Charles Hull and Clint Runge
Archrival Inc.
Lincoln, NE

Today Archrival claims such clients as Microsoft, Gallup, Goodyear, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, Hormel Foods, and other prominent national companies. Charles and Clint are both 1997 graduates of UNL who first came to the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship in their senior year in college with their idea, which was to start a business based on the design and marketing skills they acquired in architecture and advertising school. Charles and Clint had no prior business experience, but presented their business plan for their company idea at the International Business Plan Competition in 1996 and won 3rd place. From startup in 1997 to 2003, Archrival has grown to a staff of 20, has won international acclaim for creative and design excellence, and has been recently recognized as one the top 60 design firms in the United States. The 2002 winner of the Walter Scott Award for Entrepreneurial Achievement, Archrival is a yearly contributor to the Heartland Business Conference.

http://www.archrival.com

Burtch Maruflu
Xodiac Technologies
Lincoln, NE

The case of Burtch Maruflu, originally from Turkey, is a perfect example of combining academic knowledge with real world experience. Burtch is currently a student at UNL and wants to get a Ph.D. in "product development," a new area of study in business schools. At the age of 28, he has 11 years of managerial level working experience in companies like Pepsi-Cola and Senior Technologies.

From the beginning, he has worked and studied at the same time. "If you are studying medicine, you develop the most critical skills in the clinic or if you are studying chemistry, you have to see the reactions in the lab," Burtch said. "If you are studying business, your lab is the real business real world." Burtch took his experience to the next level when he started Xodiac Technologies last year at the University of Nebraska Technology Par. The new company is better known by its popular product, the iCATCH Indoor Advertising System, and currently employs 11 people.

Burtch actively participated in activities of the Center for Entrepreneurship, where he also met his wife, Belma.

Mike Van Buskirk
Vice President for Marketing
Gallup, Inc.
China

Mike started on the entrepreneurial track at the early age of eight when he established a neighborhood lawn-mowing business in his hometown of Sidney, Nebraska. By the age of eleven, he had expanded this successful enterprise and was able to hire other boys, who he supervised to get the work done. By the time he reached high school, his natural business instincts were clearly apparent. His business teacher encouraged him to apply for a scholarship from the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship -- he did; he got it; and he was on his way.

While at the Center, Mike was an active participant in the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) program, competing as a member of the UNL SIFE team in each of his four years. In every year, Mike's team won the regional competition and ranked highly in the National standings. Mike also practiced his leadership business skills by helping set up entrepreneurship programs for students in Nebraska high schools -- experience he still values today.

After college, Mike started his own export/import business, which, not surprisingly, was very successful. So much so, in fact, it caught the attention of the CEO of The Gallup Organization, who recruited Mike to come to work for him. Today, Mike is the Gallup Organization's Vice President for Marketing in China and designs market surveys for clients such as Xerox, Motorola, Caterpillar, and other industry leaders.

Amy Williams
Certified Public Accountant
Deloitte and Touche
Omaha

As a high school student in York, Nebraska, Amy's good academic skills -- and an expressed interest in starting her own business someday -- led the York Chamber of Commerce to proved scholarship funds to help her attend UNL and work with the Center for Entrepreneurship. Amy reports that the Center not only prepared her to fulfill her dream of someday having her own business, but significantly increased her opportunity for success in whatever business arena she chooses.

Amy also participated in the SIFE competitions and traveled with the organization to various locations throughout the U.S. and the world. Those travel and competition experiences helped Amy both broaden her horizons and become more confident with her business skills and abilities -- two valuable resources from which she will continue to benefit throughout her career.

Lisa Leemans
Director of Strategic Sourcing
MANCO
Ohio

In order to improve her potential to advance professionally, Lisa left a secure job at Goodyear to return to school to study business administration at UNL. When she became familiar with the programs and people in the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship, she knew she had met kindred spirits.

Despite the fact that she was older than many of her peers, Lisa became an active member of the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team which enabled her to travel to competitions in a number of different cities. In addition to building her teamwork and organizational skills, Lisa was a definite asset to the SIFE teams. In each year that she participated, her team won their regional division and ranked highly in the national competitions. Lisa also helped organize and conduct the University's Annual Conference on Productivity and Entrepreneurship, which is attended by more than 400 students and business leaders from throughout the U.S.

Following her study at UNL, she accepted a position as Logistics Analyst at MANCO, a company in Ohio that produces duct tape and other building products. Since joining MANCO, she has advanced to a position of more responsibility as Director of Strategic Sourcing.