SBDC, Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneur David Peterson Present Innovate! 2018 Conference

VALDOSTA — The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center at Valdosta State University, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce SEEDS Business Resource Center, and South Georgia entrepreneur David Peterson are teaming up to present Innovate! 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, in VSU’s University Center, located at 1215 N. Patterson St.

The Innovate! 2018 conference is open to any individual, business, or organization interested in discovering and developing innovation that contributes to personal and corporate success.

Registration is $75 per person and includes all course materials and lunch. 

At Innovate! 2018, Peterson will moderate a group of thought-provoking speakers who will enlighten participants with insight and compelling content on how innovation can drive business growth. Attendees will also participate in an innovation workshop that will feature hands-on exercises and collaborative brainstorming, all focused on increasing an individual’s ability to ignite innovation throughout his or her organization.

To register for Innovate! 2018, visit www.valdostachamber.com and click “Register for an Event” or contact Betty Morgan, vice president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, at bmorgan@valdostachamber.com or (229) 247-8100 ext. 234. Space is limited. Media guests should contact Kaitlyn Redish, communications director for the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, at kredish@valdostachamber.com or (229) 247-8100 ext. 229 to learn more. 

Visit http://seedsbusinessresourcecenter.com/event/innovate-2018/ for more information on the event, including the speaker lineup.

Headquartered in Athens, the Small Business Development Center is a partnership between the University of Georgia, Valdosta State University, the University of West Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, Clayton State University, and Kennesaw State University. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the United States Small Business Administration, boasts 17 offices across the state, and strives to enhance the economic well-being of Georgians by providing a wide range of educational services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, including no-cost, confidential consulting services.

The UGA Small Business Development Center at VSU serves the citizens of Atkinson, Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, and Thomas counties and is considered an essential resource for small businesses in South Georgia.

Located at the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, the SEEDS (Sowing Entrepreneur and Economic Development Success) Business Resource Center provides customized research, data, and assistance to start-up and seasoned entrepreneurs.

David Peterson is a South Georgia-based strategic innovation expert, bestselling author, keynote speaker and executive coach. He is the founder and CEO of Goldleaf Technologies, a leading provider of electronic payments software. He also serves as chief strategic officer of i7strategies, an independent strategic planning and innovation advisory firm. He serves on the board of several industry-related companies and associations and is a serial entrepreneur with start-ups in retail and professional service. Visit www.davidpeterson.com to learn more. 

Contact Betty Morgan at bmorgan@valdostachamber.com or (229) 247-8100 ext. 234 to learn more about the SEEDS Business Resource Center. 

Anyone interested in learning more about the UGA Small Business Development Center at VSU should contact Cindy Corgan, program coordinator, at cmcorgan@valdosta.edu or (229) 245-3738.

Innovate! 2018 is sponsored by Citizens Community Bank, a financial institution founded in 1927 that now has branches in Hahira, Morven, and Valdosta.