ASHLAND WI – The 2010 Lake Superior Business and Technology Conference, a regional event focusing on “Fostering Entrepreneurship in the Lake Superior Region” will be held from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm Thursday, August 5 at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, 2100 Beaser Avenue.
Regional business expert and writer Daryl Erdman will deliver the keynote speech, “The Care and Feeding of Entrepreneurs” at this 5th annual conference organized by the Lake Superior Chapter of the Wisconsin Innovation Network (WIN).
In addition to Erdman of Strategic Growth Resources, who has forty years of experience as an entrepreneur, business leader, educator and writer in Wisconsin and Minnesota, conference attendees will hear from Kim Kindschi, executive director of UW-Extension’s Division of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development who will speak on “Technology Infrastructure and Entrepreneurship,” and share information and resources available to regional entrepreneurs.
Among other speakers will be Dagmar Beckel‐Machyckova, northwest area development manager for the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, and a video presentation from Eric Ness, Wisconsin District Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration.
According to WIN Lake Superior Chapter Chair Dr. Fred Tidstrom, “We believe that Ashland and the surrounding region is the gateway to progress in the 21st Century on Lake Superior. This conference continues to attract regional and statewide players who want to support business innovation, technology, and research development in our area. We especially invite students to attend, for they are our future leaders.”
In addition, Ashland mayor Bill Whalen said, “The City of Ashland is privileged to host this conference. I hope it will continue to serve as a catalyst in bringing new businesses to the city and region.”
The day-long conference, which annually draws more than 100 attendees and financial support from area businesses and organizations, will include 15 other speakers.
Concurrent sessions will include “An Entrepreneur’s Story” of how regional entrepreneurs developed and grew their successful businesses, and presentations by representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, UW-Superior Small Business Development Center, UW-Extension, WITC, Northland College and regional economic development organizations sharing information on available programs, resources and support to help entrepreneurs start and achieve their small business dreams.
Conference sponsors include: The City of Ashland, Ashland County, Ashland School District, Bretting Manufacturing, BusinessNorth, C & S Engineering & Design, James Hagstrom, the Oredocker Foundation, Hotel Chequamegon, The Wisconsin Technology Council, Xcel Energy, Duluth Clinic-Ashland, Memorial Medical Center, NWCEP and NWWIB, Bill Van Sant, Martinsen Investments, WITC, B. Lindgren Consulting, Murphy Oil, Northland College, UW-Extension, UW-Superior, Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network, Oulu Glass and more than 25 other stakeholders.
Tidstrom encourages all registered conference attendees to join the pre-conference reception held at the Hotel Chequamegon, 101 Lakeshore Drive West, on Wednesday, August 4 beginning at 5:30 pm, where architect Stephen Schraufnagel of C & S Design and Engineering “will present an update on significant, exciting progress on our plans for a Lake Superior Technology Park in Ashland.”
Conference registration is $35, which includes lunch. Students with ID attend free. Call 1-800-410-8351 or go online at www.uwsuper.edu/sbdc to register.
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