Mayo Named Regional Director of WPU’s Small Business Development Center

On Dec 5, 2022

Erike Mayo, an entrepreneurship expert and consultant with nearly two decades of experience, has been named regional director of the Small Business Development Center at William Paterson University in Wayne. The Center, based in Paterson, serves business owners and entrepreneurs throughout Passaic County.

Housed within the University’s Cotsakos College of Business, William Paterson’s SBDC is a private organization of professional management consultants partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the New Jersey Economic Growth and Tourism Commission, and community-based organizations such as the Paterson Urban Enterprise Zone.

Mayo will work under the direction of Kelly Brozyna, state director of the NJSBDC, and Anthony Bowrin, dean of the Cotsakos College of Business, to serve the strategic planning, internal fiscal administration, reporting, and overall management of the William Paterson SBDC.

His responsibilities include overall small business development in Passaic County, including client services development, database management, monitoring, and reporting; overseeing client services program delivery in the form of one-on-one counseling, training, marketing, and outreach; fundraising to meet the Center’s funding goals; organizing and supervising Center staff and activities; developing strong external stakeholder relationships; and working to advance the comprehensive vision, mission, and strategic objectives of the University and the Cotsakos College of Business.

“Erike has great experience and understanding of what small businesses need to thrive in these challenging times, and an unwavering commitment to supporting small businesses and economic development in New Jersey,” says Anthony Bowrin, dean of the Costakos College of Business. “The William Paterson SDBC is poised for continued success under his leadership.”

“We are excited to bring Erike Mayo on as our new regional director as part of the NJSBDC family,” says Kelly Brozyna, NJSBDC state director. “His background and experience will truly benefit the business community serving Passaic County. Stay tuned for some great new programming and resources to support the small business community!”

A graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a master of science degree in business management and technology management, Mayo has held technical positions at General Electric, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, GE Aerospace and Martin Marietta.

He later became a certified small business development consultant with New York City Department of Small Business Services working largely with creative arts clients. He served as project manager for ARTBusiness, a joint program for arts, culture, media, and entertainment entrepreneurship with the Department of Small Business Services and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

In addition, Mayo has worked as independent consultant, providing services to small businesses and medium- and large-scale entertainment organizations. Among the businesses he has catalyzed are Sony RED Distribution, Philadelphia International Records, Paisley Park Films, and Concrete Pictures, and he has worked with notable names from John Legend and Sean Combs to legendary music moguls Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

Mayo has also taught as an adjunct professor at Rowan University and Stevens Institute; served as an entrepreneurship and career readiness counselor for the U.S. Army Reserve National Guard’s Citizen Soldier for Life Program; and provided coaching for entrepreneurial technology-based teams at Rutgers Business School and New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is a resident of Teaneck.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: