Meet Our Team

Shannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

Jerry Hollister became a Co-Owner of BBCetc in October 2023, six years after joining BBCetc in late 2017.  Jerry leads the customer development efforts at BBCetc and the NSF/DOD/DOE/USDA Team that supports clients applying to these four Agencies.  He led the 2021 Catalyst Award effort that continues as the Women-CAN program funded by the SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund and leads the Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Program for NOAA Phase I awardees.  He currently serves as a reviewer for NSF, DOE, USDA and NOAA and regularly speaks about SBIR/STTR at several national conferences.

Jerry started his career as a commissioned officer in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps.  Before his Honorable Discharge, he served as a warranted Contracting Officer for DOD. Prior to joining BBCetc, Jerry was Chief Operating Officer for Michigan-based Niowave, a developer of superconducting accelerators, where he worked to build the start-up company from 2008-17. During his tenure, Jerry led the Niowave SBIR team that received over 45 SBIR/STTR awards worth over $20 million and Niowave was named the Department of Energy 2010 SBIR/STTR Small Business of the Year.  He remains on the Niowave Board of Directors and was a key contributor to Niowave receiving two Phase III Cooperative Agreements with the National Nuclear Security Administration totaling $28 million. Niowave has also recently signed multiple long-term radioisotope supply agreements that could cumulatively exceed $500 million over the next decade.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Jerry has been in key leadership positions for two companies that have received the Tibbetts Award from the SBA for excellence in SBIR/STTR:  Niowave in 2016 and BBCetc in 2020. jerry@bbcetc.com

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Shannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

Andrea is a BBCetc Principal Consultant with over 25 years of experience in leading international collaborative research projects. Prior to joining BBCetc in 2006, she was responsible for developing a portfolio of agricultural biotechnology projects at Michigan State University’s Institute of International Agriculture, and for reporting to federal funding agencies about the program. Andrea has also served as a consultant on a broad range of issues relating to international agricultural development, biotechnology, biosafety, intellectual property rights and technology transfer. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Reading University, UK, a Masters in Plant Pathology from Cornell University, and a Master of Arts in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University, UK. andrea@bbcetc.com

Amanda Barnhart joined BBCetc as Principal Consultant in 2020 after serving as the Director of Business Development and Regulatory Affairs for a Michigan manufacturing facility producing medical isotopes for cancer therapy. In addition to her directorial responsibilities, Amanda worked as a nuclear engineer, project manager, and program manager to secure over $60 million in Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and private investor funds. Her grant writing and negotiation skills have won over 30 Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III contracts through the SBIR/STTR program and she has managed the post-award administration process for five universities and six national laboratories. Amanda secured three licenses and 20 amendments from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and established facility registration and Drug Master Files with the Food and Drug Administration. She has an Executive MBA in Integrative Management from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. amanda@bbcetc.com

Jerry Hollister became a Co-Owner of BBCetc in October 2023, six years after joining BBCetc in late 2017.  Jerry leads the customer development efforts at BBCetc and the NSF/DOD/DOE/USDA Team that supports clients applying to these four Agencies.  He led the 2021 Catalyst Award effort that continues as the Women-CAN program funded by the SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund and leads the Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Program for NOAA Phase I awardees.  He currently serves as a reviewer for NSF, DOE, USDA and NOAA and regularly speaks about SBIR/STTR at several national conferences.

Jerry started his career as a commissioned officer in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps.  Before his Honorable Discharge, he served as a warranted Contracting Officer for DOD. Prior to joining BBCetc, Jerry was Chief Operating Officer for Michigan-based Niowave, a developer of superconducting accelerators, where he worked to build the start-up company from 2008-17. During his tenure, Jerry led the Niowave SBIR team that received over 45 SBIR/STTR awards worth over $20 million and Niowave was named the Department of Energy 2010 SBIR/STTR Small Business of the Year.  He remains on the Niowave Board of Directors and was a key contributor to Niowave receiving two Phase III Cooperative Agreements with the National Nuclear Security Administration totaling $28 million. Niowave has also recently signed multiple long-term radioisotope supply agreements that could cumulatively exceed $500 million over the next decade.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Jerry has been in key leadership positions for two companies that have received the Tibbetts Award from the SBA for excellence in SBIR/STTR:  Niowave in 2016 and BBCetc in 2020. jerry@bbcetc.com

Monique has 22 years of experience in the DOD and government sector. Monique joined the United States Air Force in 1999 in the Battle Management Command and Control field and has an M.B.A in Aviation from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. While in the Air Force she served as a Quality Assurance personnel of government contracts and a Resource Management Officer. Monique transitioned her career from military to government Prime Contractor at Raytheon, capturing and managing DOD Command and Control Contracts. Monique moved to the Air Force Space and Missile System Center (SMC) and became the SBIR/STTR commercialization expert. Monique’s work was instrumental in finding leveraged funding from government, academic, and private sectors, as well as writing intricate transition management plans led to the successful commercialization of SBIR topics such as DSS, Roll-Out Solar Array, which is utilized on the International Space Station. Monique was able to garner leveraged funding for commercialization for over 20 SBIR topics in the highly regulated and risk averse space sector. She later became the Program Manager at SMC for SMC University, which provided educational classes to contractors and government personnel on acquisitions and contract management. Monique has received awards from SMC for Innovation and leadership. Monique has an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force. Monique@bbcetc.com

Abe joined BBCetc in 2024, bringing over a decade of experience in developing and commercializing products for the aerospace and defense sectors, with a specific focus on serving government customers. As an accomplished business, product, and strategy manager, Abe has an extensive track record of leveraging SBIR funding to drive innovation and help small businesses transition their technologies to market. His expertise lies in fostering strong customer relationships, identifying new opportunities, and aligning technical solutions with the needs of government clients. Abe’s experience includes crafting compelling, competitive SBIR proposals and ensuring compliant execution of funded programs, positioning him as a valuable resource for businesses navigating the SBIR process. Abe@bbcetc.com

Phil joined BBCetc in 2024 as an Adjunct Consultant with over 20 years’ experience in economic development and technology company support.  In his various roles at the Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC) he managed the “Tech Team” of consultants that supports early stage tech companies throughout Michigan; led the launch of the Emerging Technologies Fund which provides commercialization funding to SBIR/STTR awardees; led the launch of the Business Accelerator Fund which provides grants to Michigan’s business accelerators to support their high-tech clients; and managed the “Growth Team” of consultants that supports Michigan small businesses of 10-or-more employees.  He is a past president of Ann Arbor’s New Enterprise Forum, a past Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Smart Zone Local Development Finance Authority, and a current member of the Board of Directors of Recycle Ann Arbor.  Phil has served on BBCetc’s Advisory Board since 2012 and is thrilled to take on this hands-on position with the team.  He has a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Phil@bbcetc.com

Megan joined BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting as a Principal Consultant in 2019 with a wealth of experience in leading biological technologies on the path to commercialization. As CEO of FibrosIX Inc., a Michigan company developing compounds for the treatment or prevention of fibrosis-related disorders, Megan was involved in all aspects of planning and operation of the company. This included writing an SBIR grant proposal, which was awarded from the National Cancer Institute. Her prior experience includes serving as an Entrepreneur in Residence for Michigan State University’s Spartan Innovations where she assisted MSU researchers in translating their technologies into startup businesses. While at MSU, she managed the launch of two startups and assisted in preparation of both NIH and NSF SBIR/STTR proposals. A former Research Associate of the Scripps Research Institute, Megan received a B.S degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a PhD from Boston University. megan@bbcetc.com

Jodi joined BBCetc in 2016 to help us with such things as CMS maintenance, billing support, contract support/management, training arrangements, webinar support, and other needed assistance to keep us organized and running smoothly. In addition to her behind-the-scenes responsibilities, Jodi is also the first point of contact for many of our callers, providing information and connecting them with the appropriate consultant to respond their inquiry. Her positive attitude and readiness to help enables the BBCetc staff to focus on the needs of our clients and operate more efficiently. jodi@bbcetc.com

Amy joined BBCetc after 13 years at medical research company and multiple SBIR awardee, NeuroNexus Technologies, where she was most recently Senior Sales and Marketing Associate. In this role, she was responsible for development of trade show and promotional materials, web presence, management of customer and distributor relationships, order processing and revenue tracking, and other marketing tasks. At BBCetc, Amy focuses on the Michigan SBIR/STTR Assistance Program, which makes BBCetc’s training and one-on-one proposal support available to Michigan-based technology companies. She handles outreach to partner organizations and other stakeholders, manages BBCetc’s Michigan training programs, and manages marketing communications. Amy is a graduate of Washtenaw Community College. amy@bbcetc.com

hannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

Antonia joined BBCetc in 2023 as an accountant with over nine years of accounting and bookkeeping experience. Previous experience includes serving as a Live Bookkeeper at Intuit, coaching and assisting QuickBooks users.  Antonia was employed for many years with a startup technology company as the Accountant and Social Media Specialist but also assisted in multiple positions such as sales support, customer service, and developing operational processes. Her experience has spanned across a variety of industries including oil and gas, biotechnology, construction, and hospitality that included assisting with federal and state tax filings. Antonia received an Associate in Arts from Houston Community College, a Bachelor of Business Administration from LeTourneau University, a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and is currently pursuing her Master of Accountancy at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. antonia@bbcetc.comAntonia joined BBCetc in 2023 as an accountant with over nine years of accounting and bookkeeping experience. Previous experience includes serving as a Live Bookkeeper at Intuit, coaching and assisting QuickBooks users.  Antonia was employed for many years with a startup technology company as the Accountant and Social Media Specialist but also assisted in multiple positions such as sales support, customer service, and developing operational processes. Her experience has spanned across a variety of industries including oil and gas, biotechnology, construction, and hospitality that included assisting with federal and state tax filings. Antonia received an Associate in Arts from Houston Community College, a Bachelor of Business Administration from LeTourneau University, a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and is currently pursuing her Master of Accountancy at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. antonia@bbcetc.com

hannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

hannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

hannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

hannon Bass joined BBCetc in April 2018 bringing with her 28 years of management experience in the biotechnology industry and as an independent SBIR/STTR consultant. She holds B.S degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky. Her career began with an animal health start-up out of the University of Kentucky, which was later purchased by Neogen Corporation. She continued in senior management with Neogen for 17 years in the areas of quality control/ assurance, regulatory, pharmaceutical manufacturing and technical services. Later she became CEO of a biotech start-up which brought to market a veterinary research device and president of another medical device firm developing a product for treatment of late-stage lung cancer. With experience as a PI on multiple SBIR NIH research grants, Shannon has assisted numerous startups in developing competitive NIH grant submissions, post-award management, commercialization, project management and building an effective team. shannon@bbcetc.com

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