Operation Startup: Small and Home Based Business Expo

Gregory Black is a native of Owensboro, Kentucky. He attended Eastern Kentucky University on a football scholarship and graduated in 1978 with a bachelor’s in communications degree. He later earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Troy University.

After college, he joined the Navy and completed Navy Officer Candidate School. He then successfully completed the Navy’s intense diver training school and became the third Black Deep Sea Diving Officer in the Navy’s history.

After serving 21 years as a diving officer, Black retired as a Navy Commander in 2000. After military service he taught high school, college and ran a nonprofit agency for youth.

In 2014, Black moved here to Savannah and later founded Patriot Precision Printing which has grown steadily each year and has numerous repeat commercial and government clients.

One of the unique aspects of Patriot Precision Printing is the numerous socio-economic government certifications that assist the company in government contracting. These include SBA 8(a) Participant, HUBZone certified with HUD and SBA Service-Disabled Owned Small Business. On a state level, he is certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise or DBE.

In addition to continuing to grow is local printing market, the company is now focused on using their array of certifications to grow in the government contracting market as well. 

Catherine Blake serves as Georgia Southern University's Business Innovation Group (BIG) Hinesville Incubator Manager. In her role, she consults early-stage companies to start, grow and accelerate thus contributing to the economic engine, creating jobs and inspiring innovation. 

Ms. Blake has deep experience with FORTUNE 500 companies plus start-ups and private ventures.   She founded Sales Protocol International and The Institute for Executive Women and has served on non-profit boards such as NH Tech Alliance, Boys & Girls Club, Girl's Inc., and Harvard University's Alumni Board. 

Ms. Blake graduated from The Harvard Extension School's graduate certificate program in Business Administration and Management. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (B.A.) from Pine Manor College, in New England.

She received the Outstanding Women in Business Award from The New Hampshire Business Review to "celebrate women who have truly excelled, not only in their professional lives, but as leaders and role models." 

True to her values, she spent the last five years volunteering for the juvenile court CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in Liberty County to help children find a stable, safe and loving home environment.

Financial Readiness is just one of the many programs ACS offers.

FR provides personal financial and consumer affairs counseling, through prevention and education programs, as well as emergency financial assistance through Army Emergency Relief (AER) to eligible Service Members, their dependents, DoD Civilians, and Retirees.

The mission of ACS is to facilitate the Commander's ability to provide comprehensive standardized, coordinated and responsive services that support Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, and families regardless of geographical location and to maximize technology and resources, eliminate duplication in service of delivery and measure service effectiveness.

Our mission at ACS is to prepare and empower our Total Military Family to meet the challenges of military life by providing essential programs, resources, and services that enhance knowledge, life skills, well-being, quality of life, and retention.

ACS supports the Commander's ability to sustain mission readiness to fight and win on any battlefield.

Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom (CB2TB) is a remarkable organization co-founded by the user, dedicated to empowering and supporting military veterans in their transition from service to successful careers in the corporate world. The organization operates with a mission encapsulated in the acronym P.R.O.S.P.E.R. (Preparation, Resilience, Opportunity, Support, Purpose, Empowerment, Reintegration). CB2TB strives to prepare veterans for civilian employment, cultivate resilience in the face of challenges, create opportunities for professional growth, provide essential support networks, instill a sense of purpose in their post-military lives, empower them with the necessary skills and confidence, and facilitate a smooth reintegration into civilian society. Through its comprehensive approach, Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom aims to bridge the gap between military service and corporate success, ensuring that veterans not only find meaningful employment but thrive in their new roles. To learn more about their impactful work, visit www.cb2tb.com

Kathy Villafane is the Broker of the Real Estate Resource Center of South Georgia. She is very passionate about her profession and believes it's ALL ABOUT YOU and your needs.

In 2016 Kathy established her own business called the Real Estate Resource Center of South Georgia. She has since hired a team of professionals and support staff to assist her.

In 2019 Kathy was hand selected to be an Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) with Dave Ramsey, where she is number one in her local market which includes Savannah, Richmond Hill, Hinesville, and other surrounding areas.

Throughout her years, Kathy has received many accolades for her hard work and dedication to her clients. Some of her most recent accomplishments include being awarded “2021 Business Leader of the Year” from the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce as well as Coastal Courier’s Best of Liberty in Real Estate, which she has won for 6 consecutive years (2017-2022). In May of 2022 she was awarded “Veterans United Top 50 Network Agent,” For her production in 2021. Other accomplishments include Coastal Courier’s Best in Customer Service in 2017, Small Business Person of the Year from Liberty County Chamber of Commerce in 2015, REALTOR of the year in 2008 and Rookie of the Year in 2006.

Kathy loves being involved in her community and has served on several different boards. She currently serves at the state level for the Georgia Association of REALTORS on the Professional Standards Committee. During 2019 and 2020, Kathy has served as the Chairman of the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce. She also served as the President of the Hinesville Area Board of REALTORS in 2011. According to Kathy, her most important accomplishments are being married to a Retired Military Veteran, their two daughters, and being an active member of Live Oak Church of God since 2006.

Michael grew up on Long Island, NY.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Moravian College and his masters degree from Temple University. Michael began his career in healthcare management with NIH’s National Cancer Institute. He then served as Executive Officer of Florida’s Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Medical Center.  

Michael began the IT side of his career as a Medical Marketing Specialist for IBM. After leaving IBM, Michael combined his healthcare and IT skills by managing his own successful home healthcare business. During the rest of Michael’s 40-year career, he served as Chief Information Officer for several large national and regional healthcare organizations, including Interim Services, Maxim Healthcare Services, and Savannah’s Memorial Health. Michael rounded out his career as a successful Healthcare IT Consultant.

Michael “retired” in January of 2015 but is as busy as ever. He volunteers for several non-profit organizations, including Savannah SCORE. Michael has been a Certified SCORE mentor since 2013. He served as Chapter Chair from 2017 to 2021. Under Michael’s leadership, the chapter was named “2019 Mid-Market Chapter of the Year”, and was designated as a Diamond Level Chapter, an honor achieved by fewer than 10% of SCORE’s 240 chapters around the country. In 2023, Michael was appointed SCORE Associate District Director for the State of Georgia.  Michael believes strongly in SCORE’s mission and the organization’s commitment to helping aspiring entrepreneurs realize their dreams.

Michael and his wife, Gail, have lived in Savannah for 17 years. They have been married for 46 years and have a married daughter who lives in Maryland with Michael and Gail’s grand-dog and two grand-cats.

Julie is married to Jeff Dawson and they have 3 children. Julie’s vision with all of her endeavors is to create a 'destination' experience when creating and operating businesses. "My Father instilled this in me at a young age with the festival we held for many years at our family farm Tea Grove Plantation called Old South Farm Days."

Julie Norman Dawson is currently operating four businesses with her husband that have shown double digit increases in sales over the last 4 years. Her current business adventures include the following:

Dawson’s General Store – a thriving General Store located in Walthourville that since 2019 has grown into over a 15,000sf diversified hardware, animal health, hunting supply, feed & seed and garden supply store. It also features a roughly 7,000sf men’s, women’s and children’s clothing department along with a full line of boots and shoes for the family.

Bootleggers Package Store – a large liquor, wine and beer store that has grown since 2019 from a 1800sf house to over a 7,000sf store located in Walthourville.

American Fence Company – a fence installation company they have been operating since 1996 and where it all began.

Whiskey Business – a thriving liquor, wine and beer store located in Statesboro, GA that opened in Jan of 2023 and quickly grew into a multi-million-dollar company.

Julie also manages her father, Danny Norman’s, rental management company, Norman Realty and Management, since 1995 when she was first licensed as a Real Estate Agent. Julie graduated in 1991 from Bradwell Institute with a college prep seal and went on to further her education at Georgia Southern University. She graduated from there in 1995 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a major in Finance with an emphasis in Real Estate. While in college she attended real estate school where she finished in January 1995 and began her real estate career. In 1999, she expanded her real estate knowledge and obtained her GRI (Graduate of REALTOR Institute) and then she obtained her Associate Brokers license immediately after. Julie was a very successful Real Estate salesperson for 21 years until 2016 when the family business started taking more time than she had available. She did continue for a short time handling her personal customers until 2020 when it became to much. She does however continue to manage the rental department where they currently handle over 400 rental units for her and her father personally as well as other investors.

While she was a REALTOR, Julie served as the 2004 President of the Hinesville Area Board of Realtors and held numerous positions on the board during her 21 years. She was over a Million Dollar producer every year during her real estate career. In 2013, Julie wanted to give back to her community, so she successfully ran for the Long County Board of Education where she served for 8 years. She served as the Vice-Chairman of the Board in 2017.

She is a member of the Long County Chamber of Commerce as well as the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce. She has held positions also on the R C & D Board.

Meet Paden Sickles, a dynamic active-duty Female Army Officer and the brilliant mind behind SickFit, a socks and streetwear company with a powerful purpose!

Paden isn't your run-of-the-mill entrepreneur; she is a true force of nature!Her dedication to serving her country as an Army Officer is awe-inspiring, a dedication she seamlessly channels into SickFit. What sets SickFit apart is its purpose – a purpose deeply rooted in empowering individuals and fostering a vibrant sense of community. Through her designs, Paden weaves narratives of inclusivity, resilience, and empowerment that resonate with souls from every corner of life. With her unique blend of military discipline, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering commitment to social change, Paden has cultivated a brand that stands tall and proud in the competitive world of streetwear.

Paden Sickles graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and commissioned in the United States Army upon graduation. She continued her education at Northern Kentucky University and received her Master's in Business Administration, specializing in Finance and is currently pursuing her doctoral.

A Louisville, KY native; She has two brothers and a sister who keep her on her toes! Paden is a world traveler, avid sneaker collector, loves connecting with people, mentoring kids, attending NFL games because the North Carolina Panthers are her JAM!! But nothing is more important than her role as dog Mom to her beautiful baby boy Geno! Paden is a “fit food” connoisseur because her health and fitness is not a game! She never meets a stranger; her energy is magnetic, and her smile is infectious! She keeps her energy high and positive and if you don’t possess high-octane energy, then you are playing life too small for Paden!