The Jamestown Regional Entrepreneurs Center Women’s Business Conference will be held in Jamestown on Thursday, May 8th from 8am to 4:15pm. This event connects women and men every year or virtually throughout North Dakota since 2018, connecting with others who can bring together women and men to share knowledge, develop skills and help professional growth.
The meeting will provide new insight into the various resources available to small business owners and community members. Meeting days are dedicated to individuals interested in expanding their network. Seven presentations will be provided and the event will be held in the bunker.
“Dakota Central is thrilled to support this event bringing women together in business. “Leadership opportunities such as the Women’s Business Conference will help fuel innovation, strengthen our community and inspire future leaders,” said Holly Utke, CEO and General Manager of Dakota Central.
The meeting begins with Dr. Liz Hunt’s presentation on “servant leadership.” Hunt is an associate professor of leadership and character director of leadership at Jamestown University. Her research interests include sensory production, leadership communication, organizational culture and climate, servant leadership, values and character education.
Molly Kosialski, regional director of the US Patent and Trademark Office in the Rocky Mountain Region, discusses the need to develop an intellectual property strategy for your business. As the Regional Director, Kosialski has implemented the strategic direction of the Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, focusing on nine states within the region through community involvement.
Lanettastar, director of the USDA Rural Development Community Program in North Dakota, discusses how it benefits USDA rural development through grants to individuals, businesses and communities that provide loans, loan guarantees, economic development, homeownership, infrastructure, and essential funding.
Community facilities and services. With a portfolio worth $640 million, Starr plays a pivotal role in shaping the near-event corner future in rural North Dakota.
Sadie Schaeffer, Program and Events Manager for the North Dakota Women’s Business Center, discusses the organization’s services. Founded in the early 2000, the center acts to build a community of business owners, business executives and thought leaders in economic development. Over the past 20 years, the North Dakota Women’s Business Center has continued to offer important programs and training events that provide individuals with opportunities to advance their business. Schaeffer’s role provides extensive, timely and relevant information and coaching to support the development of small and medium-sized businesses.
The topic of cybersecurity threats and strategies is presented by Tanya Taplin, program director and assistant professor of cybersecurity at the University of Mary. Taplin is a former cybersecurity advisor at North Dakota (Homeland Security/CISA) and has a prominent career dedicated to technological advancements within the state and federal government and within academia. Additionally, Taplin is a member of several prominent cybersecurity, IT and AI organizations.
A presentation on Master Event Planning will be provided by Deidre Hillman, owner of 13th Hat LLC. Discover ways to design an immersive experience that caters to all guests and promote inclusion among staff, volunteers, executives, donors (because they are nonprofits) and participants. Hillman is John Maxwell’s leadership trainer, certified coach, and Goldman Sachs 10,000 small business facilitator, a program that provides education, capital and support services to SME owners, growing their businesses and creating jobs.
Michael Cantrudo, a marketing and outreach specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration, presents an array of federal certifications for government contracts and how having these will help your small business grow. Kantrud manages the 8(a) portfolio, a small business contract program, for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s North Dakota District Office.
Event sponsors are Dakota Central, First Community Credit Union, Jamestown Community Foundation, Ottertail Power Company, Columbus Knights, I3G Media, Great River Energy, Fargo Patent & Business Law and Sanford Health.
Tickets for the event are $50. Buy tickets or visit www.jrecenter.com/events for more information on all presentation topics offered. The vendor booth is currently available to purchase and use one event ticket. Ask Katherine Roth at Katherine.roth@uj.edu.
