Chinese Provinces- U.S. States Business Cooperation Seminar & Inaugural Ceremony of Joint Working Group for Trade and Investment Cooperation Between Chinese Provinces and Washington State

Sponsored by: Daohe Global & Washington State Sichuan Province Chamber of Commerce          

WHEN: September 22, 2015, 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM

WHERE: Leonesa Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Seattle

                721 Pine Street, Seattle, Washington, USA, 98101

REGISTER HERE

PROMO CODE: SEATTLECHAMBER

Please join the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Commerce for an invite-only afternoon of networking and collaborating as officials and key decision makers in top companies discuss long-term cooperation and partnership opportunities between China and the United States.

Over 200 of China’s top governmental officials and business decision makers in agriculture, aerospace, ecommerce, investment, and technology, will be present at this private event.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is excited to announce the event will begin with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Establishing Joint Working Group for Trade and Investment Cooperation between PRC Provinces and the State of Washington. Following the signing of the MOU, key decision makers in a multitude of industries will be sharing their experiences and ideas while promoting future business endeavors.

                                GUEST SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

·         Doug McMillion, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., President and CEO

·         Liu Shaoyong, China Eastern Air Holding Company, President

·         Pan Gang, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Company Limited, President

·         Ralph Haupter, Microsoft, Corporate Vice President and

Chief Executive Officer of Greater China Region

·         Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn, Executive Chairman and co-Founder

·         Zhou Xijian, Daohe Global Group Limited, Chairman 

                                               

                                                *Please note speakers are subject to change based on availability and schedule changes

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND ORGANIZERS

Dahoe Global; Washington State Sichuan Province Chamber of Commerce; Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), People’s Republic of China; United States Department of Commerce; Washington State; Trade Development Bureau of MOFCOM; Washington State Department of Commerce; Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce; China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products; China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce

New Downtown Tacoma User Research Lab

GearLab, in partnership with digital agency SiteCrafting, Inc., has opened a user research and usability testing lab in Tacoma’s Dome District. The lab is the first of its kind in Pierce County.

GearLab, which stands for Guided Experience and Research, is a user research and usability testing lab outfitted with tools for testing how users interact with technology, including software for eye tracking, a mobile suite for testing across devices and platforms, and an observation room. GearLab’s focus on design thinking and user-centered design is part of an emerging industry trend centered around creating websites, software, and products that are designed, through research and evaluation, to be more efficient and effective for users.

Through a series of facilitated research and testing methods, GearLab enables companies to plan, test, and improve the designs of websites, software interfaces, and products. GearLab works on a variety of project types ranging from companies with in-house development teams looking to improve their own projects, government agencies needing to balance a wide range of audiences, to any business looking to improve their website interface through testing and research. Through a partnership with UW Tacoma, access to the lab will also be provided to students for conducting studies. Additionally, GearLab hopes to expand local partnerships for lab rentals to include other organizations and User Experience professionals.

GearLab Director, Chuck Johnston, is part of the Human Centered Design and Engineering Masters program at the University of Washington. As one of the only programs of its kind, graduates come away with a deep focus on creating solutions designed for real people with the things we use everyday. “Putting people first produces the best outcomes not only for technology and products, but also for entire organizations,” says Johnston.

The GearLab facilities include the lab itself for conducting usability tests and research, an observation room for learning and analysis, and a nearly 1,000 square-foot training room for workshops, sketching exercises, and other working sessions. GearLab is housed within SiteCrafting’s recently renovated office space in the Bowstring Building at 2716 A Street in downtown Tacoma.

While the two businesses share office space and collaborate on mutual projects, GearLab has its own client base that operates independent from SiteCrafting. GearLab is available for on-site testing as well as field testing.

GearLab will be open for demos during SiteCrafting’s open house for clients, partners, and the community on June 3, 2015 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visit HERE to attend.

State of Tech Luncheon 2015

Every year, more than 800 of Washington's top leaders in business, tech, research and government gather for the State of Technology Luncheon.

(Click on Image for a Larger View)

Finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 in the Pacific Northwest

EY today announced the finalists for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 in the Pacific Northwest.

The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.  These business leaders were selected by a panel of independent judges.

Award winners will be announced at a special gala on June 5, 2015 at Sheraton Seattle Hotel.  To find out more about the Pacific Northwest program please visit HERE.  #EOYPNW.

The finalists are:

Avalara, Inc. | Scott McFarlane, Co-Founder & CEO | Bainbridge Island, WA

Avvo | Mark Britton, Founder & CEO | Seattle, WA

barre3 | Sadie Lincoln, Founder & Owner | Portland, OR

Blink UX | Karen Clark Cole, CEO | Seattle, WA

Context Relevant | Stephen Purpura, Founder & CEO | Seattle, WA

Dave's Killer Bread | John Tucker, CEO | Milwaukie, OR

DiscoverOrg | Henry Schuck, CEO | Vancouver, WA

EagleView Technologies | Chris Barrow, President & CEO | Bothell, WA

ExtraHop Networks | Jesse Rothstein, Co-Founder & CEO; Raja Mukerji, Co-Founder & President | Seattle, WA

Hydro Flask | Scott Allan, President & CEO | Bend, OR

Life Flight Network | Michael Griffiths, CEO | Aurora, OR

Limeade | Henry Albrecht, CEO | Bellevue, WA

Picmonkey.com | Jonathan Sposato, CEO | Seattle, WA

PitchBook | John Gabbert, Founder & CEO | Seattle, WA

SET Creative | Sabina Teshler, Owner & CEO | Portland, OR

SmartRG | Jeff McInnis, President & CEO | Vancouver, WA

Smartsheet | Mark Mader, President & CEO | Bellevue, WA

Treehouse | Ryan Carson, Co-Founder & CEO | Portland, OR

Trupanion | Darryl Rawlings, CEO | Seattle, WA

TUNE | Lucas Brown, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer; Lee Brown, Co-Founder & Chief Architect | Seattle, WA

ZoomCare | Dave Sanders, M.D., CEO | Hillsboro, OR

Now in its 29th year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 145 cities in 60 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year national program.  Award winners in several national categories, as well as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall National Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 14, 2015.

The US Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Monaco, June 2016. Additionally, venture-backed companies that win an Entrepreneur Of The Year Award regionally are also eligible for the Venture Capital Award of Excellence at the national level. The awards are the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are sponsored nationally by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America.  In the Pacific Northwest, sponsors also include Merrill Datasite, Union Bank and Scherzer International.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries.

18 Washington State Tech Companies to 2015 Mobile World Congress

                    18 Washington state tech companies are bound for Barcelona, 2015 Mobile World Congress.

The Washington State Department of Commerce aims to increase awareness and sales in international markets for innovative technology businesses.

Demonstrating the state’s leadership in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, the Washington State Department of Commerce is leading a delegation of 18 companies at GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the world’s largest conference for the mobile tech industry. This is the fourth consecutive year Commerce has showcased new platform solutions and services in mobile apps, game design, productivity, security and location mapping developed by some of the state’s most creative and forward-thinking businesses.

“Washington is one of the nation’s vital hotbeds for established and new businesses that are pushing the envelope in digital media and mobile technology development,” said Brian Bonlender, state Commerce Director. “By putting our delegation on the international stage at Mobile World Congress, we are providing them with an opportunity to increase global awareness of their technologies and pave the way for future growth.”

The Washington State Department of Commerce Pavilion, themed “Choose Washington,” features a mix of established mobile technology businesses and startups for conference attendees to view demonstrations and learn more about their unique solutions. Pavilion exhibitors include: APImetrics,Apptentive, autograph, Black Pixel, Buddy Platform Inc., Codeproof, General UI, Glympse, Guppy Games|Media, IndoorAtlas, INRIX, Studio Pepwuper, PlayFab, Orca Wave, Sequitur Labs, Sirqul, and Syntonic, TouchBase, plus the non-profit organizations, One Redmond and Washington Interactive Network.

“As a startup, Mobile World Congress offers tremendous opportunity to introduce our technology to major global brands. We participated in the conference as part of the Washington State Department of Commerce delegation two years ago and found the experience to be extremely valuable as we were able to focus on our business goals instead of logistics. After participating last year on our own, we enthusiastically signed up for 2015, and we are already seeing the benefits from being a part of this great community,” said Bryan Trussel, co-founder and CEO of Glympse.

The Department of Commerce team organizes business matchmaking introductions for their exhibitor companies to meet with mobile carriers, hardware manufacturers, enterprise mobility strategists and marketers to negotiate licensing agreements and grow global awareness of their unique technologies and services. Though customer relationships often take years to develop, Washington State companies have already reported nearly $8 million in new sales as a result of their participation in this event over the last three years.

Many of these companies are smaller startups that wouldn’t be able to attend international trade shows of this caliber without the export vouchers provided by Commerce. Made possible through the Small Business Administration’s State Trade Export Promotion (STEP) program, these funds help offset the cost of attending major international trade events.

Washington State ICT Industry Snapshot:
• 14,000 companies with 176,600+ workers
• 90,000 software developers
• 300 game design companies
• $700 Million in 140 VC investments, another 260 startups financed by founders and angels
• $600B in market cap among the top 10 public ICT companies
• $2.6 Billion in mobile app development

Washington state has grown its presence each year as the world becomes more familiar with the region’s leadership in mobile technologies and role in shaping the future of information and communication technology, Bonlender said.

For more information on the Choose Washington Pavilion’s featured companies, download the free iPad app for iOS users at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/choose-wa/id954735761?mt=8. The app also provides handy quick reference information from GSMA about the show venues, hours, badge pick-up and more for all attendees.

The WA Dept. of Commerce's event press kit is available HERE.

TechCafe Merges with Seattle Angel

Josh Maher is working to merge TechCafe with Seattle Angel to help focus his efforts more directly on the capital component of the equation.

One of the things he will be doing as a part of that is transitioning his monthly newsletter to focus specifically on angel investing and raising capital in the Seattle area. He’d like to highlight other people and organizations working on the capital part of the equation.

The end goal is to raise the level of participation in all angel activities through conversations and awareness.  http://about.me/JoshMaher

$70,000 AWARDED TO STUDENT-LED STARTUPS

This is the best night of the year, said Craig Sherman, partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, as he took the stage at the 17th annual University of Washington (UW) Business Plan Competition (BPC) awards ceremony. His sentiment was no doubt seconded by a room of over 250 investors, entrepreneurs and mentors, all gathered to celebrate the innovative and inspiring student-led startups that competed in this year’s BPC.

Among those celebrating the teams’ achievements was keynote speaker Dan Price, CEO of Gravity Payments. Price, a BPC alum (he won the 2nd Place Prize in 2007) delivered an inspiring message, telling the teams that if they want to be successful, they should be true to themselves, continue learning and improving, and always be willing to roll up your sleeves, dive in, and get it done. Prices’ advice was taken to heart, especially by the winning teams, who will be using their seed funding to move their business a few steps closer to reality.

Congratulations to this year’s UW Business Plan Competition winners:

$25,000 Grand Prize: Projected Talent (UW) (Grand Prize sponsored by the Herbert B. Jones Foundation)
Projected Talent is an online marketplace that connects skilled undergrads to businesses on short, meaningful, paid projects.  This allows students to gain valuable, relevant work experience and businesses to find and audition the best talent while accomplishing important tasks.  By lowering the time, space and financial commitment, more companies than ever are now able to connect with students. Team: Samir Diwan, MBA, Foster School of Business; Bilal Aijazi, MS, UW Computer Science & Engineering; Julie Maas, MBA, Foster School of Business; Max Weissman, MBA, Foster School of Business; Jeff Shulman, nonstudent

$10,000 Second Place Prize (Second Place Prize sponsored by WRF Capital)
Flu Finder (UW) Current flu diagnostic tests are unable to achieve effective early diagnosis for most flu-infected individuals. Flu Finder has created a flu test that is accurate, inexpensive and can be administered by anyone, anywhere, with results in less than 20 minutes. Team:  Carly Holstein, PhD, UW Bioengineering; Gina Fridley, PhD, UW Bioengineering; Alyssa Hochman, MBA, Foster School of Business; Jonny Holz, MBA, Foster School of Business; Joel Loveday, MBA, Foster School of Business

$7,520.14 Finalist Prize ($7,520.14 Finalist Prize sponsored by the Friends of the BPC)
OlyKraut (BGI) OlyKraut combines local produce, the magic of fermentation and delicious original recipes to create sauerkraut that's more than a condiment--it's a health tonic, a kick in the tastebuds and an investment in the local food system.Team: Sash Sunday, MBA, Bainbridge Graduate Institute; Michelle Anderson, MBA, Bainbridge Graduate Institute; Domonique Juleon, MBA, Bainbridge Graduate Institute; Dorothy Mitchell, MBA, Bainbridge Graduate Institute

$5,000 Finalist Prize: Korvata (UW) ($5,000 Finalist Prize sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati)
Korvata Inc. creates cutting edge alternative chemistry products that enable companies to mitigate their environmental impact. Korvata, a Delaware Corporation, received the top award at the 2014 UW Environmental Innovation Challenge (EIC). Its patent-pending technology enables customers in the food & beverage and CPG industries to significantly reduce their carbon footprints. 
Team: Chris Metcalfe, MBA, Foster School of Business; Soleil Kelley, MBA, Foster School of Business; Brendan Trickey, MBA, Foster School of Business; Devapratim Sarma, MBA, Foster School of Business; Taylor Brugh, MBA, Foster School of Business;

Best Idea Prizes

$2,500 Best Technology Idea (Best Technology Idea Prize sponsored by UIEvolution)

Aurora Plasmonics (University of Washington) Blood clots are a major problem during dialysis—an average of 400,000 de-clotting procedures take place each year in the U.S. Aurora Plasmonics has developed cost-effective, non-invasive therapeutic and diagnostic technologies for de-clotting procedures. These technologies offer reduced procedure times and costs, improved outcomes and increased patient comfort. Team: Michael Lombardo, Undergrad, UW Chemical Engineering; Thomas DeMaria, MBA, Foster School of Business; Jess Little, Undergrad, UW Chemical Engineering; Wayne Monsky, nonstudent; Rainie Nelson, Undergrad, UW Chemical Engineering

$2,500 Best Service/Retail Idea: (Best Service/Retail Prize sponsored by DLA Piper)
FastBar (UW Bothell) Everyone hates long bar lines, and payment processing at pop-up bars—temporary bars for special events that don't have built-in point of sale systems —can mean especially long wait times. FastBar provides a simple, high-speed payment solution for pop-up bars that uses RFID wrist bands. Team: David Goecke, Undergrad, UW Bothell Business; Chris Li, non student; Brenton Webster, non student

$2,500 Best Sustainable Advantage Idea (Best Sustainable Advantage Idea Prize sponsored by Sensors in Motion)
Mobile Foam (Washington State University) 1.6 billion people worldwide live in substandard housing. Humanitarian organizations are trying to address this by building more homes, but construction is often low-quality and lacks energy efficiency. Mobile Foam empowers humanitarian organizations to build higher quality homes with their building kit: floor-plans, consulting and the necessary chemicals and portable molds to produce polyurethane blocks on-site. Team: Chris Routen, Undergrad, WSU Mechanical Engineering; Dane Baird, Undergrad, WSU Mechanical Engineering; Austin Carter, Undergrad, WSU Marketing; Bettina Ernst, Undergrad, WSU Civil Engineering; Kelsi Lakey, Undergrad, WSU Computer Engineering

$2,500 Best Innovation Idea (Best Innovation Idea Prize sponsored by Perkins Coie)
Flu Finder (University of Washington) Current flu diagnostic tests are unable to achieve effective early diagnosis for most flu-infected individuals. Flu Finder has created a flu test that is accurate, inexpensive and can be administered by anyone, anywhere, with results in less than 20 minutes. Team: Carly Holstein, PhD, UW Bioengineering; Gina Fridley, PhD, UW Bioengineering; Alyssa Hochman, MBA, Foster School of Business; Jonny Holz, MBA, Foster School of Business; Joel Loveday, MBA, Foster School of Business

$2,500 Best Consumer Product Idea (Best Consumer Product Idea Prize sponsored by Accenture)
Trestle (University of Washington) Trestle converts your smart phone into a touchscreen interface for your Wi-Fi router. With Trestle, complicated configuration tasks are automated making your home network a breeze to set up and your Internet security and speed are continuously optimized. It's so easy that even your grandma can do it! Team: Kris Hunt, MBA, Foster School of Business; Matt Gryll, MBA, Foster School of Business; Aneesh Kulkarni, Grad, UW Computer Science & Engineering; Raj Makker, Grad, UW Computer Science & Engineering

$2,500 Best Cleantech Idea (Best Cleantech Idea Prize sponsored by Fenwick & West)
IonoMetal Technologies (University of Washington) Gold-plated surfaces used in computer chip testing wear down with repeated use and must be replaced. Each test board costs upwards of $40,000, and there is currently no available cost efficient repair option that satisfies industry standards. IonoMetal Technologies has developed technology that lowers the costs of manufacturing new gold-plated test boards by 10x. Team: Pritam Das, MBA, Foster School of Business; Trevor Braun, PhD, UW Chemical Engineering; Britton Stamper, Undergrad, UW Chemical Engineering; Alison Keeney, Undergrad, UW Chemical Engineering; Andrew Carlson, Undergrad, UW Chemical Engineering

$2,500 Best Marketplace Idea (Best Marketplace Idea Prize sponsored by eBay Enterprise)
Stash (University of Washington) Stash has created an affordable storage platform by connecting people who need storage to those who have extra space around their house or garage. Team: Katie Fraser, Undergrad, Foster School of Business; Aaron Goff, non student; Chris Goolsbee, non student; Robert Sanders, non student; Chad Robischo, non student

$5,000 AARP Prize for low-income senior service
FDCARES (University of Washington) Fire departments use up valuable time and money dispatching Emergency Medical Service in response to non-urgent 911 calls—up to 40% of fire department medical responses are for non-emergencies. FDCARES saves fire departments millions of dollars and improves their 911 response efficiency by integrating a Non-Emergency Medical Service division into their operations. Team: Adam Davis, UW Doctorate of Nursing Practice; Mitch Snyder, non student; Jim Webb, non student

CONTACT:
Ellen Pepin, Assistant Director, Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, 206.616.3691

UPS Alum Makes First Bitcoin University Grant

A $10,000 gift made in bitcoins to liberal arts college University of Puget Sound last week could mark a “first” in the world of American higher education philanthropy.

Bitcoin entrepreneur Nicolas Cary ’07, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Puget Sound’s Business Leadership Program, made the unrestricted gift on Tuesday by electronically transferring just over 14.5 bitcoins to the university for its 2013-14 Alumni Fund.

The 28-year-old CEO of Blockchain, which runs the world’s most popular “digital wallet” for bitcoins, said he made the gift in the currency that is now central to his life and career.

“I always wanted to give back to Puget Sound once I was in a position to do it. I was the grateful recipient of scholarships and loans, and now that I’m in a position to make a difference, I want to help others get on the road to success.”

 Cary says that although thousands of merchants and nonprofits now accept the digital currency, he believes this is the first gift ever made to an American college or university in bitcoins. A record kept by the Bitcoin wiki that lists nonprofits accepting Bitcoin donations supports this claim.

“We were delighted when we heard Nic wanted to make this generous and pioneering gift to Puget Sound,” said Sherry Mondou, vice president for finance and administration. “At the same time, we were a little uncertain how to proceed, as we had no gift policy on digital currencies and were unfamiliar with the process. But we greatly welcomed Nic’s thoughtful initiative and felt it would serve us well to learn to engage with the e-commerce world.”

The gift is being made as part of Puget Sound’s $125 million One [of a Kind] comprehensive campaign that is supporting student financial aid, academic programs and research, new facilities, current operations, and initiatives key to the success of students. Launched in 2007, the campaign has attracted more than $109 million in gifts to date from alumni, parents, campus members, and friends of the university.

Bitcoin, an open-source currency affiliated with no country or bank, has rapidly been embraced by popular culture and has attracted tens of thousands of followers in recent years. In the past year groups including online retailers Overstock.com and TigerDirect, games developer Zynga, and the Sacramento Kings basketball team announced they would accept bitcoins.

The digital currency, launched in 2009, is traded and managed through a peer-to-peer technology network that has no central owner. It is used for tens of thousands of transactions a day via mobile or desktop devices. The fees are a fraction of the cost of credit card transactions, and transfers take seconds. Individuals can buy or sell bitcoins using U.S. dollars or other currencies on private exchanges based around the world. Users store their bitcoins electronically in an encrypted digital wallet, such as the one offered by Blockchain, a company with more than one million users worldwide—up from about 110,000 just over a year ago.

“It’s like email for money. Anyone can understand the rules,” Cary says. “The world has 2.5 billion people who do not have bank accounts. Now someone in the North African desert has access to the same level of traditional finance tools as a Fortune 500 CEO.”

To receive the gift Puget Sound established an online, nonprofit account with e-commerce processor BitPay. Through BitPay the university processed a “bill” in U.S. dollars for the pledged donation. BitPay sent an email message to Cary containing an invoice based on the current bitcoin-to-US$ exchange rate. He had three options to transfer the bitcoins from his own online “wallet” to the university’s BitPay account: select “click-to-pay” to launch a Bitcoin “wallet” application; scan the invoice QR code using a mobile device; or copy and paste the Bitcoin payment address into his wallet, which he accesses through a website login.

Nicolas Cary makes the Bitcoin gift from his Berlin hotel

Cary, engaged in business in Berlin at the time, chose to scan the QR code. BitPay acknowledged the payment instantly, and after the bitcoin transaction was completed through the public ledger known as the block chain, the payment was reflected in Puget Sound’s BitPay account in U.S. dollars, ready for deposit into the university’s bank account.

Nicolas Cary, who now travels the world for business, was invited to become CEO of Blockchain just six years after graduating from Puget Sound. Cary says his business leadership classes and the professors’ mentoring created an atmosphere where students felt ready to challenge traditional ideas and become thought leaders in today’s evolving world.

“I applied to over a dozen colleges, but as soon as I set foot on the Puget Sound campus, I knew I wanted to go there,” Cary said. “I just knew it would be right. There was something about that [business leadership] class. Our cohort of students was exceptional. They were smart; they were motivated; they were fun.”

The Denver-born entrepreneur graduated from Puget Sound with a double major in business leadership and international political economy in 2007. After graduation he traveled, volunteered, met his first boss at a leadership conference, and moved to Pennsylvania, where he worked for software company PipelineDeals. Last year he joined Blockchain, which quickly grew from a two-man startup to a 14-employee firm that now runs the world’s most visited Bitcoin site.

Cary is enthusiastic about the prospects for digital currencies, which he sees as a natural progression in an increasingly digitized world.

“It shouldn’t surprise us that money is going digital,” he says. “Look at music and photography, and the power of peer-to-peer networks. It’s going to be tremendously exciting to see what happens in this space.”

About Blockchain: Blockchain.info is the No. 1 Bitcoin site, with more than 1.2 million users and 300 million page views a month. The company offers three services: a secure digital wallet that allows individuals to securely store and spend bitcoins; access to a public ledger tracking all the bitcoin transactions worldwide; and a popular information site, including news, prices, statistics, and links to Bitcoin services. Blockchain’s employees are based in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan, allowing 24-hour servicing of clientele.

Nominations Open for EY Entrepreneur of the Year

Nominations are open for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2014 Awards, celebrating innovative business leaders who turn vision into reality.

EY is calling for nominations for the 28th Annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, recognized as one of the most prestigious business award programs in the country. The program has a firm deadline of March 14, 2014 for nominations, with the Pacific Northwest awards ceremony scheduled for June 20, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue, Washington.

Each year, EY showcases successful entrepreneurs from more than 150 cities in 60 countries. In 2013, nine entrepreneurs leading companies from the Pacific Northwest were selected as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners. Past award winners in this region include: Gertrude Boyle and Tim Boyle, Columbia Sportswear; Dan Brettler, CarToys; Greg Enell, Double Down Interactive; Dave Shaffer, DePaul Industries; Howard Schultz, Starbucks;  Spencer Rascoff, Zillow; and, Jim Weber, Brooks Sports.

“At EY, it’s through our Entrepreneur Of The Year Program that we have had the privilege of getting to know many high impact entrepreneurs,” said Mike Kacsmar, Americas Director, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. “The entrepreneurs we have honored are creating disruptive companies and causing a positive ripple effect in our communities, our capital markets and our economy.”

Award winners are selected in a number of industry categories by a panel of independent regional judges, including previous winners of the award, leading CEOs and private capital investors and other regional business leaders. Entrepreneurs may nominate themselves or be nominated by peers and other business leaders.

Awards criteria
To qualify, entrepreneurs must be the founder or an executive who organizes, manages and assumes the risk of a business early in its life cycle or during its growth. Self-nominations are encouraged, and there is no fee. The firm deadline for 2014 nominations is March 14.

Entrepreneurs eligible for consideration include not only company founders, but also leaders of multi-generation family businesses and transformational public and private company CEOs. Additionally, the nominee’s company must be at least two years old.

Information is available at www.ey.com/us/eoy. For information on the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in the Pacific Northwest please visit www.ey.com/us/eoy/pnw. 

Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP Americas and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

In the Pacific Northwest, regional sponsors include Merrill Corporation, Perkins Coie LLC, Scherzer International,  he Big Picture Video Film & Arts, and Union Bank

Contact information
To get more information, as well as nomination forms, contact: Rachel Anderson, rachel.anderson@ey.com or +1 206 654 7633. 

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 150 cities in more than 60 countries.

About EY’s Strategic Growth Markets practice EY’s Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practices guide leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

e-PLU e-Business Day 2013

DATE:       Tuesday, December 10, 2013

PLACE:     Morken Center for Learning & Technology, Room 103

      Pacific Lutheran University

The School of Business and ePLU E-Commerce & Technology Management Center at Pacific Lutheran University invite you and your colleagues to join us for e-Business Day 2013. Business analytics is a top priority of CIOs and general CxOs for good reason. Effective business analytics – from basic reporting to advanced data mining -- enable enterprises to better understand market demands and innovate effectively.  We will discuss how to turn big data challenges into opportunities for organizations to create and sustain competitive advantage — Come hear from industry experts, share your business ideas and practices, learn about internship opportunities, and network with others!

SCHEDULE:

8:00 AM - Networking (Morken Center Atrium) w/ refreshments

8:30 AM - Dr. Nancy Albers-Miller, Dean, School of Business, Pacific Lutheran University

8:35 AM - Keynote Presentation: Ted Wham, VP, Travel Industry Solutions at Responsys

9:15 AM - Networking Break

9:30 AM - Panel 1: Real-Life Cases: Analytics Technology Helps Businesses to Win Customers and Make Smarter Decisions

Moderator: Justin Foster, Co-Founder/VP Market Development, Liveclicker
Panelist 1: Neil Crist, CEO Venuelabs
Panelist 2: Henry Chou, Onvia
Panelist 3: Josh Howell, EMC
Panelist 4: Aaron Fossum, Society Consulting

10:30 AM - Networking Break (Morken Center Atrium)

10:45 AM - Panel 2: Education and Training of Business Analytics

Moderator: Dr. Chung-Shing Lee, Director of ePLU
Panelist 1: Aaron Fossum, Society Consulting
Panelist 2: Jason Phelps, Microsoft
Panelist 3: Josh Howell, EMC
Panelist 4: Professor Laurie Murphy, PLU Department of CS&CE

12:00 PM - Event Wraps (Dr. Chung-Shing Lee)

12:05 PM - Lunch

For more info:  

Dr. Chung-Shing Lee (李中興)

Professor

School of Business

Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, Washington, USA

http://www.plu.edu/busa/contacts/home.php?details=chung-shing-lee

SST 2013

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New E-Commerce Educational Course to Start

Can adding an E-Commerce component or strengthening an existing E-Commerce model benefit your business?  Could formal employee education on the subject be part of your solution?

If so, please contact Brian Dunnicliffe with the Keller Center for Corporate Learning of DeVry University for information on a brand new E-Commerce specific educational opportunity starting soon  BDunnicliffe@devry.edu.

Don't Miss SST 2012

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Cyber Czar Set

MILITARY AFFAIRS FORUM

CYBERWARFARE

Featuring:Howard Schmidt, the cyber-security czar for the Obama Administration

Howard A. Schmidt has had a long distinguished career in defense, law enforcement and corporate security spanning more than 40 years.

He brings together talents in business, defense, intelligence, law enforcement, privacy, academia and international relations through his distinguished career.

Schmidt currently is Special Assistant to the President and the Cybersecurity Coordinator for the federal government.

In this role Mr. Schmidt is responsible for coordinating interagency cybersecurity policy development and implementation and for coordinating engagement with federal, state, local, international and private sector cybersecurity partners.

Date: Friday, March 9
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Place: Courtyard by Marriott : St. Helens Room
1515 Commerce Street : Tacoma 98402
Parking:  Free as noted in information below
Price: $21 members by March 5
$25 non-members and Member Walk-ins
after March 5
RSVP: Register: Janice Hutchins, (253) 627.2175 x100

PARKING*
 

There are three lots to choose from, and as you can see in the map below, one LOT G is right across the street on the same level as the Courtyard Marriott’s Commerce Street entrance (see symbol below). And two others A and B, up one level.

 

Again, simply take 15th street up the hill one block from Pacific Avenue to Commerce, and turn left in past the Marriott. The first lot you will come to is LOT G on your right.

 

If you find lot G to be full when you come to it (and it most often is not), simply continue along Commerce as shown on the map below, and turn right on Jefferson and right again on Broadway back into the other lots, A and B, both of which are also free. Then simply use the stairs to come down to Commerce, as these two lots are up one level.

 

Cut through the Commerce entrance of the Courtyard Marriott to Pacific Avenue and the Pacific Grill Events Center (see symbol below). And you are “home free.”