Monday, June 29, 2009

Frances Scarlett has been named regional director of the Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She moved into the position in mid-June.

As regional director, Scarlett is responsible for providing direction and coordination of the business and economic development activities of the Wilmington Regional Service Center, which serves seven counties in partnership with its host institution, UNCW's Cameron School of Business. The SBTDC has been helping North Carolina businesses grow and create new jobs since 1984, and it will play an important role in the state's economic recovery plan.

"Fran's experience as a business strategy consultant will be invaluable in this role," said Larry Clark, dean of the Cameron School. "She specializes in helping companies recognize and leverage the strengths of their business units and maximize their potential for revenue growth. Her experience working with companies across several industries has prepared her well for assessing the situations of businesses large and small and recommending efficient, sustainable solutions."

Scarlett received her MBA from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Boston University. She has run her own management consulting firm, Scarlett Ink Media, since 2007, providing strategic and tactical consulting to media, biotech and non-profit organizations. Prior to that, she was creator and general manager of the custom publishing division of a major newspaper and Internet company.

She has served on the Foundation Board of Cuyahoga Community College, is a member of the American Advertising Federation and was an inaugural member of the local governing body of Athena Powerlink. Fran has been profiled in Presstime and Kaleidoscope magazine's "40 under 40" issues, has been recognized as a YWCA Women of Excellence and is a member of Leadership Cleveland, Class of 1999.

The SBTDC office at UNC Wilmington is consistently one of the highest performing in the state. Through the Cameron School of Business, the center participates in the innovative MBA Learning Alliance program, which pairs MBA student teams with local and regional companies. The program enhances the educational experience of UNCW's students while providing professional-level growth projects and consultation to regional companies.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu

ABOUT THE SBTDC

The SBTDC is the University of North Carolina's business and technology extension service. The SBTDC is administered by NC State University on behalf of the University of North Carolina system, and is operated in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The SBTDC is part of the National Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program, which was founded on the premise of leveraging higher education resources (staff, students, faculty and research) for the benefit of the business community. In North Carolina, the SBTDC provides a vital connection between the multi-campus UNC system and small to mid-sized businesses across the state. For more information about the SBTDC, visit www.sbtdc.org.