Jack Huffard ’90 and Bebe Goodrich ’07 to Keynote Entrepreneurship Summit The event, which is open to all students, provides multiple opportunities to network with alumni entrepreneurs from a variety of industries.
The 8th Annual Entrepreneurship Summit will take place at Washington and Lee University on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28, 2019.
The summit is open to all students and provides multiple opportunities to network with alumni entrepreneurs from a variety of industries. All members of the W&L community are welcome to attend and encouraged to register online.
Friday morning begins with “Taking the Leap,” a panel of alumni entrepreneurs who know what it takes to build the foundation that promotes scaling a new venture.
“The Next Frontier and the Disruptors Blazing the Trail Ahead” will focus on what’s coming in the future with alumni from dig data, medical technologies, artificial intelligence, energy, financial markets, biotech and clean technology.
Jack Huffard ’90Jack Huffard ’90 of Tenable and Bebe Goodrich ’07 of Royal Cup will keynote the event.
Huffard is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Tenable (NASDAQ: TENB). Tenable is “The Cyber Exposure Company” that aims to help organizations understand and reduce their cybersecurity risk. The company’s portfolio includes more than 27,000 organizations around the globe. Tenable became a public company in July 2018.
His keynote, titled “The Tenable Story: Lessons from Founding to IPO,” will provide attendees lessons learned and insights to use when starting and growing a business, and when potentially taking that business public.
Bebe Goodrich ’07Goodrich is the founder and president of Icebox Coffee, a New Orleans-inspired offering of cold brew coffees in ready-to-drink and concentrate forms. Icebox Coffee was acquired by Royal Cup, a leading importer, roaster and distributor of specialty coffees and teas, in August 2017.
As director of liquid product innovation, Goodrich now leads new product development initiatives for Royal Cup’s liquid manufacturing vertical.
Her talk, “The Value of a Liberal Arts Education,” will narrate the story of how she left W&L with no obvious career path but with all the tools needed to quit her job, start a company and exit within five years.
Friday’s sessions will close with the Entrepreneurship Summit’s first Design Thinking Workshop. During this session, Professor Gavin Fox will lead alumni and students through a dynamic design thinking activity that you won’t want to miss.
Wondering what business ideas the next generation of W&L entrepreneurs will pursue? Saturday morning will open with the Student Pitch Competition*, during which students will have two minutes to pitch their business plans to alumni judges and compete for cash prizes.
The Alumni Pitch Session will follow with alumni entrepreneurs pitching their startup or idea to an audience of experienced entrepreneurs. Alumni who have previously pitched their businesses will provide updates.
Saturday afternoon will consist of breakout sessions on various topics such as “Social Media Warriors,” “Customer Acquisition” and “CBD Industry: Myths and Opportunities.”
To view the full schedule and register, visit wluesummit.com.
*Applications for the Student Pitch Competition are due by Sept. 17! Click here to learn more and apply.
Questions about the entrepreneurship program? Contact Jeff Shay, Rupert H. Johnson Jr. Professorship of Entrepreneurship, at shayj@wlu.edu.
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