Corridor Staff

For over 30 years, Mr. Kyle Bayliss has been a thought leader in the areas of business management consulting, international business development, high-tech innovation and award-winning marketing strategy.

Mr. Bayliss is the Regional Director for the Maryland Small Business Development Center,Corridor Region, located at the University of Maryland College Park and the University of Maryland Baltimore. The region includes Montgomery, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Howard counties and Baltimore City.

Mr. Bayliss holds an MBA from the University of Maryland University College of Management and Technology and a B.S. from Oklahoma State University with credentials in the University of Maryland Innovation Management, National Association of Seed and Venture Funds and the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer certification programs.

Sandra Conaway, Director of Finance & Administration and Assistant Director of the MD Central Region Small Business & Technical Development Center has been with the program since it was housed under the Department of Economic and Employment Development in the early 1990s. She brings over 20 years of knowledge in business and management. She manages the overall administrative operations of the organization including: budgeting, grant management, business planning, human resource management and is a management liaison for the Regional Director. She is considered the glue that holds the region together.

Prior to her role as Assistant Director, Sandra provided a vast array of technical assistance services to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the Central Region when she was the office manager. She takes pride in helping entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and encouraging them to remain competitive in a complex, ever-changing global marketplace creating wealth and job opportunities.

In recognition to her years of service and dedication to the SBTDC, Sandra was awarded the Maryland State Star for 2008 and was honored at the ASBDC conference in Chicago, IL. She serves on the Central Region Advisory Board as an advocate to develop a cooperative and supportive system for small businesses on issues impacting the local small business community. Sandra is always, eager and willing to share her knowledge, inspire excellence, and champion a compelling vision for the mission of the MD Small Business Technology and Development program.

Grier Melick is a business consultant for the Corridor Region Small Business Development Center. Grier’s specialties are capital budgeting and financial planning. Whether your lean start up needs to create a budget, or your established company is looking to grow and expand Grier can assist you take your business to the next level.

Grier grew up working for his parents manufacturing business, helping it to grow and expand; and is still active in the business today he currently sits on the company’s advisory board and acts as its treasurer. Grier has helped start and grow businesses from rural Pennsylvania, to Palo Alto, and stays active in the business and financial communities.

Grier holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in entrepreneurship and a Master’s of Finance from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

Craig Panos has been a business counselor with the SBDC since 2007. In the 25 years prior to his joining the SBDC, Craig held management and executive positions in the technology, real estate and database marketing industries - most recently as Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer of Owings Mills-based Noospherics Technologies, Inc. As a multi-national business owner himself since 1981, and having been involved with small business operations since the age of 15, Craig has watched many businesses succeed and has been a high-impact team player in many success stories. He is a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), and holds a B.A. degree from Western Maryland College and an MBA from the Cornell University Johnson School of Management.

Villamil has served as the Marketing and Training Coordinator and Business Counselor the Maryland Small Business Development Center’s corridor Region, University Maryland. Villamil has been a Business Counselor focusing on the Hispanic Business Community for the total of 7 years. During this time achieved high results in clients opening business, number of loans, business increasing number of employees, total hours counseling and translating all documents from English to Spanish for Latino clients. Currently is project manager of MD SBTDC Hispanic Business Center.

Villamil selected to receive the “2009 Minority Small Business Champion of the Year Award” from the Small Business Administration.

Villamil received a national award in 2008 from the Small Business Administration for translating Form 641 from English to Spanish for use across the United States.

Villamil was recognized as the Regional Star for the corridor Region in 2008 based on her outstanding small business assistance performance and State Star in MD SBDC network in 2009.

In the past 7 years at the corridor Region SBDC Villamil has created excellent network relations with government and particularly with other Latino organizations in business, educative and community areas. Villamil has created strategic alliances to reach clients and advertise SBDC in Latino community using: TV, radio, newsletters, magazines and online websites that contribute to have extensive number of clients.

Villamil is participating in several activities, conferences, videos and meetings representing SBTDC corridor Region in an initiative from USA State Department to implement same model in Hispanic countries and create the global America SBDC for international trade. Collaborating in special with Salvador, Colombia and Peru.

Villamil has a certificate in Mediation from Montgomery College which assists her in serving the Latino community to solve conflicts and other issues between business partners.

Prior to joining the SBDC in 2006, Mrs.Villamil’s professional experience includes more that 27 years of business consulting and teaching at the University level in Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Paraguay.

Mrs. Villamil’s education includes a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s of Science in Finance from the University of Havana, in Cuba. She also has her Master’s in Administration of Research and Economic in Mexico and a Master’s of Pedagogy- Education from Pacific University in Paraguay.

Mrs. Villamil has written two books, developed educational materials and curriculum for projects with the Inter-American Development Bank and the European Union.

Mrs. Villamil was also the Manager of the Chaska South America, a company located in Peru, which focuses on exporting fine handcrafted products to European countries.

Brandon is a successful entrepreneur with deep experience in start-ups, technology, government, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts and Math)-related job growth. Brandon is passionate about the sustainable growth of downtown and rural communities as well as working with entrepreneurs to achieve their goals. He serves as an SBDC expert in technology related businesses as a result of his extensive knowledge of patent-based technologies.

Brandon supports economic growth through workshops, networking events, one-on-one counseling, and maximizing resources for clients. He also assists with obtaining SBA loans for clients to finance their business, helping with patents and technology transfer, and attracting new businesses to Frederick and Howard Countues while helping existing businesses to be more successful. His primary focus is promoting job creation, business starts, sales growth, and capital infusion for small businesses. Brandon holds a master's degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a bachelors degree in Political Science focused on public policy from West Virginia University.

Business Consultant for the Small Business Development Center Of the University Of Maryland College Park.

Small Business Counselor for the Corridor Region for two years.

Previously a Small Business lender and Team Lead for twenty plus years.

BS from Bowie State University, Graduate Degree in finance from American Institute of Banking and an Omega Certificate in Accounting and commercial lending.

Bill Freeman is a Business Consultant for the Corridor Region of the Maryland Small Business Development Center working with clients and businesses in the Baltimore City area. Additionally, Bill presents and facilitates various presentations/workshops on business start-ups and funding a business venture. He is housed at the GRID (Graduate Research Innovation District) on Baltimore’s west side. The GRID is a space where start-ups, students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs, and businesses connect to bring ideas to advance change through education, training and funding opportunities.

Bill provides no cost counseling services and market research to start-ups, potential and existing businesses in the Baltimore City community. Other services he provides includes; developing and updating business plans, creating marketing strategies, identifying and accessing sources of capital, 8(a) & MBE application reviews, preparing loan funding packages, and refining other business services as required. With more than twenty years of financial services experience, he offers expertise in: underwriting, commercial lending, small business development, financial analysis and portfolio administration.

Prior to joining the SBDC, Bill was a Commercial Relationship Manager for SunTrust Bank, and First Union Bank. Earlier in his career, he held mid-level positions at several highly regarded national/regional banking institutions in the Baltimore-Washington area. He has extensive experience working with small businesses, as well as, community based and nonprofit organizations.

Bill began his banking career as an Assistant National Bank Examiner for the Comptroller of the Currency, United States Treasury Department. In that capacity, he examined National Banks throughout the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

He earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a minor in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University.

Mr. Gabe Omaru is the business the consultant for Baltimore City, focusing on new ventures and business starts. He also works with new startup clients in Baltimore County. Gabe consults with potential and current small business owners on issues such as business planning, financial planning, marketing plan development, market research and strategy, loan packaging, and economic data analysis. Gabe also teaches various seminars in the Baltimore city areas, all for the purpose of facilitating startup and growth.

Gabe Omaru grew up working for his parent’s retail business. He managed and co-run a family owned venture for a few years while in college. Prior to joining SBDC, Gabe also worked in the private sector as a marketing associate, a customer relations specialist and as a mid-level manager within the airline industry. Later in his career, Gabe worked in the retail and hospitality industry in a variety of sales and supervisory roles. Moreover, Gabe’s years of experience include working for non-profit organizations, where he assisted in coordinating community activities and managing client portfolios. Gabe’s business development skills include company branding, traditional advertising campaigns, web and social media marketing, SEO, public relations and more.

Gabe OMaru holds a Bachelor degree in Communications from the University of the District of Columbia a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) and an MBA from the University of Baltimore.

Candace Pruett is a business consultant for the Corridor Region Small Business Development Center covering Anne Arundel County. Her office is located at the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation in Annapolis. Whether your early stage company is inventing technology that has never existed or expanding the scope of an application, she can assist you grow your entrepreneurial dream into a viable business venture.

She has experience with assisting clients with projected cash flows, research, and business plans. Candace has been in two Business Plan competitions herself. She also has assisted clients for other Entrepreneurial competitions including pitching sessions for clients who have entered in the television show Shark Tank.

Candace holds a bachelor’s degree in Management with finance as her minor and a MBA from Salisbury University. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Management at the University of Maryland University College. She also is involved with the Entrepreneurial Program at Anne Arundel Community College, where she also is an adjunct professor.

In the Maryland SBDC, Candace is a “Regional Technology Liaison” for her region. Being an RTL, she has been through various trainings on how to identify a technology client, assessing their stage, identifying resources to assist them through commercialization, and pitching to investors. She works with a variety of tech clients from different industries including the medical field, cybersecurity, and fashion. She mentions, “I love my job. I never know when I will meet the next Kevin Plank.”

LaKia Bourne is a Part-time Business Consultant for the Maryland Small Business Development Center, Corridor Region, located at Anne Arundel County Community College. LaKia specializes in helping entrepreneurs with cash flow projections, accounting software support, business plans, and scaling their business for growth.

LaKia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and her Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Bowie State University. LaKia is also a QuickBooks Certified Pro Advisor. She has over 20 year of experience in accounting working with public accounting firms, privately held companies and small businesses. LaKia enjoys working with entrepreneurs at any stage in their business life cycle.