, CVE, Certified Verification Assistance Counselor, CPP	Cathy.lindquist@und.edu
	Wendy Klug- VBOC of the Dakotas Veterans Business Outreach Center Director	wendy.klug@und.edu
	Liza Clough- VBOC of the Dakotas Outreach Specialist for the Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Dakotas.	liza.clough@und.edu
	Julie Hinker - VBOC of the Dakotas Veterans Business Specialist