For More Information
Corporate and Community Relations, 703-726-3650
Robin Suomi, 703-430-7222
Kurt Krause, 703-724-5648
Leesburg, VA—Loudoun’s entrepreneurs and business owners will find the answers to their financing questions and more at the first Finance Fair developed to support local business. The Fair is scheduled on Thursday, April 29, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn.
The Finance Fair is the project of the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission’s Marketing and Business Retention Committee chaired by Commissioner Kurt Krause, General Manager of the National Conference Center. "Loudoun’s business growth potential is phenomenal,” said Krause, “but many startups don’t know about or understand the variety of funding options available to them. Our panel has experts on Angel Funding, Venture Capital, Federal SBIR and Gap Funds, as well as traditional bank funding,” Krause continued. “Business owners participating will have a clear advantage, this is an event you don’t want to miss.”
Michael Matteson, Chair, Loudoun SBDC added, “Partnering with the SBDC to offer this Finance Fair provides our business community with a solid information resource throughout the year and an expanded annual education and networking event.” The Finance Fair is incorporated into the Loudoun Small Business Development Center’s annual “Building Business Together” celebration, now in its third year.
The Fair opens with keynote speaker Matt Erskine, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Initiative and former Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade under Virginia Governor Mark Warner. John Wood, CEO of Telos, is moderating the panel “Financing Business Growth,” which includes Ara Bagdasarian, CEO, Omnilert, LLC, and Chairman, Leesburg Economic Development Commission; Edward Barrientos, Managing Partner, Zeitgeist Holdings, LLC; Tom Weithman, VP for Entrepreneurship and Investment Services for CIT and Managing Director of CIT Gap Funds; Bobby Ocampo, Associate with Grotech Ventures; Robert Brooke, Director, CIT Federal Funding Programs; and Cheryl Beebe, Senior Vice President at Cardinal Bank.
Each panelist will lead breakout sessions following the panel discussion and during the luncheon session, Judy Costello, Executive Director of The Business Alliance for Innovation and Entreneurship, will offer a seminar on “Pitching for Investment $$$.” The Finance Fair concludes with remarks from SDBC Chair Matteson.
Other tracks at “Building Business Together: How to Win in 2010!” include seminars on Social Networking, Federal Contracting, Website Analytics, Sales and Customer Service, and Basic Accounting for Start-ups. But, it's not all business! A Tech Gadget Gallery courtesy of Best Buy will display new electronics for the office, a Silent Auction and Exhibit Hall will offer great opportunities from local businesses, and an Evening Mixer tops off the event with one of the best networking sessions of the year.
The Loudoun Times-Mirror is the Media Sponsor for the combined event, The GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus is the event host and breakfast sponsor, and Middleburg Bank, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development, and the National Conference Center are luncheon sponsors for the Finance Fair.
Registration is $50 for the day, including all workshops, continental breakfast, and lunch. To register or for more information, visit www.loudounsbdc.org, email [email protected], or call 703-430-7222. Pre-event networking and sign-in for the Finance Fair begins at 7 a.m. at The George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus, Exploration Hall, 20101 Academic Way, Ashburn, VA 20147.
The Loudoun SBDC is a member of the Virginia SBDC Network, a statewide service network funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration. The Loudoun County Economic Development Commission is a public/private partnership responsible for promoting the county's economic development. The EDC advises the Board of Supervisors on issues and provides support to the Department of Economic Development whose mission is to promote economic growth and opportunity by attracting targeted new businesses, supporting existing businesses, and cultivating our rural economy.
###