MSBA Legal Advisor
Robert T. Broughton
Attorney at Law
Broughton Law Firm

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Robert T. Broughton attended Davidson College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude with honors in history.  Upon graduation from Davidson, Mr. Broughton was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship to attend Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  While at WFU, Mr. Broughton worked with the Community Law and Business Clinic, helping to solve a variety of problems commonly faced by small business owners and non-profit organizations in North Carolina.  Upon graduation from WFU, Mr. Broughton returned to Raleigh to found the Broughton Law Firm - a small general practice law firm.

Mr. Broughton has been admitted to the North Carolina State Bar and the 10th Judicial District Bar of Wake County.  Mr. Broughton maintains professional memberships with both the North Carolina Bar Association and the Wake County Bar Association, and remains active in his community through the NCBA.

MSBA International Legal Advisor

Florina Alcobia

Legal Advisor

William Bainbridge

Legal Advisor

Shane Ratigan

MSBA Certified Public Accountant

Jennifer Proper

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Huntsville, AL (area)

Heather Morse

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Lompoc, CA (area)

Daniel Plouff

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Seaside, CA (area)

Susan Breen

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Ramrod Key, FL (area)

Debbie Gately

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison
LaKisha Davis
Meridian, MS (area)

LaKisha Davis currently serves as the Chamber of Commerce Liaison for the Meridian, MS area. She served 13 years in the United States Army.  During her service, she perform duties at the White House Medical Unit,DiLorenzo Tricare Health Clinic (Pentagon), and the historical Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Her fondest and most proud moments are providing care to our wounded warriors and supporting their families. LaKisha affirms that no veteran should ever be without shelter, a job, or sufficient healthcare.  She supports the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act and Disabled American Veterans organization.

She received her BS in Occupational Education and A.A.S in Physical Therapy from Wayland Baptist University.  She has vast experience in budgeting, public relations, supervision and management, healthcare, and project management. During her transition into the civilian workforce, she realized the need for consistent transitional assistance for military members when exiting the military.  This observation inspired her to start her non-profit organization Boots to Stilettos.  Boots to Stilettos addresses the needs of current military members transitioning into the civilian workforce and assists veterans to obtain benefits, jobs, and shelter.  She currently volunteers with Parents for Public Schools of  East Central MS, operates International Stilettos which is the premier event consultation company for individuals (particularly military functions) and businesses, and is employed with the federal government.

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Beaufort, NC (area)

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison & Small Business Incubator Cary, NC (area)

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Middletown, PA (area)

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison San Antonio, TX (area)

MSBA Local Chamber of Commerce Liaison Montclair, VA (area)

MSBA Director Of Philanthropy
Crystal Cavalier

Crystal Cavalier has worked in the public policy, politics, research and management fields for over 10 years. She has served as a consultant, project manager, and administrator. Crystal is an staunch supporter and advocate for soldiers, veterans, military spouses, veteran spouses and military families. Crystal has been a army spouse since 2000 she sees the need to connect with all US military spouses and families, active and reservist throughout the world. She serves as a military and veterans consultant to assist in transforming this way of thinking and to advocate for the military, particularly spouses dealing employment, education and PTSD. Crystal graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a BA in Political Science in 2001 and earned an MPA in Public Administration with a concentration in Emergency Services from UNC-Pembroke in May 2011. Currently Crystal is earning a M.S. in International Relations with a concentration in National Security at Troy University in Troy, Alabama.

Crystal volunteers with Army's Army, Support Our Arthritic Kids Inc., NC 4H Harnett County, Red Cross Disaster Team, and the NC Women’s Political Caucus. Crystal was the chair of Congressman Kissell's 8th Congressional Military Families Caucus in NC. Currently Crystal is employed by a Federal Agency in Washington, DC.

MSBA DC Area Networking
Susan Katz

Susan Katz, CEO, The Growth Coach of Baltimore

Susan Katz is known for helping businesses drive explosive growth.

Susan’s mission is to help executives and businesses drive unlimited growth both professionally and personally, As a coach, Susan helps executives and business owners achieve new levels of success by helping them gain clarity, turn limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs, develop focused plans of action and create strategic changes in their businesses and lives, allowing them to earn more and work less.

Susan has worked with individuals and organizations such at the Better Business Bureau of Maryland, the Baltimore Ravens, Citi Group, Towson University School of Business, KCI Technologies, and an Admiral within the Public Health Service.

Prior to starting her coaching business, Susan was in executive management with two major publishing firms, Pearson Education and Wolters Kluwer. During her 30 years in publishing Susan generated significant revenue and profit growth of various businesses within the organizations.

Susan is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.  In addition, Susan sits on the advisory board for the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Business Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She serves as a volunteer coach at the University of Baltimore coaching program for up and coming businesses, and she is a mentor and trainer for new Growth Coach franchisees.

Susan was named the 2009 Growth Coach Best Franchise in a New Market, and the 2010 Growth Coach Franchise of the Year. In addition, Susan received the 2010 Rising Star Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners Baltimore Regional Chapter and has been recognized as one of the 2011 Maryland’s Top 100 Women.

Susan’s key to success is in believing that everyone has unique strengths and talents, and that anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself.

MSBA Small Business Incubator
Richard C. Davis Jr.
California

RICHARD C. DAVIS JR., D.D.S., LTC, U. S. ARMY (RET)

Retired Dental Officer, U. S. Army, thirty years experience in management and supervisory positions.

CIVILIAN

EDUCATION:  F.A.G.D., 1988, Academy of General Dentistry, Chicago, Illinois / D.D.S., 1974, Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Columbus, Ohio / B.S., Zoology, 1970, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

MILITARY

EDUCATION:  United States Army Medical Department Officer Advanced Course, 1979, Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam Houston, Texas / United States Army Medical Department Officer Basic Course, 1974, Fort Sam Houston, Texas

EXPERIENCE:  Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Monterey Medical; Chief Dental Officer and Staff Dental Officer, State of California Department of Corrections; Staff Dental Officer, Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System; Clinic Chief and Comprehensive General Dentistry Officer, United States Army / Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), Regular Army, served as General Dentistry Officer with duty at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Republic of Korea, Fort Carson, Colorado, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Fort Ord, California, Frankfurt, Germany, and, The Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, California.

MSBA Small Business Incubator
Gregory Yankelovich
California

Gregory Yankelovich has over 30 years of leadership experience in defining, developing and marketing technology-centric products for B2B and B2C markets. He currently serves as the Founder and CEO of Amplified Analytics, the company specializing in technology for Opinion Mining of Customer Feedback for Strategic Marketing and Product Management Applications.

MSBA Small Business Incubator & Chamber of Commerce Liaison
Bill Clark
Colorado Springs

Bill Clark is the President of Allied Mountain, LLC, a small engineering company focused on providing technical and programmatic advice and assistance to a variety of defense, government and commercial organizations. Prior to founding Allied Mountain, Bill held several key positions of responsibility with Raytheon Company providing program management, business development, and personnel management support to Raytheon space and missile defense initiatives / programs. He holds certifications in six sigma and program management and is currently a board member for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Council.

Bill's military background includes more than 28 years of service in the US Army (active and reserve) as an Air Defense Officer, Signal Officer and Space Acquisition Officer with various command and staff level assignments at the Army and Joint level.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Industrial Technology from Texas A&M - Commerce and a Masters of Arts degree (Distinguished Graduate) in Computers and Information Systems from Webster University.

Until retirement mid 2007, I was President of the Interiors Division in INVISTA (formerly Dupont Textiles & Interiors), a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, the largest privately held company in the U.S.  As President, I was accountable for profit and loss and all operations of the $2 billion (annual revenue) group of global businesses primarily focused on branded consumer and commercial flooring products (STAINMASTER™ carpet and ANTRON™ carpet fiber) and branded sleep products like pillows and comforters (COMFOREL™ fiberfill). The business operated in all regions of the world and had manufacturing operations in North America, Europe and China. All key functions including R&D, manufacturing operations, finance, sales, marketing and our business development group (acquisitions) reported to me. I reported to the CEO, Invista who led the $10 billion Company.

In addition to driving current year business performance of our businesses, I led the acquisition process, accomplishing two acquisitions of manufacturing companies in Germany and China in the 2006-07 period.  Further we accomplished several brand licensing deals where we out-licensed our consumer brands to leadership products in other related end-uses.

Prior to becoming President, Interiors in INVISTA, I was President of a similar set of businesses in Dupont where I worked for 25 years (prior to the sale of Textiles & Interiors to KOCH in 2004) in a variety of increasingly responsible positions. I was promoted to corporate officer and VP/GM in 2000. Through these roles, I have experience in nylon polymer, polyester polymer and intermediates and polyester apparel fibers.  From 1997-1999 I was CFO and Director of Strategic Planning for the Nylon Group, the largest segment of Dupont at that time ($6.5 billion).  Over the course of my career, I have led and participated in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures in every region of the world.

In January, 2008, I embarked on the next phase of my career, teaching Finance, Investment Theory, Statistics and an Entrepreneurial Finance and Planning (my personal design) courses in the Terry College of Business of the University of Georgia. Additionally, I have also consulted for an investment firm and several small businesses. Finally, I have participated in editing several Finance textbooks.

I have an MBA with a concentration in finance and a BBA in marketing, both from Temple University in Philadelphia, in 1979 and 1978, respectively.

MSBA Small Business Incubator
Patrick Natole
North Carolina

Patrick Natole is currently a Senior Business Consultant for ISI, a consulting company specializing in small to medium sized business turnaround.  As a consultant he is responsible for helping business owners identify deficiencies and the assist them in improving the weak areas within the business.  Additionally, Patrick provides a variety of management training.  Patrick has worked in the consulting industry for several years in all sizes of business, owned his own business brokerage, and worked with a variety of entrepreneurs in a myriad of business endeavors.

Patrick is a six year veteran of the U.S.M.C.  He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business logistics and international business from Pennsylvania State University, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (with Distinction) from Keller Graduate School of Management.  Currently, Patrick is working on obtaining a Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix. 

MSBA Small Business Incubator
Sapan S. Patel
Pennsylvania

Versatile Operations, Director with extensive experience in the Workers’ Compensation (WC) Arena. Cultivated in creating calculated and technical solutions with the ability to clarify issues, mobilize support and facilitate decision making in complex environments establishing healthier profit margins. Possess comprehensive knowledge blend of WC functional facets and diversified analytical background, with demonstrated ability for team building, communication, sound judgment, decision-making and cost reduction skills. Ardent and visceral leader, with a focus on innovative and strategic maneuvering which led to appropriate oversight of premium, losses and rational expense management.

Specialties
Business Strategy/Coordination, Project/Product Management, Office Set-Up, Change Management, Process Engineering, Vendor Management/Evaluation, Financial/Budget Acumen, Multi-Site Management, Talent Acquisition & Development, Business Integration, Key Metrics/Benchmark Analyses

While a practicing  attorney,  John Simms assisted clients with organizing and maintaining their corporations or partnerships.  In addition, clients were assisted with acquisitions and financings.  While representing financial institutions,  Simms worked on foreclosures, creditor rights problems and regulatory matters.

As a businessman,  Simms has served as a director of numerous corporations, several banks and a savings institution .  Although  John Simms has retired from law practice, he currently is president of a building supply and logistics business with approximately forty employees.

Laura Moran is a graduate of Northeastern University in Boston with a Bachelor's degree in journalism and currently serves as the Communications Specialist for Harvard Business Review. She is an experienced communications professional with knowledge of traditional corporate communications, media relations, and social media. Social media is also a personal passion of Laura's. She believes that it holds a world of opportunity for personal and professional brand development and is happy to bring that knowledge to MSBA.

Specialties
Media Relations, Public Relations, Social Media, Brand Management, Corporate Communications, Writing, and Editing