America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Iowa has announced the appointment of Austin Strawhacker as its new state director. He succeeds Lisa Shimkat, who was recently appointed associate administrator of field operations and acting associate administrator for the Office of International Trade at the U.S. Small Business Administration. In his new role, Strawhacker will oversee a network of business counselors serving all 99 counties in Iowa. Strawhacker has more than six years of experience at the Iowa SBDC, serving most recently as associate state director since 2020. In that role, he managed operations across the statewide network of 15 regional centers and led the Federal and State Technology program, which helps connect entrepreneurs with critical funding opportunities through federal research and development programs. He also previously served as the SBDC’s regulatory data coordinator, supporting compliance, data management and performance tracking efforts critical to the organization’s growth and impact. Strawhacker brings a track record of strategic leadership, operational excellence and a deep understanding of Iowa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to the role, according to a news release.
