Donor gift to CMEC to support women entrepreneurs
Monica Rubio, left, Vice President, Community Lending Market Executive and NWI Market President at Old National Bank shakes hands with Niaz Latif, associate vice chancellor for Commercialization and Research and executive director of CMEC at PNW. Old National Bank has contributed a generous $10,000 gift to CMEC supporting women-led entrepreneurial ventures.
Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center (CMEC) received a $10,000 gift from Old National Bank to support commercialization ventures for women entrepreneur clients at the center.
CMEC at PNW serves as a catalyst for economic development and technological transfer by providing advanced manufacturing opportunities, fostering entrepreneurial ventures and hosting related training opportunities. Through CMEC’s concept-to-commercialization (C2C) program talented entrepreneurs are guided and supported to bring their innovations to market.
CMEC has demonstrated strong evidence of supporting women entrepreneurs and increasing representation among local innovators. Historically, among the top entrepreneurial ventures rendered through the C2C program, 8 of the top 10 achieving funding have been women-led. Among those women entrepreneurs, 7 of 8 are women of color.
With the support of Old National Bank’s gift, CMEC will be able to continue recruiting and supporting successful women entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize their visions and deliver transformational changes for the Northwest Indiana business landscape.
Old National Bank’s generous gift is important not only for how it will strengthen local entrepreneurs in reaching their goals, but also for its focus on serving underrepresented groups.
Niaz Latif, associate vice chancellor for Commercialization and Research and executive director of CMEC
“Old National Bank’s generous gift is important not only for how it will strengthen local entrepreneurs in reaching their goals, but also for its focus on serving underrepresented groups,” said Niaz Latif, associate vice chancellor for Commercialization and Research and executive director of CMEC. “Individuals with innovative ideas will have valuable assistance to develop marketable products and launch companies to commercialize their visions.”
“Old National Bank is proud to support Purdue University Northwest’s Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center and their work supporting women entrepreneurs and underrepresented groups,” said Monica Rubio, Old National Community Lending Market Executive, VP and NWI Market President. “We cannot wait to see the applications that result from these entrepreneurs and future leaders.”
Old National Bank has contributed a generous $10,000 gift to support women-led entrepreneurial ventures through PNW’s Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center (CMEC). Pictured, from left, are Nychi Heath, Vice President and Community Banking Market Manager at Old National Bank; Jamie Guise, Senior Vice President and Chief Community Marketing Officer at Old National Bank; Monica Rubio, Vice President, Community Lending Market Executive and NWI Market President at Old National Bank; Niaz Latif, PNW associate vice chancellor for Commercialization and Research and executive director of CMEC; PNW Chancellor Emeritus Thomas L. Keon; and Mont Handley, associate director of CMEC at PNW.