Anne C. Shaw
About
Anne C. Shaw serves as State Director of the North Carolina Small Business Center Network (SBCN) for the North Carolina Community College System, where she leads one of the nation's most expansive state-funded small business assistance programs. Through North Carolina's network of 58 community colleges, the SBCN provides counseling, training, and resources that help entrepreneurs launch, grow, and strengthen their businesses while advancing economic development across the state.
With more than three decades of experience in entrepreneurship and small business development, Anne has dedicated her career to helping entrepreneurs realize their potential while strengthening North Carolina's small business community. Before becoming State Director, she established the Small Business Center at Coastal Carolina Community College in 1986 and served as its Director for more than 35 years. As Director of Economic Development, she also provided leadership for the college's NCEdge Customized Training Program and a satellite office of the North Carolina Military Business Center. Throughout her career, she has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners, providing guidance in business planning, strategic planning, financial management, marketing, and organizational development.
Anne earned her bachelor's degree from East Carolina University and completed the University of Georgia's Institute for Organization Management and the Georgia Institute of Technology's Economic Development Course. Her leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina's highest civilian honor, the Duke Citizenship and Service Award, the Athena Woman of the Year Award, the Linda L. Richardson Minority Business Advocate Award, and the North Carolina Small Business Center Network State Director Award.
Anne brings visionary leadership, decades of hands-on experience, and an unwavering commitment to helping entrepreneurs realize their potential while strengthening North Carolina's entrepreneurial ecosystem to the SBCN Startup Showdown leadership team.