Interview with Business Alliance President Kevin Antler, Chief Operating Officer, KnowledgeBank

Why did you join the Business Alliance?

When my business partners and I launched our company more than four years ago, I was looking for opportunities to connect with business, academic and community leaders outside of my other networking and volunteer activities.  I also knew that I wanted to get more involved with George Mason as I am an alumnus (BA, Communication, 1990).  The Business Alliance was a great way for me to expand my network, give something back to the university and have fun, which is something we have a lot of!

How did you get involved?

Initially, I volunteered with the Bootcamp for Growing Companies and Entrepreneurs, a program that we developed in response to feedback we received from young companies working with our volunteer members running the Grubstake Breakfast program.  This annual program has evolved into one of the premier events in the Greater Washington region for emerging growth companies and entrepreneurs on topics that include venture capital/private equity, sales, marketing, business operations and growth management.  As we approach our 5th annual event in February of 2008, the goal of this program continues to be to help entrepreneurs and small organizations take a business concept or a new business to the next level.  In addition to the Bootcamp, I participated in the Grubstake coaching process, the SmartTalk breakfast and, of course, the golf tournament!

Have you been on campus recently?

I have been on campus frequently since I became involved with the Business Alliance.  We hold our Board meetings in Mason Hall, and I have taken the opportunity to wander around campus and am amazed at how the university has transformed since I was an undergraduate in the mid-to-late 80s.  When I attended Mason, SUB II was the newest building, the Patriot Center opened, and we had a fraction of the on-campus housing that exists today.  Of course, I made excuses to get to campus last year during the men’s basketball team’s amazing run to the Final Four.  For old timers like me, being able to enjoy the energy, enthusiasm and passion for the university (not to mention the national exposure and recognition) was great fun!

How do you feel about your role as President of the Business Alliance for 2007-08?

I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as President this year.  The Business Alliance will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2008, and from its beginnings of supporting entrepreneurship activities at Mason, it has grown to provide numerous business – academic partnership activities university-wide for organizations of all sizes.  Over the course of the last several years, we have re-branded and expanded our programs beyond Grubstake and Bootcamp to include our SmartTalk Breakfasts and SmartConnect mixers, launched our China FastTrack Forum, and On November 2nd, we will be providing an opportunity for local business leaders to see the latest research and learn of tech transfer opportunities from institutions throughout the Commonwealth, all in one room for the first time—at our VA Innovations event. It is a great time to be working with dozens of extremely dedicated volunteers, without whom the Business Alliance would not be the quality organization it is.

What are your priorities for the coming year?

My priorities this year are simple, but by no means easy to achieve.  My focus will be on expanding our membership base, solidifying our 2007/2008 annual event calendar this summer and planning and delivering the highest quality events possible, and looking for additional opportunities to provide business – academic partnership activities that go beyond the programs we already deliver.  George Mason University has the largest enrollment of any school in the Commonwealth, and with a growing reputation as a research and entrepreneurial focused university, I am confident that many opportunities exist to expand our reach into the Greater Washington, DC business community.

Any thoughts in closing?

We have set the bar high this year, and hope to introduce the Business Alliance to a whole new group of people and organizations who have not heard of who we are and what we do.  We are poised to deliver great programs and networking opportunities for our members, and I couldn’t be more excited and honored to lead our efforts this year.  The Business Alliance is a volunteer, membership-driven organization, and despite a very hardworking and committed staff in Judy Costello, Rachel Lubar and Samantha Kaizen (without whom none of the programs listed above would ever happen!), we cannot accomplish our mission without people willing to step in and help us achieve our goals.  I hope to see many new and familiar faces at our events this year – please join us!