Entrepreneur to speak

IU alumnus and co-founder of Broadcast.com, Todd Wagner, is set to be the keynote speaker at today's third annual Entrepreneur Day at the Kelley School of Business. Wagner's speech is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the Graduate and Executive Education Center Room 3059.\nThe Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Young Entrepreneur's Association started the event in order to create networking between the academic community and successful entrepreneurs as well as to provide the chance to discuss the current issues that affect on-the-rise businesses.\nWagner graduated from IU with a business degree in 1983. Along with IU graduate and Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, Wagner founded Broadcast.com, a Web destination for multimedia programming. In 1999, Wagner and Cuban sold the Web site to Yahoo! for $5.7 billion.\nWhile some view entrepreneurship as simply being in the right place at the right time, Joe Denekamp, faculty adviser for the Young Entrepreneur's Association, said a lot can be learned about the strategy and management of business from entrepreneurs like Wagner.\n"(Entrepreneurship) is not as random as people think," Denekamp said. "There's plenty to learn about when to get into a particular business and when to get out while you're still on top."\nAfter selling Broadcast.com, Wagner established 2929 Entertainment, a parent company of Rysher Entertainment, which owns the distribution rights to shows like "Sex and the City" and "Star Search." \nFor budding entrepreneurs, Wagner's story is a dream come true. But Sue Artmeier, the assistant director of the Johnson Center, said it will be good for students to hear firsthand about the struggles and downsides of the business world. \n"Being an entrepreneur is an exciting life, but it's not always a glamorous one," Artmeier said. "Students need to hear about the ups and downs that can come with dreaming the big dream."\nAlong with his success as a businessman, Wagner has also distinguished himself as a generous philanthropist. After selling Broadcast.com, he turned down the position as chief operating officer at Yahoo! in order to devote his attention to the Todd R. Wagner Foundation, which seeks to help at-risk children and inner city entrepreneurs.\nIn addition to lessons in entrepreneurship, Johnson Center Director Betsy Gatewood said she hopes students take notice of Wagner's accomplishments as a philanthropist. \n"It's important for students to recognize that they can start their own successful business," Gatewood said. "But through (Wagner's) generosity I hope they also understand that they have the ability to help out the community." \nFollowing Wagner's lecture will be presentations from Steve Bryant, the vice president of the Indiana Health Industry Forum, who will share his thoughts about the current status of Life Sciences initiatives. Also leading a discussion today about the present state of information technology will be Thomas Miller from Thomas P. Miller and Associates. Question and answer sessions will follow the presentations, and networking opportunities will be available.\nThis afternoon's lectures are expected to last until 4:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. For an RSVP, register online at jeci@indiana.edu or call 855-4248.