The Werth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Housatonic Community College (HCC) announces their Spring Entrepreneurship Speaker Series. Over breakfast, HCC scholars will learn from seasoned entrepreneurs as they share their successes and pitfalls in launching their business ventures..

The Werth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Housatonic Community College (HCC) announces their Spring Entrepreneurship Speaker Series.  Over breakfast, HCC scholars will learn from seasoned entrepreneurs as they share their successes and pitfalls in launching their business ventures.

Located on the HCC campus in downtown Bridgeport, the Werth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides space for business incubation and is a hub for student activity including pitch competitions, entrepreneur showcases, and more.

The series kickoff began February 22 with over 100 students in attendance! Entrepreneur and author Ramon Peralta, Jr. was the featured speaker and shared his personal story of grit and perseverance, challenges and successes while launching businesses.

Today, Peralta owns Peralta Design which he established in 1992 while attending the University of Bridgeport. With offices in Shelton, CT and Palm Coast, FL, Peralta Design launches brands for clients across the globe. Peralta’s book, Launch Your Brand, The Fastest Way to Supercharge Any Business, is a best-seller. This speaker series is presented with generous financial support by the TD Charitable Foundation through the Housatonic Community College Foundation.

"TD is proud to support the Spring Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, part of the VentureLab Program, because we know that successful small businesses are the economic heartbeat of the many communities across our footprint, " said Akash Mahajan, Senior Regional Giving Manager for the TD Charitable Foundation.  "At TD, we are proud to stand with organizations who are playing a vital role in educating and cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs."

“Programs like these are vital to not only strengthening our economy, but also to building stronger communities. Entrepreneurship and small business creation is on the rise, and as successful business owners, we must support these programs, and share our knowledge and expertise, for it is by inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, that we pay it forward, ensuring that our economy and our communities will remain strong through innovation, creativity and job creation,” said Peralta.

The next speaking event in the series will take place on Wednesday, March 22 when Eddie Shabot, founder of the iconic fashion brand Sprayground, will discuss developing his business into the multi-million-dollar label it is today. Shabot will share his journey from selling in exclusive streetwear boutiques to expanding into US department stores and the global market.

On Wednesday, April 12, Valerie King, CEO of VK Realty Group, will discuss her experiences from starting out as an investor of residential and commercial properties in a distressed market to creating and

growing her business to become one of the top teams in the market. Today, VK Realty group averages over $20M in annual volume sales.

All speaking events will take place from 8:00 am to 9:30 am at HCC’s Event Center (Beacon Hall, 2nd Floor) and are free of charge. The series will be moderated by Marcia D. Fountain, Interim Director for the Werth Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. To learn more, or to register for the series, please visit Housatonic.edu/Werth/Speaker-series

Housatonic Community College is located at 900 Lafayette Blvd. in Bridgeport, CT. Visit www.Housatonic.edu.

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing over 9.8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $292 million through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/. 

About the Housatonic Community College Foundation

The Housatonic Community College (HCC) Foundation expands access to quality, affordable higher education and works closely with the college to enhance the learning experience and workforce development education and training of students.  Its mission is to solicit, secure and manage contributions from the private sector through philanthropic individuals, corporations and foundations for the benefit of Housatonic Community College. Beyond the fundamentals provided by the State of Connecticut, the HCC Foundation provides financial assistance to students and assists the College in becoming a unique educational resource for its students and the community.

About Housatonic Community College

Serving southern Connecticut for over 50 years, Housatonic Community College (HCC) offers a student-centered, high quality and accessible education through over 75 associate degree programs to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions. The college also offers occupational associate degrees and certificate programs, and the non-credit division partners with local businesses and industry to offer workforce training and customized professional development.  HCC is distinguished as an Achieving the Dream Leader Institution and is ranked by the Aspen Institute among the nation’s top 150 community colleges.

Caption For Photo Above: Ramon Peralta, Jr. (right) stands with a budding HCC student entrepreneur.