Entrepreneurs thinking about launching their own businesses or involved in a startup now and looking for help will have the opportunity to hear how two CEOs helped build successful ventures at Entrepreneur ’04.
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development said Wednesday that Bill Prim, founder and CEO of Blue Rhino Corporation, and Christy Shaffer, CEO of Inspire Pharmaceuticals, will deliver keynote speeches at the conference. The event is set for oct. 30 at Duke University.
“Entrepreneur ’04 offers a unique chance to hear from seasoned entrepreneurial executives, and gain key tools for starting and growing a business,” said conference co-chair Doug Riddle, senior vice president at Wachovia, in a statement. “Anyone considering a new business venture, or anyone in the early stages of growing their company, will find tremendous value in attending Entrepreneur ’04.”
Blue Rhino, which is based in Winston-Salem, was founded by Prim in 1994. It now is one of the leading providers of propane cylinder exchange and propane-fueled appliances with revenues topping $200 million last year.
Shaffer has risen through the ranks of Inspire since that company was founded in 1995. She left Burroughs Wellcome to join Inspire and was named CEO in 1995. The company went public in 2000.
The CED also disclosed a list of panel discussions and speakers:
Growing your company’s infrastructure: Marketing, Accounting & HR: Moderator Ben Feldman, Joint Owner, RapiData; Alicia Paladin, Founder, NutraSage Mary Lou Drake, President, Drake & Associates
Building a Great Entrepreneurial Team – It’s a Lot Like the NFL Draft: Moderator Rich West; panelists Gary Roberts, Partner, Cabot; Chris Price, CEO, Nobex
Marketing vs. Selling: Knowing Your Target Audience: Moderator Howard Rockett, Chairman & CEO, Rockett, Burkhead & Winslow; panelist Noreen Allen, Vice President of Marketing, SpectraSite.
Lessons Learned: Start-up Screw-ups: Moderator Steve Clark, CEO, SpectraSite; panelists Chris Hegele, Partner, Intersouth; Joe Forbes, CEO, America Connect.
Everything Is Negotiable: Moderator Sheila Mikhail, Member, Life Sciences Law, PLLC; panelists David Spencer, COO, Biolex; Alison Arter, President, Apted, Baer & Clark, Inc.
