Greater Washtenaw Region
Washtenaw Community College
Serving Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe and Washtenaw counties
Washtenaw Community College
4800 East Huron River Dr.
Morris Lawrence Building, Room 162
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Ron Stevens, Regional Director
Email: sbdc@wccnet.edu
Phone: 734.477.8762
Hours: 8am-5pm ET Monday-Friday
Your business journey starts here.
Whether you’re launching a new venture, growing your company, or navigating challenges, we’re here to help. Our expert team provides no-cost consulting, market research, business education, and the resources you need to succeed.
Serving small businesses across the Greater Washtenaw Region, we’re committed to helping entrepreneurs like you build strong, resilient businesses. Let’s take your next step—together. Ready to get started?
Greater Washtenaw Team
We’re more than just business consultants—we’re your partners in success. Our dedicated team is here to provide expert guidance, no-cost consulting, and valuable resources to help your small business thrive. Whether you’re starting, growing, or overcoming challenges, we’re ready to support you every step of the way. Let’s build something great—together!
Ron Stevens
Regional Director
Ron’s current position with the Michigan SBDC started in 2007, as a Senior Business Consultant, in the Greater Washtenaw Region where he’s helped guide hundreds of businesses through the startup process and beyond. Ron was promoted to Associate Regional Director in 2013 and Regional Director in 2023. He has specialties in retail, restaurant and brewery’s and has worked on various projects thought out Michigan. In addition, he has also received professional certification as a NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional and is part of the Michigan SBDC’s State Export Assistance Team.
Ron started his career right after graduating college from Oakland University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. In 1988, he started working for the Kmart Corporation. Ron was tasked with working on numerous special projects pertaining to visual merchandising initiatives and implementing new store concepts. He also served on a regional team dedicated to improving store performance in the southeast Michigan area. Ron then made the move to managing stores for Marshalls, in 2002, where he specialized in correcting and eliminating deficient operations throughout the metro-Detroit.
Shawn Preissle
Associate Regional Director
Shawn has a passion for supporting local business, and she brings firsthand experience as a former entrepreneur with over nine years in business ownership and management.
Before joining the Michigan SBDC, she owned and operated a successful small business in Ann Arbor that offered prepared dinners, catering services, and a hot lunch program for over 10 private schools. She also founded and managed an incubator kitchen, where she mentored and supported more than 20 emerging food entrepreneurs. Her background spans business management, event planning, marketing, communications, accounting, and kitchen operations—making her a well-rounded and empathetic advisor to the businesses she serves today.
In addition to her client work, she helps train new consultants through the Michigan SBDC Academy and serves on the organization’s Data Governance Committee, contributing to statewide strategy and operational excellence.
Kory Scheiber
Business Consultant
Kory Scheiber is a Certified Small Business Consultant serving the Michigan SBDC’s Greater Washtenaw Region. He provides one-on-one consulting and facilitates workshops for a diverse range of clients and industries, helping entrepreneurs plan, launch, and grow their businesses.
Kory has been teaching entrepreneurship since 2008, beginning with The Business Side of Youth program, and currently serves as part-time faculty at Washtenaw Community College. Prior to his role at the Michigan SBDC, he worked as a Business Development Representative for the Detroit Micro-enterprise Fund Corporation, where he assembled loan packages, presented to the Loan Committee, and guided applicants through the entire lending process — from planning to launch and expansion. He also cultivated partnerships with local community development corporations, businesses, and training programs.
Kory brings over a decade of hands-on experience in design and build-to-order manufacturing, where he held roles ranging from Assembly Technician to Project Manager, Repair Department Manager, and ISO-14000 Internal Auditor. His early career includes two and a half years in retail as a Certified Lawn and Garden Specialist, further demonstrating his well-rounded expertise.
He holds four academic degrees, including an MBA, with undergraduate and graduate concentrations in Entrepreneurship.
Amanda Binder
Senior Business Consultant
At a very young age, Amanda inherited her family’s corner market which catapulted her life’s path into owning multiple businesses. With entrepreneurial experience ranging from the beauty industry to property management, Amanda now helps businesses flourish through pertinent marketing techniques, proper planning. Amanda is a Certified Global Professional Consultant for the Michigan SBDC at the State of Michigan. With a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and an Undergrad in International Business, aside from her extensive entrepreneurial background, Amanda has 15 years of corporate experience with global conglomerate JPMorgan Chase. She was a National Achiever in multiple roles and helped the organization expand their footprint out from the Midwest to the Western United States. Amanda’s philosophy is to get to know the business, their purpose, and then assist with a clear plan to execute that business’s purpose to the world.
John Kozal
Business Consultant
John Kozal is an accomplished finance professional with over three decades of experience. He began his career at the Ford Motor Company, where he spent 28 years in various financial roles spanning manufacturing, marketing and sales, product development, Ford Credit, and corporate finance. In 2019, he became the Chief Financial Officer at Hydraulex, a position he held until 2024. John earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance and Economics from Rockhurst College in 1988, followed by a Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame in 1990.
Mary Therman
Intake Consultant
Mary was employed in the Advising and Success Coaching Department for eight years as an Administrative Assistant, prior to joining the Michigan SBDC at Washtenaw Community college. In that position she worked with International Students, current students, community partners, Faculty and other department staff. During her tenure in the Advising and Success Coaching, she coordinated the WCC College Transfer Fair, prepared reports for the Strong and Meyers- Briggs student assessment tests, assisted the Advisors and Licensed Personal Counselors with special projects, such as pop-up Mental Health days, Welcome day and the International Student Thanksgiving Banquet.
Mary graduated from Central Michigan University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, and Business Administration. In addition, she also has a Paralegal Certificate from Roosevelt University in Real Estate, Mortgages, Bankruptcy and Litigation. She has worked as a substitute teacher, a bookkeeper, in commercial and agricultural real estate lending, banking and legal fields, owned two businesses; a building company and a development company which built Torwood subdivision in Saline.
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