Ephraim SBDC Staff

Alan Christensen – Director

Prior to becoming the director of the Utah SBDC at Snow College, Alan Christensen, owned and operated a number of small business ventures and also worked as the marketing director for a Ford & Mercury automobile dealership. He holds a Business Administration degree from Utah Valley University, and completed graduate work at Utah State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Master’s of Education in Instructional Technology. Christensen is certified as a training facilitator by three of the most widely recognized names in entrepreneurial and leadership training: The NxLeveL Educational Foundation, The Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac program, and FranklinCovey. Christensen is a certified export assistance counselor by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Through his education and experience, Christensen has developed a solid understanding of principles of planning, management, marketing, communications and negotiations. Clients with whom Christensen has worked with have been recognized on a state and multi-state level by the U.S. Small Business Administration with awards of success such as: “Home-Based Business Champions of the Year” and “Exporter of the Year.” As a sought-after business expert, Christensen has presented at many local, state and national conferences on a broad range of business topics.

Christensen also oversees central Utah’s Custom Fit Training program, which assists area businesses in securing training and education solutions – to meet the ever-changing needs of their workforce.

Keith Church – Assistant Director (Richfield SBDC)

Keith Church, Assistant Director of the Ephraim Small Business Development Center (SBDC), provides business consulting services and business trainings at the Richfield SBDC Satellite office. Church has been an Assistant Director for the Snow College SBDC program since 2006 and is a Custom Fit and Short Term Intensive Training (STIT) administrator serving clients in a six county area.

Church was born in St. George and raised in LaVerkin, Utah, on a dairy and beef cattle farm. As a graduate of Hurricane High School, Church preceded to Dixie College for his Associate of Arts Degree and to Lewis & Clark Commercial Lending School in Portland, Oregon. Church obtained his Masters Certificate in banking from the University of Washington, Pacific Coast Banking School for his Masters Certificate in banking. Church also spent some time at BYU and Utah State University.

Prior to his position with the Utah SBDC, Church worked for Zion’s Bank for 24 years, 18 of which were spent in Kanab as the bank manager. Church also worked for the Bank of Ephraim as President and CEO for a six-year term. In addition to his professional experience, Church served a two-year mission in Taiwan (Republic of China) where he was Assistant to the Mission President for the LDS Church. Church is also presently an Assistant Area Auditor for the Richfield/ Manti and Delta/Fillmore Coordinating Councils.

Church and his wife Claudia have six grown children that are married and 19 grandchildren (with number 20 on the way in April 2012). In addition to spending time with his grandchildren, Church enjoys being in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, fly tying, and playing the harmonica. Church also enjoys studying Mandarin and has a unique hobby of collecting guns and knives.

Church thoroughly enjoys working for the SBDC, appreciates his colleagues in the SBDC Network, and finds his work helping others to be successful in their small business ventures, a very rewarding career.