Wichita State News: Center for Entrepreneurship

Acting director named for WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship

Wed, 29 May 2013 10:21:00 CST

Lou Heldman

Lou Heldman, an experienced business and campus leader, has been named acting director of the Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship, effective June 2.

His appointment was announced by Cindy Claycomb, interim dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, and Keith Pickus, interim provost of the university.

The center is part of the Barton School.

"Lou's extensive management experience and business contacts will be helpful in advancing the center's mission to encourage entrepreneurial thinking through education, research and community outreach," said Claycomb.

Heldman led the Elliott School of Communication the past two years as interim director.

Heldman had a career in newspapers and websites before coming to Wichita at the beginning of 2002 as president and publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com. He retired from the Eagle in 2007 and joined WSU as Distinguished Senior Fellow in Media Management and Journalism.

In the Elliott School, he has taught courses focusing on the impact of the Internet on media, business and society. In the Barton School, he has conducted seminars for the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Center for Management Development. He is a graduate of Ohio State University and the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School.

"I have had a strong interest in the Center for Entrepreneurship since arriving in Wichita," said Heldman. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the talented staff of the center and the faculty of the Barton School to extend Wichita State's support of the Kansas economy."

Independent inventors conference set for April at Wichita State

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:28:00 CST

The 2013 Kansas Regional Independent Inventors Conference, co-sponsored by Wichita State University's Center for Innovation and Enterprise Engagement (CIEE) and the U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USPTO), will be held April 18-20 at the National Center for Aviation Training facility, 4004 N. Webb Road in Wichita.

The event is open to the public. For more information go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2095, call 316-978-6487 or email kimberly.moore@wichita.edu.

Cost is $90. Space is limited, so register early at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2094.

A pre-conference workshop the evening of April 18 will provide attendees with an overview and prepare them to get the most out of the conference. Over the next two days, attendees will have the opportunity to hear inspiring and informative presentations from experts in the field of entrepreneurship and marketing.

Guest speakers include Marcia Stevens, regional director of WSU Kansas Small Business Development Center; Wayne Bell, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration; and A.J. Anderson, director of the Wichita District Office for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Keynoting the event will be Bruce Kisliuk, USPTO deputy commissioner for patent administration.

Experts from the USPTO will also address the process of applying for a patent or trademark and provide insight on the many initiatives and programs to assist applicants available through the USPTO.

A sampling of the presentations offered at the conference includes workshops on advanced claim drafting and how to conduct a search of trademarks. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet in brief one-on-one sessions with USPTO staff and intellectual property professionals to discuss specific intellectual property concerns.

The 2013 Kansas Regional Independent Inventors Conference provides an opportunity for individuals to network with other like minds about the inventor process. In this down economy, more and more people are taking an idea for a nifty invention they've been kicking around in their head and trying to develop it.

The conference is an opportunity for area entrepreneurs to learn not only about patents and intellectual property, but also the examination process and how patents provide legal protection (through claims). Attendees will learn about the incentives a patent offers, as well as how to leverage it for investment and licensing potential. Experts will be on hand to share information about the many various programs offered by government agencies.

Two area high schoolers win WSU's $20,000 Jabara scholarship

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:52:00 CST

Two Wichita-area high school students are winners of the 2013-2014 Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University.

Katie Deutsch, a senior at Wichita High School East, and Everett Lacy, a senior at Maize South High School, are the recipients.

The scholarship is one of the most prestigious at WSU and one of the largest entrepreneurship scholarships nationally.

It awards each recipient $20,000 over four years.

To compete, a student must have a minimum ACT score of 24, a GPA of 3.5 or better and be a declared entrepreneurship major.

The Jabara Scholarship was established in 1998 and is named for Fran Jabara, former dean of the College of Business Administration at WSU.

Along with the financial benefits, winners also are mentored by Jabara during their stay at the university.

Katie Deutsch
Deutsch is the daughter of Steven and Cindy Deutsch. While at Wichita State, she plans to study business administration, with a major in entrepreneurship and marketing along with a minor in Spanish.

Katie Deutsch

She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society, as well as the Wichita Mayor's Youth Council and DECA, an international association of marketing students.

Deutsch has been on the East High honor roll all four years of high school and finished second at the DECA Central Regional Competition last year.

A babysitter since 2007 with Seven Neighborhood Families, Deutsch also worked in hospitality for Catholic Care Center.

Everett Lacy

Everett Lacy
Lacy is the son of Chad and Jessica Lacy. He plans to major in entrepreneurship, with a minor in journalism at WSU.

He is a member of the National Honor Society and has lettered academically and in band and cross country.

Lacy is a member of his church's tech team and works as a cashier at Chick-Fil-A.

Entrepreneur seminar has something for every business owner

Wed, 6 Feb 2013 13:04:00 CST

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University is offering a spring series of seminars designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking to keep up with the latest changes in conducting business in today's dynamic economic times.

The first seminar is from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, in 010 Devlin Hall. To register, go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2024.

Andrea Feodorov, director of social media marketing and Web analytics for the Social Analyst, will present "Drive Sales and Increase Customers Overnight with Google AdWords."

The program is open to students for $5 and general public for $45 a session including all materials. The session is set up to accommodate business owners who have limited time to spend away from the office.

This event is part of the center's "Practical Entrepreneur Training Tools" series, which will run with different speakers throughout the spring. The various topics aim to position entrepreneurs and small businesses to change quickly and respond to the current business climate.

Tim Pett

Whether a start-up or established business, these programs will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed.

"The focus is to help entrepreneurs take a new tool and apply it to their business in order to remain competitive one challenge at a time," said Tim Pett, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship.

For more information, go to www.wichita.edu/PE or contact Wendy Veatch at (316) 978-5219 or wendy.veatch@wichita.edu.

WSU starting entrepreneur program in Butler County

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:41:00 CST

The Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship – in partnership with Butler County Economic Development, NetWork Kansas, Augusta Progress Inc. and El Dorado Main Street – is launching a new entrepreneurial certificate in Butler County, Kan.

"Growing Rural Businesses" will start Friday Feb. 1.

To register, go to www.GrowingRuralBusinesses.org or contact Wendy Veatch, director of Outreach Programming, Center for Entrepreneurship, at (316) 978-3000 or wendy.veatch@wichita.edu.

Designed specifically for rural business owners and entrepreneurs, this two-month program provides hands-on, practical solutions and techniques to grow and modernize business ventures in a rural setting.

Tim Pett

"In light of the challenging economic times, every business owner and entrepreneur can improve the performance of their businesses by targeting needed upgrades," said Tim Pett, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship.

The program will include small group exercises, case studies and interactive discussions with peers, facilitators and industry experts.

All sessions are held from 8-11:30 a.m. on Fridays from Feb. 1-Apr. 12, at the Public Safety Facility, 2100 N. Ohio, in Augusta, Kan.

The cost is $200 for the 11-week series.

"Growing Rural Businesses" sessions

Entrepreneurial Mindset for Small Businesss – Feb. 1
The Marketing Plan: The Roadmap for Success – Feb. 8
Developing a Comprehensive Promotional Strategy – Feb. 15
Creating Value for Your Customers – Feb. 22
The Nuts and Bolts of Advertising – March 1
Basic Sales Techniques and Practices for Selling – March 8
Fundamental Tactics and Approaches of Merchandising – March 15
Keeping a Financial Focus: Impact on Marketing and Business Operations – March 22
Getting the Best From Others: The Employee Factor - March 29
Strategies and Skills for Contract Relationships - April 5
Bringing it All Together: Developing an Effective Niche Strategy – April 12

"Wichita State and the Center for Entrepreneurship have designed an educational tool that combines significant expertise with practical solutions that will increase the capacity of the business owner to adapt to the changing needs of its customer," said Erik Pedersen, director of Entrepreneurship Communities, NetWork Kansas. "It's a win-win scenario that helps create a more entrepreneurial community."

For more information on the program, go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1741.

Internship helps WSU business graduate land marketing job

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:22:00 CST

Seth Rongkawit

Seth Rongkawit knows he was fortunate to land a job in his desired career field right after college. Two things that helped him were real-world experiences he received as a student and his involvement in campus activities at Wichita State.

Rongkawit, who graduated from WSU in May 2012 with a business administration degree, majored in entrepreneurship and marketing, with a minor in management.

Upon graduation, he was hired as director of marketing at Specs Eyewear in Wichita, where he is responsible for print advertising, social media, promotional items, brand management, design administration and donations.

"Every day brings something new," said Rongkawit. "I help make big decisions that can directly affect the company."

As a WSU student, Rongkawit was a student brand manager for Red Bull North America. In the internship position, he worked with professionals from across the country and built relationships with local companies in Red Bull's distribution channel.

"My experience working for Red Bull helped give validity to the things I claimed I could bring to the table with the new position at Specs," he said. "I had a track record of success that led to a vote of confidence with the owners."

Involvement and experience
Rongkawit said that, because of WSU's urban setting, students have many opportunities to gain work experience in any career field.

"Being in a bigger city allowed me to work in a market that is larger than other college towns," he said. "I was able to learn a lot because of this."

In addition to his internship with Red Bull, Rongkawit also was involved in campus organizations and activities, such as Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Student Government Association, and was a new-student orientation leader.

"Join a student organization or get some like-minded friends together and start your own," he said. "It's not hard and will be worth so much once you have that degree in your hands."

Rongkawit said that in any career employers value people who have experience being part of a team, taking direction from superiors, settings goals and achieving desired outcomes.

"I would stress to any college student, freshman or senior, that being actively involved is just as important for your future as your classes," he said. "Experience isn't just in a job or office; it's gained through professional human interaction."

New Coleman fellows named at Wichita State

Fri, 7 Sep 2012 14:35:00 CST

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University has named three new Coleman Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows for the 2012-13 academic year.

They are:

Barbara Chaparro, associate professor, Department of Psychology, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; director of the Software Usability Research Lab; and coordinator of the Human Factors doctoral program;
Jim Hellman, associate professor of graphic design, College of Fine Arts.
Jeremy Patterson, associate professor, Human Performance Studies, College of Education; director of the Human Performance Laboratory; and clinical director for the Center for Physical Activity and Aging.

The fellows were selected to work in close collaboration with Center for Entrepreneurship faculty and previous years' fellows to advance self-employment education and strengthen entrepreneurship education across disciplines.

The goal of the fellows program is to assist and maintain an ongoing connection for students interested in entrepreneurship across campus. Wichita State was one of 16 universities from across the country to be chosen for the program.

The Coleman Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellow program is sponsored by the Coleman Foundation. The primary purpose is to increase and build support for entrepreneurship education across the Wichita State campus.

The aim is to facilitate entrepreneurship education by improving the academic curriculum, which builds core self-employment skills.

Wichita State starting entrepreneur program in Butler County

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:20:00 CST

The Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship -- in partnership with Butler County Economic Development, NetWork Kansas, Augusta Progress Inc. and El Dorado Main Street -- is launching a new entrepreneurial certificate in Butler County, Kan.

"Growing Rural Businesses" will start in September.

To register, go to www.GrowingRuralBusinesses.org or contact Dave Alfaro, director of Butler County Economic Development, at (316) 322-4242 or dalfaro@bucoks.com.

The program will include small group exercises, case studies and interactive discussions with peers, facilitators and industry experts.

All sessions are held from 8-11:30 a.m. on Fridays from Sept. 7-Nov. 16, at the Public Safety Facility, 2100 N. Ohio in Augusta, Kan.

The cost is $200 for the 11-week series.

"What an incredible opportunity," said Scott Reinecke of Studio 54 in Greensburg. "Over the years I have looked at getting my MBA, but this is actually better because it is so specific to what we are doing as business owners, and they came out to us."

"Growing Rural Businesses" sessions

Entrepreneurial Mindset for Small Businesses - Sept. 7
The Marketing Plan: The Roadmap for Success - Sept. 14
Strategies and Skills for Contract Relationships - Sept. 21
Creating Value for Your Customers - Sept. 28
The Nuts and Bolts of Advertising - Oct. 5
Basic Sales Techniques and Practices for Selling - Oct. 12
Fundamental Tactics and Approaches of Merchandising - Oct. 19
Developing a Comprehensive Promotional Strategy - Oct. 26
Getting the Best From Others: The Employee Factor - Nov. 2
Keeping a Financial Focus: Impact on Marketing and Business Operations - Nov. 9
Bringing it All Together: Developing an Effective Niche Strategy - Nov. 16

"The focus of this program is to help business owners acquire tools to not only survive, but to flourish in a rural environment," said Alfaro. "It is a very hands-on, immediately useful program that is concise and effective."

For more information on the program, go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1741.

Students set for finals of Shocker Business Plan Competition

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:45:00 CST

The Final Four competitors of the 2012 Shocker Business Plan Competition will pitch their business plans during the competition's final round at 2 p.m. Friday, April 27, in 107 Devlin Hall at Wichita State University.

WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship is inviting the public to attend and observe.

Competitors will have 20 minutes to present their business ideas to judges from the local community. Winners will be announced at the banquet later in the evening.

The competition is open to all universities statewide and is designed to encourage student innovation and venture creation by providing a forum where students can present new business ideas to local business and community leaders.

The eight semi-final competitors' abstracts can be found at www.wichita.edu/bp.

The banquet and the Shocker Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony will come at the conclusion of the competition and will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, April 27, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview.

Banquet tickets are $35 each, or a table of 10 can be purchased for $300. The banquet is open to the public, however reservations are required. Please RSVP by 4 p.m. Friday, April 20.

Reservations can be made by contacting the Center for Entrepreneurship at (316) 978-3000 or www.wichita.edu/CFEBanquet.

The 2012 Shocker Business Plan Competition Sponsors include: Mitchell & Richards, Intrust Bank, Delta Dental of Kansas, Gary Parker, J.P. Weigand & Sons, NetWork Kansas, IMA Financial Group, Peter Weigand, Foulston Siefkin LLP, Sweetly Scrumptious, and the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.

The keynote speaker will be Bill Simon, co-founder, CEO and president of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. Simon is a Center for Entrepreneurship Advisory Board member and a past Entrepreneurship Forum panel speaker.

$25,000 up for grabs at Shocker Business Plan Competition

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:50:00 CST

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University will hold its sixth annual Shocker Business Plan Competition this April.

The competition is designed to encourage student innovation and provide a forum where students can present new business ideas to more than 200 local business leaders, including entrepreneurs and investors.

It is open to all enrolled students from any four year university or college in the state of Kansas. All majors are welcome to compete. Students may register as a team or individually.

Business plans are due for the first round of competition by 4 p.m. Thursday, March 29. The top 16 teams will move on to the Trade Show from 3-7 p.m. Friday, April 13, at WSU.

The Trade Show is only open to invited teams, faculty advisers and judges. Semi-final and final rounds of competition will be on Friday, April 27, at the Center for Entrepreneurship in WSU's Devlin Hall. The final round of presentations begin at 2 p.m. and are open to the public.

The day ends with the Business Plan Competition awards ceremony and banquet hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship from 6-9 p.m. at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview in downtown Wichita.

This year's keynote speaker for the banquet is Bill Simon, CEO and co-founder of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. Individual tickets can be purchased for $35.

The banquet is open to the general public.

More than $25,000 in prizes will be awarded to the top three teams whose new venture ideas have the greatest potential for attracting outside financing and implementation.

To register, each team must submit an Intent-to-Compete form online or turn one into the Center for Entrepreneurship by 4 p.m. Friday, March 9.

For more detailed information regarding the competition, contact (316) 978-3000, bizplancompetition@wichita.edu, or visit the competition website at www.wichita.edu/BP.

Two $20,000 scholarships awarded at Wichita State

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 10:45:00 CST

Two Kansas high school students are winners of the 2012-2013 Professor Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University.

Joseph McNorton, a senior at Seaman High School in Topeka, and Brittan Smith, a senior at Salina Central High School, are the recipients.

The scholarship is one of the most prestigious at WSU and one of the largest entrepreneurship scholarships nationally.

It awards each recipient $20,000 over four years.

To compete, a student must have a minimum ACT score of 24, a GPA of 3.5 or better and be a declared entrepreneurship major.

The Jabara Scholarship was established in 1998 and is named for Fran Jabara, former dean of the College of Business Administration at WSU.

Along with the financial benefits, winners also are mentored by Jabara during their stay at the university.

Joseph McNorton

Joseph McNorton

McNorton has been active in athletics, competing and lettering in cross country, track and swimming.

His senior year he was named a KSNT Scholar Athlete of the Week.

McNorton also is involved in band, the student council and Scholar's Bowl.

His community involvement includes the Boy Scouts of America, youth group, Habitat for Humanity and Arizona Reservation Ministries.

During summers, McNorton works as a Shawnee County lifeguard.

Brittan Smith

Brittan Smith

Smith is active in theater, both in school and in the Salina Community Theatre, and lettered as a thespian his junior and senior years.

He also sings in his high school's Choraliers group, as well as the Free Spirit Choir.

He earned second alternate honors with the Kansas Music Educators of America and the highest rating in a vocal solo contest.

Smith is also an athlete, participating in cross country, track and basketball.

He is involved in the Zoo Teen program in Salina and in his senior year was named his school's Student of the Month.

Finalists chosen for $20,000 Fran Jabara Scholarship at WSU

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:10:00 CST

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University has selected the top six finalists for the 2012 Fran Jabara Scholarship in Entrepreneurship.

They are:

Daniel Barney - Russell High School
Melissa Cisneros - Bonner Springs High
Joseph McNorton - Seaman High School
Shannan Mehler - Classical School of Wichita
Ryan Schulteis - Lawrence High School
Brittan Smith - Salina Central High School

The scholarship, one of the most prestigious at WSU, awards each recipient $20,000 over four years.

To compete, a student must have a minimum ACT score of 24, a GPA of 3.5 or better and be a declared entrepreneurship major.

Finalists will be on campus Friday, Jan. 27, for the final round of competition.

Winners will be announced at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, in Devlin Hall.

The scholarship is named for Fran Jabara, former dean of the College of Business Administration at WSU.

WSU starting entrepreneur program in Greensburg, Kan.

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:04:00 CST

The Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship, in partnership with Kiowa County Economic Development Corp., the U.S. Department of Agriculture and NetWork Kansas, is launching a new entrepreneurial certificate in Greensburg, Kan.

"Growing Rural Businesses" will start in February.

Tim Pett

The program will include small group exercises, case studies and interactive discussions with peers, facilitators and industry experts.

All sessions are held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Fridays from Feb. 3-April 20.

The cost is $300, with scholarships available for Kiowa County participants.

Greensburg gained attention in 2007 after a tornado destroyed about 95 percent of the city and killed 11 people. Greensburg officials and citizens have since made it a goal to rebuild the city through more earth-friendly means.

To register, go to www.GrowingRuralBusinesses.org or contact Dee Chandler, executive director of Kiowa County Economic Development, at (620) 723-3188 or kiowadevelopment@gmail.com.

"Growing Rural Businesses" sessions

Entrepreneurial Mindset for Small Businesses - Feb. 3
The Marketing Plan: The Roadmap for Success - Feb. 10
Developing a Comprehensive Promotional Strategy - Feb. 17
Creating Value for Your Customers - Feb. 24
The Nuts and Bolts of Advertising - March 2
Basic Sales Techniques and Practices for Selling - March 9
Fundamental Tactics and Approaches of Merchandising - March 16
Keeping a Financial Focus: Impact on Marketing and Business Operations - March 30
Getting the Best From Others: The Employee Factor - April 6
Strategies and Skills for Contract Relationships - April 13
Bringing it All Together: Developing an Effective Niche Strategy - April 20

"The focus of this program is to help business owners acquire tools to not only survive, but to flourish in a rural environment," said Chandler. "It is a very hands-on, immediately useful program that is concise and effective."

"Wichita State and Kiowa County have designed an educational tool that combines significant expertise with practical solutions that will increase the capacity of the business owner to adapt to the changing needs of its customer," said Erik Pedersen, director of Entrepreneurship Communities, NetWork Kansas. "It's a win-win scenario that helps create a more entrepreneurial community."

Kansas economic forecast revised for 2012

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU on the Web at wichita.edu.

After showing almost no growth in 2011, the Kansas economy should improve in 2012. But some recent events have combined to reduce some of the expected growth, according to Jeremy Hill, director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University.

Hill: "Unfortunately our forecasted growth for Kansas has been revised down slightly from 1.1 percent to 1 percent for 2012. This is due to the weakness within the Euro zone, remaining uncertainty of the U.S. economy and expectations of the Boeing departure."

As far as the U.S. economy goes, Hill says there are signs that it's improving as well.

Hill: "The U.S. economy is seeing signs of improving economic conditions. The private sector jobs have led the recent employment growth, and in December the U.S. jobs claims were widespread."

"U.S. consumers are more upbeat about their future. In the last couple of months, they've felt that their future earnings and the economy would be better in the coming months. However, in this recent report of the U.S. consumers, they now believe that the economy today is much better."

Hill says that nationally, gross domestic product is expected to grow 3 percent in fourth quarter 2011 and 2.6 percent in 2012. Year-over-year average annual employment grew 1 percent in November 2011, and modest gains are expected in 2012. The Kansas economy, on the other hand, was generally flat in 2011, as Hill explains.

Hill: "The Kansas economy has been flat in 2011, showing almost no growth from 2010 to 2011. However, farmers and farm income have been the stabilizing force for our economy."

"Although manufacturing struggled the first part of 2011, recent growth in employment is expected to carry through into 2012, leading the state economy out of our recession."

Hill says the strongest employment growth in Kansas should come from the durable sector.

Hill: "We expect the strongest increase in employment growth to come from the durable sector, which includes farm equipment and aviation manufacturing, at about 2.8 percent in 2012."

As for the state economic and employment picture as a whole, Hill says: "Overall, the Kansas economy has some definite strengths and will likely create about 13,000 jobs in 2012."

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Training tools for entrepreneurs series continues

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 15:17:00 CST

Wichita State University's Center for Entrepreneurship is hosting "Developing Growth Strategies: Organic and Inorganic," from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in Devlin Hall.

W. Frank Barton School of Business lecturer Ron Christy will speak about techniques used for identifying business opportunities related to products, services and enterprise development.

The event is part of the Center for Entrepreneurship's Practical Entrepreneur Training Tools series.

For more information, go to http://alturl.com/cbb7x.