Anne Chaplin serves as a Program Coordinator for the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center in Albany Georgia. She attended Darton State College and received her AA in Dance and then received her BS in Public Policy from Georgia State University. Previously, she was the Social Media & Volunteer-Intern Coordinator for the nonprofit Girl Talk, Inc. She also worked with Albany State University as an Admissions Recruiter. These experiences brought her unique opportunities to sharpen her skills with event planning, marketing, and public speaking.

Anne looks forward to experiences small business grow within the Southwest Georgia area.

Education

• A.A. in Dance, Darton State College
• B.S. in Public Policy, Georgia State University

Experience

• Girls Talk, Inc. (Social Media and Volunteer/Intern Coordinator)
• Albany State University (Admissions Recruiter)

Mark Collier joins the SBDC after an accomplished career in the private sector and a temporary assignment with the U.S. Small Business Administration office of disaster assistance. Mark has successfully managed a series of residential, mixed use, and commercial real estate development projects over a 20 year career. Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the SBDC in the critical business functional areas of operations and project management, business process improvement, and efficiency improvement initiatives.

Education

• B.A., Roosevelt University
• MBA, Tulane University

Experience

• JDG Development Group (Project Director)
• CB Richard Ellis (Senior Project Director)

Service

• SBA – Disaster Assistance Center Small Business Analyst
• Tulane Association of Business Alumni Community Service Award
• Service Award Leader Recipient- Peachtree Middle School

Growing up on a farm in rural south Georgia, I learned early in life the importance of responsibility and hard work. The entrepreneurial spirit is instilled early in those experiences. In High School I learned the hard lessons and risks associated with agricultural business and the importance of managing cash flow through the seasons of preparing, planting, managing, and harvest. In college I pursued degrees in economics and finance and after graduation applied my education in both public policy and private enterprise. As an ACE Hardware store owner for nearly a decade during one of the toughest economic cycles in our lifetime I learned first hand the many challenges start up businesses contend with. After closing that business in January 2016 I was offered the opportunity to work with the UGA SBDC in Dekalb and hope to use both my education and experience as a business owner to help other entrepreneurs achieve their goals.

Education

• MBA Finance – DePaul University
• MS(ABT) Ag. Econ – UGA
• BS Ag. Econ – UGA

Experience

• UGA SBDC Business Consultant from August 2016 to present
• Owner/Manager Ace Hardware Windermere July 2009 to January 2016
• Partner Ogeechee Peaches, Millen, GA. 2003-2010.
• Executive Director, Southern Nursery Association, Atlanta, GA November 2006 to July 2009
• FSA State Director, Athens, GA and Special Assistant to the USDA Secretary, November 2002-November 2006
• Executive Director, Forest Landowners Association, Atlanta, GA November 1994 – November 2002
• Legislative Assistant, US Senator Paul Coverdell, Washington, DC November 1992- November 1994

Volunteer

• President of the University of Georgia Student Senate
• President of UGA Ag Hill Council
• President, AGHON, Honor Society,
• State President Future Farmers of America
• Member Gridiron Secret Society,
• Named Outstanding AG Alumni University of Georgia 2004