For Immediate Release
Chemeketa Community College

Marcia Bagnall Named Interim SBDC Director

Salem, OR, - June 15, 2009 — The Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry has named, Marcia Bagnall as Interim Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) effective June 30. Bagnall will replace Jimmie Wilkins who has served as SBDC Director since 1998.

Bagnall has worked at the SBDC and the Center for Business and Industry (CCBI) for the last decade, most recently serving as Program Coordinator for Entrepreneurship and as an instructor/ advisor for the Small Business Management (SBM) Program. She has also served as Director of the MERIT program, a non-profit program that provides training, advising, and mentoring to residents of Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties, and as training coordinator for CCBI. She has a background in business and adult education, including holding an MBA and MA in Education. Bagnall is also a business owner herself; she is owner/founder of Bryce Vineyard located in Yamhill County.

Bagnall’s diverse experience and knowledge of the Chemeketa community promise to uphold SBDC’s services and assistance to businesses in the area. "I’m looking forward to ensuring the continuity of the excellent services we provide business owners in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties," Bagnall said.

"This is great news for the CCBI, for Chemeketa and for the business community. Marcia’s business education, business ownership and Peace Corps experience, where you learn to do anything with nothing, is an indisputable leadership combination." said Jimmie Wilkins, current SBDC Director. Wilkins came to Chemeketa from the University of Arkansas, where she served as teaching faculty and SBDC Director, and has shepherded the Chemeketa SBDC for the past 11 years. With 10 years service in the Peace Corps and 12 years experience as a business owner, Wilkins established the SBDC’s current level of services with a passion for business owners’ success. She is retiring to Pendleton to "camp and fish" and spend time with her family.

The Chemeketa SBDC is 1 of 19 SBDCs throughout Oregon that provide assistance to new and established small businesses. The Chemeketa SBDC offers training, resources, and advising to small business owners of Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties. For more information about the SBDC, call 503-399-5088, or email sbdc@chemeketa.edu.

Chemeketa Community College is a publicly-funded Oregon higher education institution serving Oregon’s Mid-Willamette Valley. Chemeketa is dedicated to improving the lives of its students and strengthening the local workforce. For more information, visit www.chemeketa.edu.

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