KINGSTON, R.I. — October 14, 2005 — The University of Rhode Island’s College of Business Administration will host the Brown Forum for Enterprise for the second year in a row on Oct. 20. Convening in Cherry Auditorium from 6 to 9 p.m., the topic of the forum is “Value Creation: Innovation, Rebirth and Rebranding.” The event is free and open to the public.
The mission of the Brown Forum for Enterprise is to foster innovation and enterprise within Rhode Island and to be a focus for entrepreneurial activity within the state and region.
“This program benefits students, faculty and other entrepreneurs interested in forming new companies or contributing to the growth of already existing ones,” said Jerri W. Paquin, director of URI’s Research Center in Business and Economics. “The forum is interested in hearing from investors and entrepreneurs from around the state.”
Thomas Engellenger, partner at Nutter McClennen and Fish LLP, will co-host this year’s forum, and URI Associate Professor Deborah Rosen, director of the master of business administration program at URI, will moderate. Ocean Engineering Professor Malcolm Spaulding, founder and a principal of Applied Science Associates, Narragansett, will open the program with remarks about the relationship of University research to entrepreneurial success.
The featured speakers will be Randall Spencer, chief executive officer of Concordia Manufacturing and Mark Hellendrung, CEO of The Narragansett Beer Co. These case studies will explore identifying and taking advantage of new market opportunities for undervalued assets. Following the presentations, three panelists will address the companies’ strategies through an interactive question and answer session.
The panelists will be: Jack Early, president of Ching Long Capital and Distribution; Peter Dorsey, vice president of Business Development Co. of Rhode Island; and Lee Phenner, vice president of Brand Identity and Content Strategy, Hill Holiday Design.
According to the Brown Forum for Enterprise Web site, Concordia Manufacturing’s garment business was booming in the mid-1900s. Confronted with the rise of manufacturing in the Far East over the past decade, the company decided to restructure by extending their fiber technologies to the medical field. CEO Randall Spencer has expanded Concordia’s expertise, transitioning from a longtime textile mill to biomedical manufacturing by developing yarns and fabrics for biomedical products— specifically for tissue scaffolding.
The Narragansett Beer Co. was selling more than a million barrels of beer; however, changes in management and increasing competition diminished the Narragansett brand over time. Mark Hellendrung is now reestablishing the company by reintroducing its products and restructuring its marketing initiatives.
Click here for a map and directions to the event location.