CEO takes home three high-powered awards at National Entrepreneurs’ Conference

WHITEWATER ­ In only its first month as a National Collegiate Entrepreneurs¹
Organization (CEO) Chapter and its second year in operation, the University
of Wisconsin-Whitewater¹s CEO Chapter took home three high-powered awards at
the National CEO Conference held Nov. 1-3 in Chicago.

UW-Whitewater¹s CEO secured first place in the Web site competition, second
in Best Chapter Business Plan and second in Best Fundraising Activity,
competing against more than 1,400 national and international CEO members.
Only one other school earned more awards.

³I am extremely proud of our chapter and to have done this well against
seasoned chapters illustrates just how good of a chapter we have,² Jimmy
Peltier, Irvin L. Young professor of entrepreneurship and professor of
marketing at UW-Whitewater, said. ³Given that we are still such a young
chapter, my expectations for the future are limitless.²

More than 1,200 students, faculty and others interested in entrepreneurship
gathered in Chicago for the two-and-a-half day CEO conference. The annual
conference offered networking opportunities for students, and also featured
entrepreneurs and business leaders who shared their ideas and expertise on
how they launched their business and the lessons they have learned.

³Attending a conference is always an enjoyable experience because of the
energy and capabilities of the attendees,² Management Professor and CEO
Advisor Bill Dougan said. ³Attendance at a conference like this is valuable
in terms of the networking opportunities it can provide by allowing the
students to interact with their peers and faculty members. Students are
given opportunities to makes connections, both personal and professional,
that could ultimately lead to new business developments in the future.²

Operating on 135 university campuses across North America, CEO provides
young entrepreneurs networking opportunities, chapter activities and the
national conference to help them start their own business. The mission is to
inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek
opportunity though enterprise creation.

Throughout the semester UW-Whitewater¹s CEO holds speaker meetings with
successful entrepreneurs, allows students to get involved in business plan
competitions and also participate in volunteer opportunities to help gain
insight on the business industry. CEO is open to all students, especially
those science and business majors interested in owning their own business.

³Entrepreneurs have the desire and energy to succeed, something that our
students have in abundance. There is a strong need on this campus to provide
an outlet for young entrepreneurs,² Derek Henze, CEO president and founding
member said. ³Hopefully students from across the university and from
multiple majors will take advantage of this opportunity, which in the end
will only make us stronger.²

CEO meetings are held every Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. in Upham 142. For more
information, contact Peltier at (262) 472-5474 or
peltierj@uww.edu.