Pete Mott hired as Grand Marais SBDC consultant following Pat Campanaro’s retirement
After over a decade of serving as the business consultant for the Northland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Grand Marais, Pat Campanaro is preparing to retire at the end of March.
Campanaro will work to onboard the new SBDC consultant as she prepares to depart the position.
Cook County resident Pete Mott was recently hired as the new SBDC consultant and will begin on March 1.
The SBDC offers various services, including business consultations, training, marketing, and formulating a financial plan for aspiring entrepreneurs or long-standing business owners.
Campanaro said the SBDC is a “one-stop shop” for business-related needs.
During the transition period, Campanaro and Mott will work together to ensure services for business owners remain available. “I will be working with Pete, introducing him to a variety of clients that I’m currently working with so that nothing drops between the cracks,” Campanaro said.
Mott has a master’s degree in public administration and over 30 years of experience working within government, including serving as a state park ranger at Cascade River State Park and Judge C.R. Magney State Park. He said throughout his career, he has been involved in financial planning, “balancing and working with budgets,” and being “creative about how you achieve your goals.” He said he looks forward to bringing the diverse skill sets to the SBDC position to assist Cook County business owners.
“I’ve really learned to appreciate what small businesses do in the community and the things they bring, and so I’m very excited to contribute to that success,” Mott said.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins sat down with Pat Campanaro, the almost retired Grand Marais SBDC consultant, and the newly hired SBDC consultant Pete Mott to talk about Campanaro’s time in the position, the onboarding process for Mott and how Mott sees himself serving the small business community in Grand Marais. The audio from the interview is below.
Kalli Hawkins February 25, 2025
