MSU fills director’s seat for small-business center

The Missouri State University Small Business & Technology Development Center hired a new director to fill the position left vacant by its longtime leader.

Chrystal Irons started in the position May 25. She succeeds Rayanna Anderson, the center’s nine-year director who worked at the SBTDC for 25 years. Anderson, who stepped down June 3 after utilizing the school’s early retirement program, plans to start Aug. 1 in a part-time role of entrepreneurship coordinator and community liaison for the MSU College of Business.

Irons most recently worked as county program director and business development specialist for the University of Missouri Extension and SBTDC-Taney County during the past six years.

“I had a good relationship with them already,” she said of the MSU SBTDC. “I’ve been able to see the successes they’ve had. It’s a really high-performing level center.

“I’m excited to come here and lend my expertise.”

A former business consultant, Irons oversees five employees and two graduate assistants, who help small-business owners and entrepreneurs through one-on-one counseling and educational training seminars.

An early goal of Irons is to find new ways to partner with MSU’s downtown business incubator The eFactory, where the SBTDC is located.

“Both of our organizations are focused on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs succeed in southwest Missouri,” said Irons, who earns a starting salary of $65,000.