Tour of Maryland SBDC

Wynne is a graduate of University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Minor in Business and Concentration in Business Law. Wynne has over 30 years of entrepreneurship and business ownership experience to include retail, professional services, technology and manufacturing. Since 2001, Wynne has successfully consulted and advised thousands of entrepreneurs, businesses and non-profit organizations. She is known for her creativity and innovation in the development of new businesses by offering in-depth experience and assisting them from concept to profitability to exit strategy. Wynne has a passion to work with Young Entrepreneurs. She enjoys coaching and mentoring youth towards years of success, while helping them realize business ownership and self-employment as a viable career option. Wynne is establishing a young entrepreneurship mentoring program and summer camp for youth to start and thrive as successful business owners.

The United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship requested Wynne testify in person on Capitol Hill on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at a hearing for “The Coronavirus and America’s Small Business Supply Chain.” Her testimony before the United States Senate was broadcasted live via C-SPAN as a Manufacturing Subject Matter Expert representing the Maryland Small Business Development Center. Her proposal solution was adapted into the 2020 CARES Act Legislation. Maryland Department of Commerce and MD Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MD MEP) utilized Wynne’s US Senate proposed solution to develop a Maryland Made Directory for manufactures/suppliers/buyers to provide a platform for maintaining a supply chain within the State of Maryland.

In July of 2020, Wynne was appointed Regional Director for the Maryland Small Business Development Center – Southern Maryland Region.
Since 2016 she has worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Maryland Small Business Development Center – Southern Maryland Regional Office as the Business, Management, Technology & Manufacturing Consultant and consults select industries Statewide. She also enjoys assisting the Retail and Resta urant industries as they often have the highest failure rates among business types and need additional support or guidance to ensure success. Wynne is an AASBC Certified Business Consultant and a Certified Technology Business Consultant from the Institute for Technology Commercialization at University of Houston. As the SBDC Technology Liaison for the Southern Maryland Region, she has assisted in taking technological concepts through the technical and intellectual commercialization process to mass market. As the Maryland SBDC Statewide Manufacturing Consultant, she has assisted startup entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies.

During the America’s Small Business Development National Center Conference in Long Beach, California – Wynne was awarded the top honor of Maryland State Star recognizing her as the top business consultant in Maryland for 2019.

The County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County presented Wynne with the 2019 Small Business Proclamation which acknowledges the contributions made by small businesses to the economic growth and quality of life locally, in the State of Maryland in the United States.

Wynne was presented the “Power of One” Award in 2018 from the NAACP St. Mary’s County Branch “For Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Small Business Ownership and Development” with St. Mary’s County and the surrounding region.

Wynne was awarded the 2017 Maryland Governor’s Citation in Recognizing Small, Minority and Women-Owned Businesses.
“Ms. Briscoe’s enthusiasm and drive for small business growth is infectious. Always ready to lend a hand and genuinely deserving of the St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development’s nomination for the Governor’s Citation recognizing small, minority and women-owned businesses.” Robin Finnacom, Former Deputy Director, St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development.

Wynne received the Southern Maryland Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction “Igniting Innovative Inspirations” Award during their 2017 Women’s Empowerment Day event where she was a keynote speaker.

Wynne founded Forever Eden Organics in 2010 as Maryland’s second Certified Organic Bodycare Manufacture with a commercial production facility located in California, MD. Creating and overseeing the entire production process of over 55 exclusive organic products which are enjoyed by customers globally. She is also proficient in the health and wellness industry and has assisted many naturopathic and holistic entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.

In 2007 Wynne became a Licensed Maryland Real Estate Agent with Century 21 New Millennium. She has assisted many first-time homebuyers by helping them realize their American Dream is possible and handholding them through the entire home ownership process. Wynne also enjoys commercial real estate and has helped many small businesses with architectural designs, site selection locations, commercial leases, purchases, construction build outs, layouts and merchandising.

Wynne is highly engaged in the Southern Maryland community and the Maryland Small Business Eco-System.
Professionally, she is the former Chairwoman of the St. Mary’s County Government Economic Development Commission (County Commissioners Appointed), Chairwoman of the St. Mary’s County NAACP Economic Development Committee, Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce Regional Vice President, St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, Official Brand Ambassador for the Potomac Jazz and Seafood Festival, Southern Maryland Liaison for the Maryland Million Women Mentor & STEM Initiative, Ambassador for the Dream Queen Association, Mentor for Gals Lead Teen Mentoring Progr am, Facilitator of Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University, College of Southern Maryland Business Course Instructor, Maryland Small Business Development Center Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Member, Member of the University of Maryland Alumni Association, Planning Team Member for the Southern Maryland Innovates, Workshop Facilitator and Mentor for the SOMD STEM-ING Teen Girl Program, Mentor and Program Facilitator for the St. Mary’s County Public Schools Future Business Leaders of America Program and College of Southern Maryland Technology Council Board Member.

Personally, her passion is growing her relationship with God, always willing to help others, and assisting the local homeless shelters and food banks. In addition to serving her local community, Wynne loves the beach, traveling, modeling, baseball, reading and spending time with her large family and loving friends!

Lora M. Brown joined the Maryland Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) as the Deputy State Director in 1998. The SBDC is a partnership between the University of Maryland, College Park and the U.S. Small Business Administration to facilitate the provision of management training and technical assistance to Maryland’s small businesses. Ms. Brown is responsible for providing oversight to the operations of the Network. In this capacity, she develops and evaluates policies, procedures and program initiatives for the Network.

During her tenure, Ms. Brown led the Maryland SBDC Network in the preparation of ASBDC Accreditation self-study and implementation of organizational improvements, which resulted in accreditation without conditions. She developed a desk reference guide for the Maryland SBDC, which codified the organization’s procedures. In her role, she provides leadership to annual proposal preparation and submission for $4+ million funding package. Ms. Brown coached a specialty consulting team through challenges in achieving results in Baltimore City after the unrest and she negotiated annual goals and objectives with agency officials in a climate of changing priorities. Ms. Brown is active on the America’s SBDC Accreditation Committee, where she along with other State and Associate Directors conduct peer reviews of SBDC programs, nationwide. The accreditation process, funded by U S Small Business Administration and based on Baldrige standards of excellence, drives continuous improvement for SBDC across the country.

Prior to joining the MDSBDC, Ms. Brown practiced law at the Community Legal Services in Philadelphia PA, where she assisted low income individuals with issues ranging from family law, to Supplemental Security appeals and bankruptcy. While in business school, she began her pursuit of entrepreneurship development through the Urban Business Assistance Corporation by providing technical assistance to small businesses in New York City. In 1994, Ms. Brown joined Syndicated Communications, a venture capital firm that targets minority owned media communications companies, as an Investment Analyst. In 1996, Ms. Brown joined the Media Communications Group, a specialty-lending group affiliated with Signet Bank.

Ms. Brown received her B.A. in English from Howard University, J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her M.B.A. in Finance from New York University.

Ms. Brown participates in various civic groups in the Prince George’s County and the Washington DC area where she currently resides. Ms. Brown is a very active member of Metropolitan Baptist Church, where she currently serves on the Trustee Board. Currently, she serves as the Technology Committee chair of The Questers Inc., a small group of professional women who are dedicated to providing community service to the Washington DC area youth. Each year, the Questers host a fashion show luncheon to raise money for the Children’s Hospital and a four-year scholarship.

Paul Bardack is Executive Director of the Maryland Small Business Development Center.

His first career, in economic development, began in 1978 and during that career he served as Deputy HUD Assistant Secretary, as senior policy advisor to the New Jersey Governor, and on Capitol Hill he was instrumental in crafting the federal enterprise zone program.

Paul moved onto his second, distance learning, career in 1999. With a global reputation in that field, he has spoken internationally on eLearning public policy before UNESCO, Congress, the British House of Commons, and the Israeli Knesset.

Paul is a graduate of Yale College and American University Law School, and he is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.