Staff Biographies

Margaret A. Somer
Regional Director

Margaret joined the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center's Northeast Regional Office as its director in October 2005, after four years as director of MSBDC Boston Regional Office & Minority Business Center.

Previously, Margaret worked for 14 years in economic and business development at Massachusetts Community Development Finance Corporation (CDFC). There she served as external affairs officer and later, fund manager of the $10 million Urban Initiative Fund. For a short time, she managed a bi-national trade organization and a technology incubator, and later consulted to several economic development groups.

Margaret is a board member of the Creative Economy Association of the North Shore (CEANS). She has participated in the development of new business products and programs, community development initiatives, and public affairs and government relations.

Margaret has a BA from Boston University and an MA from Tufts University. She completed her thesis at Tufts in 1999 on the turnaround of Ireland's economy, the role of the European Union and the country's emerging small business sector.

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Awilda Irizarry
Business Advisor

Awilda is a business counselor with the Northeast Regional Office. She has over seven years of diverse experience in banking. Her areas of expertise include all phases of small business operations, including business planning, financing, loan packaging and market research. Awilda is fluent in both English and Spanish, and is familiar with the growing Hispanic market and how to market to this growing customer segment.

Awilda holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Salem State College in geography and a Master’s degree from Lesley College in international studies.

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Walter Manninen
Senior Business Advisor and Financial Specialist

Walter Manninen joined the staff of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center's Northeast Regional Office in November 2005. A former entrepreneur, Walter served as president and chief executive officer, and prior to that as chief financial officer, of CXO Media Inc., which published magazines for senior managers in marketing, technology and security. Walter also brings to the SBDC ten years of experience in banking as a treasurer and loan officer. His outstanding performance was noted in 2004, when he was nominated for an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was later given the IDG Chairman’s Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership.  

Walter holds a BS from Salem State College and an MBA from Suffolk University. He lives in Rockport where he serves on the Board of Governors at the Rockport Art Association.

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