Business consultant Ray York named WI State Star

Matthew Day

Staff

August 10, 2026

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN – After years of helping small businesses navigate growth and challenges, Ray York found himself in the spotlight as the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network’s 2026 Wisconsin State Star. 

York – who is a business counselor/consultant for the SBDC at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB), in collaboration with the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) – said the award was as humbling as it was unexpected. 

“It makes all the work we do worth it at the end of the day,” he said. “Knowing that people recognize the effort I put in, it was very rewarding.” 

Per UWGB’s announcement, the State Star award recognizes “outstanding consultants who demonstrate exceptional performance, meaningful client impact and an unwavering commitment to small business success… and make significant contributions to their regional programs while exemplifying innovation, collaboration and service.” 

York said he does not know which of his peers nominated him for the award, but he is “extremely grateful” for the recognition and for the members of the Wisconsin SBDC for voting for him. 

“The other people who were nominated, too, I deeply respect [them],” he said. “I’m glad they’re in our network, too.” 

Serving regional businesses 

According to uwgb.edu, the university’s SBDC is part of a statewide network supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through no-cost, confidential consulting and targeted educational programs.

The SCEDC – per its website, sheboygancountyedc.com – works to build the Sheboygan County economy by providing project management and personalized solutions. 

York said about 40% of his time is devoted to the SCEDC, which makes his “role a little bit different than most people in my network.” 

Though most of his clients are in Sheboygan County, he said his core focus areas also include Manitowoc and Calumet counties. 

No matter where clients come from or who they are, York said he approaches every client equally. 

“Anyone who reaches out to me for help, I try to treat them all the same: give them my time, help them think through that planning process and educate them on some of the things they need to do to move forward,” he said. 

York said his consistent goal is to help them create a plan to “move from point A to point B.” 

Often, he said, point A is nothing more than an idea scribbled on the back of a napkin.

“I work with hundreds of clients every year, all different types,” he said. “From small businesses to growing businesses to medium-sized businesses. Could be manufacturing, could be consumer-product goods, e-commerce businesses, etc.” 

Whether a client arrives with a fully formed concept or just the beginning of an idea, York said he likes to start with the basics of business planning. 

“Then – depending on the idea – maybe we try to find an industry expert within that [area] to see if we can find more guidance on how to potentially push the idea forward,” he said. 

After every meeting – many of which are conducted virtually – York said he ensures his clients know exactly what their next steps are. 

From having worked with “thousands of clients in lots of different stages of business and many different types of industries” over an eight-year span, York said he’s built up a robust network of resources while stacking his experiences. 

“Every client I’ve had, I’ve learned something myself,” he said. “I try to carry that forward into the next client I help.”

York said his brand of consultancy is informed by another type of experience: his own. 

His introduction to the field, he said, came from the client side. 

In 2016, York said he took on his first earnest effort at entrepreneurship, as owner of The Rochester Inn in Sheboygan Falls. 

About a year later, looking to grow his business, he said he met with Chuck Brys, who was a senior consultant with UWGB’s SBDC at the time. 

York said he so valued the experience and Brys’ “solid guidance” that in 2018, when the SBDC posted a job opportunity, he couldn’t help but look into it. 

Since he was hired, he said he has continued to run The Rochester Inn as well as The Cole House (also in Sheboygan Falls), with his own entrepreneurship serving as a source of credibility among and empathy for other business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. 

“I will share a lot of stories from my own businesses, and… it helps build rapport with a lot of clients,” he said. 

Consultancy insights 

York said he feels Northeast Wisconsin has long had a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a track record of supporting small businesses. 

“We seem like we have a lot more family-owned, large businesses where the families of those businesses actually live in the community,” he said, “so they give a lot of money back and treat their employees well, and I think that leads to stronger small businesses.” 

However, York said even strong businesses would do well to consider consultancy. 

Organizations like UWGB’s SBDC, he said, offer resources and insights at no cost, whether entrepreneurs are trying to launch new ventures or established businesses are looking to grow.

For any business, York said he understands the temptation of turning to AI chatbots for fast/free consultancy.

“AI can help you do research a little bit more, which is great,” he said, “but it can lead people on interesting paths that are probably not feasible, or are not feasible in the real world.” 

The trouble, York said, stems from chatbots’ proclivity for telling users what they want to hear. 

For would-be entrepreneurs, he said the technology can convince them a given idea is unique and financially sound even when a consultant like him would consider it to be neither. 

Working with a professional consultant, York said, allows business owners to build trust while receiving honest feedback – not just the answers they want to hear. 

“It feels nice to have that trust, but the way I work is I always try to put it on the business owner or the clients – it’s their decision at the end of the day,” he said.  

York said his logical approach is never to urge a client to pursue a given path, nor is it to burst anyone’s bubble – “I won’t say it’s a bad idea, either.” 

“[Clients and I] will always work through that planning process, because maybe they will discover themselves that it’s not the best idea in the world, or maybe they’ll discover there are all these other businesses that are very [similar],” he said. “Or they may discover that and maybe try to do it slightly differently or find a different path, and then they’ll find their own way… [and look to] solve a different problem.” 

Loving what he does 

York said he’s developed a true passion for helping business owners solve whichever problems they’re trying to solve, and doing so in his current roles. 

Even before having his profile raised by the State Star award, York said he has received overtures from private consultancy firms impressed by his aptitude. 

In 2025, per UWGB, York served 253 clients, supported 14 business starts and facilitated $31.5 million dollars in capital formation – a level of capital infusion that represents both a state and SBDC record for a consultant. 

Even with the wealth of knowledge and experience he has gained in his consultancy career, York said he is not interested in joining a private firm, or starting his own. 

“Why don’t I go out and start my own consultancy business and probably make more money than I do currently?” he said. “Honestly, I love what I do.” 

Though he could potentially “double, triple” his salary, York said he has no desire to enter “that corporate atmosphere” where the focus is primarily on revenue generation.

“I’m more interested in helping others generate more revenue for themselves than helping those businesses, and I feel like SBDC and the current setup I’m in helps me do that more,” he said. “It helps me connect more with the local communities I’m in. It’s really a lot of fun. It falls more in line with my values.” 

York said the State Star award offers him even more encouragement to continue in his roles – as does the opportunity to honor those who nominated him, voted for him and the mentors who got him here to begin with. 

In addition to Brys, who has since retired, York said he’s indebted to Tara Carr (small business development director at UWGB) and David Stauffacher (senior business advisor at UWGB). 

“I’m very fortunate I’m surrounded by a lot of talent that has been able to help me,” he said.