Second Annual Women Who Fund Forum Hosts Influential Business Women in Venture Capital and Private Equity

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The second annual Women Who Fund Forum is the premiere event for high-achieving women who have carved out successful careers in venture capital and private equity, as well as female business leaders, to have the opportunity to network and engage. This boutique forum, hosted by the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at Michigan Ross in conjunction with the University of Michigan's Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance, will take place on Thursday, September 29 at the Graduate Hotel in Ann Arbor.

"Today, women are forming and running their own venture investment funds and becoming associates and partners at established venture capital and private equity shops," says David Brophy, director of the Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance. "Bringing people together for a special forum will stimulate in-depth discussions about career entry and advancement, promote industry networking and foster confidence building."

The program will kick off with a keynote address from Margaret Gibson, partner at Kirkland & Ellis where she focuses her practice on mergers and acquisitions. Gibson will discuss the strategies that catapulted her into a top leadership position and share her insights on how women can make their mark in these roles.

Discussions will cover a range of topics including how to build strategic relationships, attracting startup and growth capital, Michigan Venture Capital Association diversity study research, findings and drilling down on the tools and tactics that women need to elevate their brand and enhance their competitive advantage. Speakers include:

• Carol Clark, Healthcare Technology Capital Partners
• Ellen Clark, Greenwich Capital Group
• Jan Garfinkle, Arboretum Ventures
• Wendy Jarchow, River SAAS Capital
• Heather Madland, Huron Capital
• Mary Petrovich, The Carlyle Group; Axle Tech International
• Maureen Miller Brosnan, Michigan Venture Capital Association
• Marlena Reigh, International Voice Imaging
• Elizabeth Parkinson, University of Michigan (Marketing)
• Mary Hinesly, University of Michigan (Communications)

"Our original mission was to highlight the success and showcase the abundance of women in PE and VC or other alternative investments as well as female startup company founders," says Gina Staudacher, an attorney at Howard & Howard. "We also want to connect these women on a local and national level to foster a more robust network that could help women enter and advance in the industry."

To register to attend the event, please visit: http://bit.ly/WWFF2016. Seating is limited to 150. For additional information, please contact Mary Nickson at [email protected] or 734-615-4424.

About the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
The Institute and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance bring together an impactful combination of deep-seated knowledge, enriching experiences and strategic opportunities from the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative investment. Students' learning experiences are further enhanced through internships, entrepreneurial clubs, business competitions and campus-wide events that foster valuable networking and engage the business community. The School's five student-led investment funds, with over $8.5M under management, immerse students in the entrepreneurial business sourcing, assessment and investment process. Founding Zell Lurie advisory board members include Samuel Zell, chairman of Equity Group Investments, and Eugene Applebaum, founder of Arbor Drugs Inc. For more information, visit the Institute's website at www.zli.bus.umich.edu.

About Michigan Ross
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today's dynamic global economy. The Ross mission is to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world. Through thought and action, members of the Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society.

Ross is consistently ranked among the world's leading business schools. Academic degree programs include the BBA, MBA, Part-time MBA (Evening and Weekend formats), Executive MBA, Global MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Management, and PhD. In addition, the school delivers open-enrollment and custom executive education programs targeting general management, leadership development, and strategic human resource management.

SOURCE Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Related Links

http://www.zli.bus.umich.edu