University graduates to discuss entrepreneurship at 49er Alumni Forum

The UNC Charlotte 49er Alumni Forum, scheduled for Thursday, April 28, will bring successful alumni, many of whom have started their own small businesses in the greater Charlotte region, back to campus to share stories of their successes and failures, and they will offer advice to students and others on how to start a business.

“Alumni Entrepreneurs: Educated at Charlotte | Founded in Charlotte” will feature panelists Rachel Brown (’14), Bryan Delaney (’03), Torrie Savage (’05) and Brian Zapata (’03, ’07, ’12).

Brown, who completed a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, created a Charlotte blog and Instagram account “Queen City Chic” that has a following of 16,000. The blog highlights local food, fashion and events.

Delaney is co-founder of Skookum, a full service software development firm, with fellow alumnus James Hartsell. According to Delaney, creative application of technology can help businesses create more revenue and realize new efficiencies. Skookum clients include Lowe’s, Coca Cola Bottling, FedEx and Honda. He is a Belk College of Business graduate.

Savage, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, is the founder of #thesavageway, a marketing and branding company built upon a “foundation of positive change, creative thinking and outside-the-box execution.” Her Charlotte-based team focuses on social media, branding, consulting and “clean graffiti.” Her company is helping small businesses gain much-needed exposure to be noticed in a crowded marketplace.

Zapata is a project manager at Zapata Incorporated, a family-operated architecture-engineering and field services firm. The Lee College of Engineering graduate has more than 10 years of professional experience in structural, seismic, blast, security and forensic engineering. He also is a board member of the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association, the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool and the Levine Museum of the New South.

Panel moderators will be Franz Kellermanns, the Addison and Gertrude Reese Endowed Chair in the Belk College of Business, and Blair Primis, vice president of marketing, OrthoCarolina.

“Alumni Entrepreneurs: Educated at Charlotte | Founded in Charlotte,” which is being co-sponsored with OrthoCarolina, will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in PORTAL. Food, beverages and a shuttle from visitor parking in CRI Deck 1 will be provided.

This forum is free; however, attendees must RSVP by Monday, April 25.