2019 Summer EditionAPKCFEE NEWSLETTER

N E W S L E T T E RS U M M E R 2 0 1 9 E D I T I O N V O L . 6

Vol. 6

Have an Ice & Chill- APKC Client Mt. Everetts Frozen Creations Creates CBD Infused Italian Ice

Troy Everetts, Wilkes University graduate ’17, went on a trip to Colorado during the winter in 2015 expecting to take in the scenery and spend time with his aunt. He did not expect to leave with the impending inspiration to develop a business. The idea behind Mt. Everetts Frozen Creations all started when Troy took his Colorado trip. “We went to one of the marijuana dispensaries and I was fascinated by it and did not see any frozen products there containing CBD oil,” said Troy Everetts. His father, Al Everetts, has worked in the Italian ice industry for 25 years and owns Josie’s Italian ice in Kingston, Pa., sparking Troy’s observation of the lack of frozen edibles.

When Troy returned from Colorado, he immediately went to his father and insisted that they dip their hands into the world of frozen, edible CBD oil infused products. This inspiration, combined with his participation in his Entrepreneurship senior capstone class at Wilkes in 2017, his father’s experience in the Italian ice industry, and mentorship from the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, resulted in the Everetts’ innovative business plan. CBD oil or cannabidiol is hemp derived. It is directly extracted from the cannabis plant, but it does not contain the psychoactive component, THC, found in marijuana. CBD has also been shown to help patients who

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Photo provided by Troy Everetts

Written by Sarah Matarella

A Letter From the Executive Director

Mentoring the Next Generation

Scholar Spotlights: Ethan Schwartz and Spencer Yacuboski

The Allan P. Kirby Lecture Series with Hollywood Producer Jim Whitaker

Business Development Scholar Visits Finland for UIIN Conference

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Photo courtesy of Wilkes University Marketing

A Letter From the Executive Director

On July 31st, 2019, Wilkes University marked the end of an era as Wilkes President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy departed the University to pursue new professional opportunities. I have had the great fortune to work directly with Leahy during most of his tenure at Wilkes University and I thought it would be good to share some highlights from my perspective on his tenure as 6th president of Wilkes University. I will touch on the tremendous positive impact Leahy had on the new direction and success of the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. I met Dr. Leahy for the first time during his interview for the Wilkes Presidency. At the time, I was the director and associate professor of the Wilkes division of engineering and physics. I was actively looking at how Wilkes University could formally commercialize the groundbreaking work being done by some of our engineering professors. At that time, the university had very limited effort and activity directed toward this. Fortunately, for myself and the

University, Leahy clearly saw the same opportunity that I did and he actually asked me during his interview, “Why doesn’t Wilkes commercialize the great work happening in the engineering labs?” Leahy also stated “If I get the job, we will pursue this together.” I was overjoyed by his perspective and interest as this was the genesis of our current center commercialization efforts which are having a positive impact on the entire NEPA region. In the beginning of our efforts, we pursued commercialization through a variety of collaborative efforts many of which had positive impacts like the ARC funding which was the foundation of the revision of Stark Learning Center. It has since been completely renovated and modernized. While we had some success, we did have a huge challenge, namely a limited ability to proceed in developing the center into a research and technology transfer institution without the proper organizational setup within the university. While examining the best practices of the leading research universities, we concluded that our goal was possible. Leahy had the idea to read the original mission of the center and noticed it was quite similar to the attributes of the independent organization we needed for our efforts. Leahy and Dr. Jeffrey Alves, former center director, convinced me that this was the opportunity we were looking for to bring to life our commercialization aspirations. With the Board’s approval we launched our new APKCFEE activities in July 2014 when Alves retired and I came into his position. Obviously, Dr. Leahy’s fingerprints are interwoven into the fabric of the Center, but I believe his biggest influence was his insistence on two major principles of operation. First, was his commitment to serving our clients “the Wilkes way” by

giving them the benefits of a large research university in the mentoring and nurturing culture of a small liberal arts college. Secondly, his notion that we should be a positive force for economic development in the NEPA region. Based on these principles, we have seen several major accomplishments including in five short years such as the tecBridge Venture Capital Fund, scholars and mentor program, our business incubator, technology transfer community and industry outreach offices, major capital investments, unique strategic partnerships and documented NEPA regional economic impact as seen in our APKCFEE activity reports written by the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development at Wilkes University. There is no doubt that Leahy’s legacy will be enduring. I could write volumes about all the impact that Dr. Leahy has had on the university and the center, the memories we have shared and the lessons I have learned from him. I guess, for me, the most special aspect of all of this is seeing leadership in action. I define that as the unique ability to identify someone’s skill set, identify an opportunity for them to succeed, and then letting them do it with full support. Well done, Pat. I also want to acknowledge that the work and contributions of two other Wilkes University executives who will also be departing this summer: Dr. Anne Skleder, Provost and Dr. Jennifer Edmonds, assistant dean of the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. Both were extremely helpful partners and strong advocates of APKCFEE and we wish them well in their new endeavors. I will mimic Leahy and end this with a quote for him and all who read this. Taken from the great poet Ralph Waldo Emerson:“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Typically, high-powered business professionals are assumed to have expensive college educations. But what we can learn from Jerry Lisman is that hands-on experience and mentorship are the education that money cannot buy. Lisman, born and raised in northeastern Pennsylvania and a high school graduate, started his career in consulting, doing sales and traveling. Ultimately, he ended up back in northeast Pennsylvania. The self-proclaimed “workaholic” has a passion for the area, claiming that the region “is a great place to live and build a business.” Lisman founded and is CEO of Lisman Holdings, a consulting company that specializes in taking products to market. He has acquired many day-to-day responsibilities with this title, yet has still managed to find time in his schedule to help others. When he is not managing Lisman Holdings, Lisman’s schedule is packed with volunteer activities. His volunteer experience encompasses participating in

the Annual Business Plan Competition as In-Kind Committee Chair and Session Advisor at tecBRIDGE, as well as being a key participant in Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc., and working with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bridge. While reflecting on his volunteering experiences positively, Lisman joked that if he was not the CEO of his own company, he would be the CEO of another company. He said that his workaholic nature is credited to his ambition and passion for northeast Pennsylvania region. Along with volunteer work, Lisman also prioritizes his mentorship to students and young entrepreneurs. Lisman says that mentoring is a way for him to share his experiences, “the good and the bad,” and that it is rewarding to see young entrepreneurs utilize and appreciate his mentorship. Due to Lisman’s variety of experience, he possesses extensive knowledge in many different business ventures which he attributes to working for companies where he was able to be involved in many aspects of business development. He stated that his ultimate goal of mentoring is to help promote the opportunities in the region for graduates and young entrepreneurs. Lisman recalled some of the best advice he has received from his own mentors in his journey, which he passes along to his mentees. He said the best advice a past mentor told him was that “the selling begins when the customer says no.” It is this kind of advice that gets passed down through generations of mentoring. In a 2017 episode from tecBRIDGE radio, Lisman also talked about being mentored, and says that his mentors taught him everything he knows about sales. Lisman said that persistence is important in

all aspects of the business, especially in sales. A final piece of advice that Lisman disseminates is that “the devil is in the details.” This advice is not only passed down to his mentees, but are also words that he continues to remind himself every day. Lisman admitted that his attention to detail has been one of many habits that have helped push him forward in his career as it is a key aspect of the industry. Lisman frequents the Wilkes University campus to mentor both clients and students at the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. He also guest lectures in classes at Wilkes University’s Sidhu School of Business. He first got involved in mentoring at the University when a longtime colleague and friend, Rodney Ridley, became the executive director and distinguished professor at the Allan P. Kirby Center. Lisman contacted Ridley about mentoring student entrepreneurs. In 2015, Lisman was awarded the Mentor of the Year Award from the Kirby Center for his outstanding efforts in mentoring at Wilkes University. As a mentor, professionals like Jerry Lisman have spent a lot of time sharing their experiences and guiding others in their personal growth. Lisman also mentioned that mentoring has contributed to his own personal growth along the way as well. “Mentoring has exposed me to new connections and business associates,” said Lisman. Not only has mentoring been a networking opportunity, but it has also allowed him to get involved in academia. Jerry reflected on his experience being mentored and attributes 90 percent of his knowledge to mentorship. He said that the best mentees are open to learning and listening.

Written by Dr. Rodney Ridley

Mentoring the Next Generation

Written by Ashley Abbey

A Profile on APKC Mentor Jerry Lisman

Photo courtesy of Brad Barry

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Continued from Page 1suffer from anxiety, epilepsy, PTSD and inflammation. The opportunity to bring these healing properties to customers was part of the impetus for starting the business. “It’s about the money too. Money is an added thing, but we have a product that will help people and that outweighs the money,” said Troy Everetts. Due to his experience, Al knew how to create the formulation of Italian ice, how to get it to retain the consistency and even how to make and mix colors among several other aspects. It just became a matter of infusing the CBD oil into the Italian ice. In order to learn how to properly execute the process of infusing oil into water, the Everetts wanted to consult experts in the industry. Troy reached out to Dixie Elixirs, a company that specializes in THC-infused edibles. At the time, the company explained that they were not looking for new ideas, but Troy followed up anyway. Troy explained in an email to Dixie Elixirs that he was a college student looking to infuse CBD oil into Italian ice. Dixie Elixirs ended up responding and even set up a meeting with the Everetts in Colorado. The Everetts had 45 minutes to pitch their idea to the company. They brought samples of the famous Josie’s Italian and Dixie Elixirs loved it, but told them that they did not think they would be able to

infuse the oil into the ice since it was never done before. They said to try it out and then call them back. The Everetts went back to Wilkes-Barre and got to work. “We put all of our tools together in the back room of Josie’s in the kitchen,” said Al. With Al’s chemical knowledge, they obtained their trade secret by successfully infusing the CBD oil into the Italian ice and began their journey. The Everetts started taking the next steps to kickstart this project immediately. They sent out their samples for labs to test and continued educating themselves about CBD and any regulations and laws related to it. Troy even presented the idea to Jerry Ephault, executive in residence at the Allan P. Kirby Center who was also the professor for his senior Entrepreneurship capstone class at Wilkes University and Rodney Ridley, the director of the Center. “They actually opened up to the idea pretty well. At the time, no one really knew about CBD...It was still a gray area,” said Troy Everetts. Ephault explained that they knew CBD was not illegal, but they were still unaware of many of its applications. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not have any rules or regulations on CBD yet, however, that has not stopped the Everetts from taking precautionary measures.

Ephault, Ridley, the Kirby Scholars and other Kirby Center staff, have also helped the Everetts continue to grow. “It went from a purely academic relationship to an actual, functional business development,” said Ephault. Ethan Schwartz and Spencer Yakuboski, Kirby Scholars of Engineering at the Kirby Center, worked with the Everetts and Enterprise Systems Partners, Inc. (espi), a management consulting agency, to start building the Everetts’ new facility in Hanover, PA. When finished, it will allow them to start mass producing and shipping their product. “This included assisting in the construction of an ‘AS IS,’ or how the building currently looks, an equipment matrix, which was a spreadsheet that included the fixtures as well as any moveable equipment within the facility, and the ‘TO BE’ which represented how the Everetts envisioned their dream building,” said Schwartz. They assisted the engineers in drawing on AutoCAD, a computer-aided design and drafting software application, taking measurements in the building, curating the overall design and even did some of the actual manufacturing work. “We went through the whole process of how you go from a blank canvas to a manufacturing facility,” said Yacuboski. This was the first time that both scholars got to work with an engineering firm on a project. Therefore, it took some time for Schwartz and Yacuboski to get used to using AutoCAD the way that engineers do. Once they finished the drawings, it took about three weeks for them to get the desired formatting. When asked about their favorite part of working on this project, Schwartz and Yakuboski both said that it was the final meeting between the Kirby Center, the espi consultants, and the Everetts. During this meeting they went over the final design packets created by the lead consultant on this project. Within Design/Drawing Packet were the drawings that Schwartz and Yacuboski made. Schwartz said they each had put nearly 100 hours into creating them. “It was just cool to see it all come together. The final document that we got was this full, bound (packet). I’m not a construction guy, so the final product isn’t

2019-2020KIRBY SCHOLARS BY DEPARTMENT

ACCOUNTINGJivan Sidhu

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTAshley AbbeyMichelle Lehman

COMMUNICATIONSSarah MatarellaCaroline Rickard

COMMUNITY OUTREACHKaitlyn Beaver

DIGITAL DESIGN & MEDIA ARTMadison Kaminski

ENGINEERINGAmrit ChandokEthan SchwartzSpencer Yacuboski

MARKETINGKatie Hestor

SCIENCEJessie Lopez

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTINTERNDevin Lindley

OPERATIONS INTERNPriscilla Rey

the building for me, it’s the submittal,” said Yacuboski. Now construction and redesign is in full throttle and the building in Hanover is set to be ready in the fall of 2019. While the manufacturing facility was being redesigned, the Everetts were also working on the packaging and branding for their product. They added a wrapped spoon underneath the lid and made the lid childproof even though no regulations exist requiring it to remain compliant. They also decided to include a brightly-colored paper wrapping with their logo around the product container to reflect the flavor on the inside. “The packaging took me through hell and back,” said Al Everetts. With the product solidified, the facility underway, and the packaging and branding in place, the Everetts’ are equipped to be leaders in the industry of frozen edibles.

Eventually, the Everetts hope to co-pack with other companies and plan to market to several other states and countries. They have had offers from or been contacted by companies in New York, Arizona, Alaska, California, Florida and Germany among others. “The journey is the most important part of where you’re going,” said Al Everetts. Mt. Everetts Frozen Creations CBD-infused Italian ice is now available in three flavors — lemon, cherry and mango. The product is being sold at the following locations: Josie’s Italian Ice, 115 S. Wyoming Ave., Kingston, and 1510 North Keyser Ave., Scranton.Primal, Pine Mall, 695 Kidder St., Wilkes-Barre.Hazle Drugs, 1 East Broad St., Hazleton.Photo provided by Troy Everetts

Above: Mt. Everetts’ CBD-infused ice for sale at Primal in Wilkes-Barre.

In the fall of 2019, the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship will officially launch on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. The channels will highlight events and projects as well as feature all of the programs and services the center offers. The need for a social media presence has been prioritized,

especially since many of our clients, partners, and Wilkes University affiliates are utilizing social media to elevate their businesses. With that, the center is finally jumping on the bandwagon. Look out for the accounts in the near future and give us a follow, like and share.

APKC Social Media is Coming To A Screen In Front of YouWritten by Caroline Rickard

Photo provided by Madison Kaminski

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The Allan P. Kirby Lecture Series with Hollywood Film Producer Jim Whitaker

Written by Ashley Abbey Hollywood producer and filmmaker Jim Whitaker visited campus to deliver the Allan P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at the end of the spring 2019 semester. Whitaker, president of Whitaker Entertainment and a long-time friend of Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy, spoke with the Wilkes’ president about his career. “The Business of Film: A Conversation with Hollywood Producer and Filmmaker Jim Whitaker” followed a question-and-answer format that focused on Whitaker’s journey as an entrepreneur in the film business. Whitaker’s visit was the latest in the Allan P. Kirby lecture series that brings influential entrepreneurs to campus to inspire students. Past speakers include Steve Forbes, CEO and publisher of Forbes magazine, and Jake Wood, co-founder of Team Rubicon. The University prepared for Whitaker’s visit in the days prior to his arrival by screening one of his famous movies, the Peabody Award-winning documentary Rebirth, at the Karambelas Media Center Viewing Room. Other films produced

What has your favorite project at the Kirby Center been that you have worked on so far? Why? E.S.- My favorite project that I have worked on so far would have to be the Mt. Everetts Production Facility Design because of the sheer complexity and professionalism I experienced throughout its course.

S.Y.- My favorite project so far has been working on the reorganization of the center. I really enjoy looking at the internal organization of running a business. I would really like to be a project manager in an engineering space.

Do you have any hidden talents?E.S.- A talent that one may not know is that I am an amateur bowler.

S.Y.- A hidden talent of mine is participating in competitive mathlete. I have participated in competitions from sixth grade to senior year of high school.

Who is your role model and why? E.S.- My role model is my mom and that is because she is without a doubt the hardest working person I know within my personal life.

S.Y.- I have a number of role models at any given time. It really depends on the time.

What is the most important lesson you have learned thus far?E.S.- The most important lesson I have learned in life thus far is that regardless of what you are going through keep your head up and be nice to the people around you. Pain is truly temporary.

by Whitaker include The Finest Hours, American Gangster, Cinderella Man, Flight Plan, Friday Night Lights and 8 Mile,. On the day of the lecture, Whitaker and Leahy spent the day touring the campus. In the afternoon, he gave a small interactive lecture about Rebirth in the TV Studio in the Karambelas Center. Following the afternoon lecture, Whitaker joined the Kirby Center Board, staff and scholars at the president’s office for a private dinner. At the dinner, Leahy and Whitaker discussed the start of their friendship in college at Georgetown University. The conversation continued in the lecture, where Whitaker and Leahy recalled the tragic death of a classmate in a drunk driving incident that inspired Whitaker to produce a public service announcement (PSA), which focused on the dangers of drunk driving. The PSA flashed between a drunk driver swerving on the road and a young adult holding a gun to his head. In the end of the PSA, the driver swerves off of the road. Before the driver is about to hit a pedestrian, it flashes back to the

young man with the gun who then turns it on a young girl and fires. Whitaker recalled that the PSA was controversial and many networks rejected the graphic commercial. He persisted and it began to be shown. Producing the public service announcement was one of Whitaker’s earliest ventures in producing. Later in his career, Whitaker found inspiration in another tragedy. In 2001, after the Sept. 11 attacks on the Twin Towers, Whitaker knew that the grieving, rebuilding, and rebirth of the World Trade Center needed to be documented. He quit his job as president of motion pictures at Ron Howard’s production company, Imagine Entertainment, and spent a decade documenting the lives of Sept. 11 survivors against the backdrop of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. The result was the documentary Rebirth. Lecture speakers like Jim Whitaker keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive and thriving on the Wilkes University campus. Whitaker brought a glimpse of entrepreneurship possibilities in the film industry to Wilkes students.

Ethan Schwartz and Spencer Yacuboski, Kirby Scholars of Engineering

Scholar Spotlight

S.Y.- Everything ends. I have learned not to worry about the pain that comes with growth. Learning to deal with pain and suffering that comes with evolving as a person. I learned that lesson early through Boy Scouts.

What is something that most people do not know about you or your personality?E.S.- One thing that most people do not know about my personality is that I care about the people close to me more than it seems at face value.

S.Y.- Most people do not know that I am still very involved in my Boy Scout troop, even after I obtained my Eagle Scout.

What is your dream job at this moment in time?E.S.- My dream job at this moment in time is working for an engineering firm in the mechanical design department,

either maintaining equipment or designing new.

S.Y.- To be retired by thirty, and living in Southern North Carolina on the beach. Honestly though, my dream job would be CEO of GulfStream AeroSpace.

What do you like to do in your free time?E.S.- In my free time I like to ride my motorcycle, go bowling, and/or play tennis.

S.Y.- I learn a lot in my free time. The YouTube rabbit hole is a great hit. My videos consist of learning about real estate, and at one point watching physics videos. I also put a lot of time into Boy Scouts.

Dunkin’ or Starbucks?E.S.- Dunkin’S.Y.- Dunkin. I love their hot chocolate.

Above: Jim Whitaker talked with former Wilkes University president, Patrick Leahy, during the lecture.

Photo provided by Knot Just Any Day

Above: Ethan Schwartz, left, and Spencer Yacuboski, right.Photos provided by Ethan Schwartz and Madison Kaminski

SUMMER 2019NEWSLETTER

STAFFEDITOR-IN-CHIEFSarah Matarella

ASSISTANT EDITORCaroline Rickard

DESIGN EDITORMadison Kaminski

MANAGEMENTVicki MaykCharles Pierce

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The Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship was recognized for their 25th Anniversary at the Annual EPIC Awards hosted by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. The Wilkes Barre Chamber of Commerce hosts the EPIC awards to recognize inspiring and influential people and businesses in the Greater Wyoming Valley. This year, the awards took place at Wyoming Seminary on Tuesday, June 11. Awards such as Volunteer of the Year and Innovator of the year were given to the community leaders who have put the Greater Wyoming Valley on the map through their hard work. A cocktail hour preceded the awards program along with a live stream hosted by Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Anthony Melf. Many community leaders mingled and enjoyed the company of colleagues and friends. When everyone took their seat for the program, a large screen appeared and with an intro video. The video showed chamber representatives delivering balloons to each award recipient and played on humor to emulate the feel-good, yet professional atmosphere of the night. The decor reiterated the elite theme with red and gold highlighting the venue. “I was extremely impressed with the layout

and professionalism of all involved,” said Charles Pierce, vice president of the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Four individuals were recognized along with four community organizations. Each award recipient was welcomed to the stage with a pre-recorded video of individuals who were impacted by the honorees’ hard work. Each community organization was welcomed to the stage with a live performance by Abbey Cookus-Gnoinski, Madison Dompkosky and John Toussaint who sang overture for each of the videos respectively. The Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship was among the 2019 community organizations recognized. The center received an award for 25 years of service to the community. Rodney Ridley, director and Charles Peirce, vice president received the award on this EPIC evening. Although it was Pierce’s first time in attendance, Ridley has attended three EPIC award events before, including 2017 when he was named Innovator of the Year. Ridley’s acceptance speech highlighted what the center’s current focus on putting the principles of entrepreneurship and economic development into action beyond textbook theory.

“We are going to be a private institution with a public mission. Our role is to be a small but an effective catalyst in the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Ridley. Over the course of 25 years, the center has also grown to incorporate students into active roles developing the economy in the Wyoming Valley. These students achieve the status of a Kirby Scholar through hard work and dedication at the center. Some of the scholars attended the awards event, affirming their role at the center. “Through the Kirby Center, I was able to begin gaining experience working in my chosen field of photography and digital design early on in my college career,” said Madison Kaminski, Digital Design Scholar at the center. Ridley said he is grateful for the connections the Kirby Center has developed over the years through its “small but mighty” mentality. He thanked, “entrepreneurs, students, faculty members, business owners and community leaders who trust us to help them reach their business goals and try to help mentor them in the commercialization process.” The Allan P. Kirby Center plans to continue to grow the economy in the Greater Wyoming Valley for another 25 years.

Center Recognized for 25 years at Annual EPIC Awards

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the APKC1. The APKC helps bring the business ideas of students, faculty and staff at Wilkes University to life. The APKC has been thoroughly involved with student, staff and faculty clientele and there are several success stories up on our website. If you have an innovative business idea, come to the APKC building and the well-equipped team of scholars and staff will help you kickstart your business plan and facilitate all of the necessary steps for moving forward with your idea.

2. The second floor of the APKC used to be a living space, but is now a fully functioning office. Dr. Jeffrey Alves, former Director of the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship used to live in the upstairs apartment of the APKC. The space was then turned into more office quarters for the scholar program when Dr. Ridley became the director in 2014.

3. The building might be haunted. Throughout the years, many people have experienced sightings of spirits and ghosts in the APKC. Each floor seems to have their respective ghosts. In the attic, there’s a young boy who apparently opens and closes the attic door from time to time. Our office assistant Lorna reported hearing footsteps coming down the stairs while working alone. There also seems to be a young girl occupying the basement as multiple scholars and staff members have reported interacting with her.

4. There’s a hidden restroom under the main staircase. The Harry Potter-esque bathroom under the staircase blends right in with the wall. You can barely tell there’s a door, but inside is a fully functioning restroom, with a Wilkes paper towel dispenser and all.

5. The APKC offers Intellectual Property Training for Scholars and Interns. The director of the cetner, Dr. Rodney Ridley, specializes in intellectual property.

He created the entire IP course from scratch to share his vast knowledge.

6. The APKC always has coffee and chocolate...always. There is an espresso machine and a Keurig in the kitchen on the second floor. The kitchen is also fully stocked with creamers, sugar and K-cups at all times. You can find the chocolate at Lorna’s desk right when you walk into the center which is usually accompanied by some mints or other candy as well.

7. All Kirby buildings have fully spelled out Kirby name.

The buildings that are owned by the members of the Kirby family are always referred to by their full names. This helps differentiate the buildings as there are several other buildings with Kirby in the name in the Wilkes-Barre area such as our center, the F.M. Kirby Center on public square and the Allan P. and Mary Sutherland Kirby Center for Creative Arts at Wyoming Seminary.

8. The APKC Scholar Program started in 2014. The program was designed to provide the top-performing students in various fields of study with hands-

on experience in such fields. It was also designed to facilitate recognition for the scholars’ outstanding work as well as to allow them to form relationships with mentors in their perspective fields to adequately prepare them for the future.

9. The art featured throughout the building highlights the pioneers in entrepreneurship.

The huge paintings in the downstairs conference room on the right hand side of the main entrance display all of the pioneers in business and entrepreneurship.

10. The APKC also works with external clients outside of Wilkes University.

Not only does the APKCFEE work with clients from Wilkes University, but it also works with clients in and beyond the community as well. Be sure to check out our metrics report in the fall to see some of our client success stories.

For more information regarding the APKCFEE, please visit the website at https://www.wilkes.edu/kirby, or refer to the back of this newsletter for necessary contact information.

Photo provided by Madison Kaminski

Written by Sarah Matarella

Written by Ashley Abbey

Above: The Center’s bathroom under the stairs.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: LISA REYNOLDSLisa is a graphic designer, art director and educator. She has spent nearly 20 years working in the Northeast Pennsylvania market. She is an assistant professor of digital design and media art at Wilkes University with a research concentration in Experiential Graphic Design.

What is some advice you could offer scholars as a mentor? For scholars who are truly serious about advancing their chosen field, I think the most important thing is to

figure out the areas of your field that are broken and why.

How is your research prominent? I feel that research in experiential design is extremely important in today’s communication environment. With so many of our every day tasks moving online, we must seek to create more meaningful experiences in real life. That’s not to say we should leave screens behind, but be more thoughtful about how we interact with them we are present.

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Business Development Scholar Attends UIIN Conference in Finland

Written by Sarah Matarella Kirby Scholar of Business Development Ashley Abbey had the distinction of being the only student to participate in a professional role in the University Industry Interaction Network (UIIN) Conference in Helsinki, Finland in June 2019. Abbey, who is a senior marketing and management major at Wilkes University, attended the 7th annual UIIN with Rodney Ridley, director of the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Although there were student interns from Lehigh University who were volunteers that facilitated the conference, she was the only student serving a professional role as an attendee and presenter. It was Ridley’s third time attending the conference and he is known for bringing student scholars to the UIIN. Ridley served as part of the leadership team responsible for putting the entire conference together. Abbey explained that all of Ridley’s colleagues were eager to meet and get to know her. “I felt like a celebrity,” said Abbey. The conference is geared toward industry and university tech transfer offices and incubators. It allows these organizations

to connect with each other and discuss ideas. Universities from all over Europe, Australia, Asia and the U.S. come together every year for the event. “UIIN is designed to give the European perspective on how universities and industry work together,” said Ridley. Ridley explained that, from the first conference he attended that, even from the European perspective, it is clear that the United States is ahead with regard to the crossover between industry and university. The primary differences between Europe and the U.S. have to do with rule of law and culture. The conference goal is to facilitate ideas and give all professionals who attend an opportunity to learn more about the most exceptional practices from the United States so that they can implement them in their institutions in other countries. “The world is shrinking and we have to have an international perspective as we look at how we do what we do. There’s lots of learning to be done. There’s innovative ways to do things, and much of our creativity comes from the challenges that we face...That’s where ideas come from,” said Ridley. Upon arrival at the conference, Abbey

and Ridley received a tour of the Helsinki University business incubator. They also had the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops and presentations throughout the conference. They were co-chaired a track that included a session on university-run business incubators and the inclusion of students in these programs. Track chairs are typically experts in the sessions’ particular field or topic who oversee the session, introduce speakers and facilitate question-and-answer sessions. Ridley also presented with a panel at a workshop about incubators and creating creative spaces. His presentation included information about what the Allan P. Kirby Center does with their incubator and tech transfer office. He also addressed the scholar program, which many colleges across the United States and internationally do not have. Ridley and Abbey both explained that student engagement with tech transfer is quite minimal internationally. Students are involved at the Allan P. Kirby Center through the scholar program. “I realized that for a small center, we do a lot compared to other places around the world, even some of the biggest universities around the world...There’s nothing even close to the scholar program. One student intern who does simpler tasks is considered progressive, and we have 20,” said Abbey. Ridley agreed, stating that the conference positions the center internationally. According to him, the international validation of the concept provides him, other staff members and the scholars with even more opportunities. Through the scholar program, Abbey said that she has learned about the importance of networking. The conference enhanced her networking skills and allowed her to build relationships that she would have never been able to make. “When I found out that I got the opportunity to be mentored by Dr. Ridley and learn networking from him, I was very excited. Networking is one of the most valuable skills in the industry and I have the

Photo provided by Ashley Abbey

Photo provided by Ashley Abbey

chance to learn from some of the best. It also helped that the topics of university and industry interaction is interesting to me as I want to be a professor one day,” said Abbey. While they were in Finland, Ridley and Abbey also enjoyed the sights and experienced the different culture. They visited an aquarium and several museums, took a bus tour of Helsinki, visited a local market, went on a boat ride and many other activities. “Ashley is very organized. Without her, it would not have been fun... I call it ‘Tours by Ashley.’ We must have visited six museums in two hours. It turned out to be a lot of fun. She conquered Finland,” said Ridley.

Abbey specifically recounted going to a public sauna, which was a completely different than any other social setting she has experienced in the United States. She also noted that the sun set around midnight and rose around 3:30 a.m. and that there is a seven-hour time difference between Finland and Pennsylvania. Abbey and Ridley highly recommended that other scholars and students should take advantage of these opportunities if they are offered. Ridley stressed that it will give people a unique perspective that you cannot get by just talking about what is happening internationally.

New Kirby Scholars and Interns - 2019

Katie Hestor

Above: Ashley Abbey at the Finland Parlairment House.

Above: Andrew Potter, Ashley Abbey, Heloise Ridley and Dr Ridley at Suomenlinna Fortress Island.

Devin Lindley Sarah Matarella Caroline Rickard Jivan Sidhu

UPCOMINGCOMMUNITY

EVENTSTECBRIDGE INNOVATION CONFERENCE8/15-8/16- Hilton Conference CenterScranton, PA

CREATIVE MEETUP PRESENTED BY COAL CREATIVE AND WB CONNECT8/21- W-B T.H.I.N.K. CenterWilkes-Barre, PA

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AWARDS9/10 - 900 Rutter AveForty Fort, PA

THE FBA PRESENTS: WHO IS YOUR WEAKEST LINK? IT SECURITY 9/25 - Penn State ScrantonDunmore, PA

APKC MENTOR BREAKFAST10/17 - Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA

VETERANS RECOGNITION BREAKFAST11/11- Genetti’s HotelWilkes-Barre, PA

2019 Summer EditionAPKCFEE NEWSLETTER Vol. 6

12

Contact UsRODNEY S. RIDLEY SR., PH.D.Executive Director, Distinguished Professor(570) 408-4592rodney.ridley@wilkes.edu

CHARLES J. PIERCEAssistant Director, Adjunct Professor(570) 408-3804charles.pierce@wilkes.edu

GERALD A. EPHAULTExecutive In Residence, Adjunct Professor(570) 408-4590gerald.ephault@wilkes.edu

LORNA M. GALLIFORDOffice Assistant(570) 408-4590lorna.galliford@wilkes.edu

(570) 408-4590 • apkcfee@wilkes.edu

Q: What are the unique services offered at the Center?A: The Center offers an array of different services in accounting, business development, engineering, communications, marketing and science, that can be found on our website, wilkes.edu/kirby. I am excited to announce that in Fall 2019 we will be offering new services like social media training, branding portfolios, and website development!

Q: What is the first step in starting a business?A: Validate the concept! I always tell all my clients that it the first step in starting a business is researching the concept and conducting a feasibility analysis. A feasibility

analysis is a test of the product’s or service’s likelihood to survive, based on financial, marketing, operational and technical components.Validating the concept will save the entrepreneur time, money and energy.

Q: Do I need to have a background in business or management?A: NO! The majority of our clients have no background in business or management, but they use their experience in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) or other industry sectors to discover gaps in the market and create innovations. Any person, anywhere, with any background can be an entrepreneur - that is the beauty of the career.

An FAQ for the Clients of the APKCFEEMichelle Lehman, a graduate assistant and Kirby Scholar of Marketing, answered a few of the Allan P. Kirby Center’s commonly asked client questions. Lehman has been a scholar at the Center since 2016, and has worked with a multitude of clients in that time span. These are a few of the questions she has encountered from clients over the past three years.

Q: What is the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship?A: The Allan P. Kirby Center is an economic development center that fosters entrepreneurship through business development, education and community outreach.

Q: What can the Center do for entrepreneurs?A: The Center can transform an entrepreneur’s epiphany into a reality. We take entrepreneurs through a structured step-by-step process that provides them with the tools and support to develop, advance and launch their venture.

The Allan P. Kirby Center For Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship65 West South StreetWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18766 Visit Wilkes.edu/Kirby For More Information