David has been assisting the Small Business Development Center as a business analyst since April 2008. Prior to joining the SBDC staff, David was the director of a local business incubator. David worked for a local electronics manufacturer for thirteen years, where he held various managerial positions in marketing and business development. David has more than twenty years of experience in working in and consulting to small business and entrepreneurial enterprises.

David graduated from Baylor University in 1980 with a degree in finance. In 1988, David graduated from Penn State with an MBA.

 Denise Bechdel provides environmental consulting assistance to small businesses in north central Pennsylvania through the Penn State Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC's) Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP). She performs on-site pollution prevention and energy efficiency assessments and assists with regulatory compliance issues with small businesses. She has assisted over 348 small businesses and has performed 168 on-site assessments to improve environmental compliance, reduce energy consumption and associated costs, decrease pollution created and related costs, and improve worker health and safety since she joined the EMAP team in 2002.

Denise holds an Associate's degree in environmental technology from the Pennsylvania College of Technology and a Bachelor's degree in environmental resource management from Penn State. Prior to becoming an environmental consultant for the EMAP team in 2002, Denise was employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the waste management department for two years, all of which gives her an unusual depth of experience that benefits her clients.

To that end, three of Denise’s clients were national Energy Star® for Small Business award winners in 2006. Two of her clients received the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence: one in 2007 and one in 2008. Since 2005, fifty eight (58) of Denise’s clients have been approved for $1,209,794 in federal and state grants that enabled them to implement environmental and energy efficiency projects in their respective small businesses savings.

Furthermore, in 2009, Denise received her certification from The Association of Energy Engineers (AEEs) as a Certified Energy Auditor (CEA). AEE's certification programs are recognized by government agencies as the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as by Fortune 1000 corporations, utilities and energy service companies. In 2005, she received certification from the National Registry of Environmental Professionals as a Registered Environmental Manager (REM). This certification is one of the most respected credentials in the global environmental community and is recognized by many U.S. agencies, state governments, ministries of several foreign countries, and the private sector. In 2007, she received certification from the National Registry of Environmental Professionals as a Registered Environmental Property Assessor (REPA). Denise is also certified as a Hazardous Waste Operations Specialist.

Denise’s vast environmental experience, educational background, and prestigious certifications enable her to contribute effectively and efficiently to the small business community.

Since joining the SBDC in 2001, Heather has helped more than 400 small businesses implement renewable energy technologies, obtain funding for environmental and energy upgrades, reduce waste, improve compliance, protect their workers, and increase energy efficiency. Five of her clients were awarded the national Energy Star for Small Business awards in 2007-2009. Additionally, Heather has been provided Collaborator Recognition by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2007 and 2008 for her commitment to helping small businesses reduce energy consumption. The PA Business Central named Heather as one of the “Top 100” people in central Pennsylvania that fueled economic development in 2008.

In 2009, she was named as a Distinguished Partner of the Global Entrepreneurship Week/USA.

Heather has a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Penn State, a professional engineer license in Pennsylvania in environmental engineering, and almost 20 years of experience in pollution prevention, energy efficiency, and environmental compliance. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in energy and mineral engineering, with an option in environmental health and safety engineering, at Penn State.