Mary Paulsell, Director

After 14 years in the state SBTDC office serving as communications director and assistant state director, Mary moved to the UCIE in December 2005 to oversee center operations, training, marketing and reporting. Mary supervises the center staff, conducts market research for clients and serves as a field liaison to the state office. She is a certified FastTrac instructor for NewVenture and GrowthVenture.

Jim Gann, SBTDC Counselor

As a Small Business and Technology Development Center Counselor for the University of Missouri, Mr. Gann teaches and coaches in all aspects of technology-based business. During his tenure there, he has helped his portfolio of clients increase sales by more than $62 million, helped his clients gain financing in excess of $16.5 million and create more than 150 jobs.

Mr. Gann comes from an entrepreneurial background, having owned and operated his own successful businesses in custom manufacturing, publishing, real estate management and property development. Additionally, he has held a number of elective and volunteer leadership positions in public service.

His degrees include a B.S. from Central Missouri State University and an MBA from William Woods University. Additionally, he has received specialized training in business credit, entrepreneurial development, and technology marketing from a number of thought-leading sources. Mr. Gann is nationally certified as an Economic Development Finance Professional (NDC), and as a Technology Business Counselor (ASBDC). Mr. Gann also holds a certificate in Technology Marketing from the California Institute of Technology, and is certified in curricula promulgated by the Ewing Marion Kaufmann Foundation.

Mr. Gann resides in Boonville, his hometown, along with his wife, Marilyn and daughter, Callie.

Dr. Bill Nunnally, Director of Industrial Relations
C.W. LaPierre Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering

Dr. Nunnally holds B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University. Before joining the MU College of Engineering, he served as principal investigator at Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1974 to 1985. He has also served as Director of Technology Transfer at the University of Texas at Arlington.

His responsibilities in the UCIE include SBIR/STTR assistance, overseeing industrial relations between private industry and the University and matching University faculty with private sector research opportunities. Dr. Nunnally is a certified FastTrac instructor for TechVenture.

Dr. Paul Rehrig, MoFAST State Director, SBTDC Counselor (SBIR Specialist)

Dr. Rehrig holds a B.S. in Ceramic Science and Engineering and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University. Before joining the UCIE, he served as Director of Research and Development from 2001-2006 at TRS Technologies, Inc., a small business located in State College, PA that produces specialty electronic ceramic and crystal materials and components for medical, military, and commercial aviation applications. More recently he managed a research group at the Northboro Research and Development Center for Saint-Gobain High-Performance Materials, a $40B/year multinational corporation.

Dr. Rehrig's responsibilities include providing statewide leadership, expertise, and training to university faculty and staff, and private sector clients with SBIR/STTR programs. In addition, he will develop partnerships and connect constituents with MU faculty research, which will aid in improving the participation of small technology firms in the innovation and commercialization of new technology. Paul lives in Columbia, MO with his wife, Erin, a Ph.D. Student at the University of Missouri's Bond Life Sciences Center, and their two Labrador Retrievers.

Dee Sanders, Administrative Assistant

Dee Sanders wears many hats in the center, including managing the schedules of eight business professionals, scheduling and monitoring training events, handling public and client inquiries and assisting the director of operations with center reporting.

Darrell St. Clair, Procurement Specialist

Bill Stuby, Procurement Specialist

Before joining PTAC, Bill served as the financial administrator for the MO SBDC state office. He is a retired federal employee from the U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ), Federal Prison System. He has held the positions of Accounting Supervisor, Contracting Officer, Controller, Asst. Division Manager, and Associate Warden. His previous position entailed supervising twelve department heads, six contracting officers and a penitentiary housing over 2200 inmates with more than 600 employees. His procurement background and expertise include processing major contracts in construction, manufacturing components and equipment, food and supply items.

He holds a B.A. degree in business administration from Dakota Wesleyan University. Bill is a member of the National Contract Management Association, Missouri Association of Public Purchasing and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. He is the national treasurer of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.

Virginia Wilson, SBTDC Counselor

Virginia worked for University of Missouri Extension as a business development specialist in St. Charles County for seven years before returning to her home of Columbia for a position as SBTDC counselor in the UCIE. Virginia holds an M.B.A. from William Woods University and a B.S. degree in business administration from Columbia College.

She is the recipient of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and University of Missouri Extension awards for business development. She is a certified FastTrac instructor with emphasis in NewVenture and GrowthVenture and as an Economic Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council. Virginia Works with start-up and existing businesses from business planning, financial projections, operations and performance management, financial analysis and marketing.

Jay Edwards, Senior Area Manager, SBA

Jay has worked for SBA for several years, filling similar positions in New York City and Denver before moving to Columbia last December. He works with UCIE clients on accessing SBA funding programs and serves as director of the SBA's alternate work site for central Missouri.

Virgil Woolridge, Business Development Specialist

Virgil Woolridge is the University Extension business development specialist responsible for covering the northern part of the central Missouri service area. He is based in the Audrain County Extension Center in Mexico.

Chris Thompson, Business Development Specialist

Chris covers Cole County and the southern part of the central region for University of Missouri Extension. He is based in Jefferson City.