• * Jan. 25 - 'Feasibility of the Business' with Lisa Bryan & Steve Howe. This seminar will assist entrepreneurs in the identification of entrepreneurial opportunities and strategies and the role of personal factors (including creativity). The focus will be on recognizing opportunities & preparing the feasibility analysis for a new or existing venture.
• * Feb. 22 - 'Business Planning' with Mark Slade. This seminar focuses on the components, the process & understanding the business plan writing process. Building the entrepreneurial team & the acquisition & management of financial resources are emphasized along with venture growth, harvest strategies & valuation.
• * March 29 - 'Financing Options for your Business' with Vonnie Barnett. This seminar will explore a variety of funding alternatives, including self-funding, angel funding, venture capital, grants, conventional loans, & special loan programs specifically for small businesses.
• * April 26 - 'Preparing to Launch the Business' with Lisa Bryan & Dustin Pratt. This seminar will provide participants with the tools to launch their business venture. We will focus on the elevator pitch, accessing capital, bootstrapping, utilizing social media to market your business, and business plan competitions.

• * The recession continues to leave the state with budget shortfalls and increased demands for services like Medicaid. Budget deficits.
• * The crisis in the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund was addressed last year and the surcharge has ended. The UI Advisory Board will be looking at long term issues.
• * There is still work to do on economic development in South Dakota and the kind of incentives that will help strengthen the economy. The Chamber has looked at the issues of our state's higher initial costs for entering business and will begin to seek some solutions.
• * Ever wonder how much of the state's economy is used to provide services delivered by state and local governments and schools? The Chamber will bring forth a bill to have an annual report on the "Economic Price of Government" to answer that very question.

November 2 - 5:30pm - 9:30pm "Feasibility of the Business" - Steve Howe & Lisa Bryan

"This seminar will assist entrepreneurs in the identification of entrepreneurial opportunities and strategies and the role of personal factors (including creativity). The focus will be on recognizing opportunities and preparing the feasibility analysis for a new or existing venture."

November 9 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm "Business Planning" - Mark Slade

"This seminar focuses on the components, the process and understanding the business plan writing process. Building the entrepreneurial team and the acquisition and management of financial resources are emphasized along with venture growth, harvest strategies, and valuation."

November 16 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm "Financing Options for your Business" - Vonnie Barnett

"This seminar will explore a variety of funding alternatives, including self-funding, angel funding, venture capital, grants, conventional loans, and special loan programs specifically for small businesses."

How to register:

*Participants will receive one continuing education credit for attending all three sessions. The total cost for all three sessions is $10.00. The sessions will be held at the Vermillion Chamber of Commerce & Development Company conference room, located at 116 Market Street.

For more information & to register for the seminars, please contact Lisa Bryan at lisa.bryan@usd.edu or Steve Howe at steveh@vermillionchamber.com. You may also stop by the Division of Continuing & Distance Education office located at the McKusick Technology Center, room 211 -USD campus.

VERMILLION, SOUTH DAKOTA (July 15, 2010) -The Downtown Vermillion Action Team (DVAT) is having a raffle with chances to win two-$100 gas cards. "$1.00 for a possible $100.00 gas card? Now that can be a great return on your money and a good investment in Vermillion's downtown growth!" said Laura Hollingsworth, Personal Banking Officer at First Dakota National Bank and member of the DVAT. The tickets will sell for one dollar apiece or six for five dollars.

The gas cards to be raffled will be from Downtown Vermillion gas stations. The tickets are being sold by DVAT members and at downtown businesses displaying "Raffle Tickets Sold Here" signs. Presently they are available at Nook 'n Cranny, Scoops, Heart and Soul, and Pressing Matters Printing.

The proceeds from this raffle will support community projects taking place in Downtown Vermillion. In the past five years DVAT projects have included purchasing the banners for Downtown, development of a Downtown website, and collaborations with Tour de Kota, Coyote Bash, Coyoteopoly, Ribs Rods & Rock 'n Roll, Race For the Cure, the food pantry, the Vermillion Chamber and City of Vermillion.

The drawing for the two gas cards will be held by the big tent at the Rib, Rods, and Rock'n Roll event on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 4:15 p.m. You need not be present to win.

For more information about the Downtown Vermillion Action Team, log on the website at downtownvermillion.com and click on the "About us" tab.

· Clay County Historic Preservation Commission
· Vermillion Area Farmer's Market
· PrairieSun Organics
· Tom & Nancy Nelson
· Alexia A. Tracy, Attorney at Law
· Leadership Vermillion
· Lewis & Clark Home Builders Association
· Security National Bank of South Dakota