Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship Forms New Council

On Jun 25, 2018

The Rutgers University Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CUEED) has created its Council of Urban Entrepreneurs.  The purpose of the council will be to provide guidance, inspiration, and education opportunities for aspiring business owners who wish to build their organizations in urban locales.

“Since its founding in 2008, CUEED has helped 370 New Jersey area entrepreneurs to create 580 jobs in urban locales and generate over $137MM in revenue,” says Lyneir Richardson, executive director of CUEED.  “The formation of our Rutgers Council of Entrepreneurs will allow us to further our mission and increase our impact by sharing the success stories of the Council members, and making their support available to the entrepreneurs and students who will be participating in our various programs.”

CUEED will leverage the diverse experience and career successes of the council’s members in three ways:

1. Sharing their stories, including where they came from, who influenced them, and how they navigated their journeys.
2. Demonstrating how they build economic activity, create jobs, support civic causes, and drive social change.
3. Analyzing their stories and careers as case studies and research projects at Rutgers Business School.

The Council of Urban Entrepreneurs is comprised of the following founding members:

• Marjorie Perry – president/CEO of MZM Construction, the largest minority woman-owned business in New Jersey.
• Randal Pinkett – co-founder, chairman, and CEO of BCT Partners, a management, technology and policy consulting firm; and the season 4 winner of NBC’s “The Apprentice”.
• Marc Berson – chairman of Fidelco Realty Group; founding board member of NJPAC; and chair of Barnabas Health.
• Antonio Ibarria – publisher of El Especialito, the largest Spanish-language weekly newspaper in New York City and one of the largest in the U.S.; and founder of Save Latin America, a nonprofit that offers health and education services for immigrant families.
• Sunny Kancherla – managing partner, The Digital Strategist marketing consultancy; Board of Advisors, NJIT Martin Tuchman School of Management; and Board of Directors, Greater Newark Enterprises Corporation.

“I’m honored to be a founding member of the council, and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and guidance so that others may thrive,” says MZM Construction’s Marjorie Perry.  “If my recommendations and advice help to raise someone’s business to the next level, then I’ll be extremely happy to have contributed to their success.”

Rutgers will expand the Council of Urban Entrepreneurs with additional members in the upcoming months.  Events will include the creation of a multimedia presentation about participating Council members that will tour throughout New Jersey during the summer; as well as an honorary reception for the founding council members, which will take place Newark on July 18.

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