April 11, 2019 | 6 p.m.
BGSU student entrepreneurs will present their business ideas to alumni investors during The Hatch on April 11, vying for funds to launch their businesses in a format similar to the popular television show “Shark Tank.” This event is streamed to Hatch Watch parties across the country and to several countries throughout the world.
What sets The Hatch apart from similar events is that the alumni investors make equity investments providing real money for students to launch real businesses. To date, more than $500,000 have been committed to student startups. The Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, serving as "Hatch headquarters," is one of 20 centers worldwide recognized by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
2019 Hatchlings
Jacob Clark, senior
College of Education & Human Development
Major: Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management, Minor: Entrepreneurship
Product: DecoyL
Jacob Clark, of London, Ohio, is a senior in the College of Education and Human Development majoring in tourism, hospitality, and event management with a minor in entrepreneurship through the College of Business. Jacob has worked with the BGSU Outdoor program, leading trips and getting students involved with the outdoors. Jacob is also a member of Alpha Sigma Phi where he participates in philanthropy and service events.
Jacob is a Specialist in the Ohio Army National Guard, the 148th Infantry Regiment based in Bowling Green. He deployed in 2017 for Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield.
Jacob’s business idea is a retractable decoy weight that can be attached to any duck decoy. Jacob’s idea is ideal for waterfowl hunters who want to shorten their time deploying and retrieving decoys. With this time-saving decoy weight, waterfowl hunters can spend more time in the field and less time untangling and retrieving decoys from the water.
Hatch Fact: Jacob enjoys spending time hunting waterfowl and with traveling around the world to places such as United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Argentina and many others. After graduation, he plans on traveling to see the seven wonders of the world.
Laura Dworning, senior
College of Health and Human Services
Major: Dietetics
Product: Sevas
Laura Dworning, of Leroy, Ohio, is a senior dietetics major with almost five years of experience studying nutrition and dietetics. She will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics in May 2019. She describes herself as independent, ambitious, passionate and career-driven. She is excited to make a difference in her workplace and community.
Laura’s business idea is to develop a product that is exclusively for type 1 diabetic children. Her device is a bracelet that has an LED screen that will sync to the child’s “site” that is usually located on their arm via Bluetooth. “Site” is a device that most type 1 diabetic patients wear which has a needle inserted into the skin and takes accurate blood sugar readings for seven days before having to be replaced. The site takes accurate blood sugar readings and sends easily understandable signals to the bracelet. The LED screen will show one of three colors - blue for low blood sugar, green for normal range, and red for high. The bracelet will also vibrate to alert the child’s caregiver and/or school nurse when blood sugar is low or high.
Hatch Fact: Laura enjoys connecting with people, cooking, photography, attending local farmers markets, exploring new coffee shops, yoga, hiking and traveling.
Philip Forrest, junior
College of Business
Major: Management
Product: Split-Pac
Philip Forrest, of Cleveland, Ohio, is a junior specializing in business management with a minor in military science. He is a member of the Army ROTC program at BGSU and will serve four years active duty upon graduation. Philip also serves as the president of the Outdoor Adventure Club on campus and worked as the Wilderness Program coordinator at his local 4-H camp the past two summers.
Philip's business idea is called SplitPax, a backpacking rig that redistributes pack weight between the front and back of the body. This product is designed to promote proper posture and reduce back pain and fatigue. It also provides easy access to trail-essential items such as water, snacks, electronics and rain gear. SplitPax will allow for a more comfortable and pleasant hiking experience in the great outdoors whether for a day hike or a long-distance thru-hike.
Hatch Fact: Philip plans to thru-hike the 2,560-mile Pacific Crest Trail after fulfilling his service obligation in the Army, a big inspiration in the creation of his business idea.
Blade Frisch, graduate student
College of Education and Human Development and Arts and Sciences
Major: Special Education and Computer Science
Product: Spoken
Blade Frisch, of Toledo, Ohio, is a graduate student pursuing a dual master's in special education and computer science. He earned dual undergraduate degrees in music education and computer science education at BGSU.
Blade’s project is a mobile communication assistance app called Spoken. The app helps people with verbal deficiencies communicate effectively through a simple interface and a customizable experience.
Hatch Fact: Blade was a middle and high school computer science teacher in Naples, Florida, before coming back to BGSU for graduate school.
Savannah Hinde, junior
College of Arts and Sciences
Major: Political Science and Individualized Planned Program
Product: Esther & Light
Savannah Hinde, of Maumee, Ohio, is a junior double majoring in political science and an individualized planned program. She is a scholar in the Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy and is president of the United Methodist Student Organization. Savannah is passionate about social justice and works as a guide for her denomination to help churches understand how diversity and inclusion can help their ministries better reflect their communities. After graduation, she plans to continue her education and receive her Master of Divinity to become ordained in the United Methodist Church.
This past summer, Savannah started a successful online business, The Holy Dormitory, selling Christian T-shirts and other apparel. She plans to take this concept and use it to build an online community that supports young women in ministry while selling apparel that is designed through crowdsourcing. She believes that a business plan in which women are listened to has the ability to change the world.
Hatch Fact: Savannah has been an entrepreneur since an early age, starting her own dog show photography business at the age of 12.
Michael Johnston, freshman
College of Arts and Sciences
Major: Biology and Computer Science
Product: Set-N-Swivel
Michael Johnston, of Elida, Ohio, and graduate of Wapakoneta Senior High, is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences studying biology and computer science. He is a senator on Undergraduate Student Government, an ambassador for the Honors College, a brother of Theta Chi Fraternity and a swim coach for the Ft. Meigs Stingrays Swim Team.
Michael’s Business idea, Sleep-E-Screen, is an electronic device holder suitable for tablets, smartphones and e-readers. Sleep-E-Screen adheres to a bedside wall and swings out for easy, comfortable and hands-free device viewing. When finished viewing the electronic device, Sleep-E-Screen returns flush with the wall and stores the device safely and securely.
Hatch Fact: Michael has a passion for swimming and has enjoyed coaching at various YMCAs as well as volunteering with Special Olympics swimming.
Ramsha Rashid, senior
College of Business
Major: Management
Product: ToyBox
Ramsha Rashid, of Monclova, Ohio, is a senior specializing in management in the College of Business. She is a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success where she enhances her leadership skills and expands on her networking to achieve her goals. She is sub-committee co-chair of the Dean's Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion (DACODI), as well as a co-representative for DACODI on the Dean's Advisory Council. Ramsha is also a member of the Women in Business Leadership student organization and attained an Honorary Student Award. After graduation, Ramsha plans on obtaining her MBA and working in the health care industry.
Ramsha's business idea, Rent-a-Toy, is an online website where parents can rent bundles of toys based on their preferences and their kids' interests. Parents can give their kids the toys they want to play with at any given age per their wish list. This will save money and space of all the extra unused, old toys collected over the years.
Hatch Fact: Ramsha is fluent in four languages.
Aubri Reiniche, sophomore
College of Education and Human Development
Major: Exclusive Early Childhood Education
Product: Custom Kid Stories
Aubri Reiniche, of Pettisville, Ohio, is a sophomore studying Inclusive Early Childhood Education in the College of Education and Human Development. In the future, she hopes to teach first or second grade and potentially pursue her business idea.
Aubri’s business idea is an e-commerce business that provides children with a fun opportunity to get excited about reading. Children and their parents can go online to Aubri’s website and complete a form that contains a series of questions relating to the story. What they write on the questionnaire will transform into a story that is customized to that child. No other child will create the exact same story.
Hatch Fact: In her free time, Aubri enjoys cooking and hanging out with friends and family.
Gary Dible '97
Gary Dible owns Biggby Coffee franchises in Bowling Green and Maumee. Prior to this venture, he held positions of product manager, engineering manager and supply chain manager for the D.S. Brown Company, an Ohio-based bridge component manufacturer in North Baltimore, Ohio. He is actively involved in his communities both personally and professionally, and understands the key to success is giving back. Dible holds a bachelor's degree in construction management technology from Bowling Green State University.
Bruce Fisher ‘68
Bruce Fisher is a highly regarded leader in the swimming pool industry. He joined the Hayward Pool Products Division of Hayward Industries in 1991 and held a variety of leadership roles for the company, including vice president international prior to retirement.
During his tenure, Fisher led Haywards global expansion through a series of strategic acquisitions and internal growth initiatives. He successfully spearheaded the expansion of Hayward's product line, brand, sales organization and marketing department. He is also credited with introducing Totally Hayward, an industry-leading dealer relationship marketing program.
Prior to joining Hayward, Fisher was a product manager, vice president of distributor sales, vice president of marketing of the residential division and vice president and general manager of the Decorative Lighting Division of Lightolier, a division of Genlyte, now owned by Phillips Lighting. He was also general manager and COO of The Light Store, a start-up retailer/wholesaler of lighting products and ceiling fans located in Texas and Colorado, which grew from one location to 17 under his leadership.
Fisher earned a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1968 and has served as an executive-in-residence for the College of Business.
Paul J. Hooker '75
In 1977, just two years after graduating from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Paul J. Hooker purchased the New York City based luxury household linen importer, SFERRA, from the last of two family members who started the firm in 1891, Enrico and Albert Sferra.
Hooker recognized the need to maintain the company's identity and encourage growth within the luxury market. With that in mind, he took SFERRA from a one-room office on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to a 35,000-square-foot distribution facility in Edison, New Jersey, plus a beautiful showroom just off of Madison Square Park in New York City. In the process, he grew annual sales from $250,000 when he bought the business in 1977 to over $30 million in 2011.
Hooker's tireless focus to develop new business and his attention to details have established SFERRA's leadership position in the luxury linens industry and galvanized the company's emergence into the new global economy. Today SFERRA presents the most comprehensive range of luxury home textiles for the bed, bath and table worldwide.
Hooker umpires varsity high school baseball and was the varsity baseball coach at Red Bank Catholic High School from 1974-2000. In 1990, Hooker, along with his wife, founded a not-for-profit sports program for children with disabilities, named RallyCap Sports. Today, RallyCap Sports assists over 150 families with programs in basketball, soccer, Little League softball, golf, flag football and tennis. Hooker plans to take RallyCap Sports national, making his volunteer run program available to children with special needs nationwide. He worked with BGSU student Luke Sims to launch RallyCap Sports at Bowling Green State University.
Sophia Jarrell '16, '18
Sophia Jarrell earned both a bachelor’s degree in 2016 and master’s degree in 2018 in violin performance from BGSU.
While studying violin performance and entrepreneurship at BGSU, Jarrell launched the Black Swamp Fine Arts School in Bowling Green, OH, fulfilling a longtime goal to open a school where families would receive excellent instruction in all areas of the fine arts. In its first year, the school welcomed more than 100 students. Now in its third year, the school continues to flourish with its mission of encouraging the creation of beautiful souls through the instruction of dance, music and art.
In addition to serving as the school director at the Black Swamp Fine Arts School and teaching violin and ballet, Jarrell has also served as the music director for the Radiant TV network, presented an original children’s ballet with an up-and-coming composer and developed a music game through The Hatch at BGSU.
Jarrell is passionate about educating other artists and young entrepreneurs about succeeding in business. In 2018, she was invited to present on the topic at the National String Teachers Association in Georgia. Recently, Jarrell was nominated as a candidate for Toledo’s 20 under 40. She is thrilled to give back to The Hatch program through mentoring a 2019 Hatchling.
Ed Leedom ‘89
Ed Leedom is the senior vice president of Harbor Fund Distributors. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University in 1989 and a CFP® designation from the College for Financial Planning in Denver, CO. Leedom began his career with Harbor Capital Advisors and later rejoined Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. As a senior vice president, he is responsible for developing and maintaining new and existing institutional client relationships in the Midwest region.
Christian Piazza '15, '16
Christian joined Wilcox Financial and Wilcox Sports Management as a financial advisor in August 2016 after graduating from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) with both a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. Since becoming an advisor with Wilcox Financial, the former BGSU offensive lineman serves clients in more than 15 states working closely with families, businesses and sports management clients to grow and protect their wealth throughout life’s journey.
Christian credits the full-athletic scholarship he was awarded as the beginning steps of a sturdy foundation for “paying it forward” and giving back to the next generation, while on campus as a BGSU Athletic Department’s Development Office intern and College Of Business (CoB) Student Ambassador. He now is a part of the CoB Young Alumni Board and Falcon Club along with serving as an EPIC Toledo Vice Chair and ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital Board Member in his community.
He is very excited to be a small part in the Hatch this year by serving as a mentor for Aubri Reiniche and is proud to have been a Hatch attendee every year since its inception!
Jeffery Swartz, M.D., ‘77
Dr. Jeffery Swartz, M.D., is the medical director of Falcon Health Center and provides integrative primary and family care. Swartz has more than 37 years of experience in health care and provides personal, professional collaborative care encouraging better health care for his patients. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1977 and his medical degree at the Medical College of Ohio.
Bob Venzel '76, '78
Bob Venzel graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration specializing in marketing from Bowling Green State University in 1976 and an MBA from BGSU in 1978. In 1991, he became the co-owner of Venzel Communications, Inc., an advertising and public relations agency, based in Perrysburg, Ohio. The company’s work encompasses a variety of non-profit and for-profit clients in a cross-section of industries including: business, manufacturing, education, health care and municipalities.
Legal Organization
Jim Rogers
Intellectual Property
J. Douglas Miller
Proto-type
Anthony DeMore
Research
Jeff Meyer
Nico Cottone '92
Nico Cottone, a resident of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is the owner/CEO of SurfTech Inc. and Euclid Refinishing Company. His background and experiences range from start-ups to ‘big 5’ management consulting. A serial entrepreneur, he has focused the last 15 years of his career on start-ups and turnarounds. Nico graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1992 with an accounting degree.
Michelle Drerup '00
Dr. Michelle Drerup is director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorders Center. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bowling Green State University in 2000 and completed a doctorate in clinical psychology at Indiana State University in 2005.
She focuses on the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders, as well as other health conditions linked to disturbed sleep. Dr. Drerup is a licensed psychologist and board certified in behavioral sleep medicine. She is involved in teaching, research and clinical services at the Cleveland Clinic. She serves on the Practice Committee of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and as a senior representative for the Women's Professional Staff Association at the Cleveland Clinic.
One of her most recent ventures has been development of Go! to Sleep, a six-week, web-based program to help people improve their sleep.
Michelle is married to her Falcon Flame, Matthew Yourkvitch and are the first married investors to participate in The Hatch!
George Heath is a retired group president at Sherwin-Williams in Cleveland, where he drove the growth of its industrial businesses from $1.6 billion to over $3 billion in five years, closing seven acquisitions and leading 7,000 employees in more than 50 countries.
Before joining Sherwin-Williams, Heath led the marketing efforts at PPG Industries, a paint manufacturer in Pittsburgh,as well as at Axeda, a venture-funded software startup in Boston, and at Thermovation Engineering, a boot-strapped industrial equipment startup in Cleveland. During Heath’s tenure, Thermovation grew more than 1,900 percent and was frequently recognized as one of Northeast Ohio’s fastest-growing companies.
Heath is actively involved in higher education, teaching economics and entrepreneurship and serving in an advisory role for business programs. Heath earned his bachelor’s in fine arts from Bowling Green State University in 1987 and received his MBA from Miami University.
Earle Malm '71
Malm began his career with RCA where he held senior executive positions in sales, marketing and general management. He was responsible for revitalizing RCA’s consumer services business, expanding RCA’s commercial television business and leading the development of new business ventures into communications and services businesses.
Prior to joining ValueClick, Malm embarked in the investment industry with GT Capital Management, Inc. Initially he was responsible for developing GT Capital’s Institutional Business and later he assumed responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer for the GT Global Mutual Funds.
After successfully completing the ValueClick IPO, Malm returned to the investment industry as President and CEO of HighMark Capital Management, Inc., a wholly-owned registered investment advisory firm of Union Bank located in San Francisco. During his tenure, Malm was chairman of HighMark’s Board of Directors, president of HighMark Funds and a trustee of the HighMark Funds Board. In addition, he was a member of HighMark’s Investment Policy Committee and a member of Union Bank’s Fiduciary Management Committee.
Since retiring from an active senior executive role in 2012, Malm has been devoting his time to entrepreneurial, consulting and advisory activities through NVMLI, Inc., his private investment company. He serves as a member of the Service Marketing Institute Business Advisory Board for the College of Business Administration at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). He was one of five inaugural alumni investors in BGSU’s entrepreneurial program, “The Hatch”.
Malm earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1971 from Bowling Green State University. In 2008, he was honored as one of BGSU’S Accomplished Graduates from the College of Business. He has been named to Who’s Who in Finance and Industry.
Mark C. West '90
Matthew P. Yourkvitch '99
Matthew P. Yourkvitch, Esq. received his B.A. degree in Psychology from Bowling Green State University in 1999 and his Juris Doctorate from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.
He is a founding partner of Moore Yourkvitch & Dibo, a boutique law firm in downtown Cleveland that provides a range of legal services, including business counseling, formation, contract drafting, venture capital financing, and real estate acquisition and development.
He is passionate about the redevelopment of Cleveland and works with various community development corporations on real estate acquisition and redevelopment, tax credit financing, and small business advising. Since 2011, his law firm has been a funder and legal service provider at the Incubator at MAGNET, working with product-focused technology start-up companies in Northeast Ohio.
He has served as an adjunct professor of law at C-M Law, in the Urban Development and Transactional Law Clinic. He is a frequent speaker on community development lawyering and Nuisance Abatement Actions under O.R.C. Section 3767.41. He serves on the Board of Directors of Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation, a non-profit that serves the neighborhood surrounding the Cleveland Clinic.
Matthew is married to his Falcon Flame, Dr. Michelle Drerup-Yourkvitch and are the first married investors to participate in The Hatch!
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