Innovation Night, The Coolest Night In Innovation was held Monday, March 12,
6:00 p.m. downtown Embassy Suites Hotel. The event honors current entrepreneurs
with the Nebraska Distinguished Entrepreneur Award. Entrepreneurs were nominated
by previous Nebraska Distinguished Entrepreneur winners. The event is open to the
public and potential investors, judges, business professionals, academic and community
leaders, and students.
The purpose of the Center for Entrepreneurship's Nebraska Distinguished Entrepreneur
Award is to recognize entrepreneurs in the state of Nebraska who represent the ideals
of Nebraska small business ownership. These recipients have started or substantially
grown a business in Nebraska and are currently contributing to the economy of the
State and/or their own local communities. They are nominated by past award winners,
members of the Center for Entrepreneurship's Advisory Board and the Dean of the
College of Business Administration here at UNL, and inducted into the Nebraska Entrepreneurship
Hall of Fame. We are proud to honor them as models of Nebraska entrepreneurial excellence.
Donde Plowman, Dean of the UNL College of Business Administration and Kathleen Thornton,
Acting Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship recognized all recipients listed
below.
Jack Henry
Global Industries, Inc.
Grand Island, Nebraska
Global Industries, Incorporated is headquarted in Grand Island, NE, with 6 divisions
located in Nebraska and Kansas. Grain storage and handling equipment, metal buildings
and water treatment systems are manufactured.
John Lund
OFFWIRE
Omaha, Nebraska
OFFWIRE was founded in June 1995. OFFWIRE helps each client maximize every customer
touch through training, promotion, and risk-free inventory. Its mission is to provide
solutions to make wireless retail easy and more profitable.
Steve Kiene
Nebraska Global
Lincoln, Nebraska
Nebraska Global’s mission is to establish a globally competitive, vibrant, and impactful
high tech environment creating sustainable long term economic development in Nebraska
via the creation of multiple for-profit software companies.
Charles Hull and Clint Runge (not pictured)
Archrival
Lincoln, Nebraska
Archrival provides clients with trend-smart expertise and services necessary to
formulate effective marketing programs that influence young consumers in authentic
meaningful channels and make their brand relevant in youth culture.
The Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the 25th Annual Innovation Competition
(formerly called New Ventures World Competition) Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 8:00 a.m.
downtown Embassy Suites Lincoln, NE. This competition is one of the longest running
business plan competitions in the world. Twenty four teams competed in the Preliminary
Round beginning 8:20 a.m. The competition encourages economic growth in Nebraska and
around the world.
Theresa Welbourne, Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Samuel A. Nelson, Associate
Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship recognized all recipients listed below.
Dale Williams
Medical Solutions and Toolbarn.com
Omaha, Nebraska
Ben Kiser received on behalf of Mike Dunlap
Nelnet
Lincoln, Nebraska
Dean Hart
MWI Direct and Dino's Eastside Grille
Lincoln, Nebraska
David (pictured) and Barbara Wetzel
Green Pasture
O'Neill, Nebraska
Graduate:
First Place $7,000.00
Boston Mountain Biotech, LLC
University of Arkansas
Second Place $3,000.00
iSpies
Kennesaw State
Third Place $1,500.00
Iomi
University of Illinois-Chicago
Undergraduate:
First Place $4,000.00
Unlimiters
University of Huston
Second Place $2,000.00
Pupkins Bakery
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Third Place $1,000.00
iSchool Initiative
Kennesaw State
