Madison - Mayor Dave Cieslewicz today encouraged Madison-area entrepreneurs and small business owners to take part in the 2007 small business conference, a free event taking place March 22 at Monona Terrace, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. This is the second small business conference that the mayor's office and local business leaders have organized.

"Madison-area small businesses are a vital part of our economy," said Mayor Cieslewicz. "They bring innovation, new ideas and new leadership into our marketplace. They also create a ladder of opportunity for people from all walks of life to reach their potential."

This year's conference agenda, developed in conjunction with local business organizations, includes three sessions:

• A Start Up Business track, focused on issues such as developing a business plan, access to capital, and marketing 101.

• A Growth Phase Business track, focused on more advanced issues like public relations, growth capital, and commercial office space.

• A general assembly session for all participants on health care issues.

A list of the expected presentations and speakers for the event is attached.

The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Advisory Council, Latino Chamber of Commerce and the African American Black Business Association are organizing the event in conjunction with the mayor's office.

The registration deadline for this year's event is Friday, March 16, 2007. To register, contact Lisa Olmsted in the Mayor's office at 266-4442 or lolmsted@cityofmadison.com to get a registration form.

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Small Business Conference II
Speakers & Presenters

Track I - Start Up Business Session

a. Business Plans - Neil Lerner - Small Business Development Center at UW Madison School of Business

b. Access to Capital and Financing/Growth Capital - Frank Staniszewski - President, Madison Development Corporation; Dana Hoffmann, VP, Business Services at Great Wisconsin Credit Union; John Mirenda, Supervisor, Business Services, US Small Business Administration; and John Ronzia, Manager of M&I Bank of Madison's Business Banking Division

c. Commercial Office Space Issues - Mike Ring, VP, Director of Real Estate Services of Park Towne Development Corp; Mary Feldt, President & COO of Park Towne Management Company

d. Marketing 101 - John Schlueter, Owner/Co-Founder/Officer of Medgraph, a medical informatics research company.

e. Basic Issues - Insurance/Accounting - Larry Sain from State Farm Insurance and Kimberley Ruef, Senior Manager, CPA from Wegner LLP

Track II - Growth Phase Business Session

a. Marketing/Public Relations - John Schlueter, Owner/Co-Founder of Medgraph and Kimberley Lothe, President/Owner of KMR Media Partners, Inc.

b. Employment Law - Top Issues - Meg Vergeront, Partner of Stafford, Rosenbaum LLP Business Law Team; Jennifer Mirus, Partner of Boardman Law Firm practicing Labor and Employment Law Practice; JoAnn M. Hart, Partner of Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, practicing the areas of counseling and defending employers

c. Growth Capital - Frank Staniszewski, Dana Hoffman, John Mirenda and John Ronzia

d. Commercial Office Space Issues - Mike Ring and Rob Zache, President, Central Place Real Estate

General Assembly

Ron Smith, Financial Planner with the UW School of Business and Human Ecology; Luis Montoto, Program Director for La Movida Radio Station; Jennifer Alexander, President of GMCC and Larry Sain, State Farm Insurance Co.