Meet the Staff

ALAN BECKLEY • abeckley@ccccd.edu
Consultant - Patents, Inventions, New Product Development, Research, General Start-Up

"I enjoy meeting and helping people with interesting ideas and a passion to make a difference."

Alan Beckley, an experienced small business owner, has been counseling and consulting other small business owners with the SBDC for nine years.

After earning a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, Alan spent three years working as an aerospace engineer and about 20 years working in project management in the telecommunications industry. Then, he found a new passion - entrepreneurship.

Alan has owned three businesses including a candy and snack vending company and a specialty marketing company. His current endeavor is the development and marketing of his own patented wallet. Alan is a member of the Texas Inventors Association.

Alan enjoys being a part of the team at the SBDC and having the opportunity to work with and help other entrepreneurs in a collaborative environment.


MICHAEL DALEY • mdaley@ccccd.edu
Consultant - Financing, Business Plans, Turning around a Business, General Start-Up

"Education is one of the best investments a business person can make."

Michael Daley brings more than 32 years of business experience to the Collin SBDC. He has been a business consultant and seminar leader with the SBDC since 2005. Michael teaches workshops on How to Start a Small Business and Relationship Selling.

Michael gained valuable insight into setting up a business through his work in the sales and marketing division of a major automotive company. He served as a franchise manager, where he helped local dealers establish and grow their business. He consulted dealers on business plans, sales and profit forecasts, facility plans and timetables, among numerous other topics.

Michael earned his bachelor's degree in economics from Georgetown University, and later earned an MBA from Babson College. Following his retirement, Michael sought a position that allow him to contribute to the community by using the skills and knowledge he had gained over the years. Counseling small business owners with the SBDC provided the perfect opportunity to help others find success.


GLORIA DANIEL • gdaniel@ccccd.edu
Division Secretary

"This is a very rewarding job. I know I am helping others to accomplish their business goals and personal dreams!"

Gloria Daniel has been welcoming clients to the Small Business Development Center for more than five years as the division secretary. She assists clients by explaining services and connecting them with resources.

Prior to joining the team at Collin's Small Business Development Center, Gloria worked as an executive administrative assistant in sales and marketing for more than 25 years.

Gloria enjoys speaking with new and returning clients and looks forward to hearing the numerous success stories.


SHERRY DARDEN • sdarden@ccccd.edu
Consultant - Accounting, Financing, Marketing, General Start-Up

Sherry Darden is founder and owner of Darco Creations, Inc. and Hundredfold Return, Inc. Both are Dallas-based companies. The companies were founded in 1999 and 2005 prospectively. Both companies were founded to offer a multitude of consulting services exclusively for the small business sector ranging from tax preparation to business consulting, to a full menu of entrepreneur training. Darco Creations, Inc. serves cities as far as Washington, DC, while Hundredfold Return, Inc concentrates on the DFW metropolitan area exclusively.

Sherry comes from a family of educators, so offering training was a natural transition from an accounting career in corporate America to her training career in 1999 where she wrote 4 classes and taught them on line for Wilbur Wright City College in Chicago, Illinois.

As a Kansas City, Missouri native, Sherry began her tax practice in college for H&R Block at their world headquarters while attending college at University of Missouri in Kansas City and then later completing college at Central Missouri State University with a major in accounting.

Upon moving to Dallas in 1990, Sherry began her private tax preparation and bookkeeping practice on a part-time basis while working for Marriott Hotels, where she began her accounting career working as an assistant controller.

For the last 4 years, Darco Creations, Inc. offers various small business training programs through the Fort Worth Women’s Business Center on a monthly basis where Sherry serves as a trainer and business counselor. Sherry offered a small business tax workshop bimonthly through the Tarrant County College Small Business Development Center as well as a Small Business Finance workshop on a monthly basis for 6 years while she was certified as a senior business development specialist in 2007. In addition to serving her personal customers through her business, Sherry currently serves as a business consultant for the Collin Small Business Development Center providing many individuals with free counseling and training. Sherry teaches workshops on How to Start a Small Business, Start Smart Business Plan Writing, and the IRS Small Business Tax Workshop.

To learn more about what Hundredfold Return, Inc. offers or contact Sherry, please visit www.hundredfoldreturn.com.


Stephen Falldine • sfalldine@ccccd.edu
Consultant - Restaurants, Franchises, Marketing, General Start-Up

"I have a real respect for small business owners and entrepreneurs."

Stephen has more than 25 years of small business management experience. He desires to utilize his education, knowledge and energy to help business owners to profitably grow their operations.

Stephen’s diverse business background includes 20 years of experience in the food service industry. Eight of those years were served as general manager at the Castle at Canyon Creek – one of the most prestigious event planning /catering companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Prior to that Stephen held management positions with the Dallas Market Center and with the Brock Hotel Corporation in Hurst.

Upon exiting the food service industry, Stephen accepted a business consultant position in 2002 for the ServiceMaster Company. The ServiceMaster Company is a large franchising organization based in Memphis, TN that, for the past six years, has allowed Stephen to work with small- to medium-sized businesses throughout the United States.

Stephen, who is a Dale Carnegie Training public speaker and has a Six Sigma Black Belt, studied accounting and finance at the University of San Diego. He furthered his education at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at Arlington.


MARTA GOMEZ FREY • mfrey@ccccd.edu
Director

"Small businesses make up 99 percent of all businesses in the U.S., and they employ 50 percent of all American workers. In Collin County, we have the opportunity to reach more companies than ever before. It is my passion to help these entrepreneurs create dynamic economic impact in our community."

Marta Gómez Frey leads the team of consultants at the Collin Small Business Development Center.

Marta learned the ropes of running a small business working at her family's engineering design firm. Marta's father handled the technical projects, while Marta focused on the business aspects of the company.

Having graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in history, Marta received her business education from on-the-job training and community resources. She sought help from places like the SBDC to assist her in developing the company. Over 12 years, she progressed from an entry-level project manager to a vice president.

Marta's work with the family business led her to volunteer with various small business and minority business organizations. These experiences brought her to the Collin SBDC, where she started as a part-time consultant in 2000.

In 2002, Marta joined Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business as assistant director of the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, continuing her role of consulting new and growing businesses in North Texas. At SMU, Marta also developed and enhanced education and recognition programs dedicated to small business owners. She returned to the team at Collin's SBDC in 2006 as interim director, and she was named director in 2007.

Marta is eager to help new and existing Collin County businesses. The center offers free one-on-one counseling, low-cost or no-cost training opportunities, and access to several free research vehicles. Marta and the team of more than 15 consultants offer expertise in a variety of industries and in topics ranging from marketing to taxes to franchising.


JAMES TUCKER • jtucker@ccccd.edu
Consultant - Sales and Marketing

"So what? How’s that going to impact sales and profitability?."

James started selling door to door to work his way through college and has experience in selling, managing, or training in virtually every type of sales channel there is in the B2C and B2B environment, from retail and telemarketing to major account management, from agent selling to mechanization of sales processes, from selling, to sales management and training, to overseeing sales channels.

James earned his BA in Economics at UNT while working in a small business including 10+ years in Sr. Management retailing. His next 10+ years were in Fortune 50 management roles including sales (top Seller Nationally B2B, Major Accounts), sales management, sales operations, marketing, training (Presidents Award for measured success), and business analyst positions in both consumer and B2B arenas. He recently played a key role through Sales Ops in development of AT&T bundling of products for consumer channel. Acting as an internal consultant, he managed multiple operational issues, including creating mechanized processes for sales, developing web tool, web interface, automated delivery of product, development of human performance processes at point of sale and management processes. This was achieved in a resistant, highly charged, high political environment with enormous success. Operating revenue went from 0 to over $1B in less than 2 years utilizing existing call centers with over 20K sellers.

James has consulted with over 200 clients with sharp focus on identifying gaps in performance and process in marketing and sales, then offering specific solutions that are attainable, actionable steps for immediate and affordable implementation.


ROBERT 'BOB' ZACNY • rzacny@ccccd.edu
Consultant - Partnerships, Technology Companies, Stock Options, Management, General Start-Up

"I enjoy the success of our clients as they work hard to develop their business enterprises. Many times I believe we have been a major contributor to their success by injecting them with the acumen and direction they often need to move forward in their pursuits. It's great to see them succeed."

Robert Zacny is a business owner, business counselor and seasoned industry executive. He has been serving Collin County as a business consultant and seminar leader with the SBDC for four years.

Bob studied electrical engineering at the University of Illinois, but soon found out in industry that his real forté was management. He subsequently returned to school, receiving his MBA from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 1988.

After a tour with the U.S. Army and several years at McDonnell-Douglas, he joined Raytheon E-Systems in Dallas in 1969 as a systems engineer. He ultimately became chief executive of Serv-Air, Inc., an aircraft modification and maintenance company. Leaving Raytheon in 1997, Bob started a publishing firm as well as a management consulting practice, which he still runs.

Bob presents seminars on How to Start a Business, as well as workshops on How to Market and Grow an Enterprise and The Art Of Negotiation. In addition to serving as a 'business therapist' to industry, he is also a speaker and writer on many subjects with special emphasis on leadership, motivation and marketing.
 

OUR SPECIALTY VOLUNTEERS

In addition to our certified consultants, the Collin SBDC also utilizes the skills and knowledge of several volunteer counselors, working with SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) to provide confidential assistance and counseling at no charge.

To learn more about SCORE, visit their website at www.SCORE.org

Collin SBDC also has several volunteer attorneys and CPA’s who offer one counseling session, free of charge, to provide genera legal advice and accounting assistance for your small business.

Terry Traveland has been practicing law since 1994 as an experienced corporate, mergers & acquisitions and securities law attorney. She provides advice to entrepreneurs on a broad range of issues including, business formation and planning, employment law, protection of intellectual property, purchases and sales of businesses, commercial transactions and contracts, loans and leases, and non-profit corporations.

Neifach & Associates, P.C. is a Certified Public Accounting firm concentrating in providing accounting, tax and consulting services to individuals, businesses and Non Profit Organizations in the North Texas area. The firm has provided volunteer services to the Collin SBDC for over 10 years.

OrangeCast is a Dallas-based social media marketing agency specializing in the application of social media to corporate marketing programs. Their specialized service areas include reputation management, blog consulting, and development.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment with our volunteers, please call our office at (972) 985-3770.

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