UK Alumni Expert Network Selected as Finalist in National Competition
Contact: Dean Harvey (859) 257-1930
Executive Director,
Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship
Read the Universitsy of Kentucky's News Release
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, July 31, 2009 −The UK Alumni Expert Network, which connects tens of thousands of Kentucky small businesses with alumni who have expertise in hundreds of areas from business operations to new product development, is a finalist in the University Economic Development Association’s 2009 Awards of Excellence Competition.
As a finalist in the “Excellence in Partnership Development” category, UK will present the Alumni Expert Network program to attendees of the UEDA’s annual summit on higher education and economic development this October in San Antonio, Texas. “The Best of Excellence” will be determined among the three finalists of each category at this event. This is the first time the University of Kentucky has been recognized by the University Economic Development Association.
The UK Alumni Expert Network is a partnership between the UK Office for Commercialization & Economic Development and the UK Alumni Association and is the first economic development network offered by a university and its alumni association.
More than 100 alumni, each with at least 10 years of business experience, have completed an online profile and been approved to participate in the network. Each expert will provide up to 10 hours of free consulting each year with a maximum of two hours of free telephone and e-mail consulting per business. After the initial two hours, the expert and business may enter into an extended agreement.
According to the latest Kentucky small business profile published by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Kentucky had 70,785 small business employers in 2006, representing 97 percent of the state’s employers. Small businesses in Kentucky created 60 percent of the state’s new jobs from 2004-2005.
About the University Economic Development Association
The UEDA is an international organization of university-based economic developers that serves institutions of higher education and their economic development affiliates. The UEDA strives to promote the role of higher education in economic development; provide valuable training and networking opportunities to members and to increase the effectiveness of, and appreciation for, higher education in regional and national economic development strategy.
About the UK Alumni Expert Network
For Kentucky’s Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
The UK Alumni Expert Network makes it easy to connect with a volunteer alumni expert for free business and technical consulting. Log on to www.ukyexperts.net:
1. Select an expert topic area.
2. Fill out a request
3. Connect with the alumni expert.
For UK Alumni
Any qualified alumni can volunteer as an alumni expert by logging on and filling out an expert’s profile. Volunteers must have graduated from the University of Kentucky at least 10 years ago and be willing to provide up to 10 hours of free telephone or e-mail consulting each year.