News out of Southern Illinois Research Park

Georgia firm brings office, jobs to research park

The Saluki Times, June 25, 2010, by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- At a time when many companies are protecting the bottom line through layoffs or overseas outsourcing, a Georgia technology services business has brought a new office and new jobs to the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus.

Liaison Technologies, whose chief operating officer is an SIUC alumnus, is the newest tenant at the Southern Illinois Research Park. The company, which opened earlier this month in the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, has hired seven employees and plans to employ at least three more in the coming weeks. Company officials are hopeful that heading into 2011, they’ll have about 15 local employees and increase its Southern Illinois workforce to about 25 by 2012.

As Liaison considered expansion, the options included overseas outsourcing of highly skilled technology positions or expanding existing metropolitan office locations. But Larry Mieldezis, Liaison Technologies COO, said he had another idea, a plan involving his alma mater.

“We decided instead of going offshore to other countries with these jobs, we would try a different approach, staying onshore and finding a partner in Illinois to keep these jobs in the U.S.,” Mieldezis said. He said the concept involved finding a rural location near a good university producing quality graduates in the field of information technology.

Because of the lower cost of living in such communities, companies can offer competitive wages and benefits to employees more economically than they could in metropolitan areas. He noted that keeping the jobs stateside avoids common problems associated with outsourcing jobs overseas, including language and cultural barriers, regulatory compliance and security requirements, political uncertainties and time zone differences.

“In fact, it’s proven that for every one resource we hire in the United States, we would have to hire 1.5 in India or China. We’ve found an avenue that is cost-effective and it keeps jobs here at home in the states rather than overseas,” said Mieldezis, a Marion native. “When I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1986 from SIUC, I would have liked to have stayed in the area but I had to move away to really utilize my degree, first to New York and then to Seattle and finally to Georgia. But I’ve maintained a relationship with SIUC and the computer science department over the years.

“The information technology talent is so strong at SIUC, we really wanted to come here. I believe there’s an opportunity to offer people a really good career and a comfortable lifestyle here in Southern Illinois,” Mieldezis added. “I would have loved to have stayed in Southern Illinois but couldn’t. I think Liaison’s rural sourcing strategy is a great thing for the University and the community. I have a strong loyalty to SIUC and there is a lot of talent here. We were looking for an investment where the company itself and the employees can benefit for the long term.”

Liaison provides integration and data management services on a global basis. Serving businesses and organizations in more than 35 countries, the company offers a wide variety of business-to-business and enterprise application integration and data transformation services. Essentially, Mieldezis said the company utilizes specialized technology in combination with highly skilled integration and data management specialists to connect companies with their business community and trading partners. Liaison’s hosted technology leverages the Internet and links companies with their suppliers as well as business partners to ensure that all are speaking the same e-commerce technological language.

For instance, a manufacturing company deals with distributors as well as suppliers. There are all sorts of documents involved in order to carry out various transactions, including orders, invoices and shipping notices. Mieldezis said Liaison is “a software-as-a-service (SaaS) network that facilitates and guarantees the delivery of that data and transforms it into the appropriate forms.”

The company began in 2000, initially working with the pulp and paper industry. Since then, it has evolved into an international information technology company serving many different industries including pharmaceutical, distribution and financial services, along with an array of manufacturing markets. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., north of Atlanta, Liaison employs about 180 people at locations that include London, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Tampere, Finland. The Technology Association of Georgia, a leading non-profit technology organization, this spring named Liaison one of the “Top 40 Most Innovative Technology Companies” in Georgia.

“We welcome Liaison to Southern Illinois and to SIUC. This is an excellent example of an alternative to offshore outsourcing and we’re excited to be a part of it, especially when it involves jobs for talented young University graduates. Liaison’s COO is a Saluki and when they were exploring the idea of locating near a university, he thought of his alma mater and I don’t think we’ve disappointed him with our response to his idea,” said Kyle Harfst, executive director of the Southern Illinois Research Park and director of technology and enterprise development for SIUC.

Mieldezis said as Liaison continues to grow, it looks for ways to offer more value to customers, to build in additional intelligence and offer the best possible combination of technology delivery and integrated managed services. One popular new concept getting attention is “cloud-based” integration services through which Liaison customers subscribe to and are able to utilize the latest technology software and solutions without having to purchase them at considerable cost.

Mieldezis is confident that the firm’s implementation of rural sourcing will also be good for Liaison, its customers and its employees.

“We are happy we’ve been able to expand onshore where there’s a good University producing students with a quality education and strong work ethnic,” he said. “We are an established company and we are profitable but we have benefited from the connections with SIUC’s Small Business Incubator and Kyle Harfst. It’s been valuable to get help with the facilities and infrastructure in close proximity to the University. Our employees in Carbondale are an extension of our workforce around the world. Through the use of Internet and technology, we all work as a single, virtual network.”

Mieldezis said the employees at the Southern Illinois office provide very technical IT support around the world as well as software and platform development and IT outsourcing for client companies. In making the initial hires, Liaison has worked with various academic units at SIUC including the Department of Computer Science and the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies. Information about job opportunities is also on the company website, www.liaison.com.

Ultimately, Mieldezis said the goal is to achieve such success at SIUC that Liaison moves from the Small Business Incubator to larger headquarters in the region and the SIUC office becomes Liaison’s model for onshore-based rural sourcing.

Visit the Southern Illinois Research Park website.

Event to match businesses, lenders

http://www.thesouthern.com/business/local/article_8d664e3c-6ba8-11df-a069-001cc4c002e0.html

CARBONDALE-A lender and business matchmaking event will aim to provide small business owners access to capital. "Meet The Lenders," is co-sponsored by the Small Business Administration and the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon June 16 at Holiday Inn Conference Center in Carbondale. The event is free to attend and seeks to aid small business owners or potential small business owners learn about the different types of commercial loan opportunities in Southern Illinois.

Emily Carter, director of entrepreneurship and business development at SIUC, said the participants will learn about the many programs, loans and funding options available to small businesses. Carter said the event will allow participants the opportunity to speak directly with commercial loan officers. She said it's a great opportunity for small business owners who are in the start-up phase of their business to make a connection to lenders.

"A lot people in the community may be in the start up phase of their business," she said. "We hope it will provide direct access to lenders and the opportunity to build a relationship with lenders."

Carter said organizers hope to draw more than 150 participants, but seating is limited and interested parties are asked to RSVP to the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

Small businesses will meet one-on-one with loan officers from participating Small Business Administration lenders. Interested participants are encouraged to bring their business plan to discuss their business loan proposal with lenders.

Valerie Ross, branch manager with the Springfield SBA, said the Small Business Administration will discuss how loan program funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allows the organization to help small businesses in need. She said funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allowed the SBA to further reduce the risk to lenders by guaran-teeing a higher percentage of loans. She said the additional funding allows them to guarantee 90 percent of a small business loan and allows the SBA to waive the one time guarantee fee for small business owners.

Ross said participants will also learn about small business loan programs available through federal, state and community agencies.

She said organizers are encouraging anyone interested to attend because the event will provide critical information about capital.

"Access to capital, that's what it's all about," Ross said. "We encourage business owners to come out. There's no fee, it's one morning of their time and they should take advantage of this opportunity.

stephen.rickerl@thesouthen.com

618-351-5823

IP Marketing Advisor Discusses "Operation Bootstrap"

SIU combines tech fair with entrepreneurship training in "Operation Bootstrap"

Many universities sponsor showcases to give inventors the opportunity to present their technologies to potential investors and partners. A growing number also sponsor courses on entrepreneurism to prepare would-be start-up leaders for the real world. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale has taken an approach that combines both strategies. Its most recent innovation showcase was preceded by a 12-week course, many sessions taught by alumni and others who have achieved entrepreneurial success. The structure of the course was based on FastTrac TechVenture, a program developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

“About two years ago one of our offices of economic development’s entrepreneurship committee got funding for entrepreneurial training for low- to moderate-income folks,” recalls Kyle Harfst, PhD, MBA, executive director of the Southern Illinois Research Park and director of technology & enterprise development at SIU Carbondale. The new program, dubbed Operation Bootstrap, followed the Kauffman model, and though it was limited by income requirements it “piqued some interest” in the university community.

The Kauffman program, explains Lynn Andersen, MBA, director of business and research in SIU’s Office of Economics and Regional Development, is designed specifically for the type of group she and Harfst had in mind — university-based scientists. Kauffman offers training and certification to allow others to offer its training. Individuals who achieve certification are then eligible to purchase the curriculum and facilitate their own program. The cost of the course, she says, ranges from $1,200 to $1,500 per participant. A detailed article on the program appears in the May 2010 issue of Intellectual Property Marketing Advisor. For subscription information, CLICK HERE.

Entrepreneurship Training: Operation Bootstrap begins June 19

Operation Bootstrap adds orientation sessions

The Saluki Times
April 27, 2010
By Christi Mathis 04/27/2010


CARBONDALE, Ill. -- If owning your own business sounds appealing, the entrepreneurship team from Southern Illinois University Carbondale could be just what you need to make that dream come true.

Operation Bootstrap, the entrepreneurship program serving 16 Southern Illinois counties, is so popular in 2010 that the University’s entrepreneurship team is adding several new orientation sessions to the schedule. That assures that everyone considering signing up for the next session of the training program this summer can find out all about it and how they could qualify for free training and for grant funding.

The SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development’s Entrepreneurship and Business Development Unit pairs with the Delta Regional Authority to offer “Operation Bootstrap: Seeding Southern Illinois Start-ups” to unemployed or underemployed low- and moderate-income people. Each of the new May informational sessions includes a 30-minute presentation giving an overview of Operation Bootstrap. Those attending may also ask questions and if they want to pursue the training opportunity, they can complete a program application and interview.

The next session of Operation Bootstrap begins June 19 in Du Quoin with graduation set for Aug. 18. The 12-session training program provides participants with the skills they need to begin and sustain their own business. And, those successfully completing the whole program and creating business plans can compete for up to 15 seed capital grants of up to $3,000 each.

The program is open to those living in Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Johnson, Hardin, Union, Jackson, Williamson, Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Gallatin and Saline counties. The first three rounds of Operation Bootstrap produced 102 graduates and interest is so strong this year, organizers have scheduled four new orientation overviews preceding the summer training program.

Here’s the schedule for the additional orientation sessions:

• Tuesday, May 4, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Du Quoin City Hall, 302 E Poplar St.

• Thursday, May 6, 9-10 a.m., Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

• Tuesday, May 11, 10-11 a.m., Franklin Hospital Conference Room, 201 Bailey Lane, Benton.

• Thursday, May 13, noon-1 p.m., Du Quoin City Hall, 302 E. Poplar Street. Participants can enjoy a free box lunch during this session only but must RSVP to 618/453-2070 no later than May 11 if planning to attend.

For more information about the Operation Bootstrap program or orientation sessions, contact the SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development at 618/453-2070 or e-mail startbiz@siu.edu, or visit the website at www.operationbootstrap.biz.

Aquarists to hold first meeting in Carbondale Wednesday

The Southern: http://www.thesouthern.com/news/local/article_12b67fec-5152-11df-8225-001cc4c002e0.html

BY TIM CROSBY, For The Southern | Posted: Monday, April 26, 2010 11:37 am

CARBONDALE - Fishery experts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are forming an outreach group aimed at assisting and encouraging fish businesses and hobbyists.

The Southern Illinois Aquarists Association will hold its first meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, in the John C. Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library. The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature guest speaker Kevin Kohen, director of marine aquaculture at liveaquaria.com.

James Garvey, director of the Fisheries & Illinois Aquaculture Center at SIUC, said the organization's initial focus would involve the ornamental fish industry, which procures, breeds, distributes and sells fish commonly found in aquariums.

"A typical ornamental fish is a gold fish," Garvey said. "We're talking about fish that are a little bit harder to take care of or breed in captivity, but that have a distinctive price advantage to produce."

An example of such a fish -- a discus fish -- inhabits an aquarium in Garvey's office. The fish, a flat, circular fish with colorful markings, was produced at Rocky Mountain Discus in southern Indiana. Garvey said such fish sell for $40 to $70 each, depending on their breed.

Garvey said businesses that supply ornamental fish hold strong economic promise, if owners are well trained and responsible.

"We want to promote the industry but at the same time educate consumers about the way in which fish like these are procured," Garvey said. "We want to promote wise conservation and make it possible for hobbyists to consider that when the make their purchases."

In too many cases currently, some fish suppliers capture ornamental fish in the wild, depleting populations. The SIAA will work with suppliers to promote responsible procurement and breeding methods, while helping hobbyists understand the entire system and make informed choices. They also want to educate hobbyists about the consequences of re-releasing ornamental varieties in local waterways, where their presence could damage the ecosystem.

"Right now, the aquarist hobby is huge and it seems to be growing," Garvey said. "We look at promoting it because it's a gateway to getting people more interested in general fishery issues, such as fish farming, which we want to promote. We want to help people reconnect with the wild and look at fishing as an interactive hobby."

Another big potential business the association will support involves cultivating live coral, which brings a pretty penny on the hobbyist market, as well, Garvey said.

Brian Small, associate professor of animal science, food and nutrition at SIUC, a fish endocrinologist, also will be heavily involved in the association and will serve as valuable resource on captive breeding methods, Garvey said.

The association also will work with existing local fish farmers and those who are interested in starting a fish farm, providing information and expert support, Garvey said. He also hopes the association will provide outreach for students who want to someday help

‘Operation Mousetrap’ is all about innovation

http://news.siuc.edu/news/April10/040810cjm10103.html

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Operation Mousetrap isn’t about finding a better way to capture a furry rodent; rather, it focuses on ways to help commercialize the research and innovation technologies developed by Southern Illinois University Carbondale faculty and staff.

The inaugural sessions of the entrepreneurial technology transfer program draw to a close this week with nine special presentations highlighting a small fraction of the technology, research and innovation that exists at SIUC. Participants will demonstrate their projects, offering PowerPoint presentations and discussing their business plans while honing their “pitches” for funding.
Media Advisory

Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the Operation Mousetrap entrepreneurial technology transfer program presentations set for Friday, April 9, in Room 241 at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center. Presentations begin at 12:30 p.m. with graduation set for 2:30 p.m. John Koropchak, vice chancellor for research and graduate dean, will present certificates of achievement to participants completing the program.

Since early 2010, participants have been meeting each week to hear a variety of experts discuss topics of interest. They’ve learned about testing their innovations and business concepts, exploring entrepreneurship, identifying funding and working with investors, protecting their business and intellectual property, planning for financial success and much more. Curt Jones, founder and CEO of Dippin’ Dots and an alumus of SIUC, spoke about defining a target market. Jack Goecken, founder of MCI, addressed entering and capturing the market. Participants also heard about testing their business concepts from Curtis Baird, chairman of the board of the School Center in Carbondale.

“In addition to the weekly training and speakers, participants have been meeting with their business coaches to further develop their business plans and investor pitches. This one-on-one assistance gives each faculty or staff member the opportunity to focus on the stage of business development that is most important and applicable to them at this time,” said Kyle Harfst, director of technology and enterprise development at SIUC.

Harfst and Maryon King, director of the College of Business Center for Innovation and associate professor of marketing, both served as business coaches for Operation Mousetrap participants. Operation Mousetrap uses FastTrac TechVenture, an entrepreneurship and business program provided by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The foundation fosters entrepreneurship through such programs all over the U.S., giving people the tools they need to develop or hone their skills to better utilize and market technology.

Essentially, the program works with technology and life science researchers and developers in bringing their innovations from the concept stage to the marketplace. There is an emphasis on intellectual property and some of those participating in the current program are already seeking patents for their work. The participants received scholarships, valued at about $1,500, to be part of the program.

Harfst’s desire to establish an entrepreneurship program for faculty and staff researchers and scientists at the University led Lynn Andersen Lindberg, director of business innovation and research, to approach Mark Petrilli. Petrilli, state director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center, was enthusiastic about the concept and provided partial funding for the inaugural session, according to Andersen Lindberg. The University’s Technology Transfer staff helped identify faculty and staff who had technologies that were ready to take the next step toward commercialization and they received invitations to the program.

Partnering to provide the SIUC program are the College of Business Center for Innovation, Illinois Small Business Development Center, Small Business Incubator Program and the Southern Illinois Research Park.

Operation Mousetrap participants successfully completing the intensive 12 sessions will get certificates of achievement on Friday, April 9, from John Koropchak, vice chancellor for research and graduate dean. The graduates are eligible for three months of free rent at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center through the Small Business Incubator Program and can also apply for $5,000 to $10,000 in challenge grant funds from the Southern Illinois Entrepreneurship Center.

The ultimate goal of the program is increasing the number of technology-based companies emerging from SIUC research and locating in Southern Illinois, Andersen Lindberg said.

“The program has been so successful that plans are already under way for the second Operation Mousetrap program, set to begin in August,” said Andersen Lindberg. “In addition, the program staff will continue to work with this first group of participants to assist them in the next phases of their entrepreneurial tech transfer activities. We’ll be offering them business coaching, follow-up workshops and seminars throughout the year.”

Participants in the inaugural Operation Mousetrap include:

• Ken Anderson, professor, geology.

• Bakul Dave, associate professor, chemistry and biochemistry.

• Peter Fadde, associate professor, curriculum and instruction.

• Thad Heckman, assistant instructor, architecture school.

• Yuqing Hou, assistant scientist, graduate school.

• David Lightfoot, professor, plant, soil and agricultural systems.

• Sebastian Loh, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction.

• Luke Tolley, associate professor, chemistry and biochemistry.

• Tom Upton, associate professor, Rehabilitation Institute.

"Operation Bootstrap" Orientation Saturday

http://www.duquoin.com/news/x998213411/-Operation-Bootstrap-Orientation-Saturday

Carbondale, Ill. -

Round four of the popular and successful Operation Bootstrap, a training program from the Southern Illinois University Carbondale entrepreneurship team, is kicking off soon.

The program is open to aspiring and new business owners in the southern 16 counties of Illinois. Already 102 graduates from the first three classes are reaping the benefits of the business-training program. The SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development’s Entrepreneurship and Business Development Unit and the Delta Regional Authority provide the training for “Operation Bootstrap: Seeding Southern Illinois Start-ups” to unemployed or underemployed low- and moderate-income residents in the Illinois Delta counties.

A new class session will begin in June. However, all who are interested in the intensive, 12-session program must attend an orientation session, which provides information about how the program works and all of the requirements.

Here’s the schedule for the orientation sessions:

• Saturday, April 10, 1-2 p.m., Du Quoin City Hall, 302 E. Poplar St.

• Tuesday, April 13, 4:30-5:30 p.m., SIUC Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale.

• Wednesday, April 21, 2:30-3:30 p.m., SIUC Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road, Carbondale. The Illinois Small Business Development Center is sponsoring a free workshop, “Finding Financing,” that will immediately follow this training session and participants are welcome to attend.

“SIU is so proud to be able to offer this training again. Our successes tell the Operation Bootstrap story best. Take a look at our Web site, www.operationbootstrap.biz, and see the results. These new business owners are hard working, inspired and determined to make a living for themselves and make a difference in Southern Illinois. With very little start-up costs, these entrepreneurs are bootstrapping their way into successful business ventures,” said Robyn Laur Russell, director of business development and international trade at SIUC.

It gives them all of the tools to help them start their own business or formalize a business they already have. The program is beneficial to entrepreneurs of all kinds, whether they are starting a small downtown business or planning a high-growth, global operation. There’s no cost to participate.

And, in addition to gaining vital information and assistance, graduates of the program are also eligible to compete for monies to help them start their new businesses. Those completing the program and developing individual business plans will vie for competitive grant awards of up $3,000. As many as 15 participants could earn funds to help them launch their businesses and create new jobs in Southern Illinois.

Operation Bootstrap 4 kicks off June 19 with an intensive “blast class” incorporating the first four sessions. Classes continue the next eight weeks running from 3-6 p.m. each Wednesday. The class meets at the Man-Tra-Con Family Opportunity Center in Du Quoin.

For more information about Operation Bootstrap or the SIUC Office of Economic and Regional Development, call 618/453-2070 or e-mail startbiz@siu.edu.