2025 September

Our 2025 Advisory Board: The People Who Give Us Our Edge

“The edge is in the inputs. The person who consumes from better sources, gets better thoughts.” James Clear, author of Atomic Habits

Perspective is a powerful tool when determining strategy and direction. The ND SBDC benefits greatly from a best-in-class State Advisory Board that routinely engages with our leadership team and center staff. The purpose of our advisory board is to advise, support, and advocate for the ND SBDC. Members provide the State Director and network staff with insight into the realities of small business, ensuring that the interests of entrepreneurs and business owners are represented in our mission and served by our programming. Their input helps keep us connected to the genuine needs of North Dakotas small businesses, guiding our efforts to address them effectively.

This month, we recognize our ND SBDC State Advisory Board members – those that give us our “edge.” The members of the board include small business owners, economic developers, and lenders from each of our service regions, and leaders from our statewide partners, including the Economic Development of North Dakota (EDND), Greater North Dakota Chamber (GNDC), Bank of North Dakota, ND SBA District Office, and the university system, by the Dean of UND’s Nistler College of Business & Public Administration. The makeup of our advisory board is strategic, ensuring that businesses across our state are accurately and fairly represented.

Meet Our 2025 State Advisory Board Members

Ray Berry

Ray Berry is co-founder of OmniByte in Fargo. An NDSU graduate, he has brought over 30 years of experience in engineering and technology to OmniByte’s mission: improving the safety and lives of mobile workforce personnel. Since its founding in 2015, OmniByte has utilized the ND SBDC throughout various stages of growth. Ray is a staunch supporter of small businesses and the ND SBDC organization

Shannon Duerr

Shannon Duerr is the Executive Director of the Cavalier County Job Development Authority, where she has served since 2007. A member of several organizations including the Economic Development Association of North Dakota and the Mid-America Development Council, Shannon is passionate about ensuring rural communities receive equal access to small business services and programs.

Chris Moen

Chris Moen serves as a Financial Advisor and Consumer/Small Business Banking Lender for the Northern Valley Market at Alerus. He specializes in providing clients with holistic financial planning needs and is an active member in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. After seeing the impact ND SBDC has had on his referred clients, Chris joined the board to play a more active role in supporting small business growth across North Dakota.

Missy Fiest-Erickson

Missy Fiest-Erickson is the Vice President of Peoples State Bank of Velva, a locally owned community bank with offices in Velva and Minot. She is also the treasurer for the Minot Area Chamber/EDC and serves on the Governor-Appointed Commission on the Status of Women. Missy believes that “small businesses are big business,” and through her role has seen firsthand the impact ND SBDC has on business success across the state.

Cherie Harms

Cherie Harms is President/CEO of Leonardite Products in Williston, a mining and processing facility serving agriculture and oil industries globally. In addition to serving on the ND District Export Council, Harms is a founder of the Humic Products Trade Association and a Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation board member. She is also a long-term client of the Williston SBDC and was named SBA’s 2024 North Dakota Small Business Person of the Year.

Nathan Schneider

Nathan Schneider is Vice President of Economic Development for the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC, where he has served for a decade. He leads efforts in business attraction and retention, workforce development, and entrepreneurial growth. A fourth-generation North Dakotan, Nathan is passionate about showcasing the Bismarck-Mandan region as a top destination for business and talent.

Carie Boster

Carie Boster has been Economic Development Director for Dunn County JDA since 2012. She has been a strong advocate for rural business development and is active in numerous organizations including the REAP Investment Board, ND Opportunity Fund Loan Committee, and the Killdeer Area Community Foundation. Carie brings more than 20 years of professional experience, including journalism, consumer advocacy, and business district leadership.

Dr. Cheryl Ann Kary

Dr. Cheryl Kary is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Executive Director of the Sacred Pipe Resource Center, a nonprofit serving American Indian populations in Bismarck-Mandan. She holds a Ph.D. in Communications and Public Discourse from UND and has spent her career advocating for Native people and tribal communities through leadership and volunteer efforts.

Teran Doerr – EDND President (Rotating Seat)

As Executive Director of Bowman County Development Corporation since 2008, Teran Doerr has been a driving force in expanding services, attracting investment, and strengthening business and community ties in Bowman County. Her leadership and vision continue to shape the region’s growth and success, and she brings this experience to the ND SBDC Advisory Board through her role as EDND’s current president.

Amanda Remynse – Greater North Dakota Chamber

Amanda Remynse is the Vice President of Operations and Outreach for the Greater North Dakota Chamber (GNDC). Her background blends creativity, content creation, and public policy, and she works tirelessly to promote GNDC through collaboration and relationship building. Before joining GNDC, Amanda worked on state workforce challenges and previously in advertising, supporting businesses and tourism initiatives across North Dakota.

Ex-Officio Members

Dr. Patrick O’Neill – UND Nistler College of Business & Public Administration

Pat O’Neill, Ph.D., serves as interim Dean of the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration at the University of North Dakota. A faculty member since 1987, he has held numerous leadership roles including department chair and associate dean. With a Ph.D. in Economics from Boston College, Dr. O’Neill has dedicated his career to advancing academic quality and leadership in higher education. He assumed the interim dean role in July 2025, bringing decades of administrative and teaching experience to guide the college through its next chapter.

Kaylen Hausauer – Bank of North Dakota

Kaylen Hausauer is a Business Banker with Bank of North Dakota, where she has worked since 2012. Starting as a Finance Associate, she quickly advanced to Loan Officer and now plays a key role in supporting businesses across the state. A native of Bismarck, she holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Jamestown and an MBA from the University of Mary.

SBA Liaison

Alan Haut – U.S. Small Business Administration

As District Director for the SBA North Dakota District Office, Al Haut oversees SBA services statewide. His SBA career has included roles such as Economic Development Specialist, Loan Officer, Lender Relations Specialist, and Deputy District Director. Under his leadership, the SBA provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise to help businesses confidently start, grow, and thrive.

We are honored to work alongside such an accomplished and dedicated Advisory Board. Their guidance ensures that the voice of North Dakota’s small businesses is always at the center of our mission, and their commitment helps us deliver meaningful impact across the state. To each member, thank you for your leadership, your advocacy, and your belief in the power of small business. Together, we are building a stronger North Dakota where entrepreneurs and communities can thrive.