October 16, 2002
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Learn how to launch a venture, build it to profitability and take it public or sell it for the right price at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management Entrepreneurship Center‘s annual conference on Oct. 25.
“Launching the Venture” is the theme of this year’s conference, at which an all-star lineup of seasoned entrepreneurs will tell what experience has taught them. Cost for attending the all-day conference, to be held at Caterpillar Financial Center at 2120 West End Ave., is $95.
This year’s speakers include:
Thomas Cigarran, chairman and chief executive officer of American Healthways. He will speak about “Turning a Startup Into a Successful Company.”
William M. Mounger, CEO of TriStar Communications and former chairman of TeleCorp PCS, Inc. He will speak about “Secrets of a Successful Business Startup.”
Jack Long, co-founder and CEO of PeopleAdmin, Inc. and co-founder of Lone Star Overnight, L.P., a regional air express transportation company. Long will speak about “Finding the Money.”
Mark Lomanno, president of Smith Travel Research, the leading authority on current trends in occupancy, room rate and supply and demand data for the U.S. and global lodging industries. Lomanno will speak about “Getting Your First Customer.”
Cordia Harrington, president and CEO of Tennessee Bun Company. She will speak about “Growing the Business.”
Other sessions will include presentations on such topics as “Taking Your Company Public,” “Finding the Right Buyer,” “Understanding When to Change Course,” “Managing the After Effects of Selling Your Company” and “Navigating the Sale of Your Company After it Has Gone Public.”
According to Germain Boer, professor of management at the Owen School and director of the Owen Entrepreneurship Center, this conference is a great opportunity to learn from successful entrepreneurs and to network. “We have assembled a set of very successful entrepreneurs who will share their experiences with people attending the conference,” he said. ”This is a great opportunity to meet and speak personally with folks who have started, built and sold extremely successful companies.”
Advance registration is urged and can be completed online at http://www.mba.vanderbilt.edu/oec/registration.htm. Registration will be possible at the door on the day of the conference.
For more news about Vanderbilt, visit the Vanderbilt News Service homepage at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/News.
Contact: Susanne Loftis, 615-322-NEWS, susanne.loftis@vanderbilt.edu