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Meet the
Growth Team.
Kristi Kozubal, JD Esq. (Growth Team Manager)
Business Law, Financial Management, Strategic Planning
Kristi Kozubal has over 15 years of experience working with small businesses, non-profit agencies and local government organizations, including 10 years as a licensed attorney in private practice and 3 years in planning & zoning for the City of Bay City. Kristi’s expertise includes strategic planning, data analysis, communications, negotiations, restructuring, succession planning, and financial management. She has significant professional experience in fiduciary accounting and reporting, due process and systems development, and a broad base of business, real estate and commercial transaction matters. Kristi has a Juris Doctor degree from Michigan State University College of Law, a certificate of financial management from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan. She was a curriculum developer and adjunct instructor for the Masters of Entrepreneurial Transactions program at Central Michigan University Global Campus.
Dale Anderson, MBA
Product Development, Marketing, Sales & Finance
Dale is a marketing and corporate strategy professional who has many years’ experience of new product development, product rationalization and creating marketing organizations. He began his career in corporate finance and corporate strategy positions before spending 20+ years managing marketing for national brands and running his own marketing consulting firm. He joined the SBDC in 2017. Dale earned an MBA from the University of Wisconsin School of Business and a BBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He also holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.
David Beeson, MBA
Human Resources, Organizational Development, Change Management
David has more than 20 years of Human Resources and Operations experience in the healthcare industry. Working in managerial and executive roles throughout his career, David has gained extensive experience in policy development and implementation, compensation, employee benefit plans, process improvement, employee relations, organizational development and strategic planning.
As a result of his leadership in hospitals and physician practices, he has an established record of mitigating exposure to liability through proactive risk management measures, improving quality measure scores, enhancing community access to care, reducing employer benefit costs through successful plan design, and increasing employee satisfaction and retention. David welcomes the challenges and opportunities to assist Michigan’s Small Businesses to grow and improve operations through one-on-one and team-based consulting. David holds an MBA as well as an undergraduate degree in Human Resources Management from Ball State University.
Dan Brophy, MBA
Access to Capital, Financial Management
Dan Brophy comes to the MI-SBDC with over 27 years of experience working in the banking industry. In addition to his extensive knowledge of small business lending, Dan also owned and operated his own small business for seven years, and has experience teaching corporate finance at the college level. He has held positions with NBD Bank, the Community Bank of Dearborn/Fidelity Bank, Huntington Bank and H & R Block Premium. Dan has been active with Habitat for Humanity, and is involved with Georgetown University’s undergraduate admissions program including holding the position of state Chairman for many years. Dan serves the Southeast Michigan area. Dan received his MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy, and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University.
Bernard Drew
Access to Capital, Sales, Real Estate, Faith-based & non-Profit organizations
Bernard Drew is a consummate entrepreneur and has owned and managed several small businesses in a wide variety of industries, most recently concentrating his efforts in commercial real estate investing, redevelopment & rehabilitation in downtown Flint. He also has deep experience advising churches & non-profits on financial management and business matters. He is a skilled networker and salesperson, an advocate for racial justice, a recognized public speaker for mission-based entrepreneurship, and a pastor of the Church of God.
Bernard earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and is a licensed real estate salesperson and a licensed minister.
Mike Gay, MBA, CFP, CEPA
Financial Management, Business Valuations, Exit Planning
Mike specializes in financial and strategic management for Stage 2 companies, providing assistance in areas such as financial modeling, capital procurement, transition planning, business valuation, and lead developer of the SBDC’s exclusive Focus Four Small Business Management System.
An expert in value-based management and business valuation, Mike has several decades’ experience in both corporate finance and personal financial planning, developing and executing growth strategies, managing turn-around situations, securing significant bank loans, and creating & implementing a successful exit strategy when the time is right. He is an author, an entrepreneur, and a frequent speaker at various events. “Know Your Numbers” & “Breaking the Million Dollar Barrier” are two of Mike’s top-40 hits. Mike earned his MBA with Distinction from The University of Michigan, is a Certified Financial Planner ™, a certified business valuation analyst, and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor.
Brooks Kindel, MBA, CEPA
Financial Management, Operations, Exit Planning & Leadership Issues
Brooks Kindel began his career as a banker and has held a variety of corporate finance positions including CFO and General Manager of several manufacturing operations. He has significant experience in over a dozen industries as well as business turnarounds, and mergers & acquisitions.
Brooks serves as Team Leader for the SBDC Exit Planning/Buy-Sell programs and assists clients with financial management, exit planning, operations, and accessing capital. In addition to having developed the curriculum for the Michigan SBDC Academy of Small Business Advisors, he gives presentations on “The Five C’s of Crisis Management: Turnarounds”, “Exit Planning”, “How to Buy or Sell a Business”, “Know Your Numbers” and “How to Form an Advisory Board”.
He is an active member in the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Exit Planning Institute and the Association for Corporate Growth having served on the Membership Committee and as a judge for the ACG Cup. He is currently serving on the Program Committee and as an advisor to ACG University. Formerly an Adjunct Professor of Finance at Davenport University, he taught graduate courses in Corporate Finance and Advanced Financial Management. Brooks holds an MBA from Western Michigan University with a concentration in corporate finance and is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor.
Jim McLain
Marketing, Sales & Communication Issues
Jim McLain joined the SBDC after a +25-year career at Amway which took him all over the world in various marketing roles. He has deep and broad experience developing & executing cross-functional marketing strategies and customer experiences that drive Growth, including digital and social media activities, marketing analytics and insights, strategic planning, team leadership & collaboration, networking and presentation, user interface/user experience development, and CRM implementation. His passion for small business and gifted ability to help entrepreneurs connect with their target market, hear the voice of the customer, and tell their story through words and images across multiple channels makes him an incredibly valuable thought partner at every stage of the business journey.
Kathy Miller, MA, CPLP
Human Resources, Organizational Development
Kathy is an organizational development professional who is passionate about helping Michigan businesses grow through strategic planning, process improvement, talent management, and training. Kathy has over 20 years’ experience in the higher education, agricultural, and non-profit sectors. Her past entrepreneurial pursuits include farm ownership and consulting. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development from Eastern Michigan University and is a Professional in Human Resources, and a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance.
Julie Oldham, CPA, CGMA
Accounting, Financial Analysis, Succession Planning
Julie serves Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties’ small businesses. She analyzes a company’s financial performance to determine impending issues in the next stage of growth. Julie provides strategic analysis and information on international exporting and SBA loans. Recipient of 2014 “Out of the Box” award for the highest amount of capital formation in the SBDC’s history and associated with the SBDC Excellence and Innovation Award to the Michigan SBDC Southeast Region by the Small Business Administration Michigan District office and in 2015, “Outstanding Oakland County Volunteer of the Year” by the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, “Excellence Award” by SBDC Michigan and “SBDC Consultant of the Year” by the Small Business Administration.
Prior to the SBDC, Julie provided accounting services in various industries, including advertising, health insurance, hospitality, and information technology. She is currently involved in the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, Canada and United States Business Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Accounting Aid Society – and is a NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional.
In addition to financial accounting and counseling experience, Julie holds two Master’s degrees (Management, Public Accounting) from Walsh College and an undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management from Michigan State University. As a college professor, she helps companies learn how to use accounting data as a management tool – and has facilitated classes domestically and internationally at Oakland Community College- Babson College-Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Henry Ford Community College and other universities.
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