The Texas Entrepreneurship Summit: Expanding Economic Opportunity

Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Austin, Texas
Marriot Austin at the Capitol

"Entrepreneurship" describes the business growth and development, leadership, innovation, and risk taking necessary to grow local economies across Texas. These new business ventures often start small and grow into businesses that have significant numbers of employees and large economic impacts. In fact, small businesses significantly contribute to our state and national economic prosperity, accounting for more than 50 percent of the nation's private GDP. In addition, more than 60 percent of the new jobs created every year come from small business.

More can be done, however, to nurture entrepreneurs and encourage new business development. The role of entrepreneurship is often overlooked as a catalyst for expanding the economic opportunity in both rural and urban areas. The Texas Entrepreneurship Summit: Expanding Economic Opportunity will bring together the stakeholders from business, government and academia to discuss what can be done by state and local government, educational institutions, business and community-based and non-profit organizations to promote entrepreneurship.

The Summit participants will help identify key issues and recommendations to further the entrepreneurial spirit across Texas. The questions to be considered relate to the following overarching themes:

1.) Identifying Entrepreneurial Opportunities: How do we bring together the ideas for businesses, technology transfer, agricultural diversification and value added products with the entrepreneurial talent to make the ideas reality?

2.) Building and Developing Successful Entrepreneurs: What are the most effective approaches for identifying, training and supporting entrepreneurs at the community and state level?

3.) Understanding Entrepreneurship in a Community Context: How do we create a community climate that is favorable to new business development and engages entrepreneurs in local community development strategies? What needs to be done at the state level to foster the development of community capacity to support entrepreneurship?

Click to download a copy of the current
Texas Entrepreneurship Summit Agenda.

Please visit often for updates!

Entrepreneurship Web Resources

Below are key links that you may find useful relating to major entrepreneurship efforts along with efforts in which our speakers are involved:

Location & Hotel Information

The Entrepreneurship Summit will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 in Austin, Texas at the Marriot Austin at the Capitol

Hotel Reservations
The Marriott Austin at the Capitol is holding a block of rooms for the Summit's use at the nightly rate of $109. We encourage everyone needing a room to call immediately since we anticipate the rooms will be booked quickly. Reservations should be made by March 11, 2005. After this date, rooms are subject to availability and may be at a higher rate.

To receive this conference rate, please call the Marriott Austin at the Capitol at 512-478-1111 or 800-228-9290. Remember to ask for reservations for the "Entrepreneur Summit" to receive special rates on rooms. For more details visit their website. http://marriott.com/property/propertypage.mi?marshaCode=AUSDT

Date of room block: Monday, March 28 - Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Room rate per night: $109

Parking
The Marriott Austin at the Capitol has self-parking available at the rate of $1.50 per hour, with a maximum of $10 per day. Valet parking is available at $16.00 per day.

For more information on the city of Austin, please visit their web site.

Registration & Costs

Pre-registration is recommended and will help us in planning and preparing a better summit. If you pre-register, your nametag and program packet will be ready when you arrive at the hotel.

The fee is $95 through March 25, 2005. A $20 late fee will be added to registrations received after March 25.

NOTE: Online registration will be available until 12 noon CST, Friday, March 25, 2005. After this date, please plan to register on-site at the Marriott Hotel.

Please register online by clicking here.

Planning Committee Members

Summit Co-Chairs
Dr. Greg Clary, Director, Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
Mr. Carlton Schwab, President and CEO, Texas Economic Development Council

Planning Committee Members
Mr. Ky Ash, Legislative Director, Texas Representative Jim Keffer
Mr. Daniel Brackeen, Heritage Family Specialty Foods
Dr. Pamela Brown, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist,
Mr. Marvin Cepica, Dean of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University
Dr. Brian Dabson, Associate Director, Rural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri-Columbia
Mr. Bryan Daniel, State Director, USDA, Rural Development, Texas
Mr. Bobby Gierisch, Fellow, Rural Policy Research Institute
Mr. Vernie Glasson, Executive Director, Texas Farm Bureau
Ms. Fran Irwin, Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)
Mr. Ron Kessler, President, Ron Kessler Group
Dr. Don Macke, Co-Director, Center for Rural
Entrepreneurship
Dr. Mark McLellan, Director, Texas A&M University, Institute of Food Science and Engineering
Mr. Mark Miller, Vice President for Lending, Texas Ag Finance
Dr. Sukant Misra, Associate Dean for Research, CASNR, Texas Tech University
Mr. Mike Petter, Secretary, Summit Executive Committee
Dr. Edward Rister, Associate Dept. Head, Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University
Mr. Jason Skaggs, Senator Robert Duncan
Dr. Roland Smith, Associate Dept. Head for Extension, Texas A&M University, Department of Agricultural Economics
Mr. Loy Sneary
Mr. Charlie Stone, Executive Director, Office of Rural Community Affairs
Mr. Robert Wood, Assistant Commissioner, Texas Department of Agriculture,
Rural Economic Development Division

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Phone: (979) 862-1771
e-mail: agsummit@tamu.edu

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