Former state rep. to lead Clark’s Small Business Development Center, in interim

PHOTO | Courtesy of Clark University Robert Spellane, interim regional director of the Small Business Development Center at Clark University

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By Isabel Tehan

Clark University has appointed Robert Spellane, former state representative and community health center leader, as interim regional director of its Small Business Development Center.

Spellane was a state representative for the 13th Worcester District from 2001 to 2011. He was then vice president of strategic resources and initiatives at the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. In this interim role at Clark, he will lead small business initiatives and support aspiring business owners, according to a Wednesday press release from the Worcester university. Spellane has also been a professor of practice and executive director at Clark’s School of Professional Studies since 2019.

SBDC, one of six statewide, is a resource center providing capital access, advising, and training for small businesses.

“We are ecstatic to have Bob take on this interim role with the SBDC. His extensive experience in public service, entrepreneurship, and deep connection to the community and Clark, make him the perfect fit for the interim director of SBDC position. We look forward to the positive impact that Bob will have on the SBDC community at large,” Alan Ritacco, associate vice president for external relations at Clark, said in the press release.

Spellane succeeds Richard Cheney, who was in the role since December 2017.

Spellane holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, and a master’s degree in public administration from UMass Boston.