National 40 Under 40 winners include Missouri SBDC’s Sherry Noller and Travin Shelton

MISSOURI – The Missouri SBDC (Small Business Development Center) is proud to announce two SBDC team members will be recognized as Top 40 Under 40 Young Professionals by America’s SBDC. Congratulations to Sherry Noller, associate state director, and Travin Shelton, director of business growth services.

The America’s SBDC network is filled with talented young professionals who make significant contributions to their SBDC mission and local communities. To celebrate these achievements, America’s SBDC launched the Top 40 Under 40 Young Professionals Award, a recognition of SBDC staff from across the national network who demonstrate innovation, leadership, and commitment to the SBDC mission.

Shelton launched a program in 2020 named Elevate. The first cohort began in early 2021 supporting growing businesses coming out of the pandemic. Through Elevate, the Missouri SBDC provides more intense business counseling to second-stage businesses, in collaboration with the Edward Lowe Foundation. The program is bringing the Missouri SBDC credibility and the attention of businesses that have opportunities for high growth, which contributes to more jobs supported and increased sales. The program has been so successful that it has become a part of the Missouri SBDC’s annual grant proposal. Shelton lives and works in the Rolla metro area.

Noller has shown incredible drive and initiative as she moved into a leadership role far beyond the expectations of the associate state director of marketing and communications. During the global pandemic, she stepped up without being asked to serve a leadership role that allowed the Missouri SBDC to be a better organization coming out of the pandemic. When the program’s state director retired in May 2022, Noller was asked to serve as the interim state director where she continues to uphold and further the mission of the Missouri SBDC. Noller lives and works in the Joplin metro area.
Noller and Shelton will be recognized at the America's SBDC Annual Conference (https://americassbdc.org/conference-2022) in San Diego, California, on Thursday, Sept. 8, at a reception sponsored by Thryv (https://www.thryv.com)

America’s SBDC Winners announcement (https://americassbdc.org/40-under-40-awards/winners)

About the Missouri SBDC
The Missouri SBDC is here to help business owners and entrepreneurs get the information needed to make confident decisions and help Missouri businesses succeed. It doesn’t matter if the business is a metro area start up or a rural company looking to expand. The business experts of the Missouri SBDC are your neighbors, dedicated to helping businesses grow. missourisbdc.org The Missouri SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is a partner of the University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program.