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ISU Students Win Big at Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Conference
Ames, Iowa -- The ISU Entrepreneur Club attended the 2001 Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Conference in Chicago November 1-3. Eighteen students and their advisor attended many informative and motivational sessions; interacted with students, business leaders and faculty from across the nation; and participated in chapter development and leadership workshops.
The Club participated in the CEO best chapter competitions and won first place awards for the Best CEO chapter web site, developed by Virgil Silhanek, senior in management information systems; Best CEO chapter brochure, developed by Kristy Kennon, senior in marketing; and Best CEO chapter advisor, Judi Eyles. Jason Reiman, Club President, said, "The ISU Entrepreneur Club has proven itself to be one of the most successful CEO chapters nationwide, and every student at Iowa State has the opportunity to become part of the club."
The conference brought in outstanding speakers including Stedman Graham, chairman and CEO, S. Graham & Associates; Myra Hart, co-founder, Staples Inc.; William Saito, CEO, I/O Software Inc; John Hughes, co-founder and CEO, Fannie May candy shops and chair of the Coleman Foundation; Jimmy John Liautaud, founder of Jimmy John's subs; Gregory Jones, president and CEO, uBid.com; and numerous other entrepreneurs and business advisors. Speakers presented real life examples of their successes and failures and also offered useful advice to students.
In addition to networking with business leaders from across the nation, ISU students were also able to network with likeminded students from across the country. Many gained valuable information and made great contacts. Eyles said, "CEO put on a great conference that gave hundreds of students from all over the country the opportunity to sit in a room and talk with well-known entrepreneurs and each other. It was inspiring to feel the energy in the rooms as entrepreneurs of all ages told their stories, and young people began to visualize their own successes. This was absolutely the best networking event of the year!"
Chapter development and leadership sessions brought together student leaders from CEO chapters throughout the nation. Virgil Silhanek, Club Webmaster, said, "As a club officer, I found interacting with other school's officers a priceless experience and feel our club will benefit greatly just from seeing how they run their chapters." These sessions offered information about how to grow their membership, organize events, and develop successful fundraisers. Jason Reiman, ISU Club President, served on a panel of students leaders.
Sponsors included the Coleman Foundation, ISU Government of the Student Body (GSB), ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and the ISU Entrepreneur Club.
For more information on this conference, visit the ISU Entrepreneur Club website at www.isueclub.com or contact Judi Eyles at the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship at (515) 296-6532 or eyles@iastate.edu.
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