CEO National Conference

Overview

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization hosts the annual CEO National Conference normally held in Chicago, IL and most recently at McCormick Place convention center.  This event has hosted speakers such as Steve Wozniak founder of Apple, Jeff Taylor founder of Monster.com, the founders of MCI, Cranium, Century 21 Canada.  The conference is capped off by awarding the CEO Best Chapter Award. [1] [2]

History

2007: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL

Keynotes:
Jay Goltz, Artists’ Frame Shop; Steve Miller, Origin Ventures; John Hughes, The Coleman Foundation; Drew Wade, TurboHorse; Caralynn Nowinski, SanoGene; Rieva Lesonsky, Entrepreneur Media, Inc.; Peter Thomas, LifePilot.

Summary:
The 2007 CEO National Conference brought together over 1,300 participants from 135 Universities around the country (the largest number of universities ever represented at the national conference). Over 60 outstanding speakers participated in this two and a half day conference and talked about topics such as crafting a small business, bootstrap financing, accounting and legal issues, and starting and growing your own campus CEO organization. Special sessions were also offered specifically for entrepreneurship in the arts, technology, and for faculty.  Speakers included Jay Goltz, Artists’ Frame Shop; Steve Miller, Origin Ventures; John Hughes, The Coleman Foundation; Drew Wade, TurboHorse; Caralynn Nowinski, SanoGene; Rieva Lesonsky, Entrepreneur Media, Inc.; Peter Thomas, LifePilot.  Rieva Lesonsky was also awarded the “Outstanding Media Entrepreneurship Award”.  During the conference, several entrepreneurs were inducted into the CEO Hall of Fame:  Edward and Bettiann Gardner, Soft Sheen Products; Peter Thomas, Century 21 Real Estate Canada; Ron Rubin, Republic of Tea; Kenneth Hendricks, ABC Supply Company; Joshua James, Omniture.  The inductees shared their stories of success and inspiration with the audience. Students had the opportunity to compete in Best Chapter Awards, Experiential learning projects, Elevator Pitch competition, and Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. [4]

Awards: [3]

Best CEO^SM Chapter Website – 1^st place: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 2^nd place Syracuse University.

Best CEO^SM Chapter Business Plan – 1^st : Brigham Young University, 2^nd : University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Best CEO^SM Marketing Plan - 1^st : Brigham Young University, 2^nd place: Texas Christian University. 

Best CEO^SM Fundraising Idea/Event – 1^st place: Clarkson University, 2^nd place: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Best CEO^SM Chapter Exhibit – 1^st place: Metropolitan University, 2^nd place: Clarkson University.

Best CEO^SM Chapter Advisor – 1^st place: Nicolas Rosario, Metropolitan University, 2^nd place: Marc Compeau, Clarkson University.

Best CEO^SM Student Leader – 1^st place: Chris Miller, University of Nebraska Omaha, 2^nd place: Brian Kum, Texas Christian University.

Teaching Entrepreneurship – 1^st place: Brigham Young University. 

Entrepreneur Intern for a Day – 1^st place: University of Iowa.

CEO^SM Chapter Business – 1^st place: University of Puerto Rico -Mayaguez.

Electronic Based Networking – 1^st place: Texas Christian University.

In-Person Networking – 1^st place: Texas Christian University.

Campus “E Diffusion” – 1^st place: Illinois Institute of Technology.

Overall Best Chapter - Bryant University

2006: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL

Keynotes:
Barry Moltz, author, John Hughes, The Coleman Foundation,

Awards:

Student Leader- Matt Wilson, Bryant University

Elevator Pitch Competition- Jordan Clancy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Chapter Advisor- P.K. Shukla, Chapman University  [5]