| Topic: | NEW ENTERPRISE FORUM ANNUAL AWARDS |
| When: | February 21, 2008 - Registration & networking 5:00 p.m.; Program begins at 5:45 p.m. |
| Where: | Holiday Inn North Campus, 3600 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor |
| Cost: | Free for NEF members; $20 for non-members; $5 for students |
Program Partner: Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest
Stakeholder Sponsor: Bank of Ann Arbor
Join us as we recognize and honor the best NEF entrepreneur presenters from 2007 while celebrating 2008 as NEF's 22nd year.
Entrepreneur of the Year:
Randal Charlton - Randal’s career has been spent bringing new technologies to the market. He has made significant contributions as a leader in Michigan’s entrepreneurial community. From 2000 – 2007, he was founder and CEO of Asterand, a Detroit-based company that specializes in providing human tissue and data for the development of new drugs and diagnostics. Randal took Asterand from a concept to a public company in less than six years; the company now employs more than 90 people and counts as its customers 18 of the top 20 drug companies in the world. Prior to Asterand, Randal was involved in a number of other bioscience ventures.
Randal is currently Interim Director of TechTown, Wayne State University’s high technology business incubator park, and is Entrepreneur in Residence and Special Assistant to the President of the University. In addition, he is a non-executive director at Genetics Squared and at Gradecheck, and is the Founder of the Michigan Biobank, a not-for-profit that provides biomaterials for research.
Randal advises or is a board member for a number of health, drug discovery, and economic development organizations, and has been recognized by the MEDC, the MVCA, Wayne State University, and other organizations for his accomplishments as an entrepreneur.
Additional Awards & More:
In addition to honoring Randal Charlton, we’ll be giving awards to entrepreneurs who’ve pitched at NEF meetings in 2007, recognizing those whose presentations or ventures offered special promise. And of course, we’ll highlight another new enterprise in our first Showcase Presentation of 2008.
Open Forum:
The evening's presentations are followed by Open Forum, during which attendees have the opportunity to make a 30-second pitch for their company, product/service, or need.