Contact Us

Kimberly Hughston

Born and raised in the Shoals, Kimberly joined the Alabama SBDC at UNA as its first full-time Director. Her previous career path has always been in small business settings. She has varied knowledge that ranges from the pre-venture phase to becoming an established business. She specializes in marketing and enjoys helping small businesses get connected in the community. Kimberly has Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a MBA from the University of North Alabama, with a focus on Marketing.

Michael Butz

Michael Butz is the Associate Center Director for Alabama SBDC at the University of North Alabama. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from University of North Alabama and was a 3 year letterman with Lion Athletics. Since 2008, he has worked in the start-up business sector with a few different entities, where his responsibilities were primarily focused on the accounting and human resource management of the companies. From 2019 to 2021, he oversaw the financial reporting of 14 small businesses in the Shoals community. The 9 years prior to that, he was an integral part of a small team that expanded a clothing brand from 3 stores to 13 stores including a wholesale and e-commerce division. Additionally, as foster parents with the Alabama Dept of Human Resources, he and his family love to bring joy and spiritual blessings to children in the Shoals community.

Phillip Marks

Phillip Marks is a Procurement Advisor for the APEX Accelerator of Alabama in Florence, AL. His responsibilities include working with small businesses in the nine-county service area to assist with government contracting, assisting businesses in determining government contracting opportunities and helping them to do business with the federal agencies, prime contractors and state agencies. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a Master’s in Business Administration from UNA. Phillip is a certified Associate Contracting Assistance Specialist with the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers. Phillip has past experience in advertising sales with Comcast and retail store management in the grocery industry.

Susan Adams

Susan has worked in a multitude of industries in HR, Marketing, Management, and Sales, including Pharmaceuticals, as well as having teaching and administrative experience in both High School and University arenas.

Susan has undergraduate degrees from the University of North Alabama in Biology, Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, with teaching certifications in Elementary and Secondary. Her MBA is from the University of Memphis in the specializations of Marketing and Management. Susan did post-graduate work at Vanderbilt in the areas of Human Resources and Training.

Coming from a family of small business owners, and having been a former business owner herself, Susan knows the needs of the small business community and has been able to use her education and experience to help entrepreneurs and small business owners prepare for government contracting. As a life-long learner, consummate fundraiser, and volunteer, she is always taking opportunities to learn and connect with others.

Susan has recently been selected as President of the University of North Alabama Alumni Association and holds leadership roles with Rotary and serves on the Professional Staff Assembly at the University of Alabama.