Meet the team behind the people helping turn dreamers into entrepreneurs. With a breadth of experience, our state office team has the experience and network to connect business owners at any stage with the help they need to start, manage and grow their business.
Scroll to the bottom to find teams at all of our centers.
Bon Wikenheiser
State Director
Bon most enjoys empowering others to realize their best work. When the right people have a common goal at the right time, truly remarkable progress happens. Creating these teams based on the needs of others and the talent of the professionals involved is the driving motivation for what she does. Bon values these relationships and the commitments colleagues have to their clients and communities.
Neil Lerner
Associate Director – Strategic Operations
Neil likes bringing people together so multiple perspectives and experience can unite to achieve better outcomes. His favorite part of the job is helping to manage the Wisconsin SBDC in a way that supports SBDC consultants to achieve great outcomes for clients. Work is most meaningful to Neil when he can support and help other SBDC consultants provide impactful services to more small business clients.
Colleen Merrill
Associate Director – Strategic Operations & Special Projects
Colleen specializes in creative financial packages, strategy planning, startups and connecting to resources. She maintains a workplace that is fast paced, fun, collaborative and always looking for ways to innovate and improve. Watching clients achieve their dreams through hard work and dedication is one of her favorite aspects of the job.
Gina Ferraro
Financial Officer
One aspect of her job Gina really enjoys is working with a great team because she feels you can accomplish so much more when you work together. Projects become especially meaningful to Gina when they help translate abstract numbers into a concrete value.
Jennifer Broecker
Marketing & Communications Manager
Jennie says her current role within the University of Wisconsin System is one of her favorite jobs; another was her position as the editor of a women’s magazine. She enjoys launching new initiatives and loves that she works with a talented team of professionals who make a difference in business owners’ lives. In turn, those entrepreneurs make a difference in communities across the state.
Stephanie Robey
Administrative Specialist
Others say of working with Stephanie that she always “gets things done with a smile.” One of her favorite parts of the job is interviewing clients and then compiling the information to write their business success stories.
James Wegener
Network Accountant
Areas of expertise for James include numbers and budgets. Designing and managing spreadsheets and pivot tables are especially important to him. His co-workers value his ability to interpret and explain policy and say James is always a pleasure to be around. Those who work with James enjoy his patience, positive attitude and efficiency.
Chad Hoffman
International Trade Consultant
Go Global Initiative
Chad joined the SBDC network to develop the state-wide Go Global Initiative to assist new and experienced exporters alike to take advantage of the growth opportunities that international markets represent. Chad has lived and worked in Europe and is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
Meet Our Centers Teams
Wisconsin SBDC is strong due to the dedicated, collaborative teams assembled at our 13 centers. Learn more about our expert staff and the work they do for small businesses.