Business Development Advisor
Office Location: Reno
Email: dnishimura@unr.edu
Phone: (775) 784-6879
Duke Nishimura, BS ME/AE, MBA, LEAN, CVC
Duke joined the Nevada SBDC in 2020 as a Consulting Director for the Black Rock Incubator and then as a Business Advisor in the University of Nevada, Reno office. Duke’s experience includes serial entrepreneurship of 17 companies, business management, international business, and business consulting for 25 years to over 400 C-Suites in public, health system, biotech, government entities, and developing the High-G Force Loss of Consciousness Training Program for the US Air Force and Naval Air Force. He has been President/CEO of 7 international companies, 3 C-Corps, 1 S-Corps, 8 LLCs, 3 Sole Proprietorships, and managing partner of over 40 Joint Ventures with national and public companies in over 10 states and 3 countries. Duke has also served on 2 community boards for 10 and 2 years, a large healthcare system Leadership Board for 10 years, an international scientific review board for 11 years, and currently serves on 3 corporate boards and several entrepreneurship committees. Duke’s specialties include innovative corporate strategies, strategic partnerships, M&A, developing and managing companies in the fields of industrial medicine, evidence-based healthcare, physical medicine and rehabilitation, healthcare management, biotechnologies, emerging technologies, business consulting, strategic planning, mental health app, and specialty foods. Duke earned a B.S. in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering from the US Military Academy at West Point, and an MBA with a focus in Entrepreneurship from Louisiana State University Shreveport (Summa cum laude), and Certifications/Faculty/Trainer in Venture Capital, Spine Care, LEAN, EMT, FEMA, and Professional Ski Patrol. His military experience includes serving as an Armor officer, helicopter pilot, and creating the industrial medicine program and school for 34,000 personnel. His life motto is, “When was the last time you did something for the first time in your life?” and his life outlook is that he has never met a stranger.