Business Plan Challenge ends tonight

VW independent/submitted information

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

After a 10-week, five-session series of workshops taught by Business Enterprise Center counselors Gary Corcoran and Jennifer Rigdon at the Wright State University BEC downtown location, participants submitted their business plans for review.

Four 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 session.  The award ceremony will be held in Van Wert City Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St. in Van Wert. Refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m. with the award ceremony to begin at 5:45 this evening.

Representatives with First Bank of Berne, First Financial Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank will present awards totaling $4,000 in business development funds, certificates for free business courses and continued counseling through Wright State University-Lake Campus 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 agencies that include OSU Extension Community Development, Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce, the Community Improvement Corporation, Main Street Van Wert, and the WSU-LC Business Enterprise Center, along with city and county government.

The event is open to the public.