Speakers announced for Summit on Rural Innovation & Entrepreneurship

The University of West Alabama has joined with AT&T and Alabama Power Company to announce the slate of speakers and featured panelists for the Alabama Summit on Rural Innovation and Entrepreneurship, set for Friday, April 17, at Bell Conference Center on the UWA campus. The event features a stellar slate of entrepreneurs who bring unique perspectives to address rural Alabama’s need for building an economic development and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Mr. Enoch Elwell, founder and CEO of Co.Starters ofChattanooga, Tennessee
“Building Rural Entrepreneurial Communities”

Mr. Ken DeWitt, founder of DeWitt LLC, a business strategy execution and coaching firm
“Traction: Get More of What You Want From Your Business”

Mr. Barden Smedberg, internationally successful business consultant and entrepreneur
“Back to the Future”

Dr. Gina Simpson, highly sought after trainer, coach and entrepreneurial leader at the University of Alabama Event Moderator

A slate of regional and statewide entrepreneurial leaders will participate in panels on “Entrepreneurial Success: Up Close & Personal,” “Rural Entrepreneurship from 10,000 Feet,” “Entrepreneurial Resources That Make a Difference,” and “Building Community Through Entrepreneurship.”

PRESENTERS

Natasha McCrary, 1818 Farms

Slade Johnson, Trips4Trade

Marquis Forge, M-Raine Industries

Dr. Theresa Welbourne, Director of The Edge at The University of Alabama

The luncheon program will present a conversation with some of Alabama’s leading rural development experts and entrepreneurial advocates:
Marsha Folsom, Former Alabama First Lady and a co-founder of Resource Fiber
Nichelle Nix, Director of the Governor’s Office of Minority and Women’s Affairs
Brian Hilson, Rural Development Director for the Economic Development Association of Alabama
Barden Smedberg, successful entrepreneur in several diverse fields.

To provide information about support systems and resources available for entrepreneurial development will be some of Alabama’s well known association leaders:

Chris Beeker, Director of Alabama’s USDA
Alex Flaschbart, CEO of Opportunity Alabama;
Donald Mills, Small Business Development Center
Bevin Tomlin, Director of Community Development for Alabama Power
Mary Helmer, Main Street Alabama
Jeff Smith, National Association of Community College Entrepreneurs
Llevelyn Rhone, President of the Hale County Chamber of Commerce
Mary Shell, Alabama Communities for Excellence

The opening keynote speaker, Enoch Elwell, is CEO of Co.Starters headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.Elwell currently supports hundreds of emerging startup entrepreneurial communities in 16 states, including  Alabama. He has been a leader nationally in the establishment of entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout the United States, training community leaders how to apply entrepreneurial principles to economic and community revitalization.

The second featured presenter, Ken DeWitt, founder of DeWitt LLC, a business strategy execution and coaching firm, will focus on development of the individual entrepreneur. A life-long entrepreneur, he specializes in helping entrepreneurs and CEO’s create highly profitable enterprises that serve and enrich their lives rather than control them. Ken has served, coached and advised over 200  firms and entrepreneurs across the nation. He is one of only five Certified Entrepreneurial Operating System Implementers and has taken the EOS Traction system into more than 70 companies.

Barden Smedberg is a highly sought after entrepreneur. An alumnus of Anderson Consulting, which became Accenture, he has worked on three continents and rose to the executive ranks within the global company.  His clients have included some of the largest companies in the world. As his career has progressed, he has grown new ventures and entrepreneurial success in the fields of real estate, hotel/hospitality and entertainment management.

The Summit’s moderator, Dr. Gina Simpson, is a certified professional coach, founder of Soluna Strategies, a professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Alabama, and an enthusiastic advocate for building young entrepreneurs. While building six companies as an individual entrepreneur, Simpson focuses on the success of individual students, clients and organizations through application of entrepreneurial principles.

Participants should register prior to April 10th on Eventbrite.  Registration is $25 and includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day. There is limited seating and the event is filling quickly.

AT&T and Alabama Power Company, and the University of West Alabama are the presenting sponsors of the summit. 

PARTNERS

For more information, contact UWA’s Division of Economic & Workforce Development at  1.833.UWA.WORK.