UB to Host Open House for Minority and Women Entrepreneurs

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N. Y. -- The University at Buffalo School of Management's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) will host an information session for women and minority business owners interested in applying for the 2009 Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs (MWEE) program.

Prospective participants may visit anytime between 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 in the Jacobs Executive Development Center, 672 Delaware Avenue (corner of Delaware and North St.) in Buffalo.

Thomas R. Ulbrich, executive director, program staff and alumni will be in attendance to answer any questions.

The MWEE program is a joint venture by the UB School of Management's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) and the UB Center for Urban Studies.

Initiated in 2004, the program is modeled after the CEL’s Core program, which is designed to enhance the management abilities of business leaders, the profitability of their firms and the development of business relationships through an expanded network of contacts.

Participants in the one-year MWEE program are women and members of recognized minorities whose Buffalo-Niagara region businesses are still in the fledgling stages of growth.

The mission of the program is to construct a pathway that enables these entrepreneurs to move their companies to the next stage of development.

A key feature is the protégé/mentor collaboration between participants and CEL Core program graduates. This relationship gives participants the unique opportunity to develop a plan to advance their business and learn related skills in partnership with successful business leaders in the region. It also introduces them to a support network from which they will benefit for years to come.

 In addition to the benefit to individual entrepreneurs, by providing opportunities to bolster the development of their companies, the program helps to create viable and sustainable businesses in Western New York, strengthening the economy of the region.

For additional information contact Janine Tramont at 716-885-5715, ext. 30 or mgt-cel@buffalo.edu.

Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. The Allstate Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations on community initiatives that promote safe and vital communities, tolerance, inclusion, diversity and economic empowerment.

The Wall Street Journal has ranked the UB School of Management No. 9 in the nation among schools with strong regional recruiting bases. In addition, BusinessWeek has ranked the school as one of the country's top 5 business schools for the fastest return on MBA investment, and Forbes cited it as one of the best business schools in the U.S. for the return on investment it provides MBA graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system that is its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.