SEK Innovation Sessions Offered Free for Students/Staff

The Innovative Business Resource Center (IBRC) is offering much of the content of the 2011 SEK Innovation Summit free to area students, school instructors and administrators.

Click here to go to the Special Student-Staff Registration page.

The Innovation Summit, sponsored by the IBRC and Independence Community College, will be held in Independence in the Memorial Hall and Civic Center. The Summit begins on Wednesday, September 14 with a brainstorming lunch followed by nationally known and regionally grown innovators sharing how innovation can help businesses and communities better survive and thrive in the future.

Bob Dixson, mayor of Greensburg, Kansas will be the keynote speaker for Wednesday night’s dinner. September 15 begins with a continental breakfast sponsored by Montgomery County Action Council followed by more innovation presentations and work sessions. The event will end with lunch on the 15th and the keynote presentation by Dr. Nathan Mellor.

Nearly ten hours of innovation content will be available during the event. Besides Bob Dixson and Dr. Mellor, other featured speakers are Toby Lavine, Kansas Aviation on being World Class in a Small Town; Praveen Gupta, Accelper Consulting on the Nuts and Bolts of Innovation; Dr. Dan Barwick, Independence Community College on the Community College Role in Fostering Innovation; Andy Livingston, Earth Care Products on Innovating a New Fuel Source from Biomass; Peter Ellenstein, William Inge Center for the Arts on Innovative Collaborations through the Greensburg Project; Tom Schwarz and Andy McLenon, Internet experts on Increasing Market Share through e-commerce; Jason Moore, Spears Manufacturing and Tiffany Horsley, Coffeyville Regional Medical Center on Innovative Tips to Reduce Workers Compensation Costs While Improving Safety; Bernie Franks, Heartland PTAC on Contracting With the Government and Jim Correll, Independence Community College on Innovation on Main Street.

The objective of the summit is to demonstrate that innovation is the key to economic and job growth in our region. There are innovative, world-class companies here in Southeast Kansas and nearly any company can become world-class by incorporating innovation into their business models.

“We believe the innovation message is crucial to the success of our young people in the future, whether they start their own businesses or work for someone else,” said Brian Hight, IBRC Board Chair. “We decided to make all non-meal innovations sessions free to area students and school staff members to encourage innovation without limiting attendance due to cost.”

All students K-12 and college students enrolled in at least 6 credit hours need only bring their student ID’s. Staff members from area schools will be admitted by showing their ID’s or Activity pass. “We want to invite students, teachers and administrators to make this event a field trip of learning that can’t be found in normal classroom content or text books,” continued Hight.

Those wanting more information can contact Jim Correll at 620-332-5470 or visit www.InnovateSEK.org.

Incorporated in 2010, the Innovative Business Resource Center (IBRC) was created in conjunction with the Successful Entrepreneur Program at Independence Community College to provide business mentoring and incubation services for area businesses. Mentoring is provided by local/area volunteers experienced in general and specific areas of business while special entrepreneurship curriculum is provided by the Successful Entrepreneur Program at ICC. IBRC is a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization that works with commercial property owners to incubation new, expanding or re-inventing businesses in an ideal location.