DENTON (UNT), Texas -- The Murphy Enterprise Center at UNT invites business professionals to attend three breakfasts featuring successful entrepreneurs discussing the topic of the "Entrepreneurial Tipping Point."

The breakfasts will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Feb. 27, May 15 and Sept. 11 at La Cima Club in Las Colinas, 5215 N. O'Connor Road. A question-and-answer session and networking opportunities will follow each speech.

"The Entrepreneurial Tipping Point seems to be a topic of great interest to those who are launching their own ventures," says Eileen Resnik, director of the Murphy Enterprise Center. "All entrepreneurs have those 'Aha!' moments that change both their life and their business. This series will allow other entrepreneurs to learn from those experiences."

The Feb. 27 event will feature Richard Gonzalez, a serial entrepreneur with business experience in technology, telecommunications, event production and biotechnology. Also featured will be Gina Puente-Brancato, CEO of Puente Concessions at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Puente-Brancato opened La Bodega, the world's first winery in an airport.

The May 15 speakers will be Bob Lawrence, owner of the Dallas School of Music and Musiked.com, and John De Valdene, a serial entrepreneur with success in TV production, film and product development in the toy, food and clothing industries.

On Sept. 11, the speaker will be Joe Croce, founder of Coppell-based CiCi's Pizza, who started the business with one take-out store. Today, the CiCi's Pizza chain has more than 600 stores.

This is the inaugural year of the Connections Lecture Series. Topics for future years will include "Start Up to Grow Up" and "Show Me the Money."

UNT's first event this February coincides with the country's first annual National Entrepreneurship Week, which will be observed from Feb. 24 to March 3.

UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Ellen Rossetti (940) 369-7912
Email: erossetti@unt.edu