Deadline nears for ‘boot camp’ registration
The eighth edition of the Stonyfield Farm Entrepreneurship Institute – which has informed and inspired hundreds of entrepreneurs over the years – will feature an expanded format at a new location for 2010.The “boot camp” for community-minded entrepreneurs, which will be held March 25-26 at the Courtyard Marriott Grappone Conference Center in Concord, offers a safe and interactive environment for entrepreneurs to learn about financing, marketing, managing change, along with other areas key to growing an enterprise.Deadline for registration is March 12.Presented by The Carsey Institute and the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire, the Stonyfield Farm Entrepreneurship Institute was conceived by Stonyfield Farm co-founder Gary Hirshberg and is run by him and Michael Swack, a professor at the Whittemore School and a member of the research faculty at The Carsey Institute.This year’s program includes a Thursday session on March 25 that will feature sessions on finance, business, and entrepreneurship.On Thursday night, seasoned entrepreneur Hirshberg, along with his wife, writer Meg Hirshberg, and Trish Karter, co-founder of the Dancing Deer Baking Company, will share their “Tales from the Trenches.”On Friday, March 26, the institute will feature the presentation of case studies in finance, marketing and organizational development as well as several live business plan critiques of pre-selected businesses.Panelists include:• Bob Burke, principal, Natural Products Consulting• Andy Whitman, managing partner, 2x Consumer Products Growth Partners• Michael Burgmaier, managing director advisor, Silverwood Partners; managing director, Royal River Associates; principal, CEI Community• Brad Sterl, president, Rustic Crust• Trish Karter, cofounder/CEO/chief deer, Dancing Deer Baking Company• John Hamilton, Vested for Growth, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund• Bob Davis, First Colebrook Bank• Adam Borden, founder, Bradmer Foods• Howard Brodsky, chairperson & CEO, CCA Global Partners• Katie Paine, CEO, KDPaine & Partners LLC• Erik Drake, vice president of marketing, Stonyfield Farm Inc.• Carolyn Benthien, Benthien & Associates• Joe Carelli, executive vice president and director of commercial banking, Citizens BankThe institute is sponsored by Stonyfield Farm, The Carsey Institute, First Colebrook Bank, New Hampshire Business Review, the Community Development Finance Authority, the Whittemore School and the Citizens Bank Foundation.Cost to attend is $250. Scholarships are available. Thursday lunch and dinner and Friday breakfast and lunch are included in the cost.Accommodations are available at the Courtyard Marriott Grappone Conference Center in Concord. Those interested can contact the hotel at 603-225-0303 or 800-321-2211 for more information. Mention the Stonyfield Institute room block for the conference rate of $99 per night.For more information, including a complete agenda, and registration, visit the Stonyfield Farm Entrepreneurship Institute at carseyinstitute.unh.edu/sfei.html or contact Susan Colucci at susan.colucci@unh.edu or 603-862-2821.
