Name: Tara Carr
Position at UWGB: Small Business Development Center Director
Summary of what you do: Provide leadership, vision and strategy for the SBDC. Work with entrepreneurs and business owners to achieve their goals, manage grants and budgets, reporting, oversee staff, implement and deliver professional programs, facilitate the business plan writing program, conduct outreach and advocacy for the SBDC. I also teach 6 credits a year for the Cofrin School of Business.
How long have you been employed: Hired as the SBDC Director three years ago (as of April 2019).
Three words that describe you: Driven, hardworking, insightful
Personal interests: Travel, home remodeling, foodie, kayaking, golfing
Random facts/interests: I adopted my younger brother when he was 12. In jest, my close friends refer to him as my son-brother.
Any favorite line from a movie? “You’re wishin’ too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
Are you messy or organized? My house is very clean and I do not like anything on the counters. My closet only has wooden hangers and clothing is hung by type and by color. Towels need to be folded a certain way. My office, however, is a beautiful mass of collected piles of information.
Do you have a favorite quote? “Identify your problems, but give your power and energy to solutions.” – Tony Robbins
What books are at your bedside? Daring Greatly – Brene Brown, In Pieces – Sally Field, Becoming – Michelle Obama, Yes, Ma’am – Susan Bickett, Leadership Without Easy Answers- Heifetz
What phobias do you have? Claustrophobia, mild ophidiophobia (snakes), and Cleithrophobia (fear of being trapped)
What places have you lived in? Upstate New York, Bennington and Manchester Vermont, Findlay and Lima Ohio, Saginaw Michigan, Eagan Minnesota, Beloit and Appleton Wisconsin.
What would you like to be famous for? I have zero desire to be famous. As an introvert, I prefer to be behind the scenes making things happen and getting things done. If I HAD to be famous, it would be about making a positive impact on people’s lives and being the difference maker.
If you were an animal what would you be? My dog! She has the best life.
What’s on your bucket list? Top five: Bike the Camino de Santiago, visit all 50 states (7 more to go), watch baby turtles hatch, attend Albuquerque balloon festival, play with a baby elephant
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast as you? Charlize Theron! She has the amazing ability to transform herself to portray various characters and change her appearance to play the part.
Where is your home town? Hoosick Falls, NY
Where would you like to go on a dream vacation? African safari or Thailand Elephant Nature Park