• (800) 616-SBDC
Schedule an Appointment
Subscribe to Newsletter
  • (800) 616-SBDC
Schedule an Appointment
Subscribe to Newsletter

Our Team

Our value proposition is truly our team; our SBDC consultants can help you start or add value to your business at any stage. Beyond our core services, our team can provide specialized assistance in: retail, franchise and service-based operations, government contracting and the hospitality industry. Some of our staff members include: Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors who can assist with your accounting systems, marketing specialists who can help you attract new clients and increase your sales, loan consultants with lending preference knowledge, procurement specialists who can help you bid on local, state, and federal solicitations and much more.

We Speak: Spanish

Finance Center SBDC Leadership

Reuben Franco

Director

Finance Center SBDC Consultants and Staff

Craig Russom

Business Consultant

Edna Ruiz

Administrative Coordinator

Michael DeDonato

Business Consultant

Michael Faraj

Business Consultant

Let’s Get Started.

Make an Appointment

Network Stakeholders

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Funding is not an endorsement of any product, opinion, or service. All programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Funded in part through a Grant with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

© 2024
en English
zh-CN Chinese (Simplified)en Englishko Koreanes Spanishvi Vietnamese
ReubenFranco-min

Reuben Franco

Director

Areas of Expertise

  • Banking 
  • Lending
  • Small Business Assistance


Experience
Reuben is the Center Director for The Finance Center SBDC and the CEO for the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Reuben is a former commercial banker who has helped hundreds of Southern California entrepreneurs obtain funding for their businesses. Prior to that, Reuben owned and operated two successful small businesses in the medical and electronics industries. He currently serves on the Boards of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, the Los Angeles Mission, and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Reuben holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

The best advice I have ever been given is:
Live for a greater purpose than yourself.

CraigRussom-min

Craig Russom

Business Consultant

Areas of Expertise

  • Strategic Financial Planning
  • Cash Flow Analysis 
  • Projections
  • Project Management
  • Quickbooks
  • Debt Financing and Lending

 
Experience 
Craig Russom is the President of Arual Concepts, Inc. and has over 15 years of senior-level leadership experience solidifying sustainable business relationships and leading all aspects of bookkeeping, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and project management across numerous industries. Before that, he was a Series 7 and 66 financial advisor for UBS Financial. Craig is also a California Real Estate Broker.

The best advice I have ever been given is:
Know your numbers…

Make an Appointment!

 

Edna Ruiz-min

Edna Ruiz

Administrative Coordinator

Areas of Expertise

  • POS Systems
  • Microsoft Suite


Experience
Edna Ruiz is the Administrative Coordinator at the SBDC Finance Center. She is a recent graduate from the California State University, Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Her responsibilities include keeping financial records updated, preparing/organizing reports/invoices, planning events, and budgeting. She is also in charge of monitoring/developing engaging content for social media platforms and oversees daily operations.

The best advice I have ever been given is:
You have to risk it to get the biscuit

Languages
Spanish

DeDonato–Michael

Michael DeDonato

Business Consultant

Areas of Expertise

  • Business Planning 
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Marketing 
  • Government Contracting 
  • Retail, Food, and Professional Services Industries

 

Experience

Michael has been a business consultant and finance and accounting professional for 35 years. He currently serves as the Managing Member of DeDonato and Johnson Advisory Group, LLC. Since 2016 he has served as a business advisor for Small Business Development Centers in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County where he mentors startups and small businesses. He has also prepared and negotiated multimillion-dollar aerospace and defense contracts and is well versed in government contracting.

 

The best advice I have ever been given is:

Trust in God and believe in yourself. 

 

Make an Appointment!

 

Michael F

Michael Faraj

Business Consultant

Areas of Expertise

  • Government Contracting
  • Contract Bonds 
  • Cost Accounting 
  • Business Certifications


Experience
Michael is a small business owner providing accounting and administrative assistance to small businesses that procure with Government Agencies. Michael has helped his core market of small businesses grow into effective and profitable companies with the Federal Government. Michael focuses on assisting socially and economically disadvantaged individuals with certifications and programs governed by The U.S. Small Business Administration and The US Department of Veterans Affairs. The essential elements of Michael’s business life revolve around government contracting and providing assistance to small businesses entering the government contracting world.

The best advice I have ever been given is:
Don’t join the group to be a member, join the group to be a leader

Languages
Spanish

Make an Appointment!

Subscribe now

Sign up to stay updated on the latest news and resources!

Select list(s) to subscribe to

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: OCIE SBDC, 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA, 92831, http://ociesmallbusiness.org. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact