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Baruch Entrepreneurial Network (BEN)
BEN is a joint effort between the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship and Baruch College’s Executives on Campus (EOC) program, in support of the Baruch College & Merrill Lynch Entrepreneurship Competition. The program is designed to assist students who have reached the final round of the competition in developing and launching their businesses. BEN draws on Field Center resources and business
professionals from EOC. The program aims to foster an entrepreneurial spirit within the Baruch community.
Services provided by BEN include but are not limited to:
• Assisting teams with strategic direction
• Helping teams network with the business and financial community
• Preparing teams for angel or private equity funding
BEN’s goal is to help students develop successful, bankable, and scalable businesses. BEN mentors—entrepreneurs and seasoned business executives from the EOC program—provide students with their practical, real-world perspectives and offer ideas to help finalists develop and/or launch their businesses.
BEN Client: Kognito Interactive, LLC
2002–2003 Competition 3rd place winners
Kognito Interactive (www.kognito.net) helps people improve their performance as leaders and managers. Its software creates experiences that enable people to
practice within risk-free and realistic situations, so they are better equipped to
perform in real-life situations.
“BEN has helped us maintain a consistent focus on building value. As a small business there are a multitude of opportunities you can pursue. By sitting down and conversing with seasoned businesspeople who are focused on building value, opportunities that are scalable, profitable, and have long-term prospects clearly become the opportunities to target.”
— Ralph Vacca (BBA ’03), Chief Learning Architect, Kognito Interactive LLC
BEN Executive Committee
Norm Brust
VP Corporate Communications (Retired), Contel (now Verizon)
Larry Chong
Business Consultant and Private Investor
Monica Dean
Administrative Director, Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship
Richard Merians
Chairman and CEO, Hygrade Intergrated Logistics Systems, Inc.
Sandy Roth
Cheif Equity Officer and SVP (Retired), Benefit Capital Management Corporation
Wynn J. Salisch
Chairman and CEO, Casablanca Ventures LLC