NEWS RELEASE

Business Class Participants Meet Together

Local entrepreneurs discuss customer and marketing topics at their joint meeting on Monday. Shown are (l to r) Monica Braun, REAP and Murray Ostberg, Wanda Parker, Tara Keenan & Mickey Dvorak.

Current Business Academy Class members were invited to attend the bi-monthly meeting of the Business Plan Basics alumni group held on Monday, November 8th at the Merrick County Venture Center. The Business Plan Basics group continues to meet regularly to discuss business development strategies and current topics for new or emerging businesses. The meeting is led by REAP (Rural Enterprise Assistance Project) staff member, Monica Braun. The class had 12 original members and continues to meet to network and share their successes and challenges. Original Business Plan Basics class members included: Murray Ostberg, Dawn Hanson, Tara Keenan, Mike Randall, Kirstine Chvala, Raquel Reyes, Adele Maynard, Lynn Manhart, Nancy McGinnis, June Brophy, Kerilyn Mersch and Roxie M.R. Ceplecha.

Members of this fall’s Business Academy Class were invited to attend the November meeting. After sharing updates on their business ventures, Monica led discussion and activities related to each business’ customer profiles, market surveys, customer surveys and market research.
The Business Academy Class will conclude on November 11th. The instructor, Doris Lux of CCC-Columbus, has led class participants through an eight week course covering all elements of starting and maintaining a business. Local guest presenters and topics covered in this fall’s classes include:

• Miles McGinnis – Economic Development
• Linda Triplett – Business insurance
• Cliff Mesner – Legal aspects of business
• Tara Keenan – Managing a Start-up Business
• Kelly Hale – Business accounting
• Dick Barnes and Scott Kvols – Banking relations.

Class members are: Wanda & Jim Parker, Chris Berry, Patsy Hayden, Julie Fiehler & Tara Mundt.