What is INNOVATIONS 2009?

INNOVATIONS 2009 is an event designed to educate attendees on how to grow their opportunities and enhance their skills by gaining a better understanding of how to leverage today’s new and emerging technologies.  Attendees and exhibitors will have the opportunity to connect with technology experts and prospective teaming partners, clients, investors, employees, educators, and service providers.

Promoters: The Chamber, GMU, Media, Exhibitors, and S&T Council members

Registration: You can register on eventbrite and it is FREE for all attendees

AGENDA

2:00 – Open Doors

2:00 – 2:15 – Attendees Assemble in Bull Run Hall to Network and Explore Displays

- Exhibitors may man exhibit or send in materials ahead of time to set on their table

2:30 – 3:15 – Workshops Round One

1. Using Social Media to grow your business (Shashi B, Network Solutions)

2. Understanding the benefits of Cloud Computing (Carl Tidwell, ATCC)

3:30 – 4:15 – Workshops Round Two

1. Cyber Security, protecting your most important asset – your company data (Joe Yanda, Websense)

2. Current and Future States of Regional Advancements and Opportunities in Biotechnology

(Panel moderated and opening remarks by Ron Carmichael, GMU PW Campus Administrator)

- Dr. Chip Petricoin, Co-Director of Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine at GMU

- Thomas Seoh, former CEO of Faust Pharmaceuticals

- Joe Reilly, of Theranostics Health, LLC (tentative)

4:30 – 5:00 -  Keynote Address

4:30 Welcome by Chair – Purpose of the S&T Committee – Thanks all sponsors and volunteers – Introduce Platinum sponsor

4:32 Platinum sponsor introduces Keynote speaker

4:35 Keynote Address (Roy Dunbar, CEO of Network Solutions)

4:30 – 6:30 – Exhibits, Networking, and Cash Bar

- Exhibitors displaying their technologies and intern matchmaking station (GMU staffed)

Attendees are directed to approximately 20 exhibitor tables in the main entrance hall lined up with the front window.  Also present shall be light fare and high top tables with stools.  S&T Committee Ambassadors will be floating about assisting attendees, soliciting feedback/comments, and snapping pictures. One business card shall be drawn for the door prize and an award shall be presented to one exhibitor at the end of the program.

6:10 – Last call for cash bar is announced

6:15 – Draw one business card for door prize and present award to best exhibit

In case you hadn’t registered, here is the page to sign up. See you there!

What is INNOVATIONS 2009?

INNOVATIONS 2009 is an event designed to educate attendees on how to grow their opportunities and enhance their skills by gaining a better understanding of how to leverage today’s new and emerging technologies.  Attendees and exhibitors will have the opportunity to connect with technology experts and prospective teaming partners, clients, investors, employees, educators, and service providers.

Promoters: The Chamber, GMU, Media, Exhibitors, and S&T Council members

Registration: You can register on eventbrite and it is FREE for all attendees

AGENDA

2:00 – Open Doors

2:00 – 2:15 – Attendees Assemble in Bull Run Hall to Network and Explore Displays

- Exhibitors may man exhibit or send in materials ahead of time to set on their table

2:30 – 3:15 – Workshops Round One

1. Using Social Media to grow your business (Shashi B, Network Solutions)

2. Understanding the benefits of Cloud Computing (Carl Tidwell, ATCC)

3:30 – 4:15 – Workshops Round Two

1. Cyber Security, protecting your most important asset – your company data (Joe Yanda, Websense)

2. Current and Future States of Regional Advancements and Opportunities in Biotechnology

(Panel moderated and opening remarks by Ron Carmichael, GMU PW Campus Administrator)

- Dr. Chip Petricoin, Co-Director of Applied Proteomics & Molecular Medicine at GMU

- Thomas Seoh, former CEO of Faust Pharmaceuticals

- Joe Reilly, of Theranostics Health, LLC (tentative)

4:30 – 5:00 -  Keynote Address

4:30 Welcome by Chair – Purpose of the S&T Committee – Thanks all sponsors and volunteers – Introduce Platinum sponsor

4:32 Platinum sponsor introduces Keynote speaker

4:35 Keynote Address (Roy Dunbar, CEO of Network Solutions)

4:30 – 6:30 – Exhibits, Networking, and Cash Bar

- Exhibitors displaying their technologies and intern matchmaking station (GMU staffed)

Attendees are directed to approximately 20 exhibitor tables in the main entrance hall lined up with the front window.  Also present shall be light fare and high top tables with stools.  S&T Committee Ambassadors will be floating about assisting attendees, soliciting feedback/comments, and snapping pictures. One business card shall be drawn for the door prize and an award shall be presented to one exhibitor at the end of the program.

6:10 – Last call for cash bar is announced

6:15 – Draw one business card for door prize and present award to best exhibit

In case you hadn’t registered, here is the page to sign up. See you there!

At the luncheon, Mr. Dunbar will address the newest information derived from the partnership with the University of Maryland and their Small Business Success Index.  GrowSmartBusiness.com was created as a result of the enormous amount of data resulting from the study.

Small business owners often wear many hats to make their businesses thrive. This has proven especially challenging in the current state of the economy. The study focuses on how competitive small businesses believe they rate in six key areas of business. Mr. Dunbar will discuss not only what is being done by businesses within the technology field, but also within marketing, Capital management, Customer Service and other fields.

Atlanta Marriott Century Center
2000 Century Center Boulevard, NE
404-325-0000

About the Expo:

Each year the DC Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Business Journal host a Business Summit that focuses on the unique advantages of doing business in the Nation’s Capital. This year’s Summit – “After the Storm: Emerging Stronger than Before,” will explore what you should be doing during this recession to position your business for economic recovery. Our keynote speaker is Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Dr. Jeffrey Lacker.

The event includes extraordinary speakers, opportunities to exchange ideas, explore business partnerships and access to an advanced copy of the State of the Business Report prior to its release in the Washington Business Journal. The State of the Business Report, created annually by a local economist, highlights the challenges and opportunities we face in our city.

After the morning address there will be educational seminars listed below and you can register here.

Accessing Capital

Focusing on available sources of capital for companies, such as federal and local government grants, credit unions, traditional banks, and angel investors.

How Healthy is Your Business

Providing general guidance on how to ensure the overall health of a business from financials to HR practices to operational standards.

Strategic Management

Discussing how to utilize the down economy to prepare for the future, whether it is through employee skill improvement, workforce development, or savings policies that will allow businesses to be best prepared to seize the time when the economy rebounds

Construction Bonding

Speaking to the growth in the capital area given the amount of stimulus money coming for shovel ready projects that will require companies to secure bonds prior to performance.

Roy Dunbar CEO of Network Solutions spoke to Jenna Miller on Fox Business about Small Business and their optimism despite the economy.

During the conversation Roy and Jenna discussed the findings of the Small Business Success Index and the pulse of Small Business.  The Small Business Success Index (www.growsmartbusiness.com) that Network Solutions and the University of Maryland where more than 1,000 small business owners were interviewed by phone  for the Small Business Success Index and results show that 69% of the small business respondents made a profit in 2008. We believe that entrepreneurs and small businesses can use the Small Business Success Index to optimize their performance for maximum success.

• Large companies that are struggling in different ways. there’s a different sector of the economy. struggling, but much more optimistic. it is run by individual business owners who have their finger on the pulse not just of the local economy, but their customers
• New jobs in the u.s. are created by small business but what dominates the news cycle is job layoffs
• Women typically have a more optimistic mind-set than men, much more internet savvy and in general even though they run a smaller businesses they typically believe those businesses are more successful
• 69% of small businesses made a profit, many of them have a positive outlook on the economy, and are actually very resilience.

The interview can be seen on the Fox Business  website .

We’ve have made it a company wide focus to request feedback from customers and review it on a daily basis. We’re paying close attention to our customers concerns, issues and ideas and are working on some easier ways for you to talk to us. For example, our social media team gathers all feedback from this blog and shares it company-wide and we’re also using social media tools like Twitter ( You can send a message to @netsolcares).

The other two initiatives in Roy’s letter include::

MySolutionSpot.com – networking and educational resource
Small Business Newsletter – monthly educational newsletter – Sign up Today!

Roy expresses our vision & how we’re investing our resources to provide more services. Did you see the email ? Please leave your comments here on the blog. They do make a difference! In case you didn’t see the email here it is :

————–

Dear Network Solutions® Customers,

As the new CEO of Network Solutions, I am delighted to make your acquaintance and thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve your online business needs.

At Network Solutions, our goal is to provide the tools and resources to help small businesses and Web professionals successfully build and grow their business online. We recognize the value of listening to the voice of our customer, as it is your opinions and suggestions that help us prioritize our future product and service enhancements.

For example, you told us the importance of having access to educational resources to help optimize your online business.

Because of this feedback, we recently launched two new initiatives:

MySolutionSpot.com – networking and educational resource
Small Business Newsletter – monthly educational newsletter

In addition, over the next few months I look forward to announcing additional initiatives that will benefit our small business owner and Web Professional customers. Meanwhile, I invite you to share your feedback and suggestions with us about your Network Solutions experience. Provide Your Feedback

I look forward to hearing from you, and invite you to take a moment to explore our new customer resources, as well as our new corporate Web site.

Thank you again for allowing us to serve your business needs.

Regards,
W. Roy Dunbar
CEO, Network Solutions