Jim Laipply serves as a Deputy Chief of the Office of Small Business and Global Trade at the Ohio Department of Development. As Deputy Chief, he oversees multiple state and federally funded programs focused on helping small businesses start, grow, and expand to international markets. Laipply also serves as the State Director of Ohio’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), a partnership with over 20 organizations across the state that provide one-on-one advising and training to over 10,000 Ohio small business and entrepreneurs each year. Within global trade, he oversees Development’s portfolio of export promotion programs that include international market research, grants, trade missions, technical advising, and Ohio’s Export Internship Program. Under his leadership Ohio has expanded its export portion programming to record levels. Jim previously served as Development’s APEX Accelerator Director where he led efforts to integrate technology resources to give Ohio businesses a competitive advantage in government contracting and promoted efforts to assist the state in meeting its Minority Business Enterprise purchasing goals. Previous state service includes time at the Ohio Department of Commerce working on regulatory reform and as a Legislative Service Commission Fellow. Jim is a graduate from the Ohio State University and lives in Hilliard, Ohio with his wife Amand (a small business owner) and is a proud dad of two children.