The UW School of Business’ Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship: tomorrow will honor former UW grad Carol Bartz with the center’s 2nd “Entrepreneur Hall of Fame” Award

News Alert

Bartz is CEO and President of Autodesk, a Fortune 500 company that makes Computer Assisted Design software and hardware. Under Bartz, the company has grown four-fold to a $1 billion company, and Autodesk has been identified by Fortune Magazine as one of the nation’s 100 most desirable places to work.

The broader Wisconsin/Madison story is that the Weinert Center for Entreprenuership was created at the UW Business School to produce more “Carols.” To reverse the brain drain, to reverse the trend of UW patents going to other states to be developed into products and sold, Wisconsin badly needs new entrepreneurs. That’s the center’s goal — and that’s what Carol personifies.

As you all know, creating venture capitalists and entrepreneurs who can bring capital and new ideas together is a central part of Gov. Doyle’s “Grow Wisconsin” economic development program.

TIME and PLACE: NOON AT THE PYLE CENTER (though Carol will be on campus all day and available for an interview)

EVENT:

· Bartz will be given the award;

· Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton will speak on behalf of the Governor on the broad need for high-tech development in Wisconsin — and the need for more women such as Carol Bartz
· Larry Cox, the director of the Center for Entrepreneurs, will speak on the role of the center in economic development in Wisconsin. He is a good interview as well. He can be available — and make Carol available — at any time tomorrow.

CONTACT: LARRY COX CAN BE REACHED ANY TIME ON HIS CELL: 770-2251. (For assistance, call Mike Flaherty at 332-5200 or Helen Capallero 262-9213 at UW School of Business).