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JPEC PROGRAMS
Certificate in Entrepreneurship
Classes & Workshops (Academic and Non-Academic)
Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute
Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Iowa Conference 2009
Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition 2009
Small Business Information Handouts
One-on-One Counseling & Resource Library
CIPCO Business Enhancement Intern Program
UNI Entrepreneurship Symposium
UNI Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization
Venture and Equity Funds in Iowa
Iowa Business Plan Competition
Iowa Venture Capital & Entrepreneurs Conference
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Business and Community Services Bldg., Suite 128 Creating a Culture for Entrepreneurship at UNI!
Randy Pilkington Katherine Cota-Uyar Laurie Watje In 1996, John Pappajohn, president of Equity Dynamics, Inc., established five entrepreneurial centers throughout Iowa. Although each center defines its own mission and serves the state in a manner consistent with its particular strengths, each center has the same ultimate purpose: to enhance the effectiveness of Iowa's entrepreneurs. The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Northern Iowa is a resource center coordinating existing University and JPEC resources and those of its individual, business, and government partners to promote and develop entrepreneurship throughout Iowa. The JPEC is a division of UNI's Business and Community Services (BCS), which is part of the College of Business Administration. The primary mission of the UNI JPEC is to foster the development of entrepreneurship throughout Iowa by providing or facilitating support for a variety of direct educational, consultative, and other services. The UNI JPEC focuses on three primary areas of entrepreneurship: (1) capital programs (2) student/faculty/staff entrepreneurship, and (3) technology transfer. JPEC Staff Bios
Randy Pilkington Randy Pilkington, the director for the JPEC, also serves as the Executive Director of UNI's Business and Community Services (BCS) division. BCS is the outreach and service division of the College of Business and consists of outreach programs that provide an integrated approach to meeting the needs of businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities throughout Iowa and beyond. He also serves as the Director of the Institute for Decision Making. Pilkington currently serves as UNI's deputy on the Iowa Business Council and serves on the Bioscience Alliance of Iowa. He previously served as a member of Governor Vilsack's Council of Economic Advisors, the Iowa Department of Economic Development Board and the 21st Century Workforce Council. Pilkington has helped establish a community-based equity fund for Northeast Iowa, assisted with student entrepreneurship curricula, and facilitated public and private funding for a student-based business incubator. Pilkington has helped launch new business ventures, serves on the board of a start-up bio-based lubricants company, and is actively involved with angel investment funds in the state of Iowa.
Katherine Cota-Uyar, M.A. Katherine Cota-Uyar is the Associate Director for the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Northern Iowa and is the Policy Manager for UNI's Technology Transfer Committee. She designs, develops, and manages the programs of the JPEC including: venture capital programs, entrepreneurial education programs, and various conferences and competitions. She became an entrepreneur at 12 years old and had a small venture in college. She received her B.A. degree in 1995 and earned a Certificate in Business and Management Essentials (graduate-level) in 2003 and received her M.A. in Communication with emphases in organizational, interpersonal and non-verbal communication in 2009 from the University of Northern Iowa. Her thesis was entitled: An Examination of the Organizational Cultures of the Small Businesses of Male and Female Entrepreneurs. In 2004, she received certification as both a Kauffman Foundation FastTrac facilitator and administrator. She has given or presented more than 150 talks or workshop on various areas of small business and entrepreneurship. She has served in executive and managing editor positions for both general and academic publications including The Northern Iowan and The Business Case Journal. She has also published in literary publications and academic journals. She has been an officer in several community and college organizations and formerly served as the advisor for the UNI Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization. She previously hosted a radio show on small business on KBBG-FM and was presented in 2003 with a Special Recognition Award for Facilitating Entrepreneurship in the African American Community by Afro American Community Broadcasting, Inc. She was selected by In Business magazine as one of its "20 Under 40" leaders in the Cedar Valley for 2004. She has assisted with the start-up of more than 3,000 businesses since 1996. She previously taught 100:059 Planning and Growing a Business Venture, a UNI two-hour elective, and currently teaches two courses listed under 130:186 Studies in Entrepreneurial Ventures -- the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute and CIPCO Business Enhancement Internships. Additionally, she teaches the lab sections for 130:170g Entrepreneurship and 130:175g New Venture Development and Management. Further, she guest lectures in numerous classes each semester. She sits on the Entrepreneurship Task Force of the Iowa Department of Economic Development and the Iowa Department of Education. Her philanthropic activities have included assisting the Cedar Falls Public Library, the African American Historical and Cultural Museum, and the International Wrestling Institute and Museum with their business planning; and serving on the boards of the Grinnell Community Theatre and Community Animal Rescue and Education Services (CARES).
Laurie Watje, CPA Laurie Watje is the Student Business Incubator Manager for the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Northern Iowa. She handles the day-to-day operations for the Student Business Incubator and advises the student club, Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization. She is a Certified Public Accountant who received a Bachelors Degree in 1993 from Upper Iowa University. Laurie has worked as a staff accountant and her areas of expertise are: tax, year-end compilation, financial statement preparation, HUD audit compliance and accounting software. She has also worked in a number of start-up companies - including one owned with her husband. She has experience in bookkeeping, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, inventory control, purchasing, customer service, sales management, marketing, scheduling, forecasting, and federal and state government compliance. Laurie was also an adjunct instructor at DMACC - Carroll Campus for several years teaching Accounting I and II and Income Tax. She currently teaches 100:040 Financial Fundamental for Entrepreneurs. She was actively involved in her former community in several volunteer and community service groups.
Rachel Ruplinger Rachel is a junior accounting major from Iowa City. She is pursuing a Master's degree in Accounting and CPA certification. She is the Vice President of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization at UNI, a member of Phi Eta Sigma, and a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
JPEC Entrepreneurship Instructors
David Deeds
Education: M.B.A. University of Kansas 1996; B.A. (Accounting) University of Northern Iowa 1990. CPA 1991; CMA 1993. Responsibilities: Founder and CEO of the development and general contracting firm Cedar Valley Restoration and Development. The firm develops and constructs new architecturally appropriate housing and mixed use structures as well as renovates existing homes preserving the historically significant architecture. Professional Accomplishments: Mr. Deeds is an accounting, property management and construction professional with over fifteen years of experience progressing from big five public accounting to management for a Fortune 200 transportation company to CFO for a $250 million private real estate firm. He most recently founded and serves as CEO for a real estate development and general contracting firm. He has extensive experience in real estate finance, acccounting and information systems. He directed the turn around of a failing accounting and information services function while working in the seniors' housing industry. He also has extensive experience in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and internal reporting and staff recruitment and management in addition to a solid background in employee benefit plan issues, accounting guidance evaluation and integration of merging companies' financial information.
To contact us: John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center Phone: 319-273-JPEC (5732)
JPEC Home | Who is John Pappajohn? | Calendar of Events | Student Business Incubator | Certificate in Entrepreneurship | Classes & Workshops (Academic and Non-Academic) | Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute | Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Iowa Conference 2009 | Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition 2009 | Small Business Information Handouts | One-on-One Counseling & Resource Library | CIPCO Business Enhancement Intern Program | Student Entrepreneur Awards | UNI Entrepreneurship Symposium | UNI Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization | Venture and Equity Funds in Iowa |
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