CLE ELUM, Wash.—Barry Schoening, a former small business owner with more than 35 years’ experience in mortgages and securities, is the new Small Business Development Center (SBDC) business advisor in Kittitas County.
Shoening’s office is located at the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce in Cle Elum and he is available to meet in person or via Zoom with small business advisors and entrepreneurs throughout the region.
“SBDC one-to-one business advising has been crucial for the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce and businesses in Kittitas County,” said Amy McGuffin, Chief Executive Officer of the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce. “I look forward to working with the new advisor, Barry Schoening, and I encourage local businesses to connect with the Chamber and the SBDC to get confidential and trusted assistance for their business.”
Schoening joins more than 40 other SBDC business advisors working in communities across the state to provide no-cost, confidential, one-on-one advising to entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to start, grow or buy/sell a business.
“Barry’s commitment to small business success, his calm and positive demeanor, his knowledge of the intricacies of various company types, and his experience as a former small business owner in a unique industry make him a welcome addition to our team,” said Washington SBDC State Director Sheryl McGrath.
Schoening, who graduated from WSU with a degree in business administration, was co-owner of Central Securities LLC from 2003 to 2019. Then, after enjoying several years of retirement, he began looking for a second career.
“I was looking for an opportunity to use my accounting and finance background in a way that would be rewarding and enjoyable at the same time,” Schoening said. “Helping small business owners achieve their goals certainly checks those boxes.”
Shoening started his career in accounting and mortgage banking and then got into the securities industry, specifically bond trading. Banking and the securities industry touches all factors of the business community, he said.
SBDC business advisors work with small business owners and entrepreneurs in just about every industry and at any stage of the business lifecycle. Many SBDC clients seek assistance with loan applications, managing cash flow, marketing plans, online sales, strategic planning, financial discipline or export trade.
The Washington SBDC network is managed through a cooperative agreement between Washington State University, which is the statewide host of the SBDC, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBDC centers typically depend on about 50 percent funding from local and state funding partners, and the remaining funding is from SBA. The Washington SBDC center in Cle Elum receives financial support from the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce.
Schoening’s office is located at the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce Business Development Center in Cle Elum at 216 N Pennsylvania Avenue.
For more about the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce, go to https://www.kittitascountychamber.com/
For more about the Washington SBDC, go to https://wsbdc.org
Contact:
Barry Schoening, SBDC business advisor
[email protected] | 509-992-0602
Amy McGuffin, CEO Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce
[email protected] | 509-925-2002
