FastTrac Graduates Honored At Baylor Ceremony

by Alan Hunt

Ten graduates of the fall 2002 FastTrac New Venture program received their diplomas Thursday, Dec. 5, at a graduation ceremony held at Baylor's Hankamer School of Business.
The graduates include: DeAnn Beckendorf, Needmore Dairy Products; Nancy Brannon, My Home & Office Inventory Service; Gerald W. Bridger, Rosco's Something Original; Amy Kress, Amy's Party Boxes; Patrick Lynch, Data Vault; Louise Sawyer, Martin & Brothers Publishers; Judy and Rich Steward, JC's Designs; Theresa Strain, The Smart Start; and Kenneth Tyler, Eunique Productions.
Keynote speaker for the program was Linda M. Ramirez, director of the McLennan Community College Small Business Development Center. Other speakers included Jack Stewart, president of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Terry Maness, dean of the Hankamer School of Business; Dr. Elisabeth J. Teal, assistant professor of management; Mary Abrahams, FastTrac program coordinator; and J. David Allen, director of the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship at Baylor.
An alumni/graduate reception was sponsored by the John F. Baugh Center and several FastTrac alumni, including Max Kees of the Kee Corp. Inc.; Bob Lee of Vanguard Property Management Services, L.L.C.; Bruce Harrell of Harrell Residential GMAC Real Estate; Joe Chatham of Trautschold Millwork Co. Inc.; Joel Schwartz of TexSUNSense Solar/Wind Energy Systems; Sally Dickenson of Morrison's Gifts; and Mona Dunkin of Solution Principles.
A national program, FastTrac is co-sponsored by the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship, the City of Waco, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and The Waco Foundation, in cooperation with McLennan Community College, Small Business Development Center/Business Resource Center, Texas State Technical College and the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Applications for the spring semester FastTrac program are now being accepted. For more information, call (254) 710-4157 or (254) 710-4159.