Winners Announced for the 2010 Annual HCC Newspring Business Plan Competition

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HOUSTON (April 30, 2010) – Winners of the 2010 HCC and Newspring Business Plan Competition were announced at a reception on April 30 at Houston Community College Spring Branch.

Speakers included Dr. Zachary Hodges, President of HCC Northwest, Jack Barry, Business Plan Competition Coordinator and Victor Alvarez, Newspring’s Executive Director. Robert Westheimer, Newspring Chairman of the Board, presented the awards. The keynote speaker, Brenda Stardig, City Councilwoman for District A and Spring Branch entrepreneur, congratulated all of the contestant teams including the winners and welcomed them into the entrepreneurial community.

The 2010 Competition drew 19 teams, advised by over 40 Newspring business professionals and HCC faculty sponsors. The five finalists, International Consulates, Maker Acre, Amy Asch Photography, ATOM Instrument Corporation, and Cutie Pies, presented their business plans before Newspring judges on April 29.

This year’s judges included Jack Barry, retired CEO, consultant and author; Gerald Bennett, Chairman of Memorial Hermann; Larry Kellner, CEO of Emerald Investments; Trudi C. Nix, Senior Vice President of Bank of America; and Larry Pulliam, Executive Vice President of Sysco’s Foodservice Operations. Wal-Mart, New Process Steel, Reliant Energy, KBR, All Points Services and Allegiance Bank provided the seed capital prize money for the 2010 competition.

First prize of $12,000 went to Amy and Tom Asch for Amy Asch Photography, a boutique photography studio business that will open in Spring Branch. Amy is a long-time Spring Branch resident and mother of three who long dreamed of turning her love of photography into a viable business. Amy and Tom attended a seminar at HCC last fall, which led to a class taught by instructor and entrepreneur Deanna Teel.

Amy said, “The wealth of training, guidance and resources we’ve received from HCC and Newspring since last September has been like drinking from a fire hose!” Later she added, “I’ve been dreaming of this for the last 16 years while raising my children. In less than a year, HCC and Newspring helped us build a platform to make it a reality!”

The second prize check for $8,000 went to Filip Valica for Maker Acre, a prototyping lab that will allow inventors to turn ideas into finished products by providing coaching and access to technology used by leading manufacturers.

Filip said, “I knew I wanted to work for myself, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. The Starting and Running Your Own Business Day Seminar got me started (hosted by HCC & SCORE–Service Corps of Retired Executives). Then I took the continuing education classes to be ready to launch when the right idea came. I started with a product and changed to a service. The classes and competition helped me refine my business idea.”

Third prize and $4,000 went to Lisa Reyna for International Consulates, a social entrepreneurship providing customized educational and support services that help to facilitate the successful integration of Houston’s foreign nationals by providing educational, vocational, social and cultural services. Lisa wanted to use her 15 years experience in public diplomacy to start a business. She came to a free Entrepreneur Day Conference in December at HCC Central that was funded by the Student Chamber of Commerce. Lisa then signed up immediately for an intensive one-month class taught by Dr. Dale Konicek, also an entrepreneur. His students dubbed it “Entrepreneur Boot Camp.” “The HCC Newspring Business Plan Competition,” Lisa said, “prepared me to articulate the major milestones and targets needed to operate a successful business.”

Robert Westheimer congratulated finalist Franek Olstowski, who proposed the expansion of ATOM Instrument Corp., to further develop his patented analytical instrumentation for measuring sulphur dioxide for purposes of pollution control.

Husband and wife team, Scott Williams and Libertad Elizondo-Fernandez, also made the finals for their business plan for Cutie Pies, a line of plush toy aliens with related products and services.

The Business Plan Competition was sponsored by the Newspring Center and the HCC Center for Entrepreneurship. Newspring is a local social entrepreneurship, non-profit organization founded by Robert Westheimer dedicated to creating economic opportunities for residents of Spring Branch and opening the door to their financial independence. Robert encouraged all seventeen teams who completed business plans this year to continue with their businesses and stay connected for additional support and guidance. For more information on Newspring, visit www.newspringcenter.org.

“The 21st Century is about creativity and entrepreneurship. HCC, as a community college committed to serving its communities, is stepping out in new directions to create an environment where 21st century entrepreneurs can thrive,” stated Dr. Zachary Hodges. The HCC Center for Entrepreneurship, a vision of Dr. Hodges, was established last year by Dr. Maya Durnovo, HCC Dean of Economic and Workforce Development to better prepare aspiring entrepreneurs to weather the rigors of a real-world business plan competition. The Center, which is positioned to provide a focal point to new entrepreneurs for ongoing training and networking within the business community, has now been expanded to two HCC colleges, HCC Southeast and HCC Northeast.

Sandra Louvier, the Center’s director said, “It has been a phenomenal and rewarding first year for us. The entrepreneurial community in Houston has supported our efforts to provide outstanding resources to our students. Those interested in learning more about our programs and the annual business plan competition can visit this site for information about upcoming classes and workshops. Summer classes start June 7.”