[NEohioPAL] Seminar offered for entrepreneurs in creative fields

[WILLIAMS, CYNTHIA]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Seminar for creative entrepreneurs featured during Stark County Entrepreneur Week



(Jackson Township, OH - February 2, 2010)         The Small Business Development Center, Kent State University at Stark (SBDC) is proud to announce its first annual Stark County Entrepreneur Week. This event-filled week, providing opportunities for entrepreneurs at all levels, is a collaboration between the Stark County Chambers of Commerce, the Stark Development Board (SDB) and the SDBC and will be held February 22-26, 2010, at The University Center, 6000 Frank Avenue NW in Jackson Township.



Jackie B. Peterson, veteran consultant to designers, writers, photographers and artists, will conduct the seminar, Ten Steps to Business Success for Creative Entrepreneurs, on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m.



Peterson has been an entrepreneur, teacher and creator for more than 30 years. She began her entrepreneurial life with a CPA firm that served small businesses and many creative clients. Later, her practice grew into a small business consulting firm that continues today as Babicky Performance Partners.



She currently teaches business and entrepreneurship skills to small business owners at the Small Business Development Center of Portland Community College. She also is a corporate trainer for numerous organizations, conducting sessions on professional communication, teamworking, marketing, problem-solving skill development and financial success.



Peterson is well known in the Portland area by hundreds of entrepreneurs, particularly those with creative endeavors; photographers, artists, graphic designers, fashion designers, potters and performing artists. Her grateful clients recently named her "One of the 100 most Powerful Women in the Northwest" because of the success she has had in helping entrepreneurs to make choices that result in thriving creative enterprises.



Her entrepreneurial advocacy is being expanded with her recently published book, Better, Smarter, Richer! Ten Steps to Business Success for Creative Entrepreneurs: A Guide For Creative Entrepreneurs To Find Their Way To Financial Success.



The Stark County Entrepreneur Week schedule includes:

Monday, Feb. 22

 A Panel of Entrepreneurs

 8 - 10 a.m. * $25/person * Continental Breakfast Included

 Featuring several Stark County's leading entrepreneurs divulging the secrets to their successful businesses. Moderated by Ned Parks, experienced consultant and public speaker. Panel members include: Geoff Karcher, owner and president of the Karcher Group; Randall C. Hunt, director of Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co., L.P.; Theodore F. Savastano, president of T.S. Partners LLC; Steve Coon, founder of Coon Restoration & Sealant; Dr. Merle Griff, CEO of SarahCare Adult Daycare Centers; and Rose Ann DaRe, president of Hydrodyne, Inc.

Tuesday, Feb. 23

 Keynote Speaker Dan Gilbert
 8 - 10 a.m. * $35/person * Breakfast Included  (Dan Gilbert's presentation will begin at 9 a.m.)
 Dan Gilbert is chairman and founder of Quicken Loans Inc., majority owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, the American Hockey League's Lake Erie Monsters and operator of Quicken Loans Arena. He also founded Detroit's Bizdom U, a non-profit support organization for entrepreneurs that creates successful businesses, jobs, growth and wealth in large, urban cities. Recently, Gilbert successfully backed a proposal, authorizing casinos in four Ohio cities, which will create 34,000 Ohio jobs and generate millions of dollars in tax revenues for public services, safety and schools.

Thursday, Feb. 25

Student Entrepreneurs Competition
8 - 10:30 a.m. * $20/person * Continental Breakfast Included

The Stark County Student Entrepreneurs, representing local colleges and universities, in a competition to promote "The Business of Arts in Stark County," will present to a panel of judges, including Holly Bolinger, Small Business Development Center; Robb Hankins, ArtsinStark president and CEO; and Jackie B. Peterson, author of Better, Smarter, Richer!



Jackie B. Peterson's presentation of Ten Steps to Business Success for Creative Entrepreneurs 1 - 4 p.m. * $85/person * Refreshments Included. Seating is limited to 50.



Friday, Feb. 26

Keynote Speaker Ray Leach

8 - 10 a.m. * $35/person * Breakfast Included

JumpStart Inc. creator and CEO, Ray Leach, brings his energy and leadership experiences from founding five high-growth entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial endeavors in the last 20 years. Since 2003, his time has been focused on leading JumpStart, a nationally recognized venture development organization that accelerates the progress of early-stage businesses toward the goal of creating a prosperous future for Northeast Ohio. In addition to Ray Leach's address, he will announce the scholarship recipients from the previous day's Stark County Student Entrepreneurs Competition.



To register for these events or for more information regarding the Stark County Entrepreneur Week, call the SBDC at 330-244-3290 or visit www.cantonsbdc.org<http://www.cantonsbdc.org>.





CONTACT:  Cynthia Williams, public relations coordinator

                        Phone: 330-244-3262              E-mail: cdwillia at kent.edu<mailto:cdwillia at kent.edu>





About the Small Business Development Center of Ohio:

The Small Business Development Center, Kent State University at Stark (SBDC) is a fully funded, non-profit organization that is devoted to helping small businesses grow and individuals to start new businesses through training programs and no-cost consultation sessions. Its responsibility is to provide every opportunity to support the creation of jobs in Stark County. The SBDC is hosted at Kent State University at Stark by The Corporate University.



The SBDC program is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC program is also funded in part by the Ohio Department of Development. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.



About Kent State University at Stark:

Kent State University at Stark is the largest regional campus of Kent State University and serves 10,000 students each year, comprised of 5,300 enrolled in academic coursework and 4,700 enrolled in professional development courses. Kent State Stark offers 13 bachelor's degrees and three master's degrees, in addition to associate degrees. The campus is located in Jackson Township and consists of seven major buildings. The University Center at Kent State Stark, which houses The Corporate University and the Small Business Development Center, is accredited under the stringent guidelines of the International Association of Conference Centers. Always striving to enhance education through technological advancement, Kent State Stark features indoor and outdoor, campus-wide wireless Internet. Combining the best of a major university and a liberal arts college, Kent State Stark serves our region as a key intellectual resource providing access to academic, economic and cultural advancement through excellence in teaching and learning. To learn more about Kent State Stark, visit www.stark.kent.edu<http://www.stark.kent.edu>.





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