Luke Kempen selected as new director of Wisconsin Small Business Development Center at UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wis. —Luke Kempen has been named director of the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Eau Claire, according to Durwin Long, director of continuing education and extension at the university. Kempen had been interim director since December 2013 and served as an Eau Claire-based small-business consultant prior to that.
Kempen possesses extensive business expertise in the areas of finance and accounting, leadership, strategic planning, project management and human resources.
His previous experience includes working in the audit division of a large international public accounting firm in Milwaukee and in senior leadership positions at several private companies in Eau Claire. Kempen also brings business ownership experience to his role as well, having started a company, which he built for five years and then sold for a profit.
“Luke has been a wonderful addition to the SBDC over the past year, first as a counselor and more recently as the interim director,” Long said. “He has impressed local entrepreneurs and members of the regional economic-development community with his financial-analysis skills and his keen ability to relate to the full range of needs among prospective entrepreneurs and small-business owners.”
Kempen received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from UW-Eau Claire in 1988. He is also a graduate of the Executive Leadership Development Program at UW-Madison and is a certified public accountant. He is currently pursuing a master’s of business administration degree at UW-Eau Claire.
The Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Eau Claire is part of a statewide network of SBDCs supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through no-cost, confidential consulting and targeted educational programs. Kempen and other SBDC experts facilitate improvement and growth for small and emerging midsize companies. The Wisconsin SBDC Network services include business-planning assistance, preparation and analysis of financial statements, marketing and sales advising, management and operational assessments, and exit planning.
The Wisconsin SBDC Network is a program of UW-Extension and is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The center at UW-Eau Claire serves small businesses in Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Rusk and Taylor counties in west-central Wisconsin. The services of the local SBDC are offered through UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education, located at 210 Water St., Eau Claire.
For more information about the Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Eau Claire, email ce@uwec.edu, call 715-836-5811 or visit wisconsinsbdc.org/eauclaire.
