Michigan SBDC Announces Retirement of Business Consultant Cheryl Peterson; Application Now Open For Interested Candidates

April 13, 2022

OWOSSO, MI – The Michigan Small Business Development Center, in partnership with the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership, today announced that Business Consultant Cheryl Peterson has elected to retire. 

Peterson’s decision comes after serving as a Business Consultant since 2012. She has been vital to economic growth in the Shiawassee region by providing consulting, training, and market research services to small businesses, helping them launch, grow, transition, and innovate.  

“It has been a privilege to work with small businesses in our community over the last several years through SBDC. I appreciate the many relationships and friendships that have developed over time. To see new businesses launch and existing businesses grow has been very rewarding and speaks to the strengths of our community,” shared Peterson.  

Janis Mueller, Michigan Small Business Development Center Regional Director, said, “Cheryl is and will always be an amazing champion and cheerleader to the small businesses, partners, and residents of Shiawassee County. Cheryl shared her wisdom and knowledge of business ownership and management with professionalism and passion. She was always willing to help educate and coach people so they could move their business forward. As Regional Director, I admired her detail-oriented and strategic thought process as we often had conversations on various challenges. This allowed me to “get in her head” and see the challenge from her view, and we could always find the best path to conquer the issue. I will miss her, but I know her passion and enthusiasm will continue as she continues to cross paths with people she has helped work with as a business consultant. Cheryl has left a legacy, and as she plans to depart, we are happy for her. We will all miss her, but our Michigan SBDC Team will be here to help during the transition. We look forward to a new member of the team to support the Shiawassee County business ecosystem.”

“Cheryl has been an outstanding mentor and advocate for hundreds of Shiawassee County businesses over the years, and we are very grateful for her service,” said Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership President/CEO Justin Horvath.

John Adams, President/CEO of the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce, said, “Cheryl has been instrumental in assisting entrepreneurs and contributing to economic growth in Shiawassee County. We thank her for tirelessly serving this county for the last decade. I consistently hear from business owners who praise Cheryl for her guidance, knowledge, and commitment. She will certainly be missed.”

Peterson’s last official day will be April 22nd. The application process is now open for the next Michigan Small Business Development Center Business Consultant for Shiawassee County. Interested candidates will find the job description and application instructions on the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce website at www.shiawasseechamber.org