Casey Barach Named to the Board of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Kentucky

09.28.2009 – (Covington, KY) – The Northern Kentucky ezone, a division of Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED), announced today that Casey Barach, VP of entrepreneurship at the Northern Kentucky ezone, has been named to the Board of Directors of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Kentucky (EF Kentucky).

EF Kentucky, a non-profit organization, was established earlier this year to engage entrepreneurs and companies, ranging from emerging growth to large publicly traded companies, in corporate citizenship and philanthropic efforts so that new and leveraged resources are generated for community benefit. EF Kentucky joins other communities and states around the country driving innovation and community involvement including San Francisco, Austin, Colorado and Hawaii.

“Vision 2015, Northern Kentucky’s 10-year strategic plan, includes a goal of making entrepreneurship and innovation defining qualities of our region,” says Barach. “My appointment to the Board of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Kentucky will help raise Northern Kentucky’s profile and awareness among entrepreneurs in the Commonwealth and on a national level.”

“I look forward to helping Northern Kentucky entrepreneurs and businesses become involved with the community,” adds Barach. Currently, EF Kentucky Board members include Jamie Brodsky (Stoll, Keenon, Ogden), George Emont (Triathlon Medical Ventures & Kentucky Seed Capital Fund), Allison Lankford (Blue Grass Community Foundation), Ken Sagan (Stites & Harbison) and Richard Stump, founder of EF Kentucky.

Barach is the founder of the Northern Kentucky Angel Investment Network and a founding member of the Northern Kentucky Entrepreneur Alliance. He helped drive the launch of the Northern Kentucky ezone in 2001 and assisted with the establishment of Kentucky's ICC (Innovation and Commercialization Center) network the following year.

He serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern Kentucky University Research Foundation; Advance Foundation (Covington Housing Authority); Greater Cincinnati Venture Association; and, is the former Chairman of the Covington Business Council and its Foundation.

A new round of funding available through the ezone opened September 17, 2009. ezone clients can apply for grants of $30,000 or other funding options ranging from $100,000 to $750,000 toward commercializing high-tech/high-growth companies and ideas. The grants enable individuals or businesses to create and market new products, technologies and processes. The funding received from the Commonwealth can assist or compliment companies whose strategy includes raising capital.

The Fall 2009 application period opens September 17, 2009, and closes October 15, 2009. For more information or to begin your application, please contact Keith Schneider at the Northern Kentucky ezone at 859-292-7785 or visit www.nkyezone.org for more information.

About Northern Kentucky ezone:
Created in 2001, the ezone is a division of Northern Kentucky Tri-ED. The mission of the ezone is to accelerate, mentor, align capital and gain exposure for start-up, emerging and existing high-technology businesses. Soon after its founding, the ezone was designated by the Kentucky Department of Commercialization & Innovation as one of six regional Innovation and Commercialization Centers in the state. Since then, the ezone has assisted in the creation of 1,154 new jobs with 160 firms in Northern Kentucky. For more information, visit www.NorthernKentuckyezone.com.

About Northern Kentucky Tri-ED:
Founded in 1987, the Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Northern Kentucky Tri-ED) is the primary economic development marketing agency for Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in Northern Kentucky. Since 1987, over 484 companies have located or expanded in Northern Kentucky, accounting for 47,683 new primary jobs and $4.6 Billion in capital investment. Northern Kentucky Tri-ED is a key partner in Vision 2015, a 10-year strategic plan for growth in the region. For more information, visit www.NorthernKentuckyUSA.com.

News Facts

·         Entrepreneurs Foundation of Kentucky was established earlier this year to engage entrepreneurs and companies, ranging from emerging growth to large publicly traded companies, in corporate citizenship and philanthropic efforts so that new and leveraged resources are generated for community benefit.

·         EF Kentucky joins other communities and states around the country driving innovation and community involvement including San Francisco, Austin, Colorado and Hawaii.

·         Since 2001, the ezone has assisted in the creation of 1,154 new jobs with 160 firms in Northern Kentucky.

·         Since 1987, over 484 companies have located or expanded in Northern Kentucky, accounting for 47,683 new primary jobs and $4.6 Billion in capital investment.

·         Vision 2015 is a 10-year strategic plan for growth in the region.