IESBGA Annual Conference
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IESBGA Annual Conference
May 17-19, 2023
The Illinois Entrepreneurship & Small Business Growth Association (IESBGA) will host its annual professional development conference in person this year, in support of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network. You must register to participate.
The conference will kick off at 12:45 pm with a welcome, new member orientation, and the Annual IESBGA meeting. Breakout sessions will be held Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. Friday will begin at 8 am with a new member follow up then at 9 am a general session. Following is the IESBGA Program Excellence Award and the certification and recertification presentation.
Certification hours will be available for each session. Each session will have a monitor to keep track of who is logged. To receive credit for attending the session, please stay logged in the entire time.
Registration is required.
MEMBER Registration Fees
- Members get free registration to all events.
NON-MEMBER Registration Fees
- Full Conference Registration: $250
- Wednesday Only Registration: $155
- Thursday Only Registration: $170
- Friday Only Registration: $110
After May 9th non-members should add $10.
Location: Hyatt Place Champaign/Urbana
217 N Neil St.
Champaign, IL 61820
- To make a reservation under the group block, click the hotel name above to be directed to the website.
- You may also call the hotel directly at 217.531.2800 (group code G-ILSM)
Rooms will be released April 14, 2023.
The Roger Luman Program Excellence Awards
The Roger Luman Program Excellence Award will be awarded on Friday morning of the event. The award was created to recognize outstanding, innovative and best practices in the programs and services offered by member centers. These awards recognize specific programs developed by centers to meet a particular identified need and not the overall program or services offered by a center. It is intended that this awards program will facilitate the sharing of information regarding these programs with other IESBGA members resulting in their replication, and will be used to promote the excellence of Illinois small business assistance programs to small businesses and to similar small business assistance programs administered in other states.
All IESBGA members are encouraged to nominate one of their outstanding programs by describing the program, including its longevity, its strengths and its impact on small businesses and/or the impact on the community, region or state. The program must be ongoing and have a history of demonstrated success. It should be replicable by other centers and have involved other entities in the development and/or delivery of the program. Applications are due May 9th, to Ericka White at ericka.white@illinois.gov
The award is named in honor of Roger Luman who was the Managing Director of the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship in the Foster College of Business Administration at Bradley University. As a founding member of IESBGA, he coordinated the Program Excellence Awards for many years. Prior to joining Bradley University, he was a faculty member, business owner, consultant, and volunteer. The award looks to recognize those organizations that embody Mr. Luman’s dedication to supporting small businesses in their communities.
Certified Business Development Advisor
If you are a current IESBGA member and are seeking Certification or Re-certification for the Certified Business Development Advisor, you need to submit a completed application and supporting documentation by May 9th. Email completed forms and documentation to Andy Pham apham@jbs.edu