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Since 1981, the Minnesota Entrepreneurs, Inc., (the Minnesota Entrepreneurs' Club) has been a pioneer in educating, inspiring and acting as a resource for entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. We were promoting entrepreneurship long before the word "entrepreneur" became popular. Like many business ventures, The Minnesota Entrepreneurs' Club (MEC) began with a simple idea that eventually outgrew itself. In the fall of 1981, Control Data Corporation assembled a small group in order to attract clients to Bill Norris's new business incubator concept. The draw was guest speaker, Leo Hauser whose topic was, "Reach for the Moon and You'll Land Amongst the Stars." By 1982, an informal, steady group was holding monthly meetings in Minneapolis. They called themselves the Minnesota Entrepreneurs' Club (MEC). In those days, entrepreneur was a strange French word that had not gained recognition among the business community. The exotic pronunciation and spelling fit those willing to label themselves as risk-takers. They tended to be dreamers who were willing to sacrifice much… perhaps all… in order to achieve success. The MEC quickly caught on as employees from organizations, large and small, flocked to hear words of inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and educators such as Leo Hauser and Curt Carlson. The first president, Mark Peltier, and each ensuing president of the MEC assumed leadership of a club that reflected challenges and characteristics that are unique to entrepreneurs. MEC quickly gained the reputation as a affordable, hands-on source of networking, motivation and information. In 1998, the Minnesota Entrepreneurs' Club acted on a board decision to seek non-profit status. Doing so would allow the organization to enlarge its focus and provide a larger tier of services to members. The MEC was officially granted non-profit status in May, 1998. The 18-year-old MEC brings a rich history to the new and transformed ME, Inc. The outdated "club" label was then dropped from the name. More exciting changes will continue in the years to come as ME, Inc. expands. |
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