Business Plan winners to be named

VW independent/submitted information

The winners of this year’s Business Plan Challenge will be announced Friday, February 7, with monetary awards made possible through generous donations from First Bank of Berne, First Financial Bank and the Ohio State University Extension Community Development County and City Revolving Loan Fund.

Following a 10-week, five-session series of workshops taught by Wright State University-Lake Campus Business Enterprise Center counselors Gary Corcoran and Jennifer Rigdon at the new BEC downtown location, participants submitted their business plans for review. Three area individuals with expertise in the business field have been asked to judge these finalists on certain criteria through their written plan and a brief presentation with a question-and-answer portion.

The award ceremony will be held in Van Wert City Council Chambers, located on the second floor of the Municipal Building at 515 E. Main St. in Van Wert.  Refreshments will be served at 4:45 p.m., with the award ceremony to begin at 5 that evening.

Representatives with the First Bank of Berne and First Financial Bank will present the awards, totaling $3,500 in business development funds, certificates for free business courses and continued counseling through Business Enterprise Center, and a Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce business membership.  The top award packages will also include a certificate for business cards to be donated by Wilkinson Printing and Burcham Printing.

The Entrepreneur Fair and the Business Plan Challenge are provided through a collaboration of offices: OSU Extension Community Development, Chamber of Commerce, Community Improvement Corporation, Main Street Van Wert, and Business Enterprise Center, as well as city and county governments.

The event is open to the public.