---

---

John Peterson is a business consultant for the Penn State Small Business Development (SBDC) Center at University Park. His primary focus is providing confidential, one-on-one consulting to startups, and existing businesses within Lycoming, Centre, Clinton, and Mifflin counties. He enjoys working with startups and current companies to help them grow or assist with various needs.

John has more than 15 years of business management experience in various industries, including private ownership, private equity, venture capital, and publicly-held businesses. Working with high-growth companies—ranging in size from early-stage development to globally-recognized organizations—has given John the opportunity to work with not only hundreds of small businesses, but also with some of the world’s largest names in consumer and industrial products. John has experience working within the manufacturing, technology, Lean, Six Sigma, safety, quality systems, environmental law, sales, supply chain, consumer products, life science, operational excellence, inventory control, engineering, product development, leadership development, purchasing, industrial products, and food and beverage industries.

He is also the Vice President of Appalachian Food Works, Program Advisor for Happy Valley LaunchBox, Downtown Bellefonte Inc -Economic Vitality Committee member, Downtown State College Improvement District RAC Member, Penn State Smeal Alumni Club-Happy Valley member, Hammond Society member of Smeal College of Business, past board member for Penn State-Smeal College of Business Alumni Society, President of the Penn State DuBois Alumni Society, and Penn State Alumni Association Council- Risk and Audit Committee Member.

Finally, John owns his consulting firm as Founder and President of Sunset Lake Ventures LLC; the firm assists businesses outside of Pennsylvania to help startups raise funds from angel and venture capital firms.