J.D. Collins serves as State Director of the Michigan SBDC, a 90-person organization that serves more than 10,000 companies annually, offering face-to-face consulting, business training and market research reports. He previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at a leading heavy equipment technology startup in Grand Rapids, where he was a member of the executive team that negotiated a strategic alliance with Caterpillar. He also held global strategic leadership positions during his 10-year career at Amway Corporation. Collins earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and management from Albion College and a MBA from Notre Dame. He is always eager to serve the small business community and continue the SBDC’s innovative approach to helping business owners and entrepreneurs.