PITTSBORO - Phillip Pappas brings a wealth of understanding to his new position as Small Business Center Coordinator for Chatham County.

Pappas notes that "counseling, training, outreach and technical assistance are directly in line with my past experiences and professional passions."

"My career and education in small business development started at an early age while growing up working in my family's business - a restaurant, confectionary and catering company that has been in operation since 1939," said Pappas.

His professional experiences have included Senior Consultant and Counselor / Business Analyst / Training Coordinator of the Small Business Development Center at Frostburg State University, Financial Services Officer with the N.C. State Employees' Credit Union, and Corporate Executive Chef & Food Broker with Key Impact Sales & Systems, Inc.

Operated through Central Carolina Community College, the Chatham County Small Business Center is part of a network of small business centers throughout North Carolina and the U.S. The state Small Business Center Development program offers assistance to individuals who want to establish or grow a small business. Small Business Centers, such as the one in Chatham County, provide aid in a number of ways, including one-on-one counseling, informational seminars, help with obtaining grants or funding, resource materials, and marketing -- all at no cost.

Pappas received both an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Bachelor of Science, Management from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., and a Master of Business Administration from Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Md.

For more information about the Chatham County Small Business Center and its program of services, contact Phillip Pappas at 919-545-8015. All seminars are free and people can register for seminars online at www.leesbc.com.

For more information on Central Carolina Community College - which is dedicated to providing pathways to achievable dreams, visit www.cccc.edu.