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Home > BizTimes Daily > Archives > October 20, 2005
Whitewater honors Wisconsin's entrepreneurial advocates
Published October 20, 2005 - BizTimes Daily
The Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announced the first Wisconsin Innovation Champion Award winners this week. The awards are given to people leading new actions in the public or nonprofit sectors that have made significant contributions to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the state. The first winners of the awards are: Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, for spearheading the Governor's Business Plan Contest and the annual Entrepreneurs' Conference; Erica Kauten, director of the state's Small Business Development Center; and Pam Christiansen, director of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce Bureau of Entrepreneurship, for leadership in creating the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network. The following people were honored for starting area innovators/entrepreneurs groups: Kevin Jones, director of the UW-Eau Claire Small Business Development Center, Chippewa Valley Entrepreneurs Network; Karna Hanna, Sauk County Economic Development director; Nancy Elsing, Columbia County Economic Development director, Sauk/Columbia Inventors; Dennis Heling, Jefferson County Economic Development director, Jefferson County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Connection; Terry Whipple, Juneau County Economic Development director, Juneau County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club; and Tobey Andropolis, president of Andropolis Painting, for the Wisconsin Inventors Network of Appleton. "Each of these individuals has created opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs in the state to move their ideas forward," said Debra Malewicki, director of the Wisconsin Innovation Service Center at the UW-Whitewater. "Many of these opportunities involve creating visibility for entrepreneurs and creating venues for them to network for resources and support. Both are important elements of an entrepreneurial climate, and entrepreneurs are critical engines for economic growth." The awards will be formally presented during a Nov. 5 breakfast at a conference titled, "Ideas to Profits: Embracing Failure as a Milestone to Success," at the UW-Whitewater. For more information on the conference, e-mail innovate@uww.edu or call (262) 472-1365.
