Syracuse University to hold WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP SYMPOSIUM

SYRACUSE, March 26, 2003 — The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship at Syracuse University, together with its corporate partner KeyBank, is proud to announce the first symposium on women and entrepreneurship entitled “Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship.” The event will take place at the Syracuse OnCenter from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24.
This is something new that Syracuse University and KeyBank are offering to the community and the entire region. The conference was created by Dr. Michael Morris, Witting Chair for Entrepreneurship and Director of the Program in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises at Syracuse University’s School of Management.

“This conference addresses a fast growing market of entrepreneurs and new business growth: women,” said Dr. Michael Morris. “This conference is designed to be a tool that offers education as well as inspiration to women entrepreneurs, who account for nearly 40 percent of all businesses in the United States and generate more than $3.7 trillion in annual sales.”

The number of women-owned ventures increased 78% in the past decade, at almost twice the rate as for all businesses. Today, there are over 8.5 million women-owned business in the U.S., compared to one million in 1969. They constitute a proportion that is on the rise.
“Despite women's extraordinary record in creating businesses, 95 percent of the venture capital being invested in businesses today goes to those led by men," notes Nola Miyasaki, executive director of the Falcone Center and principal organizer of the conference. "Giving women the knowledge and networks that can reverse that market inefficiency and that can increase the chance of success of women owned ventures is what we intend to accomplish with the WISE symposia. We envision an annual program that reaches thousands of women, resulting in many new ventures as well as a thriving infrastructure—including a Web site—that connects women entrepreneurs in New York."

Some 25 entrepreneurs, investors, consultants, and educators will come together to share experiences and tactics with several hundred conference participants. The day long event includes sessions on pitching new ventures, dealing with investors, negotiating deals, navigating legal issues, leveraging SBA and Chamber of Commerce resources, and guerrilla marketing. Keynote addresses will be delivered by Joline Godfrey, the author of No More Frogs to Kiss and CEO of Independent Means, a leading provider of products and services that teach girls financial independence, and by Kaaren Johnson Street, associate deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Johnson Street manages the SBA’s business development programs that provide education, training, counseling, and technical assistance to more than one million clients annually. Topics will be examined from a variety of viewpoints, with speakers representing a diverse mix of age groups, ethnic backgrounds, education levels, and industry experiences. The common element is a shared passion for the entrepreneurial spirit.

Syracuse based speakers include Julie Briggs, owner of Syracuse Gift Basket; Carol Fletcher, owner of CRFletcher and Anne Messenger of Messenger Associates, Inc. Peggy Pointkowski, founder of the now defunct Sassy Scrubs which hit a high producing scrubs for the hit series ER, will also be giving a talk on business bloopers.

“From long experience, we at KeyBank are well aware that women face special financial challenges, whether they are business-people, homemakers with families or single career women,” said Michael McMahon, vice president of business banking at Key. “We’re pleased to sponsor this event.”

Besides KeyBank, additional sponsors for the Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship conference include Niagara Mohawk, Messenger Associates, Time Warner Cable Syracuse Division, Bond Schoeneck & King, Leadership Greater Syracuse, Syracuse University School of Management Alumni Club, SCS, Health Now, the Women’s Business Center, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce.

Those interested in registering for the conference can contact Linda Manzano at the Syracuse University School of Management at (315)443-6899 or at lwmanzan@syr.edu. Registration forms are also available at KeyBank locations in the greater Syracuse area. Information is available online at www.som.syr.edu/eee/WISE.
About The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship: The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship is part of the Program in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE) at the Syracuse University School of Management. Its mission is to facilitate entrepreneurial activity at the University, in the local and regional community and beyond. The Syracuse EEE program is ranked as one of the top 24 entrepreneurship programs in the United States.

About Key: KeyBank N.A. is one of New York’s largest financial services companies with one of the largest statewide networks of branches and ATMs. The 12-county Central New York District has 60 KeyCenters (branches), 95 ATMs, and more than 500 employees. KeyBank is a leader in community involvement, contributing more than $1 million to local nonprofit agencies and organizations in Central New York.