Description
Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & EMERGING ENTERPRISES
2013 - 2014 YEAR I N REVI EW
EMBRACING EXPECTATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE
The 2013-2014 academic year was one of growth, achievement and enhanced
reputation for the Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises (EEE) program
at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.
Leveraging the strong platform established over the past decade, our
rankings held steady in the top 10 of the major institutional surveys. We
grew the number of students taking EEE classes at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels. Many of those students came from outside of the
Whitman School, underscoring the importance of entrepreneurship in
multiple contexts and majors across the Syracuse University campus. Student
companies in the Couri Hatchery expanded from 18 to 56, with a number of
those ?rms achieving signi?cant success in garnering sales, media attention
and/or external investment.
Our faculty continued to conduct innovative research resulting in
numerous articles in leading scholarly journals. Several EEE professors
continued service as editors and editorial board members of top
international journals.
Our reputation as an institution attracted students from other universities
seeking our support and direction. Numerous community connections and
partnerships have been forged through our provision of entrepreneurial
counsel, and dozens of alumni, business owners and organizations have come
to consider EEE at Whitman the preeminent source for entrepreneurial
resources and guidance.
The impact of community outreach programs o?ered through our Falcone
Center for Entrepreneurship grew substantially. The South Side Innovation
Center housed 27 start-up companies. The Women Igniting the Spirit of
Entrepreneurship (WISE) initiative worked with more than 1,000 individuals
in the community, and our Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities programs served 230 military veterans and/or family members.
In recognition of our excellence in programming and services, we were
awarded an Innovation Hot Spot Grant by New York State Governor Andrew
Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council. With over $538,458 in
total grants and donations received last year to support our programs, we
are poised to expand our collaborative e?orts across the Syracuse campus
and with other universities and community groups.
We expect to build on these successes in the 2014-2015 academic year by
further growing our programs and continuing to play a leadership role in the
entrepreneurial community. We would like to thank you for your support
in helping us realize our high expectations for excellence. We welcome
your partnership as we strengthen our position among the nation’s elite in
entrepreneurship education and advancement.
Terry Brown
Executive Director,
Falcone Center for
Entrepreneurship
Alex McKelvie
EEE Department Chair
and Associate Professor
of Entrepreneurship
John Torrens entered college as a music education major but realized
he was meant for another path after observing an elementary school
clarinet lesson. He earned a bachelor’s in psychology from State
University of New York at Potsdam and a master’s in speech-language
pathology from Syracuse.
After working at a few places as a speech-language pathologist, he
started a home-based practice. While pursuing his Ph.D. in business
administration from Northcentral University, Torrens grew his company
to ?ve locations with 250 employees. He sold the business in 2008, but
later reacquired three locations.
In 2009, Torrens found his second calling while teaching a class at
Whitman as an adjunct professor. Today, he is a full-time professor of
practice and engages more fully in his business during school breaks.
Torren’s real-world experience and passion for teaching have
contributed to the rise in reputation of the EEE program. They were
also factors in his selection for SU’s prestigious Meredith Teaching
Recognition Award, which acknowledges non-tenured faculty for
teaching excellence and innovation, e?ectiveness in communicating with
students and the lasting value of courses.
In addition to other EEE classes, Torrens coordinates Whitman’s senior
capstone course and has instructed cross-campus entrepreneurship
classes. He is active in the Institute for Veterans and Military Families
where he teaches in the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities, the Veterans’ Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
symposia and the online Boots to Business training program.
Torrens was also honored as an outstanding educator by the
Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education. He has co-authored papers
and contributed to a speech-language and audiology textbook and guide.
Torrens counts teaching as his most rewarding role. “The thing I love
most is connecting with and learning from students. They constantly
teach me something new. I enjoy staying in contact with them as they go
out into the world. It is rewarding to watch their career trajectories.”
George Burman is known by many as a retired professional football
player. Others know him as a former Whitman dean. Numerous alumni
regard him as a favored professor. Those familiar with the EEE program
consider Burman the visionary and founder of a program that is now a
pillar of the Whitman School.
Burman earned his bachelor’s from Northwestern University while playing
on the football team. He went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL and spent o?
seasons earning an MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.
After retiring from the NFL in 1974, he served as assistant dean of the
School of Urban and Public A?airs at Carnegie Mellon University before
becoming president and turnaround orchestrator of American Gilsonite.
Academia beckoned Burman back. In 1990, he became the 14th dean
of Syracuse University’s School of Management. He immediately began
working to better allocate funds, enhance curriculum, hire promising
professors and re-earn AACSB accreditation.
Burman’s most signi?cant accomplishments as dean include the
successful $40-million campaign to fund the School’s University Avenue
home and the establishment of the EEE Department.
“We recognized an opportunity for the school to create a brand. There
was a sense that venture creation and entrepreneurship were really
getting o? the ground. The timing was important, because there were
not many entrepreneurship programs in business schools,” said Burman.
Twenty years later, the EEE program is consistently ranked among the
top in the nation and is one of a few to o?er an MBA specialization, a
master’s and a Ph.D.—all speci?cally focused on entrepreneurship.
Burman stepped down as dean in 2003. After a year sabbatical, he
rejoined the faculty and chaired the EEE Department from 2007-2013
before fully retiring.
“I am especially grateful to George for getting the school accredited
and for the development of the entrepreneurship program,” said Deborah
Freund, former SU vice chancellor and provost. “I am sure he will go down
as one of the ?nest deans the School of Management has had.”
HONORING THE FOUNDATION AND FUTURE OF WHITMAN EEE
The past academic year was marked by many celebrations, accomplishments and accolades. Among the most signifcant were the
retirement of George Burman, founder of the entrepreneurship program at Whitman, and the recognition of Professor John
Torrens with the prestigious university-wide Meredith Teaching Award.
204 1,800
FACULTY RESEARCH
EDUCATION
RANKINGS
MAJORS
27
BUSINESSES IN THE
SOUTH SIDE
INNOVATION CENTER
46
56 600%
STUDENT BUSINESSES
RUN THROUGH THE
COURI HATCHERY
63
MINORS
UNDERGRAD
STUDENTS
TAUGHT OVER
400
GRADUATE
STUDENTS
TAUGHT ALMOST
7
PH.D.
STUDENTS
FULL-TIME
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
3
EDITORSHIPS
BOOKS
21
EDITORIAL BOARD
POSITIONS AT
LEADING JOURNALS
36
FACULTY AND PH.D.
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
IN TOP-TIER JOURNALS
4
SECOND MOST RESEARCH-
ACTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
PROGRAM IN THE WORLD
2
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
$530,000
$300,000 TOTAL WON IN STUDENT BUSINESS COMPETITIONS
$$$
$$$
IN EXTERNAL CAPITAL
RAISED BY
HATCHERY COMPANIES
GROWTH IN
NUMBER OF
HATCHERY COMPANIES
300
STUDENT MEMBERS OF
THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CLUB (E-CLUB)
16
E-CLUB MEMBERS
SELECTED
FOR COLLEGIATE
ENTREPRENEURS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
113 ONE-ON-ONE CLIENT TRAININGS WITH
CLIENTS’ GROSS REVENUE TOTALING $5.4 MILLION
COMMUNITY
PARTICIPANTS
IN THE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
230
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
FOR VETERANS
PARTICIPANTS
950
WISE
SYMPOSIUM
ATTENDEES
630
INDIVIDUALS
TRAINED THROUGH
THE WISE
WOMEN’S BUSINESS
CENTER
EEE 2013-14 YEAR AT A GLANCE
204 1,800
FACULTY RESEARCH
EDUCATION
RANKINGS
MAJORS
27
BUSINESSES IN THE
SOUTH SIDE
INNOVATION CENTER
46
56 600%
STUDENT BUSINESSES
RUN THROUGH THE
COURI HATCHERY
63
MINORS
UNDERGRAD
STUDENTS
TAUGHT OVER
400
GRADUATE
STUDENTS
TAUGHT ALMOST
7
PH.D.
STUDENTS
FULL-TIME
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
3
EDITORSHIPS
BOOKS
21
EDITORIAL BOARD
POSITIONS AT
LEADING JOURNALS
36
FACULTY AND PH.D.
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
IN TOP-TIER JOURNALS
4
SECOND MOST RESEARCH-
ACTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
PROGRAM IN THE WORLD
2
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
$530,000
$300,000 TOTAL WON IN STUDENT BUSINESS COMPETITIONS
$$$
$$$
IN EXTERNAL CAPITAL
RAISED BY
HATCHERY COMPANIES
GROWTH IN
NUMBER OF
HATCHERY COMPANIES
300
STUDENT MEMBERS OF
THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CLUB (E-CLUB)
16
E-CLUB MEMBERS
SELECTED
FOR COLLEGIATE
ENTREPRENEURS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
113 ONE-ON-ONE CLIENT TRAININGS WITH
CLIENTS’ GROSS REVENUE TOTALING $5.4 MILLION
COMMUNITY
PARTICIPANTS
IN THE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
230
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
FOR VETERANS
PARTICIPANTS
950
WISE
SYMPOSIUM
ATTENDEES
630
INDIVIDUALS
TRAINED THROUGH
THE WISE
WOMEN’S BUSINESS
CENTER
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING YIELDS MUTUAL
BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES
The objective of EEE420/621 “Corporate
Entrepreneurship” is for students to understand
the entrepreneurial behavior of corporations.
Student teams are assigned to local companies and
examine growth, organizational structure, culture,
employee compensation, knowledge management
and human resource issues. The teams are
expected to understand the industry, market
and competition by reading reports, conducting
interviews and surveying employees to provide
concrete suggestions for improvements.
In the six times EEE420/621 has been taught
at Whitman, 44 companies and more than 200
students have reaped immeasurable bene?ts
from this experiential learning course open to
upperclassmen and graduate students. Steven
Pincus ’15 was one of those students. His team was
matched with Pioneer Warehousing & Distribution,
LLC, a family-owned business headquartered in a
suburb of Syracuse.
According to Lisa Conway of Pioneer, it was
a valuable exercise for the company. “We had
?ve bright and committed students learn our
business, think strategically about what we can do
di?erently and provide a fresh perspective and
recommendations for continued success.”
Pincus sees the bene?ts of this project as
signi?cant and long lasting. “It provided a platform to
put theory into practice, and I gained a repertoire of
skills that I will use well into my career.”
Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises
is a ?agship program at the Whitman School.
Consistently ranked as one of the top
entrepreneurship programs in the nation,
Whitman EEE helps students discover their
innate entrepreneurial potential, giving them
a set of tools and perspective to capitalize on
that potential and help launch their career.
The underlying philosophy of the EEE
program is experiential learning. The entire program is dedicated to
providing hands-on opportunities for students to live entrepreneurship,
whether through starting their own companies, working with local
startups or by engaging in consulting projects with established
businesses or not-for-pro?ts. Students also gain practical experience
through connecting with the programs o?ered in the Falcone Center
for Entrepreneurship.
Whitman’s entrepreneurship program is designed to examine
and enhance the connection between educational excellence and
entrepreneurship ingenuity, o?ering specialized tracks and coursework
in new venture creation, corporate entrepreneurship, social
entrepreneurship and family business. Graduates are well suited for
entrepreneural management opportunities in a variety of settings, from
both small and large organizations to startups and family businesses.
THE EEE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Combining classroom time with experiential learning opportunities and
real-world business practice, undergraduate students gain invaluable
hands-on experiences through intensive and interactive group-oriented
projects—including biannual business plan competitions and business
simulations. During their senior year, every Whitman undergraduate
participates in Whitman’s Capstone experience, an experiential program
that brings together all the elements of the Whitman education in the
context of an original business concept that students conceive and
develop as a viable, sustainable and innovative new venture.
THE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
THE EEE GRADUATE PROGRAM
At the MBA level, Whitman o?ers a specialization in entrepreneurship,
focusing on entrepreneurial management—how to bring an
entrepreneurial perspective to the challenges and opportunities
confronting organizations of all sizes and types. All MBA students
also complete the Global Entrepreneurial Management course, which
is a ?eld experience built around the actual implementation of an
entrepreneurial concept.
Our one-year M.S. in Entrepreneurship (MSE) program is designed for
students who want a “mini-MBA” with a key focus on entrepreneurship.
It provides a rigorous immersion into the nature of entrepreneurship
and the entrepreneurial process. There are many hands-on classes in
the program. Core content is coupled with a strong commitment to
experiential learning. MSE students’ companies have been pro?led in
Forbes and Inc. among other media outlets.
CASSE
Whitman’s Certi?cate of Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise
(CASSE) program is a cross-campus collaboration between Whitman,
the College of Engineering and Computer Science, SUNY College
of Environmental Science and Forestry and the Syracuse Center of
Excellence. Students in CASSE courses learn from a cross-functional
team of faculty, as well as from their peers from other colleges across
campus, acquiring a unique perspective that provides employers with a
competitive advantage in the marketplace.
THE EEE PH.D. PROGRAM
The Ph.D. program in entrepreneurship
at the Whitman School of Management
produces leading scholars and
teachers in the rapidly growing ?eld of
entrepreneurship. Rob Nason, a 2014 EEE
doctoral graduate, joined the faculty of
Concordia University in Canada.
WHITMAN EEE HELPS STUDENT REALIZE
SUCCESS IN ENERGY MARKET
James Shomar ’13 MSE, ’12, is the CEO of Solstice
Power, a company he started in Whitman’s Couri
Hatchery. The company is developing the Solstice
Hybrid System, an on-site solar power system
capable of providing electrical, heating and AC
power for a third of the cost of conventional
solar systems.
Solstice Power was pro?led in Inc. magazine and
won the Fetner Prize in Sustainable Enterprise for
its potential to create a positive impact on society
and the natural environment. Shomar met with
former NY 24th Congressional Rep. Dan Ma?ei to
discuss changes to the nation’s incentive structure
and the future of the energy industry. He recently
partnered with the IBEW Local 43 Training Facility
to beta test the system.
Solstice Power was awarded $10,000 at the 2014
Emerging Talk demo day and was recently selected
as a semi-?nalist for the 43North competition,
which is part of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s
Bu?alo Billion initiative, designed to drive new
economic opportunities in Western New York.
Shomar credits his MSE coursework, speci?cally
the accounting and organizational behavior classes,
for providing a foundational core and helping
him understand the basics of how his business
should work. The hands-on experiences throughout
the program and the ?exibility to work on his
own business as part of the entrepreneurial ?eld
experience course contributed signi?cantly to
the success he has had and will undoubtedly
continue to achieve.
PROFESSOR AMEZCUA’S RESEARCH FEATURED
IN INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER MEDIA
Research by Alejandro Amezcua, assistant professor
of entrepreneurship, on business incubators was
published in the Academy of Management Journal.
The paper, titled “Organizational sponsorship and
founding environments: A contingency view on the
survival of business-incubated ?rms, 1994–2007,”
was co-authored with Whitman professor Johan
Wiklund and two other researchers.
Professor Amezcua was also quoted in an article
titled “Incubator Boom: From San Francisco to St.
Louis, biotech incubators are proliferating across
North America. Can they deliver on their promise
of fueling the economy?” on the website
The-Scientist.com. In the article, which discusses
the growth of business incubators across the
country, Amezcua cites his research, which found
a higher rate of failure for businesses begun in
an incubator. However, Amezcua points out that
incubators may help aspiring entrepreneurs cut
their losses on an unsustainable venture earlier,
allowing them to refocus their energy on other
ideas with more promise.
Amezcua shared his perspective in a Houston
Chronicle article which described a new business
“accelerator” designed to propel medical innovation
into industry, in a wired.com article about the
business incubator Y Combinator and in a feature
on Hispanic entrepreneurs on wallethub.com. His
expert opinion has also been included on NPR and in
Bloomberg Businessweek and the
New York Times.
Whitman’s team of renowned research faculty and accomplished
professors of practice have led the EEE program to national
recognition since its inception in the late 1990s.
One important component of a leading academic entrepreneurship
program is the development of new knowledge. The EEE faculty have
received both national and international acclaim for their thought
leadership. Whitman’s team of renowned research faculty are ranked
second in the world for research productivity by Texas Christian
University. These accolades re?ect our faculty’s commitment to industry
advancement and providing an innovative academic experience that
prepares students to chart a path to entrepreneurial success.
HONORS AND RECOGNITION
The following are a few of the recent acknowledgments for faculty
research achievements.
G. THOMAS LUMPKIN
• 2013 recipient of Family Firm Institute Best Article Published in 2012 in Family
Business Review - Honorable Mention
• Guest editor, special issue of Family Business Review - 1st review issue
• Guest editor, special issue of Journal of Management Studies on Sustainability,
Ethics, and Entrepreneurship
ALEXANDER MCKELVIE
• 2014 Whitman Research Award
• Journal of Business Venturing, 2014 Certi?cate of Reviewer Excellence
MARIA MINNITI
• Directed the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
workshops in Austria and Malaysia, with attendees
from more than 40 countries
TODD MOSS
• Academy of Management’s Carolyn Dexter Award,
an all-Academy award given to the best paper
internationalizing the Academy
RESEARCH AND RECOGNITION
MINET SCHINDEHUTTE
Recipient of Fulbright Scholarship to be in Goa, India
JOHAN WIKLUND
Guest editor, special issue of Entrepreneurship
Theory & Practice on evidence-based
entrepreneurship
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
ALEJANDRO AMEZCUA and JOHAN WIKLUND (with S. W. Bradley
and M. G. Grimes), “Organizational sponsorship and founding environments: A
contingency view on the survival of business incubated ?rms 1994–2007,” Academy of
Management Journal
DAVID BRANNON (Ph.D. ’11), JOHAN WIKLUND and J. MICHAEL HAYNIE, “The varying e?ects of family
relationships in entrepreneurial teams,” Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice
DAN HSU (Ph.D. ’11), J. MICHAEL HAYNIE, SHARON SIMMONS (Ph.D. ’12) and ALEXANDER MCKELVIE, “What
matters, matters di?erently: A conjoint analysis of the decision policies of angel and venture
capital investors,” Venture Capital: An International Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance
G. THOMAS LUMPKIN, TODD MOSS, DAVID GRAS (Ph.D. ’13), SHOKO KATO (Ph.D. ’12) and ALEJANDRO AMEZCUA,
“Entrepreneurial processes in social contexts: How are they di?erent, if at all?,” Small
Business Economics
G. THOMAS LUMPKIN (with W. J. Wales and P. Patel), “In pursuit of greatness: CEO
narcissism, entrepreneurial orientation, and ?rm performance,” Journal of
Management Studies
ALEXANDER MCKELVIE and J. MICHAEL HAYNIE (with M. S. Wood), “Making it personal:
Opportunity individuation and the shaping of opportunity beliefs,” Journal of
Business Venturing
MARIA MINNITI (with M. Levesque and D. A. Shepherd), “How late should Johnny-come-
lately come?,” Long Range Planning
MARIA MINNITI (with P. Koellinger and C. Schade), “Gender di?erences in entrepreneurial
propensity,” Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics
JOHAN WIKLUND (with A. Jenkins and E. Brundin), “Individual responses to ?rm failure:
Appraisals, grief, and the in?uence of prior failure experience,” Journal of Business Venturing
PROFESSOR TODD MOSS TO LEAD THE
SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP
Todd Moss has joined Whitman as an assistant
professor of entrepreneurship and faculty director
of the Sustainable Enterprise Partnership.
Moss’ research is focused on the intersections
of entrepreneurship, social responsibility and
innovation and has appeared in Entrepreneurship
Theory and Practice, Strategic Entrepreneurship
Journal and The Academy of Management Learning
and Education, among others. He recently received
the Academy of Management’s Carolyn Dexter
Award, an all-Academy award given to the best
paper internationalizing the Academy. His paper,
“Competition vs. Cooperation: Motivating Groups
in Base-of-the-Pyramid Markets,” (with G. Kistruck,
R. Lount, B. Smith and B. Bergman), was selected
from among the best papers nominated by 22
Academy of Management division program chairs.
At Whitman, Moss teaches undergraduate and
graduate courses supporting the Certi?cate of
Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise
(CASSE). Previously, Moss was an assistant
professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at
Oregon State University.
Moss earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in
mechanical engineering from Brigham Young
University (BYU), his MBA from BYU’s Marriott
School of Management and his Ph.D. in
business administration with an emphasis in
strategic management and entrepreneurship
from Texas Tech University.
PANASCI WINNER BRIDGES GAP BETWEEN
PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND AUDIENCES
Melanie Witkower ’14 earned the top prize and
a $20,000 award in the Panasci Business Plan
competition for her business, Screen-Bridge.
Screen-Bridge is a social television production
company that works with TV networks to
engage viewers online through campaign
conceptualization, production and analytics.
The concept was Witkower’s solution to a gap
she saw in the entertainment industry. “Traditional
networks are designed to create a show for
one distribution platform. Today, it is critical for
networks to leverage the social media space.”
Screen-Bridge brings together TV show
producers, cinematographers and editors to blend
high quality production with a data-backed social
media strategy to ensure content reaches and
resonates with the target audience. The company
produces photos and videos designed for social
media distribution while working on set with a
show’s cast and crew.
When a show airs, Screen-Bridge ?nds trends
in online discussion and develops insights. For
example, if one character is receiving no buzz but
a side character is, Screen-Bridge can suggest
the production company allocate screen time
di?erently for future episodes.
Witkower counts the Capstone course as
instrumental in the foundation of Screen-Bridge.
“It taught me how to approach a business idea with
a strategic vision,” she added. “And my time in the
Couri Hatchery was also invaluable. Bouncing ideas
o? of other students and having other business
plans to reference allowed me to understand
di?erent vantage points for my own company.”
The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship,
named for Michael J. Falcone ’57, is the
outreach arm of Whitman’s Department
of Entrepreneurship and Emerging
Enterprises. Its mission is the facilitation of
entrepreneurial activity on campus, in the
local and regional community and beyond
through innovative programs and initiatives.
COURI HATCHERY
The Couri Hatchery is a supportive business incubator available at
no cost to students to help them start, establish and develop their
businesses to the point where they can stand on their own. Over the
past two years, the growth of student-run companies utilizing the
Hatchery increased by 600 percent. It has also grown its portfolio of
mentors who meet with students on a regular basis, including a lawyer,
accountant, HR representative, sales and marketing expert, banker and
technology analyst.
PANASCI BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
The campus-wide Panasci Business Plan Competition awards more than
$35,000 in prize money to the top three teams whose new venture
ideas represent the best potential for sustainable growth and attracting
outside ?nancing. Forty-nine student teams participated in the program
in 2013-14.
D’ANIELLO INTERNSHIPS
The program o?ers selective internship appointments during the
academic year, which provide accomplished students the opportunity
to work directly with an entrepreneur and founder of a high-growth,
innovative company located in the greater-Syracuse metropolitan
area. During the 2013-14 academic year 13 students gained practical
experience throught the D’Aniello program.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLUB (E-CLUB)
The Entrepreneurship Club is dedicated to encouraging the spirit of
entrepreneurship among the student body and to supporting the
needs of students who are interested in entrepreneurship. Student
members engage in business pitch competitions, bring in notable guest
speakers, coordinate ?eld trips and work together on entrepreneurial
ventures. The E-Club has over 300 members, making it the largest club
on campus. In October 2013, 16 members of the club were selected to
attend the prestigious Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Annual
Conference in Chicago.
FAMILY BUSINESS CLUB
The Family Business Club is dedicated to preparing students for the
unique challenges of working for and running a family business. The
goal is to improve the professional development of members through
the exchange of ideas, best practices and experiences. Club members
work with alumni and guests from local family businesses to discuss
many of the important issues that family businesses face. A team
from the club placed as semi-?nalists in the Global Enterprise Case
Competition in Vermont.
CREATIVITY, INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP LEARNING COMMUNITY (CIE)
The CIE, led by Whitman EEE Professor of Practice Alexandra Kostakis,
is housed on the third ?oor of SU’s Dellplain Residence Hall. CIE is
dedicated to the discovery and celebration of entrepreneurship and
innovation. Students work with real-
world challenges, develop tools and learn
techniques to foster their entrepreneurial
potential. In the 2013-2014 academic year,
28 students participated in the one-credit
course related to the CIE.
HATCHERY BUSINESS FINDS ENTREPRENEURIAL
SUCCESS THROUGH SWEETS AND TREATS
ThunderCakes, LLC is a remote-location bakery on
the campus of Syracuse University specializing in
customized cakes, made-to-order baked goods and
private event catering. The company was founded
by Courtnee Futch ’15 in the Couri Hatchery.
ThunderCakes placed second in the 2014 Panasci
Business Plan Competition and won a $7,500
monetary prize. The company was pro?led on
Syracuse.com and recognized by the Whitman
Alumni Club of CNY as the 2014 Student Business of
the Year, which came with a cash prize of $3,000 and
up to $7,000 of in-kind services donated by alumni.
Futch, a communication and rhetorical studies
major, started the company her freshman year. She
took Whitman’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship
course as a sophomore to develop skills for
business ownership. “The knowledge I gained was
instrumental to ThunderCakes’ success, and I came
to think of the EEE Department as a resource and a
support system.”
Futch hopes to begin selling direct to vendors,
caterers and restaurants in 2016. Her time in the
Couri Hatchery will no doubt help her realize
growth goals. “I am so thankful for the Hatchery
and its sta? who were dedicated to understanding
my business wholly.”
She notes the invaluable expert resources,
such as law, accounting and marketing, o?ered
to Hatchery businesses. “At some point, I availed
myself of each resource. ThunderCakes has grown
as a direct result of the Hatchery’s commitment
to bridge the gap between novice and seasoned
entrepreneurs.”
VETERANS PROGRAM GIVES FORMER SOLDIERS
ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING AND SUPPORT
J. Michael Haynie, executive director of the
Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the
Barnes professor of entrepreneurship at Whitman,
is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. In his post-service
role as a professor, it weighed on him that more
could be done for military veterans, particularly
those with disabilities. He felt that education
could mean empowerment and the potential for a
productive civilian life.
The Executive Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities (EBV) program was launched at
Whitman in 2007 and has expanded to a network
of eight university partners. More than 890
veterans have gone through the program, which
was pro?led by special correspondent Sanjay
Gupta in a segment on CBS’ 60 Minutes. More than
50 percent of graduates start businesses within
four months of completing the training. Many
have launched ventures that have revenues in the
millions of dollars.
Garrett Anderson, a former radio operator in
the Marine Corps, turned to the EBV for help
launching a production company. Anderson, like an
estimated 600,000 other veterans, su?ers from
post-traumatic stress disorder. He and his business
partner launched their ?rst ?lm, The November
War, which features 12 marines from Anderson’s
unit recounting their battle in Fallujah.
“EBV helped me understand that what we have
been through was much harder than starting a
business,” explained Garrett. “The road ahead
requires the same self discipline we were all taught
in the military, and we can continue to serve our
society and communities back home through
business ownership.”
ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is tailored to local aspiring
entrepreneurs in the Syracuse area. Participants are exposed to critical
concepts, ideas and approaches that work in creating successful
ventures, as well as common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid. To date, the
Bootcamp has graduated over 500 local entrepreneurs.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP FOR VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES
The Barnes Family Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities (EBV) program o?ers cutting-edge, experiential training
in entrepreneurship and small business management for post-9/11
soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines disabled as a result of their
service to our country. The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans’
Families (EBV-F) program was also launched for caregivers of seriously
wounded veterans to provided the same educational and mentoring
opportunity. Over 890 veterans and caregivers have gone through the
EBV and EBV-F programs, since their launch in 2007. The EBV programs
are o?ered entirely free of charge to the veterans and family members.
WOMEN IGNITING THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP (WISE)
Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE) is an initiative to
train and inspire women interested in launching or growing a business
venture. The program’s objective is to provide information, resources
and support for women entrepreneurs, enabling each to successfully
advance her business to the next stage of pro?tability and success.
Last year, the WISE Women’s Business
Center served 101 women entrepreneurs.
These ?rms reported over $5 million in gross
revenues. WISE worked with 601 others
through training and workshops.
The one-day WISE Symposium—attended
by nearly 1,000 women—includes a variety
EXTENDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO THE COMMUNITY
of seminars and panel discussions o?ering
practical advice covering topics from all
aspects of the business world; motivational
speeches from local and nationally-known
successful women business owners; many
networking opportunities; a business
expo featuring 126 exhibitors; 63 speakers
throughout the day and much more.
THE 2014 WISE SYMPOSIUM:
• Reached 7.1 million people on the Twitter hashtag #WISE2014,
securing the top national trend three times on the day of the event.
• Featured 63 speakers throughout the day, including two keynote
presenters, 45 breakout session speakers and 16 WISE Talks speakers.
• Was supported by 42 sponsors.
• Raised more than $35,000 in cash and $70,000 in-kind donations.
• Hosted WISE Latinas and WISE Veterans luncheons on site.
• Included the ?rst-ever “Be WISE Buy LOCAL Spring Fling”
co-hosted with Syracuse First featuring 25 local restaurants/venues
sampling products.
SOUTH SIDE INNOVATION CENTER
A community based microenterprise incubator, the 14,000-square
foot South Side Innovation Center (SSIC) provides o?ce space and
equipment to foster the creation of new ventures and help existing
businesses grow. The SSIC currently houses 27 companies as tenants
and works with another 350 entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs
each year.
WHITMAN PLAYS LANDLORD AND MENTOR TO
SYRACUSE START UPS
With the faith of family and the urging of mentors
who saw his potential, Hasan Stephens fought
daily temptations and fear in the Bronx to earn
admission to Hobart College. After graduation, he
took a position at Hillbrook Juvenile Detention
Center where he found his calling of working
with troubled youth. The Good Life Foundation
was born from Stephens’ passion of cultivating
a movement of entrepreneurial thinking among
at-risk kids.
After considering the limited rental options for
start-ups in Syracuse, the Good Life Foundation
found its home in the South Side Innovation Center.
According to Stephens, it is the perfect place for
an organization in its infancy, and the value of the
connection to Whitman is immeasurable. With
support from and access to the expertise of other
tenants, it is truly a collaborative environment.
Meeting space, printing services and practical skills
classes help position start-ups for success.
Funded by grants, donations and government
contracts, Stephens and his team of life coaches
work to interrupt the cycle of poverty and
incarceration. The number of youth in need
outpaces the number of volunteers and funding
levels, but Stephens plans to work until the
opposite is true.
“The SSIC has been an ideal place for the Good
Life Foundation to take root. My passion for this
project is tremendous, but the community of
experts, support and resources available here has
given me the con?dence to create and cultivate
something truly special.”
DUNEIER NAMED 2014 WHITMAN YOUNG ALUMNUS
Jake Duneier ’10 was named the 2014 Whitman
Young Alumnus of the Year. A dual EEE and
management major at Whitman, Duneier is now
director of business development at Clyde Duneier,
Inc., a NYC-based fourth-generation family business
internationally recognized as a leader in the ?ne
jewelry wholesale business.
Duneier works to develop new product lines in
the diamond and color stone jewelry business.
He has spearheaded partnerships with celebrities
such as Randy Jackson, Badgley Mischka, Marc
Ecko and several Home Shopping Network on-air
personalities, among others.
During his time at Whitman, Duneier ran a very
successful liquidation jewelry business in the
Couri Hatchery. Since graduating, he has been a
generous supporter of Whitman’s newly launched
family business career track in the EEE Department
by funding case competitions, helping to expand
the curriculum and sharing his experiences and
perspective with students.
“Jake was instrumental in getting our family
business work o? the ground,” said Alex McKelvie,
associate professor and chair of the EEE
Department. “His insight led us to develop a unique
two-course sequence and his support allowed
our family business students to gain important
experiences that will in?uence them throughout
their careers.”
RYAN NOVAK ’11 LEADS CHOCOLATE PIZZA
COMPANY TO 365 PERCENT GROWTH
Ryan Novak ’11 rose from the ranks of
dishwasher to owner of the Chocolate
Pizza Company. After working at the
company for six years, Novak bought the
business at the age of 21 and has led an
explosive expansion with sales up 365
percent in just three years. The company’s products are now sold at
more than 1,200 retailers nationwide including Hallmark, Lori’s Gifts,
Bass Pro Shops, Dick’s Sporting Goods (Field & Stream) and Kinney
Drugs. The Chocolate Pizza Company was featured on the popular
Food Network show “Unwrapped” and on ABC News. Inc. Magazine
also featured the company.
ADAM GOLD ’07 AND KYLE COREA ’07 OPEN SECOND
LOCATION OF FUNK ‘N WAFFLES RESTAURANT
Adam Gold ’07 and Kyle Corea ’07
started Funk ‘N Wa?es in Whitman’s
Couri Hatchery. It is a specialty café,
which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner
with an emphasis on natural, organic,
locally-grown food. At night, Funk ‘n
Wa?es features eclectic music from
artists around the globe.
The restaurant, which placed third in
the Panasci Business Plan Competition
in 2007, was featured on Guy Fieri’s hit
Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins,
and Dives.” Gold and Corea recently
opened a second Funk ‘N Wa?es
location in downtown Syracuse.
EEE ALUMNI SUCCESS
PUBL I CAT I ON CRE DI T S
E DI TOR
Alison Kessler
Communications Specialist
CONT RI BUTORS
Kerri Howell
Director of Communications and Media Relations
Alex McKelvie
EEE Department Chair and
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship
Lindsay Wickham
Events and Communications Manager,
Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship
DE S I GN
Andrea Parisi
Assistant Director of Marketing
PHOTOGRAPHY
Steve Sartori
University Photographer, SU Photo and Imaging Center
Jim Vivenzio
Media Services Coordinator
Andrea Parisi
Assistant Director of Marketing
721 Uni versi ty Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13244-2450 | whi tman.syr.edu | 315.443.6899 | eeei [email protected] |
doc_575315135.pdf
Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & EMERGING ENTERPRISES
2013 - 2014 YEAR I N REVI EW
EMBRACING EXPECTATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE
The 2013-2014 academic year was one of growth, achievement and enhanced
reputation for the Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises (EEE) program
at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.
Leveraging the strong platform established over the past decade, our
rankings held steady in the top 10 of the major institutional surveys. We
grew the number of students taking EEE classes at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels. Many of those students came from outside of the
Whitman School, underscoring the importance of entrepreneurship in
multiple contexts and majors across the Syracuse University campus. Student
companies in the Couri Hatchery expanded from 18 to 56, with a number of
those ?rms achieving signi?cant success in garnering sales, media attention
and/or external investment.
Our faculty continued to conduct innovative research resulting in
numerous articles in leading scholarly journals. Several EEE professors
continued service as editors and editorial board members of top
international journals.
Our reputation as an institution attracted students from other universities
seeking our support and direction. Numerous community connections and
partnerships have been forged through our provision of entrepreneurial
counsel, and dozens of alumni, business owners and organizations have come
to consider EEE at Whitman the preeminent source for entrepreneurial
resources and guidance.
The impact of community outreach programs o?ered through our Falcone
Center for Entrepreneurship grew substantially. The South Side Innovation
Center housed 27 start-up companies. The Women Igniting the Spirit of
Entrepreneurship (WISE) initiative worked with more than 1,000 individuals
in the community, and our Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities programs served 230 military veterans and/or family members.
In recognition of our excellence in programming and services, we were
awarded an Innovation Hot Spot Grant by New York State Governor Andrew
Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council. With over $538,458 in
total grants and donations received last year to support our programs, we
are poised to expand our collaborative e?orts across the Syracuse campus
and with other universities and community groups.
We expect to build on these successes in the 2014-2015 academic year by
further growing our programs and continuing to play a leadership role in the
entrepreneurial community. We would like to thank you for your support
in helping us realize our high expectations for excellence. We welcome
your partnership as we strengthen our position among the nation’s elite in
entrepreneurship education and advancement.
Terry Brown
Executive Director,
Falcone Center for
Entrepreneurship
Alex McKelvie
EEE Department Chair
and Associate Professor
of Entrepreneurship
John Torrens entered college as a music education major but realized
he was meant for another path after observing an elementary school
clarinet lesson. He earned a bachelor’s in psychology from State
University of New York at Potsdam and a master’s in speech-language
pathology from Syracuse.
After working at a few places as a speech-language pathologist, he
started a home-based practice. While pursuing his Ph.D. in business
administration from Northcentral University, Torrens grew his company
to ?ve locations with 250 employees. He sold the business in 2008, but
later reacquired three locations.
In 2009, Torrens found his second calling while teaching a class at
Whitman as an adjunct professor. Today, he is a full-time professor of
practice and engages more fully in his business during school breaks.
Torren’s real-world experience and passion for teaching have
contributed to the rise in reputation of the EEE program. They were
also factors in his selection for SU’s prestigious Meredith Teaching
Recognition Award, which acknowledges non-tenured faculty for
teaching excellence and innovation, e?ectiveness in communicating with
students and the lasting value of courses.
In addition to other EEE classes, Torrens coordinates Whitman’s senior
capstone course and has instructed cross-campus entrepreneurship
classes. He is active in the Institute for Veterans and Military Families
where he teaches in the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities, the Veterans’ Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
symposia and the online Boots to Business training program.
Torrens was also honored as an outstanding educator by the
Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education. He has co-authored papers
and contributed to a speech-language and audiology textbook and guide.
Torrens counts teaching as his most rewarding role. “The thing I love
most is connecting with and learning from students. They constantly
teach me something new. I enjoy staying in contact with them as they go
out into the world. It is rewarding to watch their career trajectories.”
George Burman is known by many as a retired professional football
player. Others know him as a former Whitman dean. Numerous alumni
regard him as a favored professor. Those familiar with the EEE program
consider Burman the visionary and founder of a program that is now a
pillar of the Whitman School.
Burman earned his bachelor’s from Northwestern University while playing
on the football team. He went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL and spent o?
seasons earning an MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.
After retiring from the NFL in 1974, he served as assistant dean of the
School of Urban and Public A?airs at Carnegie Mellon University before
becoming president and turnaround orchestrator of American Gilsonite.
Academia beckoned Burman back. In 1990, he became the 14th dean
of Syracuse University’s School of Management. He immediately began
working to better allocate funds, enhance curriculum, hire promising
professors and re-earn AACSB accreditation.
Burman’s most signi?cant accomplishments as dean include the
successful $40-million campaign to fund the School’s University Avenue
home and the establishment of the EEE Department.
“We recognized an opportunity for the school to create a brand. There
was a sense that venture creation and entrepreneurship were really
getting o? the ground. The timing was important, because there were
not many entrepreneurship programs in business schools,” said Burman.
Twenty years later, the EEE program is consistently ranked among the
top in the nation and is one of a few to o?er an MBA specialization, a
master’s and a Ph.D.—all speci?cally focused on entrepreneurship.
Burman stepped down as dean in 2003. After a year sabbatical, he
rejoined the faculty and chaired the EEE Department from 2007-2013
before fully retiring.
“I am especially grateful to George for getting the school accredited
and for the development of the entrepreneurship program,” said Deborah
Freund, former SU vice chancellor and provost. “I am sure he will go down
as one of the ?nest deans the School of Management has had.”
HONORING THE FOUNDATION AND FUTURE OF WHITMAN EEE
The past academic year was marked by many celebrations, accomplishments and accolades. Among the most signifcant were the
retirement of George Burman, founder of the entrepreneurship program at Whitman, and the recognition of Professor John
Torrens with the prestigious university-wide Meredith Teaching Award.
204 1,800
FACULTY RESEARCH
EDUCATION
RANKINGS
MAJORS
27
BUSINESSES IN THE
SOUTH SIDE
INNOVATION CENTER
46
56 600%
STUDENT BUSINESSES
RUN THROUGH THE
COURI HATCHERY
63
MINORS
UNDERGRAD
STUDENTS
TAUGHT OVER
400
GRADUATE
STUDENTS
TAUGHT ALMOST
7
PH.D.
STUDENTS
FULL-TIME
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
3
EDITORSHIPS
BOOKS
21
EDITORIAL BOARD
POSITIONS AT
LEADING JOURNALS
36
FACULTY AND PH.D.
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
IN TOP-TIER JOURNALS
4
SECOND MOST RESEARCH-
ACTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
PROGRAM IN THE WORLD
2
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
$530,000
$300,000 TOTAL WON IN STUDENT BUSINESS COMPETITIONS
$$$
$$$
IN EXTERNAL CAPITAL
RAISED BY
HATCHERY COMPANIES
GROWTH IN
NUMBER OF
HATCHERY COMPANIES
300
STUDENT MEMBERS OF
THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CLUB (E-CLUB)
16
E-CLUB MEMBERS
SELECTED
FOR COLLEGIATE
ENTREPRENEURS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
113 ONE-ON-ONE CLIENT TRAININGS WITH
CLIENTS’ GROSS REVENUE TOTALING $5.4 MILLION
COMMUNITY
PARTICIPANTS
IN THE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
230
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
FOR VETERANS
PARTICIPANTS
950
WISE
SYMPOSIUM
ATTENDEES
630
INDIVIDUALS
TRAINED THROUGH
THE WISE
WOMEN’S BUSINESS
CENTER
EEE 2013-14 YEAR AT A GLANCE
204 1,800
FACULTY RESEARCH
EDUCATION
RANKINGS
MAJORS
27
BUSINESSES IN THE
SOUTH SIDE
INNOVATION CENTER
46
56 600%
STUDENT BUSINESSES
RUN THROUGH THE
COURI HATCHERY
63
MINORS
UNDERGRAD
STUDENTS
TAUGHT OVER
400
GRADUATE
STUDENTS
TAUGHT ALMOST
7
PH.D.
STUDENTS
FULL-TIME
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
3
EDITORSHIPS
BOOKS
21
EDITORIAL BOARD
POSITIONS AT
LEADING JOURNALS
36
FACULTY AND PH.D.
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
IN TOP-TIER JOURNALS
4
SECOND MOST RESEARCH-
ACTIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
PROGRAM IN THE WORLD
2
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
$530,000
$300,000 TOTAL WON IN STUDENT BUSINESS COMPETITIONS
$$$
$$$
IN EXTERNAL CAPITAL
RAISED BY
HATCHERY COMPANIES
GROWTH IN
NUMBER OF
HATCHERY COMPANIES
300
STUDENT MEMBERS OF
THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CLUB (E-CLUB)
16
E-CLUB MEMBERS
SELECTED
FOR COLLEGIATE
ENTREPRENEURS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
113 ONE-ON-ONE CLIENT TRAININGS WITH
CLIENTS’ GROSS REVENUE TOTALING $5.4 MILLION
COMMUNITY
PARTICIPANTS
IN THE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
230
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
BOOTCAMP
FOR VETERANS
PARTICIPANTS
950
WISE
SYMPOSIUM
ATTENDEES
630
INDIVIDUALS
TRAINED THROUGH
THE WISE
WOMEN’S BUSINESS
CENTER
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING YIELDS MUTUAL
BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES
The objective of EEE420/621 “Corporate
Entrepreneurship” is for students to understand
the entrepreneurial behavior of corporations.
Student teams are assigned to local companies and
examine growth, organizational structure, culture,
employee compensation, knowledge management
and human resource issues. The teams are
expected to understand the industry, market
and competition by reading reports, conducting
interviews and surveying employees to provide
concrete suggestions for improvements.
In the six times EEE420/621 has been taught
at Whitman, 44 companies and more than 200
students have reaped immeasurable bene?ts
from this experiential learning course open to
upperclassmen and graduate students. Steven
Pincus ’15 was one of those students. His team was
matched with Pioneer Warehousing & Distribution,
LLC, a family-owned business headquartered in a
suburb of Syracuse.
According to Lisa Conway of Pioneer, it was
a valuable exercise for the company. “We had
?ve bright and committed students learn our
business, think strategically about what we can do
di?erently and provide a fresh perspective and
recommendations for continued success.”
Pincus sees the bene?ts of this project as
signi?cant and long lasting. “It provided a platform to
put theory into practice, and I gained a repertoire of
skills that I will use well into my career.”
Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises
is a ?agship program at the Whitman School.
Consistently ranked as one of the top
entrepreneurship programs in the nation,
Whitman EEE helps students discover their
innate entrepreneurial potential, giving them
a set of tools and perspective to capitalize on
that potential and help launch their career.
The underlying philosophy of the EEE
program is experiential learning. The entire program is dedicated to
providing hands-on opportunities for students to live entrepreneurship,
whether through starting their own companies, working with local
startups or by engaging in consulting projects with established
businesses or not-for-pro?ts. Students also gain practical experience
through connecting with the programs o?ered in the Falcone Center
for Entrepreneurship.
Whitman’s entrepreneurship program is designed to examine
and enhance the connection between educational excellence and
entrepreneurship ingenuity, o?ering specialized tracks and coursework
in new venture creation, corporate entrepreneurship, social
entrepreneurship and family business. Graduates are well suited for
entrepreneural management opportunities in a variety of settings, from
both small and large organizations to startups and family businesses.
THE EEE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Combining classroom time with experiential learning opportunities and
real-world business practice, undergraduate students gain invaluable
hands-on experiences through intensive and interactive group-oriented
projects—including biannual business plan competitions and business
simulations. During their senior year, every Whitman undergraduate
participates in Whitman’s Capstone experience, an experiential program
that brings together all the elements of the Whitman education in the
context of an original business concept that students conceive and
develop as a viable, sustainable and innovative new venture.
THE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
THE EEE GRADUATE PROGRAM
At the MBA level, Whitman o?ers a specialization in entrepreneurship,
focusing on entrepreneurial management—how to bring an
entrepreneurial perspective to the challenges and opportunities
confronting organizations of all sizes and types. All MBA students
also complete the Global Entrepreneurial Management course, which
is a ?eld experience built around the actual implementation of an
entrepreneurial concept.
Our one-year M.S. in Entrepreneurship (MSE) program is designed for
students who want a “mini-MBA” with a key focus on entrepreneurship.
It provides a rigorous immersion into the nature of entrepreneurship
and the entrepreneurial process. There are many hands-on classes in
the program. Core content is coupled with a strong commitment to
experiential learning. MSE students’ companies have been pro?led in
Forbes and Inc. among other media outlets.
CASSE
Whitman’s Certi?cate of Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise
(CASSE) program is a cross-campus collaboration between Whitman,
the College of Engineering and Computer Science, SUNY College
of Environmental Science and Forestry and the Syracuse Center of
Excellence. Students in CASSE courses learn from a cross-functional
team of faculty, as well as from their peers from other colleges across
campus, acquiring a unique perspective that provides employers with a
competitive advantage in the marketplace.
THE EEE PH.D. PROGRAM
The Ph.D. program in entrepreneurship
at the Whitman School of Management
produces leading scholars and
teachers in the rapidly growing ?eld of
entrepreneurship. Rob Nason, a 2014 EEE
doctoral graduate, joined the faculty of
Concordia University in Canada.
WHITMAN EEE HELPS STUDENT REALIZE
SUCCESS IN ENERGY MARKET
James Shomar ’13 MSE, ’12, is the CEO of Solstice
Power, a company he started in Whitman’s Couri
Hatchery. The company is developing the Solstice
Hybrid System, an on-site solar power system
capable of providing electrical, heating and AC
power for a third of the cost of conventional
solar systems.
Solstice Power was pro?led in Inc. magazine and
won the Fetner Prize in Sustainable Enterprise for
its potential to create a positive impact on society
and the natural environment. Shomar met with
former NY 24th Congressional Rep. Dan Ma?ei to
discuss changes to the nation’s incentive structure
and the future of the energy industry. He recently
partnered with the IBEW Local 43 Training Facility
to beta test the system.
Solstice Power was awarded $10,000 at the 2014
Emerging Talk demo day and was recently selected
as a semi-?nalist for the 43North competition,
which is part of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s
Bu?alo Billion initiative, designed to drive new
economic opportunities in Western New York.
Shomar credits his MSE coursework, speci?cally
the accounting and organizational behavior classes,
for providing a foundational core and helping
him understand the basics of how his business
should work. The hands-on experiences throughout
the program and the ?exibility to work on his
own business as part of the entrepreneurial ?eld
experience course contributed signi?cantly to
the success he has had and will undoubtedly
continue to achieve.
PROFESSOR AMEZCUA’S RESEARCH FEATURED
IN INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER MEDIA
Research by Alejandro Amezcua, assistant professor
of entrepreneurship, on business incubators was
published in the Academy of Management Journal.
The paper, titled “Organizational sponsorship and
founding environments: A contingency view on the
survival of business-incubated ?rms, 1994–2007,”
was co-authored with Whitman professor Johan
Wiklund and two other researchers.
Professor Amezcua was also quoted in an article
titled “Incubator Boom: From San Francisco to St.
Louis, biotech incubators are proliferating across
North America. Can they deliver on their promise
of fueling the economy?” on the website
The-Scientist.com. In the article, which discusses
the growth of business incubators across the
country, Amezcua cites his research, which found
a higher rate of failure for businesses begun in
an incubator. However, Amezcua points out that
incubators may help aspiring entrepreneurs cut
their losses on an unsustainable venture earlier,
allowing them to refocus their energy on other
ideas with more promise.
Amezcua shared his perspective in a Houston
Chronicle article which described a new business
“accelerator” designed to propel medical innovation
into industry, in a wired.com article about the
business incubator Y Combinator and in a feature
on Hispanic entrepreneurs on wallethub.com. His
expert opinion has also been included on NPR and in
Bloomberg Businessweek and the
New York Times.
Whitman’s team of renowned research faculty and accomplished
professors of practice have led the EEE program to national
recognition since its inception in the late 1990s.
One important component of a leading academic entrepreneurship
program is the development of new knowledge. The EEE faculty have
received both national and international acclaim for their thought
leadership. Whitman’s team of renowned research faculty are ranked
second in the world for research productivity by Texas Christian
University. These accolades re?ect our faculty’s commitment to industry
advancement and providing an innovative academic experience that
prepares students to chart a path to entrepreneurial success.
HONORS AND RECOGNITION
The following are a few of the recent acknowledgments for faculty
research achievements.
G. THOMAS LUMPKIN
• 2013 recipient of Family Firm Institute Best Article Published in 2012 in Family
Business Review - Honorable Mention
• Guest editor, special issue of Family Business Review - 1st review issue
• Guest editor, special issue of Journal of Management Studies on Sustainability,
Ethics, and Entrepreneurship
ALEXANDER MCKELVIE
• 2014 Whitman Research Award
• Journal of Business Venturing, 2014 Certi?cate of Reviewer Excellence
MARIA MINNITI
• Directed the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
workshops in Austria and Malaysia, with attendees
from more than 40 countries
TODD MOSS
• Academy of Management’s Carolyn Dexter Award,
an all-Academy award given to the best paper
internationalizing the Academy
RESEARCH AND RECOGNITION
MINET SCHINDEHUTTE
Recipient of Fulbright Scholarship to be in Goa, India
JOHAN WIKLUND
Guest editor, special issue of Entrepreneurship
Theory & Practice on evidence-based
entrepreneurship
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
ALEJANDRO AMEZCUA and JOHAN WIKLUND (with S. W. Bradley
and M. G. Grimes), “Organizational sponsorship and founding environments: A
contingency view on the survival of business incubated ?rms 1994–2007,” Academy of
Management Journal
DAVID BRANNON (Ph.D. ’11), JOHAN WIKLUND and J. MICHAEL HAYNIE, “The varying e?ects of family
relationships in entrepreneurial teams,” Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice
DAN HSU (Ph.D. ’11), J. MICHAEL HAYNIE, SHARON SIMMONS (Ph.D. ’12) and ALEXANDER MCKELVIE, “What
matters, matters di?erently: A conjoint analysis of the decision policies of angel and venture
capital investors,” Venture Capital: An International Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance
G. THOMAS LUMPKIN, TODD MOSS, DAVID GRAS (Ph.D. ’13), SHOKO KATO (Ph.D. ’12) and ALEJANDRO AMEZCUA,
“Entrepreneurial processes in social contexts: How are they di?erent, if at all?,” Small
Business Economics
G. THOMAS LUMPKIN (with W. J. Wales and P. Patel), “In pursuit of greatness: CEO
narcissism, entrepreneurial orientation, and ?rm performance,” Journal of
Management Studies
ALEXANDER MCKELVIE and J. MICHAEL HAYNIE (with M. S. Wood), “Making it personal:
Opportunity individuation and the shaping of opportunity beliefs,” Journal of
Business Venturing
MARIA MINNITI (with M. Levesque and D. A. Shepherd), “How late should Johnny-come-
lately come?,” Long Range Planning
MARIA MINNITI (with P. Koellinger and C. Schade), “Gender di?erences in entrepreneurial
propensity,” Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics
JOHAN WIKLUND (with A. Jenkins and E. Brundin), “Individual responses to ?rm failure:
Appraisals, grief, and the in?uence of prior failure experience,” Journal of Business Venturing
PROFESSOR TODD MOSS TO LEAD THE
SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP
Todd Moss has joined Whitman as an assistant
professor of entrepreneurship and faculty director
of the Sustainable Enterprise Partnership.
Moss’ research is focused on the intersections
of entrepreneurship, social responsibility and
innovation and has appeared in Entrepreneurship
Theory and Practice, Strategic Entrepreneurship
Journal and The Academy of Management Learning
and Education, among others. He recently received
the Academy of Management’s Carolyn Dexter
Award, an all-Academy award given to the best
paper internationalizing the Academy. His paper,
“Competition vs. Cooperation: Motivating Groups
in Base-of-the-Pyramid Markets,” (with G. Kistruck,
R. Lount, B. Smith and B. Bergman), was selected
from among the best papers nominated by 22
Academy of Management division program chairs.
At Whitman, Moss teaches undergraduate and
graduate courses supporting the Certi?cate of
Advanced Study in Sustainable Enterprise
(CASSE). Previously, Moss was an assistant
professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at
Oregon State University.
Moss earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in
mechanical engineering from Brigham Young
University (BYU), his MBA from BYU’s Marriott
School of Management and his Ph.D. in
business administration with an emphasis in
strategic management and entrepreneurship
from Texas Tech University.
PANASCI WINNER BRIDGES GAP BETWEEN
PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND AUDIENCES
Melanie Witkower ’14 earned the top prize and
a $20,000 award in the Panasci Business Plan
competition for her business, Screen-Bridge.
Screen-Bridge is a social television production
company that works with TV networks to
engage viewers online through campaign
conceptualization, production and analytics.
The concept was Witkower’s solution to a gap
she saw in the entertainment industry. “Traditional
networks are designed to create a show for
one distribution platform. Today, it is critical for
networks to leverage the social media space.”
Screen-Bridge brings together TV show
producers, cinematographers and editors to blend
high quality production with a data-backed social
media strategy to ensure content reaches and
resonates with the target audience. The company
produces photos and videos designed for social
media distribution while working on set with a
show’s cast and crew.
When a show airs, Screen-Bridge ?nds trends
in online discussion and develops insights. For
example, if one character is receiving no buzz but
a side character is, Screen-Bridge can suggest
the production company allocate screen time
di?erently for future episodes.
Witkower counts the Capstone course as
instrumental in the foundation of Screen-Bridge.
“It taught me how to approach a business idea with
a strategic vision,” she added. “And my time in the
Couri Hatchery was also invaluable. Bouncing ideas
o? of other students and having other business
plans to reference allowed me to understand
di?erent vantage points for my own company.”
The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship,
named for Michael J. Falcone ’57, is the
outreach arm of Whitman’s Department
of Entrepreneurship and Emerging
Enterprises. Its mission is the facilitation of
entrepreneurial activity on campus, in the
local and regional community and beyond
through innovative programs and initiatives.
COURI HATCHERY
The Couri Hatchery is a supportive business incubator available at
no cost to students to help them start, establish and develop their
businesses to the point where they can stand on their own. Over the
past two years, the growth of student-run companies utilizing the
Hatchery increased by 600 percent. It has also grown its portfolio of
mentors who meet with students on a regular basis, including a lawyer,
accountant, HR representative, sales and marketing expert, banker and
technology analyst.
PANASCI BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
The campus-wide Panasci Business Plan Competition awards more than
$35,000 in prize money to the top three teams whose new venture
ideas represent the best potential for sustainable growth and attracting
outside ?nancing. Forty-nine student teams participated in the program
in 2013-14.
D’ANIELLO INTERNSHIPS
The program o?ers selective internship appointments during the
academic year, which provide accomplished students the opportunity
to work directly with an entrepreneur and founder of a high-growth,
innovative company located in the greater-Syracuse metropolitan
area. During the 2013-14 academic year 13 students gained practical
experience throught the D’Aniello program.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLUB (E-CLUB)
The Entrepreneurship Club is dedicated to encouraging the spirit of
entrepreneurship among the student body and to supporting the
needs of students who are interested in entrepreneurship. Student
members engage in business pitch competitions, bring in notable guest
speakers, coordinate ?eld trips and work together on entrepreneurial
ventures. The E-Club has over 300 members, making it the largest club
on campus. In October 2013, 16 members of the club were selected to
attend the prestigious Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Annual
Conference in Chicago.
FAMILY BUSINESS CLUB
The Family Business Club is dedicated to preparing students for the
unique challenges of working for and running a family business. The
goal is to improve the professional development of members through
the exchange of ideas, best practices and experiences. Club members
work with alumni and guests from local family businesses to discuss
many of the important issues that family businesses face. A team
from the club placed as semi-?nalists in the Global Enterprise Case
Competition in Vermont.
CREATIVITY, INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP LEARNING COMMUNITY (CIE)
The CIE, led by Whitman EEE Professor of Practice Alexandra Kostakis,
is housed on the third ?oor of SU’s Dellplain Residence Hall. CIE is
dedicated to the discovery and celebration of entrepreneurship and
innovation. Students work with real-
world challenges, develop tools and learn
techniques to foster their entrepreneurial
potential. In the 2013-2014 academic year,
28 students participated in the one-credit
course related to the CIE.
HATCHERY BUSINESS FINDS ENTREPRENEURIAL
SUCCESS THROUGH SWEETS AND TREATS
ThunderCakes, LLC is a remote-location bakery on
the campus of Syracuse University specializing in
customized cakes, made-to-order baked goods and
private event catering. The company was founded
by Courtnee Futch ’15 in the Couri Hatchery.
ThunderCakes placed second in the 2014 Panasci
Business Plan Competition and won a $7,500
monetary prize. The company was pro?led on
Syracuse.com and recognized by the Whitman
Alumni Club of CNY as the 2014 Student Business of
the Year, which came with a cash prize of $3,000 and
up to $7,000 of in-kind services donated by alumni.
Futch, a communication and rhetorical studies
major, started the company her freshman year. She
took Whitman’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship
course as a sophomore to develop skills for
business ownership. “The knowledge I gained was
instrumental to ThunderCakes’ success, and I came
to think of the EEE Department as a resource and a
support system.”
Futch hopes to begin selling direct to vendors,
caterers and restaurants in 2016. Her time in the
Couri Hatchery will no doubt help her realize
growth goals. “I am so thankful for the Hatchery
and its sta? who were dedicated to understanding
my business wholly.”
She notes the invaluable expert resources,
such as law, accounting and marketing, o?ered
to Hatchery businesses. “At some point, I availed
myself of each resource. ThunderCakes has grown
as a direct result of the Hatchery’s commitment
to bridge the gap between novice and seasoned
entrepreneurs.”
VETERANS PROGRAM GIVES FORMER SOLDIERS
ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING AND SUPPORT
J. Michael Haynie, executive director of the
Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the
Barnes professor of entrepreneurship at Whitman,
is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. In his post-service
role as a professor, it weighed on him that more
could be done for military veterans, particularly
those with disabilities. He felt that education
could mean empowerment and the potential for a
productive civilian life.
The Executive Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities (EBV) program was launched at
Whitman in 2007 and has expanded to a network
of eight university partners. More than 890
veterans have gone through the program, which
was pro?led by special correspondent Sanjay
Gupta in a segment on CBS’ 60 Minutes. More than
50 percent of graduates start businesses within
four months of completing the training. Many
have launched ventures that have revenues in the
millions of dollars.
Garrett Anderson, a former radio operator in
the Marine Corps, turned to the EBV for help
launching a production company. Anderson, like an
estimated 600,000 other veterans, su?ers from
post-traumatic stress disorder. He and his business
partner launched their ?rst ?lm, The November
War, which features 12 marines from Anderson’s
unit recounting their battle in Fallujah.
“EBV helped me understand that what we have
been through was much harder than starting a
business,” explained Garrett. “The road ahead
requires the same self discipline we were all taught
in the military, and we can continue to serve our
society and communities back home through
business ownership.”
ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is tailored to local aspiring
entrepreneurs in the Syracuse area. Participants are exposed to critical
concepts, ideas and approaches that work in creating successful
ventures, as well as common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid. To date, the
Bootcamp has graduated over 500 local entrepreneurs.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP FOR VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES
The Barnes Family Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with
Disabilities (EBV) program o?ers cutting-edge, experiential training
in entrepreneurship and small business management for post-9/11
soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines disabled as a result of their
service to our country. The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans’
Families (EBV-F) program was also launched for caregivers of seriously
wounded veterans to provided the same educational and mentoring
opportunity. Over 890 veterans and caregivers have gone through the
EBV and EBV-F programs, since their launch in 2007. The EBV programs
are o?ered entirely free of charge to the veterans and family members.
WOMEN IGNITING THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP (WISE)
Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE) is an initiative to
train and inspire women interested in launching or growing a business
venture. The program’s objective is to provide information, resources
and support for women entrepreneurs, enabling each to successfully
advance her business to the next stage of pro?tability and success.
Last year, the WISE Women’s Business
Center served 101 women entrepreneurs.
These ?rms reported over $5 million in gross
revenues. WISE worked with 601 others
through training and workshops.
The one-day WISE Symposium—attended
by nearly 1,000 women—includes a variety
EXTENDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO THE COMMUNITY
of seminars and panel discussions o?ering
practical advice covering topics from all
aspects of the business world; motivational
speeches from local and nationally-known
successful women business owners; many
networking opportunities; a business
expo featuring 126 exhibitors; 63 speakers
throughout the day and much more.
THE 2014 WISE SYMPOSIUM:
• Reached 7.1 million people on the Twitter hashtag #WISE2014,
securing the top national trend three times on the day of the event.
• Featured 63 speakers throughout the day, including two keynote
presenters, 45 breakout session speakers and 16 WISE Talks speakers.
• Was supported by 42 sponsors.
• Raised more than $35,000 in cash and $70,000 in-kind donations.
• Hosted WISE Latinas and WISE Veterans luncheons on site.
• Included the ?rst-ever “Be WISE Buy LOCAL Spring Fling”
co-hosted with Syracuse First featuring 25 local restaurants/venues
sampling products.
SOUTH SIDE INNOVATION CENTER
A community based microenterprise incubator, the 14,000-square
foot South Side Innovation Center (SSIC) provides o?ce space and
equipment to foster the creation of new ventures and help existing
businesses grow. The SSIC currently houses 27 companies as tenants
and works with another 350 entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs
each year.
WHITMAN PLAYS LANDLORD AND MENTOR TO
SYRACUSE START UPS
With the faith of family and the urging of mentors
who saw his potential, Hasan Stephens fought
daily temptations and fear in the Bronx to earn
admission to Hobart College. After graduation, he
took a position at Hillbrook Juvenile Detention
Center where he found his calling of working
with troubled youth. The Good Life Foundation
was born from Stephens’ passion of cultivating
a movement of entrepreneurial thinking among
at-risk kids.
After considering the limited rental options for
start-ups in Syracuse, the Good Life Foundation
found its home in the South Side Innovation Center.
According to Stephens, it is the perfect place for
an organization in its infancy, and the value of the
connection to Whitman is immeasurable. With
support from and access to the expertise of other
tenants, it is truly a collaborative environment.
Meeting space, printing services and practical skills
classes help position start-ups for success.
Funded by grants, donations and government
contracts, Stephens and his team of life coaches
work to interrupt the cycle of poverty and
incarceration. The number of youth in need
outpaces the number of volunteers and funding
levels, but Stephens plans to work until the
opposite is true.
“The SSIC has been an ideal place for the Good
Life Foundation to take root. My passion for this
project is tremendous, but the community of
experts, support and resources available here has
given me the con?dence to create and cultivate
something truly special.”
DUNEIER NAMED 2014 WHITMAN YOUNG ALUMNUS
Jake Duneier ’10 was named the 2014 Whitman
Young Alumnus of the Year. A dual EEE and
management major at Whitman, Duneier is now
director of business development at Clyde Duneier,
Inc., a NYC-based fourth-generation family business
internationally recognized as a leader in the ?ne
jewelry wholesale business.
Duneier works to develop new product lines in
the diamond and color stone jewelry business.
He has spearheaded partnerships with celebrities
such as Randy Jackson, Badgley Mischka, Marc
Ecko and several Home Shopping Network on-air
personalities, among others.
During his time at Whitman, Duneier ran a very
successful liquidation jewelry business in the
Couri Hatchery. Since graduating, he has been a
generous supporter of Whitman’s newly launched
family business career track in the EEE Department
by funding case competitions, helping to expand
the curriculum and sharing his experiences and
perspective with students.
“Jake was instrumental in getting our family
business work o? the ground,” said Alex McKelvie,
associate professor and chair of the EEE
Department. “His insight led us to develop a unique
two-course sequence and his support allowed
our family business students to gain important
experiences that will in?uence them throughout
their careers.”
RYAN NOVAK ’11 LEADS CHOCOLATE PIZZA
COMPANY TO 365 PERCENT GROWTH
Ryan Novak ’11 rose from the ranks of
dishwasher to owner of the Chocolate
Pizza Company. After working at the
company for six years, Novak bought the
business at the age of 21 and has led an
explosive expansion with sales up 365
percent in just three years. The company’s products are now sold at
more than 1,200 retailers nationwide including Hallmark, Lori’s Gifts,
Bass Pro Shops, Dick’s Sporting Goods (Field & Stream) and Kinney
Drugs. The Chocolate Pizza Company was featured on the popular
Food Network show “Unwrapped” and on ABC News. Inc. Magazine
also featured the company.
ADAM GOLD ’07 AND KYLE COREA ’07 OPEN SECOND
LOCATION OF FUNK ‘N WAFFLES RESTAURANT
Adam Gold ’07 and Kyle Corea ’07
started Funk ‘N Wa?es in Whitman’s
Couri Hatchery. It is a specialty café,
which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner
with an emphasis on natural, organic,
locally-grown food. At night, Funk ‘n
Wa?es features eclectic music from
artists around the globe.
The restaurant, which placed third in
the Panasci Business Plan Competition
in 2007, was featured on Guy Fieri’s hit
Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins,
and Dives.” Gold and Corea recently
opened a second Funk ‘N Wa?es
location in downtown Syracuse.
EEE ALUMNI SUCCESS
PUBL I CAT I ON CRE DI T S
E DI TOR
Alison Kessler
Communications Specialist
CONT RI BUTORS
Kerri Howell
Director of Communications and Media Relations
Alex McKelvie
EEE Department Chair and
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship
Lindsay Wickham
Events and Communications Manager,
Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship
DE S I GN
Andrea Parisi
Assistant Director of Marketing
PHOTOGRAPHY
Steve Sartori
University Photographer, SU Photo and Imaging Center
Jim Vivenzio
Media Services Coordinator
Andrea Parisi
Assistant Director of Marketing
721 Uni versi ty Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13244-2450 | whi tman.syr.edu | 315.443.6899 | eeei [email protected] |
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