AWC names new Small Business Development Center Director
March 14, 2022Former President and CEO of Yuma Multiversity Campus Jim Schuessler to take the helm
Yuma, AZ (March 14, 2022) – Since entering the field of economic development over a decade ago, Jim Schuessler has been particularly passionate about entrepreneurial development.
That’s why the opportunity to work with prospective and existing businesses to enhance the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem of the region drew Schuessler to the role of Arizona Western College (AWC) Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Director. He was recently selected to fill the leadership position and began work on March 7.
“Joining the Small Business Development Center at AWC provides the opportunity to join a statewide network supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through no-cost, confidential consulting and targeted educational programs,” said Schuessler. “My goal is to build a team of subject experts to facilitate improvement and growth for small and emerging mid-size companies and help launch successful new enterprises. As a team, we will help business owners identify market opportunities and make informed decisions.”
Before being hired for the role, Schuessler spent the past two years as the President and CEO of the Yuma Multiversity Campus (YMVC). There he was commissioned to establish a non-profit corporation to engage higher education, primary employers, and other stakeholders to increase local access to higher education and successful degree and certificate outcomes.
During his time at YMVC, he encountered a broad-based dissatisfaction from community members on what they believed to be a lack of an innovation economy, entrepreneurship ecosystem and culture, and quality of place.
“Addressing these concerns will take time, especially after the impact of the pandemic on the businesses in our region and scarcity of workforce, but I look forward to working collaboratively to take steps to enhance both innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said. “I feel fortunate that the vast resources of Arizona Western College are available to help catalyze business development here.”
Prior to joining YMVC, Schuessler served in executive director roles where he aided the economic development of non-profit organizations. He excelled in the development and execution of business retention and expansion programs; assisting local units of government with primary employer prospects; development and execution of new municipal incentive programs; development and implementation of local loan fund programs with total capitalization of over $20 million; and the initial scoping and development of an innovation district designed to converge higher education, primary employers, and prospective talent.
“Jim is a top-performing and determined individual with extensive experience in business development,” said Reetika Dhawan, AWC Vice President of Workforce Development and CTE. “He has successfully helped small businesses accomplish their goals by connecting them to resources that will help accelerate economic activity and equity among all members of society. He has been assisting entrepreneurs for more than 20 years through creative, outside-the-box thinking and his determination to respond quickly when challenges arise. He will be great in this new role as Small Business Development Center Director at AWC.”
Schuessler is a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He is also a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council and an Economic Development Financial Professional through the National Development Council.
Contact:
Jim Schuessler
Small Business Development Center Director
Arizona Western College
James.Schuessler@azwestern.edu
(928) 317-6151