Ten at the Top names new head of entrepreneur program.

• Position: Craig Scharton

Craig Scharton is taking over responsibility for Ten at the Top's entrepreneurship initiatives, commonly referred to as the Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem.

He replaces Erin Ouzts who volunteered for 10 years before officially creating the role in 2019, according to aTen at the Top news release. Ouzts is retiring from her work at Ten at the Top to focus on other ecosystem needs and family

"Supporting entrepreneurship and specifically the service providers who support entrepreneurship within our region has been a key driver area within Ten at the Top since the beginning of the organization," said TATT Executive Director Dean Hybl in the release. "Erin Ouzts has done an amazing job cultivating relationships and building awareness of the importance of having a strong entrepreneur ecosystem. I especially want to thank her for all she has done to support entrepreneurship in the Upstate."

Erin will be tough to replace, but we are very fortunate to have Craig Scharton moving into the role of facilitator for the Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem. Craig has great experience working with businesses and entrepreneurs and is the ideal person to continue TATT's work building the collective capacity of support providers and entrepreneurs in the Upstate.

Scharton, who moved to the Upstate in June 2022, has over 35 years of progressive experience leading diverse teams in non-profit and public service environments to execute meaningful and innovative projects to improve the standard of living in local communities, the release stated.

"Craig's well-rounded experience and welcoming personality make him a great fit for this role. The Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem will benefit from his knowledge and ability to bring people together around complex topics," Ouzts said in the release.

In Fresno City, Calif., Scharton built ecosystems of support for entrepreneurs and support providers as senior director, Economic Development with One by One Leadership, president of the California Main Street Alliance, as a Fresno City Council member, owner of a restaurant, director of Central Valley Business Incubator for Water and Energy Technology, and multiple positions with the City of Fresno and Downtown Fresno Partnership, the release stated.

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