University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288)
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607-7113, (312) 996-3456, www.uic.edu/depts/paff

November 1, 2001

Contact: Jeffron Boynés (312) 413-8702; jboynes@uic.edu

STEDMAN GRAHAM TO TALK ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

"Creating a World of Opportunity," an entrepreneurs' conference slated for Nov. 2-3, will feature a luncheon address by local author, speaker and entrepreneur Stedman Graham.

Graham, chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates and author of "You Can Make It Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Success," will speak Nov. 3 at 12:30 p.m. in the Astor/Adams Ballroom of the Westin Hotel O'Hare, 6100 River Road, Rosemont, Ill.

An expert on education and leadership development, Graham is expected to talk about how to develop a competitive edge in business through the Nine-Step Success Process.

Sponsored by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the annual conference is intended to inspire and cultivate the next generation of business owners.

A record number of people, including educators, business leaders and more than 1,000 budding student entrepreneurs from 100 colleges and universities across North America will gather for the event to discuss practical strategies to build and manage a successful business.

Besides Graham, the conference is expected to draw some of the nation's top executives including Myra Hart, co-founder of Staples, the Office Superstore; William Saito, CEO of I/O Software, Inc.; Gregory Jones, president and CEO of uBid.com; and Marc Schulman, president of Eli's Cheesecake.

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization is a national network of entrepreneurship students founded at UIC's Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. The institute, recognized by Success magazine as the third leading entrepreneurship program in the United States, recently received the NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

For more information on the conference schedule, contact the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization at (312) 996-6372 or visit www.c-e-o.org.

Editors Note: Graham can be available Nov. 3 at 11:30 a.m. at the Westin prior to lunch for photos and interviews. He is expected to stay on after his speech to participate in an awards ceremony starting at 1 p.m. Reporters are welcome to attend any part of the conference and are encouraged to call (312) 413-8702 to let organizers know of their interest in attending.

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