Money Matters Business Summit

Nema Etheridge

Nema Etheridge is the area director of the UGA SBDC in Albany. She joined the UGA SBDC with more than 15 years experience working with Georgia small businesses. Prior to joining the SBDC, she served as the marketing director for a Georgia-based coffee company that serves customers in wholesale, e-commerce and brick-and-mortar settings. She has worked in a variety of roles in small business, gaining experience in branding, communications, digital marketing, restaurant hospitality and management, sales, and strategic planning. She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier Atlanta, is fluent in French and speaks conversational Spanish.

Tonita McKnight

Tonita McKnight is a Georgia native with roots in North and Southwest GA. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College with a major in Theater. She has held various positions in personal banking, property management, program management, grant administration and economic development.  

She has worked with Albany Community Together, Inc. for the last nine years, where she helped entrepreneurs in Southwest Georgia with coaching, connections and access to capital. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional through NDC and a certified Business Incubator Manager through InBIA.

Susan Paz

Jeretha Tabor

Wells Fargo
Executive Director - Area Manger 

Daniel McCoy

Daniel McCoy, a Senior Business Consultant at the UGA Small Business Development Center, Kennesaw State University, leverages over two decades of banking expertise, specializing in Commercial/SBA lending and financial advisory. With a solid foundation built over 10+ years in upper management in retail, Daniel seamlessly blends strategic acumen with operational finesse. His proficiency extends to human resources, grant research and government contracting, Daniel holds a BA degree from Covenant College and an MBA in Accounting from Benedictine University and is a SHRM Certified Professional and member in the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Thomas Credle

Thomas Credle is a Business Consultant at the UGA SBDC in Columbus. He has extensive experience in banking and finance having served as a retail banking manager, credit analyst, commercial underwriter, commercial lender, business services manager, and vice president of commercial lending. Furthermore, he has experience working with several different types of lending intuitions including local, regional, and national banks as well as credit unions.

Thomas also brings experience with multiple types of capital ranging from debt, mezzanine, private equity, municipal bond, and nonrecourse financing & securitization, having worked as the CFO of a multi-state hotel developer and operator.