Ann Friederichs has been named as the new director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Western Illinois University. She succeeds James Boyd, who retired in March.
The promotion of Ms. Friederichs, who has been the Illinois SBDC’s assistant director since March 2022, was announced in a joint news release by WIU, the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs (IIRA) and the Illinois SBDC.
“We are thrilled Ann has agreed to take over SBDC operations on both WIU campuses,” IIRA Director and WIU Dean of Innovation and Economic Development Chris Merrett said in the release. “She has a great business background and mentoring skills that will help launch new businesses in our region.”
Ms. Friederichs began working at WIU in May 2017 as an Illinois SBDC business advisor.
Prior to joining WIU, she was director of the Davenport Schools Foundation and owned her own business for 25 years.
“I look forward to continuing to be an integral part of WIU and the IIRA servicing area entrepreneurs and business owners in a 22-county area,” Ms. Friederichs said. “The Illinois SBDC WIU specializes in confidential, no cost, one-on-one business advising. I have a passion for small business and working in collaboration with area stakeholders and resources.”
A graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s in business administration, she is a licensed business advisor and continues to hold her Iowa P/C Insurance License and CIC designation. She currently farms with her husband.
The Illinois SBDC at WIU was established in 1989 to help area entrepreneurs and small business owners start, grow, accelerate and, when ready, transition out of business. The Illinois SBDC is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and WIU.
For more information on the Illinois SBDC, visit wiusbdc.org.
