St. Paul – Today, the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced Andy Donahue as the new Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Director. Donahue will lead Minnesota's SBDC program by working with SBDC's regional centers, entrepreneurs and small businesses to help catalyze and grow the state's small business community. He will also work collaboratively with other small businesses programs and services, both internal at DEED and external, and will provide leadership of the SBDC network by overseeing and advocating for SBDC services.

"I'm thrilled to add Andy to the talented team at DEED," said Executive Director of Small Business Development Neela Mollgaard. "His experience in small business development will be pivotal to the success and future growth of Minnesota's small business economy."

The Minnesota Small Business Development Center offers no-cost technical assistance and support to businesses at any point in their life cycle – from startup to growth to exit strategies. SBDCs are hosted and supported by leading universities, colleges, economic development agencies and private partners, and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Minnesota features nine regional centers and 26 satellite centers – all of which offer guidance to small businesses. In 2022, SBDC clients developed 152 new businesses, created or saved more than 4,500 new jobs, and grew revenues by more than $232 million.

"It's an exciting time to be in small business development," Donahue said. "Minnesota is an impressive small business hub, and I look forward to supporting the work of small business owners, our regional offices, and program service providers statewide."

Prior to this new role at DEED, Donahue served as the Small Business Development Center Director at the University of Wisconsin-Superior for eight years. While there, he focused on developing a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem that focuses on developing strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and in-depth client insight.

Donahue has been involved in numerous professional organizations and boards, including the Entrepreneur Fund, the Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board, Northwest Wisconsin Educators for Regional Development, Visions Northwest Regional Economic Development Group, and more. He holds a Master of Business Administration and Master of Business Leadership from the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, MN. He also is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council.