Join us as we kick off the 10th annual E-Week with an Opening Ceremony hosted by the Schmidthorst College of Business Student Ambassadors! There will be FREE snacks, games and prizes*! This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Registration is not required but is preferred.  *Some prizes are only available to students enrolled in the Schmidthorst College of Business

Enjoy a free lunch as you listen to the founder and CEO of Hanson Inc., Steve Hanson present a case study on how his business had to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Steve Hanson '75 Founder and CEO, Hanson Inc. Steve Hanson is the founder and CEO of Hanson Inc., an integrated marketing agency based in Toledo, Ohio, that celebrated its 30-year milestone in 2021. An accomplished veteran of the advertising and marketing industries, Hanson began his career as a photojournalist, which led him to a brief internship at the White House during the Nixon presidency. While working for a regional newspaper, he took on additional freelance work that was published by UPI, AP, Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. Hanson further honed his communication skills as assistant director of public relations for Bowling Green State University. From public relations, Hanson segued into advertising and sales promotion as a producer for film, video and multimedia presentations at a Toledo advertising agency before becoming one of the founding partners at Packo, Mitchell, Hanson, & Comer, a leading regional sales promotions agency. In 1991 he founded Hanson Productions Inc., specializing in film and video production, which evolved into Hanson Inc., a digital agency that creates meaningful experiences enabled by technology. In 2009, he led a group that secured the film rights to one of the bestselling books of the 20th century – "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran. The movie opened to 90+ cities in 2014 and is still streaming today. In addition to agency life, Hanson actively supports the local community. He sits on the board of directors of several local businesses and contributes resources and professional services to Bowling Green State University, Toledo Fire & Rescue Foundation, the V Project and numerous other organizations. Hanson graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science in photojournalism and visual communications.

Enjoy a free lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday April 19 in the Schmeltz Atrium as you listen to two BGSU alumni, Joe Lisa, owner, Altric Holdings Inc., and Tom Crookston, co-owner of Reverend’s Bar & Grill and founder of Gen 4 Construction talk about their experiences as young entrepreneurs. This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general Joe Lisa '19 Owner, Altric Holdings Inc. Joe Lisa is the owner of Altric Holdings Inc. a holding company that houses all his business ventures. His senior year at BGSU Lisa started his first company Highpoint Painting & Property Solutions, a residential painting and remodeling business that typically serves Northwest Ohio and expands out-of-state upon request. After finding success with Highpoint, Lisa expanded his business portfolio to include Fireside Capital, a hotel and lodging company with glamorous camping (glamping) sites in Arizona, the Fireside Lodge in northern Michigan and a small cabin community, Pioneer Cabins, in Gaylord, Michigan. His most recent project, Parrothead Paradise, offers nine vacation properties in the Lake Erie coastal region around Port Clinton and Marblehead.   Lisa credits the entrepreneurship program at BGSU for his business success. By teaching the fundamentals for starting a business, Lisa had the confidence to begin and pursue the growth of his companies. The most impactful thing Lisa took away from the program was passion, saying "Being passionate about what you are doing will help your business grow." Lisa earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in marketing and an entrepreneurship minor. He participated in The Hatch in 2017. Tom Crookston ‘19 Co-Owner, Reverend’s Bar & Grill Founder, Gen 4 Construction While attending BGSU, Tom Crookston discovered the tools and developed the confidence to turn his desire to be an entrepreneur into a reality. Shortly after Crookston graduated, he and his former employer, Doug Doren ’93 acquired Reverend’s Bar & Grill in Downtown Bowling Green, Ohio. The pair immediately got to work on making changes to the business - focusing on operational efficiency, consistent product quality and speed of service. Crookston and Doren are also acquiring and managing long-term real estate rentals through their property management firm, Wood Capital LLC. A year after purchasing Reverend’s, Crookston founded Gen 4 Construction, LLC. in June of 2020. With its name paying tribute to his family’s extensive roots in the construction industry, Gen 4 Construction provides interior and exterior renovation services to residents and real estate investors in Bowling Green and the surrounding area.  Crookston is thankful for the growth opportunities and people he met while studying entrepreneurship and supply chain management at BGSU. The professors, fellow students and alumni helped fuel his inspiration to pave his own way.  

The Allen. W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business present the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame. The 2022 inductees are Julie Brandle, Bruce Fisher, Mike Hart and Eric Nowlin.     Guests must be invited to attend.

Join us as we celebrate an endowed Professorship in Supply Chain Management created to honor Dr. Chan Hahn. This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Registration for in-person attendance is required.    Dr. Hahn is extremely well-respected as a mentor, advisor, career coach and father figure to a generation of BGSU supply chain and procurement operations students. His accessibility, wit, good nature and generosity will never be forgotten among those fortunate enough to have known him. He still resides in Bowling Green and stays in close contact with the Schmidthorst College of Business and many of his former students. Dr. Hahn joined the BGSU College of Business faculty in 1970 as an assistant professor in management. He came to BGSU just after earning his Ph.D. in business administration in 1970 from The Ohio State University. During his time at BGSU, Dr. Hahn served as a visiting professor at several other institutions over the years. He was also chair of the Management Department at BGSU from 1973-1986 and from 1995-2000. During his career, Dr. Hahn was renowned as a national and international expert in his field. He was an author of over 80 publications in a variety of national and international journals, many of which he was invited to read aloud and lecture on at institutions around the country and the world. Dr. Hahn was a member of various focus committees on campus, professional organizations off campus and served in leadership positions for academic publication groups and journals. After Dr. Hahn’s retirement in 2000, he was granted emeritus status at BGSU. Dr. Hahn continues to come to his office at the Schmidthorst College of Business several days a week to keep himself informed on business trends.

Enjoy a free lunch as you listen to the owner and director at Black Swamp Fine Arts School, LLC, Sophia Jarrell present a case study on how her business had to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Sophia Jarrell '16, '18 Owner and Director, Black Swamp Fine Arts School, LLC Sophia Jarrell is the owner and director of the Black Swamp Fine Arts School LLC  in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school provides instruction in various facets of the arts for babies, children, teens and adults. It’s the mission of the school to develop not only fantastic artists, but beautiful souls through an encouraging and positive atmosphere. In addition to overseeing the business activities of the school, Jarrell teaches a studio of violinists, runs rehearsals for full-scale ballet productions and mentors faculty members who are developing their own pedagogical skills.   Before launching the school in 2016, Jarrell had already been actively involved in presenting and coordinating arts events. These include choreographing and presenting ballets for children, coordinating and promoting the tour of a German youth orchestra to her hometown and serving as the music director for The Radiant TV Network.  Educating other artists and entrepreneurs about flourishing in business is one of her passions. Jarrell has presented on this topic at the National String Teachers Association Conference and as a guest speaker at Bowling Green State University.  Jarrell participated in The Hatch in 2016. That same year, she earned her Bachelor of Musical Arts degree with an entrepreneurship minor from BGSU. Two years later, she received her Master's in music performance, also from BGSU. In 2017, she married her Falcon Flame, Michael. The couple welcomed two sons, Charlie and Frankie, in 2019 and 2020. 

Meeting leader: Mike Laming Guests must be invited to attend

Meeting leader: Mark West Guests must be invited to attend

Meeting leader: Daniel Jacoby Guests must be invited to attend

Topics to include a university update, the Faculty Excellence Awards, and student experience testimonials from seniors Emma Harris, Brooke Schlatter and Gabe Sayer. The master of ceremonies will be Emma Harris. Guests must be invited to attend. 

  Join us for a tour of the beautiful Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center, the new home of the Allen. W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business!   This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Registration is not required but is preferred.   

Guests must be invited to attend.

The Women in Entrepreneurship Panel is an event where students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends can engage, hear entrepreneurial experiences and ask questions from a panel of highly successful women entrepreneurs. Our 2022 panel will include women in a broad range of industries. Be sure to check back as we will soon reveal our last panelist, an executive from a globally recognized brand!  Moderator: April Baratian, Development Officer, University Advancement, BGSU Panelists: Charmaine D. Brown, President and Founder, Connexions Consulting, Inc. Rebecca Li, Co-Founder, Global Principal Partners, LLC; Founder, Rebecca Total Wellness  Sara Yarger, Founder, Magna Halter This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Registration is not required but is preferred. 

THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED   The Executive Briefing provides an opportunity for students, faculty/staff, alumni and the public to engage with and hear entrepreneurial experiences from an executive who has found success in their career. We're excited to announce that the 2022 Executive Briefing will be given by Dave Stickler, the former CEO of Big River Steel and managing partner of Global Principal Partners. Stickler is a dynamic presenter with a compelling story of overcoming insurmountable odds to build a series of even more technologically advanced steel mills capable of competing (and winning) against the larger, more established companies in the industry. In reference to Stickler's 2018 Sebo Series in Entrepreneurship presentation, Paul J. Hooker, Board Chair of the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership said, "In my opinion, he gave one of the most memorable presentations I've ever seen." This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Registration is not required but is preferred.    David Stickler '83 Former Founder CEO, Big River Steel Managing Partner, of Global Principal Partners Dave Stickler has spent the past two decades designing, building and operating some of the most successful and profitable steel mills in the U.S., even as American steel producers have lost market share to other countries. Stickler has had a thriving and growing career in a shrinking industry. The key to Stickler’s success has been driven by his laser focus on three underlying pillars: 1.) requiring innovative technology throughout the production process design; 2.) empowering employees by pushing decision making down and avoiding bureaucratic organizational layers; and 3.) leading the world’s steel industry in terms of environmental sustainability.  Most recently, Stickler founded and served as CEO of Big River Steel, a $2 billion start-up steel mill located in Osceola, Arkansas. Unlike traditional steel producers that use iron ore, coal and coke to produce steel in environmentally challenged facilities, Big River Steel produces steel using recycled scrap metal from old cars, appliances, buildings, ships and bridges. Big River Steel was the first steel mill in the world to achieve LEED Certification (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design). Big River Steel also set the global standard for reducing carbon emissions with only 0.15 tons of carbon emitted per ton of steel produced compared to the global average of 1.85 tons of carbon emission per ton of steel produced.  Reflecting the three underlying pillars used by Stickler (use of innovative technology, employee empowerment and environmental sustainability), Big River Steel 1.) produces some of the highest quality steels in the world, including the best performing steels used by Tesla, Panasonic and others to make electrical motors used in hybrid and EV vehicles; 2.) produces over 5,000 tons of steel per year per employee compared to some steel producers that produce less than 900 tons of steel per year per employee; and 3.) after less than three years of operation was named Daimler Mercedes first global Sustainability Supplier beating out all suppliers to Daimler Mercedes not just steel suppliers. Stickler is currently finalizing the agreements necessary to build and operate a new $3 billion steel mill that will build on the tremendous success of Big River Steel. United States Steel Corporation purchased Big River Steel from Stickler and his investment partners in 2021 and will own and operate the new mill. Stickler is also currently designing and raising the capital necessary to build two steel mills that will produce the steel used in large infrastructure projects. One of these mills is expected to be powered by 100% renewal energy (hydro and solar). Stickler graduated from BGSU in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He was inducted in the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame in 2017.  

Guests must be invited to attend.

After applying and being selected, BGSU student entrepreneurs (Hatchlings) present their business ideas to Falcon Investors during The Hatch®, vying for funds to launch their businesses in a format similar to the popular television show “Shark Tank.” What sets The Hatch® apart from similar events is that the Falcon Investors make equity investments providing real money for students to incubate real businesses. To date, more than $800,000 has been committed to student startups. This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. Registration is required.  For additional information regarding this event, please contact: Carol Nungester, Administrative Secretary Office of the Dean Schmidthorst College of Business Office: 419.372.3411 cnunges@bgsu.edu

Guests must be invited to attend.

The Sebo Series in Entrepreneurship is the culmination of Entrepreneurship Week (E-Week) presented by the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Allen. W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business. Each year, this renowned program attracts highly successful, world-class entrepreneurs to campus who share their valuable messages to more than 600 business and community leaders, students, faculty and administrators. The Sebo Series in Entrepreneurship has been a sold-out event in years past, and we expect the same for this year.   2022 Details Theme: Turning Lemons into Lemonade Keynote Speaker: Tom Morris, author, "Plato’s Lemonade Stand: Stirring Change into Something Great" Featured Speakers: Julie Brandle, Co-Founder and President, Metis Construction Services; Gordon Hamm, CEO Garage Management Corporation; David Hainline, CEO, CSI-DMC   For additional information regarding this event, please contact: Carol Nungester, Administrative Secretary Office of the Dean Schmidthorst College of Business Office: 419.372.3411 cnunges@bgsu.edu

A private invite-only event to close out E-Week 2022.