9.11.08 - OCU Love's Center Company Excels in Biometric Technology

Human Element Biometrics is open for business after completing a highly successful business development project with the Love's Entrepreneurship Center at Oklahoma City University.

A flagship client of the Love’s Center, Human Element Biometrics is a software development company that builds applications to utilize biometric fingerprint verification technology. Owner and operator Roger Grant said the technology is designed to provide security, accountability and convenience in many industries including financial, health care, corrections, retail, workforce management and hospitality.

“I came to the Love’s Center looking for help with the financial and operations portion of our business plan and the center was a great benefit to me in that regard,” Grant said. “But right away I found out they were available to help in many ways beyond the business plan. The center has a tremendous base of resources available and they put me in direct contact with the professionals I needed to help get the company formed and ready for business.”

Grant said the Love’s Center enabled the company to acquire a capital commitment from a private investor.
“Human Element has been one of our flagship clients and we have enjoyed working closely with them through this process,” said Duke R. Ligon, executive director of the center. “The Love’s Center is focused on assisting individuals and existing business owners with developing new business.”

The Love's Center offers assistance with strategic planning, business plan development, access to capital and ongoing management support and oversight.

4.11.08 - Business Plan Competition Winners

Congratulations to Rocky Chavez, Timothy Harlin, Nathan Nelson and Ashley Nguyen of the Meinders School of Business! Having won the OCU/Love’s Center business plan competition, their team, Medtrieval, has advanced to the semi-finals of the Donald W. Reynolds Governor's Cup Business Plan Competition. Business Professor Bob Greve is serving as faculty advisor to the team.

Medtrieval is an automated medication retrieval system. The Donald W. Reynolds Govenor’s Cup is designed to encourage students of Oklahoma universities and colleges to act upon their ideas and talents in order to produce tomorrow's businesses.

The Cup has attracted entries from 19 campuses across the state, 135 judges and more than 100 innovative ideas. Student teams and their faculty advisors will compete in undergraduate and graduate divisions for cash prizes valued in excess of $100,000 and first place winners have the opportunity to win the Innovation Award, in-kind commercialization services valued up to a total of $50,000. Students involved in the competition gain access to networks of successful entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders, team-building opportunities and business planning skills.

3.13.08 - Love’s Entrepreneurship Center Client Zippdog to Open Edmond Store

Monday, March 10, 2008

Oklahoma City - The Love’s Entrepreneurship Center at Oklahoma City University is pleased to announce the opening of Zippdog, the off-price, designer-brand retailer of women’s clothing and accessories, whose slogan is “The Fusion of Fashion and Frugality.”

Zippdog, at the corner of 33rd and Broadway in Edmond, will open its doors at 10 a.m. March 12. David Hammons, Zippdog owner and entrepreneur from Shawnee, worked with Love Center staff Dylan Waddle and Zack Zuhdi for more than two months during the strategic planning portion of his business development process.

“We were pleased to assist David with the strategic planning process for his business and believe Mr. Hammons will be very successful with the development of several other Zippdog stores across the state.” Duke Ligon, executive director for the Love’s Entrepreneurship Center said.

“The Love’s Center was instrumental in my planning process and provided a great deal of assistance in getting my doors open,” Hammons said. “My wife Jamie and I are excited about opening more locations in the coming months.”
The Love’s Center is focused on assisting individual entrepreneurs and existing business owners with the business development process from strategic planning and business plan development to accessing capital and ongoing management support and oversight. “Our process is perfect for anyone looking to develop a new business entity or take their current business to the next level,” Dylan Waddle, deputy executive director for the Love’s Center said.

3.13.08 - Ligon Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The Texas Journal of Oil, Gas & Energy Law has awarded the 2008 Ernest E. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award to Duke Ligon, executive director of OCU’s Love’s Entrepreneurship Center.

The prestigious award is given to a practitioner in the energy industry who has made a major contribution to the oil, gas and energy community. From 1997 to 2007, Ligon served as general counsel and senior vice president for Devon Energy Corporation. Prior to joining Devon, Ligon spent 12 years practicing energy law in New York City and Washington, D.C., and has held various leadership positions with the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Treasury and the Department of Energy.

Be sure to congratulate Duke on this prestigious honor.

11.29.07 - OCAST internship opportunity

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology has announced a internship opportunity. Please go to www.ocast.state.ok.us for more information.

11.14.07 - LEC & OCPA Hosted Entrepreneur Documentary

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) and the Love's Entreprenuership Center hosted an event for anyone interested in three stories of risk and reward. "The Call of the Entrepreneur" is a documentary that chronicles the stories of three entrepreneurs and the challenges each face to start, maintain, and grow their business. Told in an exciting story through the eyes of ActionMedia, the film is sure to inspire anyone who has dreamed of self determined success.

Sponosred by the OCPA and hosted by the LEC.

The film was a success with over 90 people in attendance!

10.26.07 - LEC develops Operating Committee

The LEC has developed a small operating committee to guide the center in everyday affairs.

Member listed below:
Darci Harris-eWF
Tra Pippin-Infinite Solutions
Matt Robison-State Chamber
Robin Roberts-Greater OKC Chamber
Vicki Dearing-Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Tom Loy-Metafund

9.19.07 - LEC makes a statement at the 2007 Bricktown Capital Conference

Click here for pictures from the conference

The LEC was a sponsor of the 2007 Bricktown Capital Conference. The conference is held every two years and assembles start up companies and capital sources together for two days of entrepreneurial opportunities.

6.20.07 - OCPA Accepting Internship Applications for Spring and Summer 2008

As part of an ongoing program designed to give college students experience in the public policy arena, OCPA is inviting students to apply for spring and summer 2008 internships.

Undergraduate, graduate, or law students are welcome to apply for the paid internships.

Click here for more information.

6.18.07 - Executive Training

OCU Faculty and the LEC are developing an Executive/Administration seminar course that teaches Case Studies and (if needed depending on the audience) some survey courses over Economics, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and Management.

6.18.07 - LEC to Judge EWF Entrepreneur Contest

EWF, an entrepreneurial forum dedicated to the needs of female business owners,has asked the LEC to judge their annual entrepreneurial awards. Female entrepreneurs submit applications in the categories of Female Entrepreneur of the Year and Emerging Female Entrepreneur of the Year. The winners will be announced at the Concilia Conference on October 3rd.

6.18.07 - Speaker Series

Speaker Series-Starting in Feb. 2008, LEC, in association with the Greater OKC Chamber, will bring in a nationally recognized business/ entrepreneur speaker to inspire students, faculty, and the Oklahoma public.