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Executive Director of Services Cooperative Association, Director of
Research for the Centers (Entrepreneurial Development, Women's Business, Software
Business, Product Development, International Business, Health-Medical Enterprise and
Incubator Self-Sufficiency Group), President and CEO of Emerging Business Centers, Inc. In
1976, after 15 years in "Corporate America," Mr. Kring chaired a private
industry committee to determine future standards and forecast new methods for hydrocarbon
exploration. At that time he made the correlation that our nation's greatest energy
resource was its entrepreneurial energy, not hydrocarbon, nuclear, solar or water.
Consequently, he started an independent research and consulting practice in
entrepreneurial education for emerging companies to minimize the loss of national resource
that occurs when companies go out of business before adding positive energy to the
economic mainstream. During this process, he defined the methodology to have
emerging companies grow faster and stronger with significantly less expenditure of startup
capital. The methodology is called business incubation. Mr. Kring is
"recognized by the National Business Incubation Association as an industry leader and
pioneer in business incubation" and is credited with having the first small business
development practice in the United States.
Since 1977 his related activities include:
- Outstanding Toastmaster - Sharpstown Club 2243 - Toastmasters International, '77;
- Chair Education Committee - DECA, VOE and Career - Alief Chamber of Commerce, '78;
- President - Sharpstown Club 2243 - Toastmasters International, '78:
- Co-author "Guide to Business Networking" for Small Business Council - Houston
Chamber of Commerce, '79;
- Contributing Editor on Small Business Issues, Small Business Council - Houston Chamber
of Commerce, '82 and '83;
- Co-author "Guide to Small Business Development Through Business Networking"
for Small Business Council - Houston Chamber of Commerce, '82;
- Founded SCA from a Houston Chamber project '82, on networking groups, to address the
broader issue of entrepreneurial self - development and entrepreneurship education, '83;
- Coordinator - Greater Houston Area Entrepreneurship Education Steering Committee - Texas
Education Agency under the U.S. Departments of Education and Commerce Joint Program
"Promoting Economic Development Through Entrepreneurship Education and
Training," '84;
- First Annual Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '84;
- Addressed the Texas Association of Post-Secondary Occupational Education, Deans and
Directors on "Private Sector Perspectives of Entrepreneurship Education - Yes, It Is
Possible," '84;
- Chair of Training Needs Assessment - North Harris County College Business and Industry
Council, '84,
- Chair Economic Development - North Harris County College Business and Industry Council,
'85;
- Chair Second to Fourth Annual Entrepreneurial Workshops - Houston Chamber of Commerce,
'85 to '87;
- Steering Committee - Houston Chamber of Commerce, Houston Business Group through '87;
- Fifth to Seventh Annual Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '88 to '90;
- Founded the Entrepreneurial Development Center, Houston's first small business incubator
(now Texas' oldest) '85;
- Delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business, Vice Chair of Texas
Delegation, Co-Chair on Innovation and Development Issues, '86;
- Co-Recipient of a Mayoral Proclamation for graduating the first company from a small
business incubator in Houston, '87;
- Co-Author "First Annual Houston Awards for Promotion of Entrepreneurship,"
'88;
- Co-Founder "First Houston Small Business Seed Capital Fund," '89;
- Vice Chair and Chair of Education - Texas Business Incubator Association, '89;
- Co-Chair "Second and Third Annual Houston Awards for Promotion of
Entrepreneurship," '89 and '90;
- Interim Coordinator of the Federation of Houston Networking Groups, '89;
- Led the design of development programs for the Womens Business Center, the first small
business incubator for women in the U.S., '89;
- Chair Education Committee - Texas Business Incubator Association, '90 to '92;
- Led the design of development programs for the Software Business Center, the first small
business incubator for software developers in the U.S., '91;
- Visiting panelist - MIT Forum of Houston, New Venture Clinic, '91, '94 to '98;
- Co-Chair Network 100 Committee "Houston Business Breakfast Benefiting First Houston
Small Business Seed Capital Fund," '91 to present;
- Invited by the Soviet Association of Women Business Owners on a Entrepreneurship Lecture
Tour through Russia, '91 (declined);
- Organizational Task Force - Women's Chamber of Commerce of Texas, '91;
- Led the design of development programs for the Product Development Center, the first
small business incubator for inventors in the U.S., '92;
- Led the design of development programs for the Houston Engineering and Scientific
Society, '92;
- Nominee - Kauffman Foundation "Entrepreneurship Educator Of The Year," '93;
- Chair Nominating Committee - Texas Business Incubator Association, '93 to '96;
- Overall Planning Committee and Interim Chair Legislative and Educational Programs -
Texas Conference on Small Business, '93;
- Led the design of development programs for the International Business Center, the first
small business incubator for international business in the U.S., '93;
- Beta Project Leader "Efficiency, Certification and Curriculum," Doctoral
Candidate "Entrepreneurial Education" and led the design of development programs
for the first Certified Business Incubators in the nation - Texas Business Incubator
Association, '93;
- Economic Development Committee - Spring Branch Association, '93 and '94;
- Chair Education Committee and Beta Project Leader "Efficiency, Certification and
Curriculum" - Texas Business Incubator Association, '94 to present;
- Small Business Development Task Force - Imagine Houston Project, City of Houston, Office
of the Mayor, '94 and '95;
- Host Business Incubator - International Visitors Program - Institute of International
Education, '94 to 97;
- Entrepreneurship Education Committee - Houston Community College System, '94 and '95;
- Interim Coordinator - Greater Houston Area Task Force - White House Conference on Small
Business, '94;
- Nominee - Greater Houston Partnership "Augustus C. and John K. Allen Award for
Entrepreneurship," '94;
- Nominee - Greater Houston Partnership "Sam Houston Award for Community
Service," '94;
- Nominee - Greater Houston Partnership "Jesse H. Jones Award for Business
Leadership," '94;
- Nominee - Kauffman Foundation "Entrepreneurship Educator Of The Year," '94;
- Houston Entrepreneurial Community Outstanding Participation Award, '94, '96 and '97;
- Houston Finance Advisory Council - Small Business United of Texas, '94 to '96;
- Chair Issues Committee - Greater Houston Area Task Force - White House Conference on
Small Business, '95;
- Chair Public/Private Competition Sub-Committee - Greater Houston Area Task Force - White
House Conference on Small Business, '95;
- Vice Chair and Chair of Education - Texas Business Incubator Association, '95 and '96;
- Houston Task Force - Small Corporate Offering Registration, '95 and '96;
- Houston Issues - Governor's Conference on Small Business, '96;
- Texas Task Force - Small Business Equity Capital Investment Fund, '96;
- Co-Author Unfair Competition Resolution - Governor's Conference on Small Business, '96;
- Co-Recipient of a Mayoral Proclamation for "Entrepreneurial Community Tribute Day -
July 3rd, 1996";
- Chair - Texas Business Incubator Association, '96 - '98;
- Planning Committee "Fifth Biannual Texas Small Business Day - February 12,
1997";
- Led the design of development programs for the Health-Medical Enterprise Center, the
first small business incubator for the healthcare industry in the U. S., '97;
- Chair - Eighth Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '97;
- Houston Legislative Issues Advisory Council - Small Business United of Texas, '97.
- Notable 1997 presentations were to The Academy Association (graduates of the U.S.
Military Academies), The Society of Women Engineers and The Small Business Capital Access
Association.
- Chair - Ninth Entrepreneurial Workshop -
SCA, '98;
- Steering Committee - Houston Technology
Center, '98,
- Spring Branch Redevelopment Association,
'98 and '99;
- Houston Focus Group - Community
Reinvestment Act - Office of the Controller - State of Texas, '98;
- Certificate of Recognition - Houston City
Council, '98;
- Economic Development Committee - Houston
West Chamber of Commerce, '99;
- Co-Recipient of Mayoral Proclamation
for "Services Cooperative Association Emerging Business Day, July 7, 1999";
- Chair - Tenth Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '99;
- Board of Directors - Spring Branch Redevelopment Association, '99 and 2000;
- Chair - Eleventh Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, 2000;
- Certificate of Recognition - "Eleventh Entrepreneurial Workshop" - City of
Houston, 2000;
- Advisory Board - Spring Branch Redevelopment Association, - 2000;
- Board of Directors of Houston Proud, 2000 - '04;
- Steering Committee - Women's Empowerment Center, '01;
- Chair - Ways and Means Committee - Women's Empowerment Center, '01;
- Co-Recipient of a Mayoral Proclamation for "Services Cooperative Association Day -
July 3rd," '01;
- Award for "Outstanding Leadership in Keeping Houston Emerging Capital of the
World" - SCA, '01;
- Chair - Twelfth Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '01;
- "Inspiration Award" - Women Achieving Independence & Financial Success,
'01;
- Advisory Board - Spring Branch Revitalization Association, '01 - '05;
- Emerging Business Council - Greater Houston Partnership, '02 - '06;
- Chair - "20th Annual Houston Business Breakfast and Year 2003 Economic
Forecast" - SCA, '02;
- Chair - "Houston Business: Starting - Expanding - Acquiring, SCA's 20th
Anniversary Celebration" - SCA, '03;
- "Business Associate of the Year" - WINGS Chapter American Business Women's
Association, '03;
- Economic Issues - Blueprint Houston Initiative, '03.
- Co-Chair - "21st Annual Houston Business Breakfast and Year 2004 Economic
Forecast" - SCA, '03;
- Chair - Texas Business Incubator Association, '04 - '06;
- Recognized as a "Houston Hero," '04;
- Chair - 15th Annual Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '04;
- Co-Recipient of a Mayoral Proclamation for "Houston Heroes Day," '04;
- Chair - Board Development Committee - Houston Proud, '04 - '05;
- 5 Year Dedicated Service Award - 1st Wednesday Luncheon, '04;
- Chair - "22nd Annual Houston Business Breakfast and Year 2005 Economic
Forecast" - SCA, '04;
- Board of Directors - Spring Branch Revitalization Association, '05 - present;
- Co-Chair - 16th Annual Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '05;
- Recognized as a "Houston Hero," '05;
- Co-Chair - "23rd Annual Houston Business Breakfast and Year 2006 Economic
Forecast" - SCA, '05;
- Invited by the Chinese government to present at the formation meeting of the Chinese
Women's Entrepreneurship Association, '06 (declined);
- Economic Development Committee - Emerging Business Council - Greater Houston
Partnership, '06;
- Co-Chair - 17th Annual Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '06;
- Recognized as a "Houston Hero," '06;
- Co-Chair - "24th Annual Houston Business Breakfast and Year 2007 Economic
Forecast" - SCA, '06;
- Named a "Houston Business Icon" by HNN, '06;
- Co-Chair - 18th Annual Entrepreneurial Workshop - SCA, '07;
- Recognized as a "Houston Hero," '07;
- Co-Founded the Women's Business Assistance Forum Online - WBC, '07;
- Co-Chair - "25th Annual Houston Business Breakfast and Year 2008 Economic
Forecast" - SCA, '07;
- Houston Technology Champion - HTC, '08.
Authored articles, lectures, workshops and
seminars on small business incubators, entrepreneurial development and entrepreneurship
for associations, business, civic, educational groups and students - third grade to post
graduate, '77 to present, including the dissertation "Entrepreneurship Can be
Taught" for a doctoral program in entrepreneurial education. Mr. Kring uses
the successes of his client companies as proof of his theories and is considered a leading
expert in self-sufficient public and private sector business incubation programs as
economic development tools for both job creation and wealth generation. (See Services Cooperative Association and Professional Development
Coach.) Mr. Kring is frequently called upon as the keynote speaker for educational
groups concerned with entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial development. Look for
the book "Extraordinary Attention to Clients."
A few benchmark accomplishments:
Demonstrated to academia that 1.) entrepreneurship could be taught and 2.) the most
capable teachers were the successful entrepreneurs from their own communities who had
boot-strapped their own ventures.
Demonstrated to the government that 1.) women were starting businesses at a faster
rate than men and 2.) were seeking the "hand up" and not the "hand
out."
Demonstrated to the incubation industry that 1.) small business incubators could be
self-funded and remain self-sustaining entirely without public funding, grants, gifts,
contributions or donations and 2.) significantly accelerated business growth by making a
variety of resources, assistance and expertise conveniently available from within one
environment.
Notable quotes:
"Those who truly serve, lead."
"Entrepreneurship is color blind."
"You can't teach what you don't know."
"Charity is the bane of entrepreneurship."
"There are no glass ceilings in Entrepreneurial America."
"Our greatest energy resource is our entrepreneurial energy."
"Creating change is vastly more rewarding than accepting it."
"Some windows of opportunity are but brief moments in time."
"When all the world leaders are women, there will be no more wars."
"Entrepreneurship is an experiential discipline. To teach it, you must be able to do
it."
"When you are skilled, those who buy on price are not your market. Those who buy on
results are."
"Some people continually overcome lifes difficulties while others are
continually overcome by them."
"The health of our free enterprise system is determined by the
vitality of our emerging businesses."
"There is no force so powerful
as a group of like-minded women who are bonded in common purpose."
"Economic development is where someone comes and spends money with you rather than
someone else."
"You don't learn to ride a bicycle by reading a book - you learn to ride a bicycle by
getting on the bicycle."
"The essence of entrepreneurship is to find a niche, make sales, manage to profits
and repeat the process."
"Being happy is a choice. Being successful is a choice. Being honest, diligent and
returning something to your community are not choices. They are responsibilities."
For non-professional activities, Mr. Kring's interests range from being Charter Member #2
of the Houston MG Car Club (founded 1971) to membership in Knife and Fork Club (founded
1953) and American Mensa (founded 1951).
A few of the awards and letters of appreciation given Mr. Kring.
For information about Mr. Kring
appearing as the speaker for your group, please click here or contact the
business office
at (713) 932-7495 x 12 or send email to: Booking Office.
"Mr. Kring's presentation at our annual conference was educational,
entertaining and inspiring."
California Business Incubation Network
For immediate response about Business Development Programs for incubators,
resident companies and entrepreneurs, send e-mail to: Emerging Business Centers
"We grow companies and build careers. May we assist with yours?"
Services Cooperative
Association
9600 Long Point Road, Suite 150
Houston, Texas 77055
713-932-7495 x 13 voice
713-932-7498 fax
email: service@servicesca.org
Content copyright © 2000,
Services Cooperative Association. All rights reserved.
For more information about this site, contact: Business
Support Center - a Womens Business Center graduate company
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