Riverside, CA – The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at Cal State San Bernardino announces the opening of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards ticketing on, Saturday, September 1st. The Spirit Gala will be held at the Riverside Convention Center on November 15th, 2018. Top innovators from the Inland Empire will compete to win awards ranging from nine entrepreneurial categories, each honoring the leadership, determination, teamwork, community involvement and risks taken to build successful entrepreneurial companies. Selecting finalists and award recipients from a vast field of over 200 nominees, is an independent panel of judges consisting of past Spirit Award recipients. Finalists to be announced September 27, 2018.

Dr. Mike Stull, Founder & Producer of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards, said, "Each year I am continually reminded of how many inspiring and successful entrepreneurs we have in Inland Southern California. From small and emerging companies, to impressive innovators and unique manufacturing firms, this region is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity! As we present our 16th event, I hope you will join us for an evening that celebrates how entrepreneurs “expect the unexpected” and turn dreams into reality! ”

Ticketing

Attendees can book tickets online with direct seat selection for the 2018 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards gala event at http://www.spiritawardsie.com. Ticket prices for the black-tie event range from $135 to $175 each. Full-table discounts are available.

Spirit Awards Event Features

Commencing at 5:00 p.m. on November 15th, attendees will experience either a Gala or VIP reception, 3-course dinner, stellar event entertainment, awards presentations, and for select parties, an exclusive after party!

The “Best of the Best” award. Sponsored by Best, Best & Krieger, LLP
The top entrepreneur from among the evenings’ award recipients that best exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit will take home the 2018 Best of the Best award.

Witness 90-second business pitches from competing student finalists. Audience members cast their votes for the best business idea through a live voting poll to determine which students will walk away with the top cash prizes.

Entertainment
Upcoming entertainment guest stars are always an anticipated reveal during the gala. Past events have included top flight entertainment such as: Rock Legend Eddie Money, Ekenah Claudin-Transcending Box, and Gregory Adamson- Facing the Music Performance Artistry.

VIP Reception Sponsored by City National Bank an RBC Company
Treat yourself to a luxurious experience only available to VIP ticket holders. The 2018 Spirit VIP Experience includes access to the exclusive pre-show VIP reception with hosted bar, hors d'oeuvres, entertainment, and preferred access to showroom seating for the gala presentation as well as top section seating for the main event while you enjoy specialty selected cuisine for your 3-course dining experience.

All proceeds from the Spirit of the Entrepreneur event benefit the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Scholarship established by Dr. Mike Stull, Director of Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at California State University, San Bernardino. The scholarship is awarded to vetted and deserving entrepreneurship students in order to assist them in achieving their degree.

• EVENT SPONSORS

  The Spirit of the Entrepreneur event is presented by the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) and the Jack H. Brown College of Business & Public Administration at California State University San Bernardino and sponsored by a wide range of local organizations including:

• PLATINUM SPONSORS – Best Best & Krieger LLP, Vistage, Southern California News Group, Bank of America, and Inland Empire Magazine
• GOLD SPONSORS – San Bernardino County EDA, Pacific Premier Bank, City of Riverside, US Bank, Wilson Ivanova CPAs, Wells Fargo, Altek Media Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Riverside County EDA
• SILVER SPONSORS – Varner & Brandt LLP, UPS, CDC Small Business Finance, The Community Foundation, SmartSyt, and City of Ontario
• JUDGING RECEPTION SPONSOR – Roorda, Piquet & Bessee, Inc.
• VIP RECEPTION SPONSOR - City National Bank, An RBC Company
• AFTER PARTY SPONSOR – Leadership Dimensions, Inc.

More information about sponsorship & volunteer opportunities please contact Mike Stull (909) 537-3708 or via email mstull@csusb.edu.

About the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE)

Established in 1999, The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) is the result of several years of planning, curriculum development, and partnership building by members of the faculty and administration in the College of Business and Public Administration. IECE was established with initial funding from the University and a matching-funds grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. At IECE, our mission is to advance the study and practice of entrepreneurship at the University and in the business community. IECE seeks to instill the entrepreneurial spirit in students by providing them with the practical skills, experience, and preparation to take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities in a wide variety of environments – from emerging business to larger corporations. Most recently, IECE was recognized internationally by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and received the Entrepreneurship Spotlight Challenge award for demonstrating leadership in creating (and incubating) cutting-edge business innovations through enriched student learning and experiential education; which ranked them among the top 35 entrepreneurship programs globally. California State University, San Bernardino, with an enrollment of more than 16,000, is one of 23 campuses in the California State University, the largest higher education system in the country. Cal State San Bernardino is the sole public, comprehensive, regional university serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties, one of the fastest growing regions in California.