SBDC Announces Inaugural Distinguished Entrepreneur Award
Award recognizes small to mid-size Southwest Florida business that has captured formula for success
FORT MYERS, FL – The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Florida Gulf Coast University announces the Inaugural Distinguished Entrepreneur Award. The award will recognize a small to mid-sized Southwest Florida business for its overall success as well as provide an opportunity for the local business community to celebrate its achievements.
The
Distinguished Entrepreneur award will be presented on Wednesday, May 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Cohen Center (Student Union) ballroom. WINK News Radio anchor Jim McLaughlin will serve as the event’s emcee.
The event’s keynote speaker is Carl L. Gould, a lifelong entrepreneur, business mentor and award-winning coach who created the largest business mentoring organization in the world (www.carlgould.com). Gould and his team of mentor coaches have overseen the development of thousands of small business on six continents and have conducted over 50,000 coaching sessions with entrepreneurs. His latest book, “The 7 Stages of Small-Business Success From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less,” provides entrepreneurs and business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level.
Community members are encouraged to nominate a local business from the five-county area (Collier, Lee, Glades, Hendry and Charlotte) for consideration as the recipient of the award. Candidates will be in business for three or more years; display a high level of overall success; and be able to demonstrate their innovations, achievements and local impact. Full nomination rules and eligibility can be found at www.sbdcawards.com. Entries will be judged by an expert panel of community business leaders headed by Tim Cartwright, chairman of Tamiami Angel Fund I, LLC. Deadline for entries is March 31.
Tickets to the
Distinguished Entrepreneur Award and Dinner are $100 per person. For tickets and to learn more about exclusive sponsorship opportunities, visit www.sbdcawards.com or call (239) 745-3705.
Presenting sponsor for the award is Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., and a table sponsor secured by Brennan, Manna and Diamond P.L. Additional event sponsors include Dolphin Global Technology Solutions, Guerilla Media, Photo Magic, Relevanza, Slick Ink ALL MEDIA and Third Eye Management. The event’s exclusive magazine sponsor is Gulfshore Business magazine.
Director of the FGCU Small Business Development Center Dan Regelski said, “With our increasing role within the business community, we believe it’s time to establish an awards event that brings the business community together to recognize excellence within our five-county area.”
For more information contact Dan Regelski at (239) 745-3705 or Elizabeth Kellar, Slick Ink ALL MEDIA at (239) 877-2959 or liz@slickinkallmedia.com.
