CED Accepting Nominations For Companies To Watch Awards Program

CED, formerly the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (www.cednc.org), a private, nonprofit organization that promotes entrepreneurial efforts in the Triangle region of North Carolina, has announced a partnership with the Edward Lowe Foundation to bring a unique awards program, Companies to Watch, to North Carolina. North Carolina Companies to Watch recognizes second-stage companies that are innovative in thinking and demonstrate a high performance within their industry. CED will host the awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 23 at the Raleigh Marriott City Center, located at 500 Fayetteville Street in Raleigh.

CED has received statewide support from a number of partner organizations, including Business Innovation and Growth Council (BIG), the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA), the North Carolina Rural Center, the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC), the North Carolina Department of Commerce with corporate support from Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

For information about eligibility and nomination, please visit the CED Companies to Watch page (www.cednc.org/ctw).

QUOTES:
"Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton has long been known for its work on behalf of entrepreneurs in North Carolina, so partnering with CED for this event is a natural fit," said Don Reynolds, partner and leader of the Capital Markets/Mergers and Acquisitions practices at Wyrick Robbins. "Our work with second stage entrepreneurs is extensive, and we look forward to celebrating this year’s nominees."

NEW MEDIA CONTENT:
CED blog
http://cednc.wordpress.com

CED Twitter page
http://twitter.com/CEDNC

DETAILS:
- Nominations began on March 1, and the deadline to nominate a company is Monday, April 26. Companies may apply directly without being nominated. All companies vying for this award must submit an application by Monday, May 10.

- Please contact Lilith Anderson, associate director of development at CED, by e-mail at landerson@cednc.org or by calling (919) 226-0468 with any questions.

ABOUT CED:
CED (formerly The Council for Entrepreneurial Development) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1984 to identify, enable and promote high-growth, high-impact companies and accelerate the region’s entrepreneurial culture. Headquartered in the Research Triangle Park, CED is the oldest and largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 5,500 active members. CED provides know-how, networking, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, programs and Web-based resources. CED has helped entrepreneurs, investors, service partners, researchers and public policy makers in diverse emerging industries and at all stages of development – from high-tech, production-based organizations to service companies, from one-person start-ups to 1,000-person businesses. Visit www.cednc.org for more information.

ABOUT THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION:
The Edward Lowe Foundation inspired the creation of the Companies to Watch program to celebrate second-stage entrepreneurs and their companies. Established in 1985, the Edward Lowe Foundation is a Michigan-based nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through recognition, education and research with a focus on second-stage companies—those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. The foundation also encourages economic gardening, an entrepreneur-centered strategy providing balance to the traditional approach of business recruitment.

Jake Potter
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
jake@mmipublicrelations.com
http://twitter.com/MMIPR
www.mmipublicrelations.com

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