Clark names Air Force veteran, business advisor as director of Small Business Development Center

Image | Courtesy of Clark University Thomas Herald, Clark's new director of Small Business Development Center

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Clark University in Worcester has named Thomas Herald as its new regional director of the school’s Small Business Development Center.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Herald has helped launch and grow more than 100 small businesses and services organizations, according to a Friday press release issued by the school. He has served as an adjunct faculty member in Clark’s School of Management since February 2020, and he is the CEO and co-founder of Worcester-based Herald and Associates, an advising firm for business owners and entrepreneurs.

“I have the greatest job ever,” Herald said in the Friday release. “I get to coach entrepreneurs and students daily and help them develop their version of the American Dream. I am excited to work with a talented team of advisors and professionals across Central Massachusetts to ensure this region of the commonwealth remains a premiere location for innovation and sustainable business.”

Herald, who began his role at the center on Nov. 13, replaces interim director Robert Spellane, a former state representative who took over in June for former director Richard Cheney. Prior to his June departure, Cheney had been in the role since December 2017.

“Tom brings a wealth of business acumen to this office. He has been remarkable in his efforts to support small businesses in Central Massachusetts and has mentored many students in the School of Management as part of the consulting work offered by the SBDC,” David Jordan, interim dean for the School of Management, said in the release. “I’m confident Tom will be an asset not only to business owners in our region, but to the entire MSBDC network.”

Herald received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington and his MBA from the University of West Florida.

The Small Business Development Center at Clark provides free services for business owners focusing on growth strategies, financial assistance, and strategic analysis, according to the center’s website.