Business
Spirit of Entrepreneurship Event at IiBC
By Maria Staunton
18, Aug 2008 - 08:35

LEADING BUSINESSMAN TO ADDRESS ENTREPRENEURIAL EVENT AT GMIT IiBC, CASTLEBAR 

Leading entrepreneur businessman John Concannon of JFC Manufacturing Tuam will address this year’s Enterprise Evening hosted by the Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC) at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) Castlebar. 

The event titled “Spirit of Entrepreneurship” takes place in the GMIT Castlebar campus on Thursday 11^th September from 7pm to 9pm.  

Mr Concannon, a 2005 finalist of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year, founded JFC Manufacturing and has expanded the company on an international scale employing over 175 people with branches in Poland, the Netherlands, the UK as well as Tuam, Co. Galway.  

The event will also be addressed by Tommy Griffith of PEL Recycling in Balla, winner of Shell Live Wire Regional Award for Innovation and a finalist in Irish Small Firms Association Awards for Innovation. 

The two speakers will share their experiences of establishing and running their own businesses, including the many challenges and lessons learned along the way. 

Enterprise Ireland will give a presentation on the Innovation Voucher Scheme available to businesses in the west. This voucher can be used in exchange for advice and expertise from any one of a number of third level colleges in the Republic of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. The presentation will followed by a questions and answers session.  

Members of the public are invited to attend the event, which is sponsored by Baxter Healthcare, a world leading healthcare company based in Castlebar. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be provided from 6.30pm. Booking is advisable as places are limited. Register your attendance either by e-mail iibccastlebar@gmit.ie or telephone: 094-9043198 

Maria Staunton, Manager IiBC, says “it will be a unique opportunity to hear at first hand the experiences of people who’ve set up their own businesses and hopefully in turn will inspire more people with innovative ideas to bring them to fruition.“ 

“The Spirit of Entrepreneurship” evening takes place on Thursday, 11^th September from 7pm to 9 pm in GMIT Castlebar.