The Entrepreneurship Advisory Board

Purpose

The Entrepreneurship Advisory Board (EAB) at Marietta College consists of an external group of professionals with a diverse range of knowledge, skills, and abilities that guide the Director of Entrepreneurship Program (Director) in creating and maintaining timely and relevant curricular and co-curricular programs that aim to accelerate entrepreneurship education at Marietta College and encourage the development of an entrepreneurial mindset among all students.

Guidance and Feedback

EAB provides guidance and feedback on:

Curriculum. Relevancy and quality of the academic Major, Minor, and Certificate in Entrepreneurship
Co-curricular. Relevancy and quality of co-curricular initiatives such as PioPitch program, PioBiz Competition, and the BIG Workshop.
Direction. The strategic direction of the Entrepreneurship Program

Assistance and Support

EAB assists and supports the Entrepreneurship Program by:

Funding Sources. Identifying funding sources for various entrepreneurship initiatives
Financial Contribution. Personally making a financial contribution of at least $250 toward the Entrepreneurship Program and/or engaging in fundraising activities
Role. Personally serving as judges, mentors, and guest speakers for entrepreneurship initiatives and/or recruiting other individuals to fulfill those roles

Promotes and Advocates

EAB promotes and advocates the Entrepreneurship Program by:

Visibility. Actively aiming to increase the visibility of the Entrepreneurship Program on and off-campus
Networks. Using personal and professional networks and contacts to publicize the program
Opportunities. Identifying and suggesting opportunities for students to enrich their education through internships, service-learning opportunities, shadowing, and other practical work experiences

Advisory Board Membership

Membership

EAB membership shall consist of the Director and 6 to 15 external members made up of individuals who have an interest in fostering the growth of entrepreneurship. In addition, each year a current or recent graduate of Marietta College will serve on the EAB for one year without financial contribution.

Internal Stakeholders

Internal stakeholders shall be invited to participate in advisory board meetings such as the President of the College, the Vice Presidents, the Provost, the Associate Provosts, the Dean of McDonough Center for Leadership and Business and the Grants, Corporate & Foundation Gift Officer.

Compensation

The membership in EAB is voluntary and uncompensated

Terms

The members of the EAB shall be elected to a three-year term. Advisory board members can serve up to two consecutive terms after which an advisory board member must be off for at least one year before consideration as a future member.

Appointment

New members will be appointed by the Director in consultation with the existing members of the EAB as terms expire. Nominations will be accepted

Meetings

EAB meets at least twice a year in-person or virtually.

Special Meetings

Special Meetings may be called by the Chairperson or the Director of the EAB

Voting Rule

Any action that requires the approval of EAB is determined by a simple majority vote of the members who are present at the meeting.

Communication

The Director shall be in contact with the EAB members electronically, periodically bringing questions to their attention and seeking their advice or requesting their assistance in certain areas.

Officers

Board Officers.

The EAB shall consist of three officers: the Chair, the Vice Chair, and the Secretary. The three officers constitute the executive committee.

Terms

The Chair and Vice Chair will be elected to a one-year term. The Chair and Vice Chair cannot serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position. The Secretary may serve indefinitely.

Board Chair

The Chair of the Advisory Board will be appointed by the Director. The chair shall be responsible for

Agendas. Prepare meeting agendas
Meetings. Preside over all meetings unless otherwise delegated, or in his/her absence the chair shall arrange for other members to preside at each meeting.
Committees. Appoint standing committees and subcommittees, and delegate tasks and follow-up work

Vice-Chair

The Vice-Chair is appointed by the director in consultation with the board chair. The Vice-Chair serves as the board chair in the absence of the Board Chair

Secretary

The Secretary is appointed by the Director in consultation with the board chair. The Secretary, with the assistance of the Director, shall be responsible for:

Records. Keeping records of the EAB actions, including overseeing the taking of minutes at all Advisory Board meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each Advisory Board member, and assuring that corporate records are maintained.

2022-23 Members: Allison Barnes (Honorary Member, Term Ends 2022-23)

Allison Barnes is a Marietta College student, graduating in December 2022 with a Bachelor's of Entrepreneurship and Leadership. They are the owner and artist of Art on the Move, a traveling art studio that encourages artmaking among creative adults through educating, supporting, and lowering the barrier of entry into art. Art on the Move was the winner of the PioBiz Entrepreneurship competition in December 2021 and opened for business shortly after. They currently teach painting classes to individuals who are recovering from addiction and plan to partner with more organizations to expand their services.

Michael Bond (Second Term Ends 2024-25)

Michael Bond is the founder of Spoken, a Marietta-based app startup that develops technology to help people with speech disorders. He’s spent over a decade working in design and tech, with multiple startups as well as brands like Harley-Davidson, John Deere, McDonald's, and BMW.

Kristin Meeks (First Term Ends 2023-24)

Kristin Meeks is a 2004 graduate of Marietta College with a BA in Marketing and a 2007 graduate of West Virginia University with a master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. She has taught small business entrepreneurship, marketing, and communication courses since 2005 at the graduate and undergraduate levels at Marietta College, West Virginia University, Washington State Community College, and WVU-Parkersburg. Meeks is the owner and founder of WV Social Media a niche marketing firm based out of the Parkersburg, WV area. She is actively involved in the area Chamber of Commerce, sits on the downtown PKB Board of Directors, and is a past president of the Belpre Chamber of Commerce. She was also a part of the 2015 class for Generation Next 40 under 40 by the West Virginia State Journal. Meeks is an active 4-H volunteer. She resides in Williamstown, West Virginia, with her husband and daughter.

Wendy Keenan Myers (Chair in 2022-23, Second Term Ends 2022-23)

Ms. Myers is a 1992 graduate of Marietta College and graduated in 1996 and 1997 from Marshall University with master's degrees in English and Business Administration. She has taught courses in writing, business, and leadership at WVU-Parkersburg, Marshall University, and Marietta College. She is the founder and owner of Mitcham Group Apartments and Superior Rent-to-Own. She volunteers time with her church and the Fountain Foundation, a non-profit that aims to improve playgrounds in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Jared Perry (Vice-Chair in 2022-23, Second Term Ends 2024-25)

Jared is a 2008 graduate of Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and serves as the Director of Operations for Sixmo Architects & Engineers. He is an avid entrepreneur with investments and co-founder roles in software/tech, real estate development, and others. One such venture is a co-founder role in IncSwell, a micropolitan-based collaborative workspace and business incubator that has its roots in Marietta, Ohio. Additionally, Jared sits on the Finance & Executive Boards for First Baptist Church of Williamstown and is an active participant in the economic planning and redevelopment of downtown Marietta, Ohio.

Chris Pfeiffer (First Term Ends 2024-25)

Chris Pfeiffer is the COO of Danser, Inc., a custom metal fabrication and installation contractor based in Parkersburg, WV. He is also the founder and president of Sourdough LLC, a business consulting and marketing company focused on helping entrepreneurs in the relentless pursuit of opportunity, as well as the owner of The Bread Garage, a micro-artisan bakery. In addition to growing several small businesses, Chris has years of executive leadership experience in the manufacturing and construction industries, is known for his energetic approach to leadership as he drives results through continuous improvement and employee development. Chris is a strong community advocate and has a passion for creating employment opportunities in Appalachia. He is a 1995 graduate of Walsh University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature.

Tres Ross (Second Term Ends 2022-23)

Mr. Ross plays several roles within the nonprofit arena. He is Executive Director of The Ross Foundation, a family foundation located in Parkersburg, West Virginia, serving Wood, Ritchie, Doddridge, Pleasants, and Jackson counties. The foundation funds projects with a primary emphasis in the fields of Education and Community Development. The foundation also supports some initiatives in the fields of Animals, Arts, and Disabilities. Tres serves as a member of Philanthropy WV’s Board of Directors and West Virginia Nonprofit Association’s (WVNPA) Advisory Board. He also plays an active role with several of the nonprofits within his service area, including DowntownPKB, an ON TRAC program, and Nonprofits LEAD, a nonprofit capacity-building program. His previous employment was in the Internet/Database Development arena at Simonton Windows. He has a BA in Management with a minor in Economics from Marietta College and an MBA from West Virginia University.

Leah Seaman (First Term Ends 2024-25)

Leah Seaman is the owner and founder of ArtaBella LLC and is a recent graduate of Marietta College with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Studio Art. In 2020, Leah competed in and won the Pio Biz Entrepreneurship Competition and soon after established her practice as a professional artist. She now works in West Virginia as a full-time studio artist, live event painter, muralist, and illustrator. Her work as a muralist has partnered her with city governments, small businesses, local schools, and non-profits to bring their artistic vision to life. As a live event painter, Leah has also begun traveling around the United States to work with couples in painting their wedding day on canvas. She is currently looking to move her practice to Columbus, Ohio over the next few months and hopes to expand her network into the Ohio small business and artistic communities as well.

Jeremy Turner (First Term Ends 2023-24)

Jeremy Turner is the Founder and Managing Director of EPIC Mission, a Huntington-based coaching and consulting firm that exists to help build and restore thriving, resilient, hope-filled communities across Appalachia and beyond by providing strategy, sustainable innovation, and capacity building services to community change agents across the United States. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, Turner holds a BA in Psychology from Marshall University and an MBA with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. Jeremy is a DISC-Certified Behavioral Consultant and holds additional certifications in LEAN Stack, GrowthWheel, and InBIA’s Entrepreneurship Center Management program. Jeremy is a sought-after coach, consultant, speaker, and trainer, and he has worked with many organizations on topics related to developing leaders at all levels, building healthy organizational cultures, and launching, scaling, and sustaining for-profit and nonprofit ventures. In addition to his work with EPIC Mission, Jeremy is an Executive-in-Residence and an adjunct entrepreneurship instructor at the Brad D. Smith Undergraduate School of Business within the Lewis College of Business at Marshall University, and he has served as a Business Coach and Faculty member for the West Virginia Governor's School of Entrepreneurship since the school’s inception in 2016. Jeremy is also the Co-Founder of Huntington’s first coworking space, CoWorks, and Jewel City Jumpstart, a 12-week program where entrepreneurship students at Marshall design and launch new ventures with a goal to pitch to local angel investors for funding to fuel their passions. His personal mantra is to serve others and those who serve others, and Jeremy looks forward to learning how he and EPIC Mission may be of service to you and those you know.

Mike Workman (First Term Ends 2024-25)

Mike Workman is the founder of Contraxx Furniture, co-founder of the Morgan Community Fund, and past director of the Morgan Community Improvement Corp. He is an entrepreneur at heart and loves to help others find their way through business start-ups and give back to their local communities.

“Entrepreneurs are curious, creative, and compassionate people,” Mike says, “I enjoy listening to their towering ideas and helping make their dreams come true!”