CEDET-Contacts

Kristel S. Smith, Interim Executive Director, Center for Economic Development Entrepreneurship and Technology

Kristel S. Smith, Assistant Director- Eastern Innovation Region, Director-Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center

Kevin Norvell, Director, Small Business Development Center

Kathy Werking, Program Manager, Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trail

John Preston, Business Development Specialist, Small Business Development Center

Starr Smith , CEDET Administrative Assistant

Brenda Meyring, ICC Administrative Assistant

Amanda Molen, SBDC Administrative Assistant

Ashley Reid, Temporary Office Associate Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center

Margaret Ridley ,Graduate Assistant

Alyssa Shepard, Student Worker

Gil (VI), the Fish

Kristel Smith

Interim Executive Director, Center for Economic Development Entrepreneurship and Technology

Kristel Smith
Center for Economic Development Entrepreneurship and Technology
Eastern Kentucky University
BTC 147
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475

Office: BTC 147
Phone: (859) 622-8571
Fax: (859) 622-6274
Email: Kristel.Smith@eku.edu

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R. Gary Marshall joined CEDET as the Executive Director of the Eastern Region Innovation Commercialization Center (ICC) on August 8, 2005.

Gary is an experienced senior manager with a broad 31-year background combining business and operations expertise in management, marketing, sales, engineering, quality and production. During the course of his career, Gary has held positions as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Marketing Manager, Quality, Application and Production Engineer. Industry experience included custom-engineered process, test and specialty equipment for the automotive and appliance industries, heat-transfer systems for the aerospace industry, disposable medical electrodes, fiberglass products for the chemical industry and mechanical power-transmission components. He has also assisted over thirty client companies in a wide variety of industries and applications as a Client Services Manager. His background and experience provide a unique perspective and the ability to grasp the complexity of business and operational challenges in business development.

Gary earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky and an MBA in Marketing from Wright State University.

Gary Marshall
Innovation and Commercialization Center, Eastern Region
Eastern Kentucky University
BTC 41
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475

Office: BTC 041
Phone: (859) 622-8578
Fax: (859) 622-8870
Email: gary.marshall@eku.edu
Website: www.startupkentucky.com

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Kristel Smith

Kristel Smith, Assistant Director, Eastern Innovation Region
Assistant Director, Eastern Innovation Region

Director, Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center

Kristel Smith joined the CEDET staff on October 7, 2003 as Assistant Director of the Eastern Innovation Region. Her experience and background include an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, a master’s degree in Business Administration, and an International Economics study at the School of Economics in Austria. Ms. Smith’s work experience includes brand management, project management, IT management and budget analysis, along with teaching experience in the university and community and technical college system. Her experience also includes industry training, leadership development, team building, and workforce empowerment.

Most recently, Ms. Smith has received a fellowship to participate in the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaching and Leadership Institute, a year long training program in economic development administered by the University of Kentucky.

Kristel Smith
Eastern Innovation Region
Eastern Kentucky University
BTC 147
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475

Office: BTC 147
Phone: (859) 622-8571
Fax: (859) 622-6274
Email: Kristel.Smith@eku.edu

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Kevin Norvell

Director, Small Business Development Center

Kevin Norvell Joined CEDET as the director of the Small Business Development Center at Eastern Kentucky University in November, 2007. He brings to the position eight years experience as a small business owner and additional experience in entrepreneurial development.
Kevin Norvell, of Corbin, now directs the Center, which serves 15 counties in eastern and south central Kentucky: Adair, Casey, Clinton, Estill, Garrard, Jackson, Laurel, Lincoln, Madison, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne and Whitley. SBDC offices are located in Somerset and on the EKU campus in Richmond.
Norvell, who earned his MBA from the University of Kentucky, served as Director of Entrepreneurial Development for the East Kentucky Corporation from 1999 to 2001. He has since co-founded and operated several businesses in the information technology and retail sectors. Norvell said his interest and experience in applying information technology solutions to small business problems is another benefit that business owners will receive when they seek the assistance of the SBDC.
“My experience as an entrepreneur has given me a unique perspective that I believe will prove valuable in my efforts to assist other entrepreneurs with their business challenges,” Norvell said. “As small business owners, we’re forced to wear many hats: salesperson, shipping clerk, public relations specialist, janitor. We do this because at the end of the day, it’s our name and reputation on the line. There are many hats that we may not want to wear, because they don’t feel right or they’re not the right style or they’re not much fun, but they still have to be worn. My goal as director of the SBDC at EKU is to help make the many hats of small business owners fit just a little bit better.”
Norvell said one of his immediate priorities would be to “reach out to existing businesses and would-be entrepreneurs throughout the region to let them know that planning, consulting and training resources are available through the Small Business Development Center. I’m also eager to work with community leaders, chambers of commerce, banks and economic development organizations to further develop the entrepreneurial spirit of our region.”
Offering services at no charge or minimal cost, the SBDC can help business owners and entrepreneurs in numerous ways: business start-up procedures, business and strategic plan development, financial resource development, management support, record management, accounting systems, governmental relations and marketing. This is accomplished through one-on-one consultations as well as training sessions throughout the service area on a variety of topics.

The SBDC at EKU is part of the Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology, an outreach service of the University’s College of Business & Technology, and is operated in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Kevin Norvell
EKU Small Business Development Center
Eastern Kentucky University
BTC 147
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475

John Preston joined the EKU SBDC as the Business Coordinator on January 15, 1999. The SBDC became part of CEDET in 2007. John is based in the SBDC’s Somerset office which serves the Center’s 15-county service area as a general management consultant, working one -on-one with clients and coordinating training workshops. He has over 28 years’ experience in business, mostly in banking, mortgage and consumer lending and personnel management. He managed his own insurance agency for five years.
John earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Kentucky.

John Preston
Kentucky Small business development Center
Eastern Kentucky University
675 Monticello St Ste A
Somerset, KY 42501

Phone: (606) 678-3042
Fax: (606) 678-3065
Email: john.preston@eku.edu
Website: www.sbdc.eku.edu

Brenda Meyring
Administrative Assistant
Innovation & Commercialization Center

Brenda joined CEDET's staff October 2000 as office manager/administrative assistant for the Jackson County Entrepreneurship Center. Effective July 2005, she began working at the Center in Berea. Her experience includes over 30 years of accounting/office management. On July 1, 2007, Brenda accepted the position of Admin. Assistant for the Innovation & Commercialization Center.

Brenda Meyring
Innovation & Commercialization Center
Eastern Kentucky University
BTC 041
521 Lancaster Ave
Richmond, KY 40475

Phone: (859) 622-8577
Fax: (859) 622-8570
Email: brenda.meyring@eku.edu

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Ashley Reid
Temporary Office Associate
Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center

Ashley Reid joined the CEDET staff in March 2008 as the office manager/administrative assistant at the Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center. Ashley graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Paralegal Science Bachelor of Arts Degree in December of 2007.

Ashley Reid
Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center
108 Parkway
Berea, KY 40403

Phone: (859) 985-9450
Fax: (859) 985-7363
Email: ashley.reid@eku.edu

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Starr Smith joined the CEDET staff in February 2007 as the administrative assistant. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Her background includes a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Park Administration with an emphasis in Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation.

Starr Smith
Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology
Eastern Kentucky University
BTC 147
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475

Office: BTC 147
Phone: (859) 622-2334
Fax: (859) 622-6274
Email: Starr.smith@eku.edu

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Amanda Molen

Gil has been with CEDET for quite some time. He likes to swim and seems to have a well-rounded perspective.

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Ashley Reid, Temporary Office Associate Berea Entrepreneur Assistance Center

Margaret Ridley ,Graduate Assistant Alyssa Shepard, Student Worker

Gil (VI), the Fish

Margaret Ridley ,Graduate Assistant

Alyssa Shepard, Student Worker