Press release here:
What’s the economic outlook for 2010? And how can business capitalize on the opportunities the New Year will bring?
Those questions and more will be discussed at a forum on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel, 31 Woodfin St., in downtown Asheville. The event is presented by Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council (BREC), a job-creation initiative of AdvantageWest, the economic development commission serving the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. It is co-sponsored by the Renaissance.
Internationally respected economist Ron Johnson and national marketing expert David Kemper will lead a lively and engaging discussion that will include what entrepreneurs can do to “surf among the sharks.” (Hint: It’s a bad time to wipe out.) Johnson is dean of the College of Business at Western Carolina University; Kemper is president of KemperStrategy Inc., an Asheville-based consulting firm.
BREC forums are open to the public. Cost to attend is $20, which includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Register online at www.brecnc.com or contact Pam Lewis for more information at plewis@awnc.org.
More about Dr. Ron Johnson: Prior to his appointment as dean, Johnson served as president and chief investment officer at Smith Graham & Co. in Houston, Tex.; director of global fixed income research and senior portfolio manager for Templeton Worldwide Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and chief strategist and head of research for Americas Trust Bank in Miami. He has held positions with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the International Monetary Fund, both in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. and MA in Economics from Stanford University, and an MBA in Finance and a BA in Economics from Adelphi University in New York. [Full bio available here.]
More about David Kemper: Kemper is one of fewer than 300 people in the U.S. to achieve certification as a Professional Certified Marketer by the American Marketing Association. Prior to founding KemperStrategy in 2002, he had 15 years’ management experience in engineering, manufacturing, program management, sales and marketing in both international and domestic markets, and businesses ranging from $13 million to $200 million in revenue. He has a BS in Industrial Engineering from NC State University and an MBA from Western Carolina University. [Full bio available here.]
More about BREC and AdvantageWest: BREC is an organization for entrepreneurs in Western North Carolina that focuses on education, networking and mentoring, communications and capital formation. For more information about BREC programs and opportunities, visit www.brecnc.com or the BREC page on Facebook.
2 Comments
This is a revenue stream for Advantage West- appeases their funders as an outcome. Entrepreneurial development is more than conferences….
These Blue Ridge Entrepreneur Conferences (BREC) have been around for a while and I attended two of their events in the past.
The bottom line is that conferences such as this accomplish absolutely zero. A session entitled "Surfing Among Sharks" — give us a break!!
They are mostly just a chance for folks to get out of their houses and listen to boring lectures by many of the same academics and consultants they’ve heard before. And, let’s not forget the "heavy" hors d’oeuvres and bar — you might be able to get your $20 worth there
It’s well-known in these parts that Advantage West accomplishes very little. This guy David Kemper makes a killing working as a consultant for Advantage West.
Attending this event is a sure waste of time and money.