Press Releases

For Immediate Release
June 22, 2004	Contact: Cheryl Weiss (608) 264-7800

MEDIA ALERT

Entrepreneurs to Hold Class for Educators During Institute for Financial and Economic Education

(Madison) A group of successful Wisconsin entrepreneurs will reveal their secrets, experiences, and motivations directly to a group of 50 Wisconsin teachers on Thursday, June 24, 2004 as part of the Financial Milestones and Entrepreneurship session of the 2004 Wisconsin Institute of Financial and Economic Education. The one-week Institute is being held on the campus of Edgewood College in Madison June 21-25, 2004 and provides teachers with the tools to teach economics and personal finance in their classrooms.

"The Wisconsin Institute has done an outstanding job of bringing together educators and entrepreneurs," said Lorrie Keating Heinemann, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. "This innovative approach offers an unprecedented opportunity for teachers to gain new insights about entrepreneurial activities that they can bring back to their classrooms," she added.

The day will highlight diverse kinds of entrepreneurial activities. Teachers will first hear Joseph Saari, co-founder and president of Precision Information Systems, Inc., Phil Keiser, president and chief operating officer of the Culver Corporation, Tom Still, president of Wisconsin Technology Council, and Pam Christianson, Wisconsin Department of Commerce during a panel presentation at Edgewood College.

Institute participants will then embark on a cruise on Lake Monona and hear from Robert VonRuetenberg of Bette Lou Cruises who will discuss family entrepreneurship and his family's successful tour boat operation. Next, the educators will tour GenTel Bio Surfaces and meet with its president Alex Vodenlich.

Finally, Redonna Rodgers, president for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Professor Kym Husom, Edgewood High School will conclude the day by providing educators a session on how to create a lesson plan and a module or course on entrepreneurship for their students.

Call Kathryn Carlson (608) 264-7800 for details.

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