Claude D. Barnett is a seasoned business owner with over 28 years of expertise spanning multiple industries, bringing a unique perspective as both an entrepreneur and a military spouse. As the founder of a multi-client advertising agency in Monterey County, Claude has built a reputation for crafting and executing customized, long-term marketing strategies that earn client trust and deliver tangible results. His background also includes ownership and management of Gershwin’s, a renowned 100-seat fine dining restaurant in Norfolk, Virginia and more recently as a Client Services Manager at the Business Development Center in the Old Dominion University Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship before joining the Virginia APEX Accelerator team.