Home About Members Events Blog Discussion Forum Photos Classes Links Contact Us
Katherine Iwama, President
Welcome to the FES website! My name is Katherine Iwama. I am excited to be the FES President for the academic year 2007-2008. I have an ingrained interest in entrepreneurship and look forward to leading FES as bravely as the former FES presidents, Anthony Lobosco, James DeVoe and Andi Ehrenfeld. I am a second year student in Fordham’s Deming Scholars MBA program. My most recent internship experiences include: Marsh & McLennan’s Corporate Real Estate Management department, Deutsche Bank’s Private Wealth Management, and NBC Universal’s cable sales unit. Prior to the MBA program, I worked at the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group member in Washington DC, within its liquid asset management unit trading short term interest rate securities. I am an American University alumna, from the Kogod School of Business. In addition to sports and motorbikes, one of my personal interests is to bake cakes and pies—and so, I dream to one day open a bakery. I will strive to the best of my efforts as part of FES to further entrepreneurial interests and awareness within the Fordham GBA community.
Ellen Hickey, Vice President
Hello. My name is Ellen Hickey and I am a second year Fordham GBA student, concentrating in Management and Finance. For me, joining the Entrepreneurial Society was about meeting other students with an interest in creating new business ventures. As Vice President, I am excited to bring new events and speakers to the Fordham community as well hosting old favorites, such as our wine gala. On a personal note, my professional background includes media buying, law and retail. I encourage all students to attend our events and meetings, as this club is for anyone who would like to learn more about forming a business.
Kathy J. Park, Director of Events
Kathy has more than 10 years of experience as a media strategist and PR professional. She served as manager of public relations for The New York Times Company since from 2000 to 2005. As a spokesperson for the company, she created messages worthy of positive press attention, identified news opportunities for the company's properties and played a key role in the development and implementation of public relations plans. Prior to The New York Times Company, she served as a senior account executive at LaForce & Stevens Public Relations in New York from 1999 to 2000. In that role, she oversaw the development of communications and branding programs for several Internet companies. Previously, Ms. Park worked at CNN's New York bureau from 1996 to 1999. As a publicist, she promoted CNN's New York-based news talent, general news programming, breaking news and special programming. Kathy also promoted programming for CNNfn and other CNN Newsgroup entities. She graduated from Emory University with a B.A. in political science in 1996 and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the Asian American Journalists Association and Foreign Press Association.
As the Director of Technology, John Fernandez is currently a second year, full-time student who is working towards a concentration in Finance with a designation in Entrepreneurship. John holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering with a Computer Concentration. Prior to attending Fordham University he was a Hardware Design Engineer at EMC Coporation in Hopkinton, MA. for 6 years, where he focused mainly on memory board design, and research & development. His latest internship was at Ardour Capital Investments, LLC, as an Associate in the Investment Banking Division, where he focused on alternative fuel and renewable energy technology companies. His goal after completion of the Fordham MBA is to leverage his technical experience and transition into investment banking to do investment research or private equity research.
Matthew Vessa, Director of Marketing/Venture Capital Coordinator
My background lies in Biomedical Engineering, although my interests span into areas like automotive technology, consumer electronics, physiology of health/fitness, and businesses that are truly innovative. Sometimes I characterize myself as "A mile wide and an inch deep" as most entrepreneurs must be. Having tinkered since the age of 2 and being trained as an Engineer, I approach everything in life with the mindset that “there's gotta be a better way.” This thought process defines my one true passion, and all the other knowledge I've gained or pursued along the way has been sought to help me turn my ideas into reality. Starting at Fordham to get my MBA, I did not anticipate seeking an entrepreneur-type program but the intersection of my dreams and the opportunities afforded by FES led to my immediate involvement. Participating in the program through FES has allowed me to meet some great minds and amazing people. Through this time I have come up with an idea a minute and now spend most of my time vetting these ideas in order to find my launch pad. I remain involved in FES to support other entrepreneurs and serve as a sounding board when needed.
(Profile coming soon!)
(Profile coming soon!)
Nick Bahrenburg , FES Marketing Member
Hello! I joined FES because a dream of mine has been to own a fun company somewhere in the Caribbean or the South Pacific. I am very interested in hearing what some experienced entrepreneurs have to say about what exactly is involved in owning a business. I also like meeting new people and am excited about having an active role in a club. However, right now I am primarily focused on educating myself, learning as much as I can professionally, further developing my life in New York and starting up an exciting new career in finance. I am very interested in the inner workings of companies and love knowing that I will soon know how to manage, dissect, evaluate and yes, start a company. With all that can be done with these new skills, the hard part then becomes choosing what I want to do the most.
I am originally from Berkeley, CA but have been living in Atlanta, GA for the past 2.5 years where I interned for the Atlanta Braves and worked full time for Turner Broadcasting. Outside of school, my interests include sports, my friends (including all you I’ve met here!), traveling and waiting to see some snow.
Josip Martinovic is responsible for Marketing at Fordham Entrepreneur Society. A native Croat, he demonstrated strong leadership qualities as a young army commander during the Civil War in Croatia. After his military service, Josip attended the University of Zagreb and earned a BS in Engineering. During his undergraduate studies, Josip began his first business venture, a clothing store. Josip later realized he was more attuned to marketing and sales then engineering, so he pursued a career with the European Privatization and Investment Corporation where he was a top salesperson. In 2001, he moved to the USA and worked as Marketing Manager for the Croatian American Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Josip is a full-time MBA student at Fordham University, pursuing a dual major in Marketing and Management with a designation in International Business. He intends to continue a marketing career and start his private international business when the right opportunity arises.
(Profile coming soon!)
FES Advisors
Dr. Richard Colombo, Faculty Advisor
http://www.bnet.fordham.edu/public/mrktg/rcolombo/home.htm
Kate McKeown, Faculty Advisor
Kate McKeown is a writer, entrepreneur, inventor, and teacher.
Kate is the co-author, with Lou Mobley, of the business book, Beyond IBM: Leadership, Marketing and Finance for the 90s and Beyond. Beyond IBM, called a “best-selling business book” by the Wall Street Journal, was published in the US by McGraw-Hill and in seven other countries. Kate’s non-fiction has been published in many business journals, including The Harvard Business Review, PC Computing Magazine, Success Magazine, and D&B Reporst. Kate worked extensively with W. Edwards Deming, helping him to edit his book, Out of the Crisis, published by MIT Press
As an entrepreneur, Kate founded World One Communications, Inc., a long distance reseller, and C.W.O., Inc. (Cold War’s Over), a company that imported Russian military clothing for sale in the US, covered by Business Week in “Developments to Watch.” She was Chapter President of the Washington, DC chapter of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
As an inventor, Kate holds one patent and generally has several provisional patents pending. She has sold one of her inventions on the QVC home shopping channel.
As a teacher, Kate teaches Entrepreneurship at the Fordham Graduate School of Business She taught for nine years in the Birthing of Giants program at MIT, co-sponsored by Inc. Magazine. Kate has also taught introductions to financial statements to numerous groups of American businesspeople and entrepreneurs, in forums such as the American Management Association and Comdex, and has guest lectured to groups of Russian and Chinese businesspeople.
Kate graduated from The University of Notre Dame with honors and Collegiate Scholar Designation, studied for a year in France, worked during college as a mail carrier for the US Postal service and as an intern on Capitol Hill, sold heavy industrial equipment for Wheelabrator-Frye, and used to be fairly fluent in French.
She lives in Greenwich Village.
FES Honorary Members
Bert Twaalfhoven, Honorary Member
FES Alumni
James DeVoe, Former President
Greetings! My name is James DeVoe and I am Co-President of the Fordham Entrepreneur Society. I am a full-time student working toward a dual concentration in Finance and Marketing with a designation in Entrepreneurship. Possessing a uniquely varied background in transactional commercial real estate law, film and television production as well as coordinator of large special events, what drew me to pursue my MBA was a desire to obtain an education which would allow me to own and operate a portfolio of businesses. What made me decide to attend Fordham University are those same unique personalities one finds comprising the Fordham Entrepreneur Society. Currently, I am working on the development of several different business ideas in such fields as real estate, the food service industry and small business consultation. If you are interested in finding out more about me, please visit my homepage: www.jamesdevoe.com
Andres Ehrenfeld, Former President
My name is Andres Ehrenfeld and I am originally from Quito, Ecuador. Fordham was my choice for Graduate School of Business because of its effective Global Professional MBA program; a program which allows you to combine a thorough core MBA curriculum with international experience and course work focused on global economy. My background is in wholesale and retail apparel manufacturing. My past experience includes working with Perry Ellis International in Miami, FL, as well as for my family business in Ecuador. I am a promoter of the entrepreneurial mindset and feel every single business person must develop entrepreneurial skills to succeed in their career. As a Fordham alumnus, I invite you to join our society and enjoy the wonderful group of people that this network has created. I am now the Supply Chain Manager for Urban Outfitters Inc., where I will move to Hong Kong to open Urban's first Asian office.
If you have questions please contact me at andi_ehrenfeld@yahoo.com.
Anthony Lobosco, Former President and Founder
Founder, Neighborbee, Inc.
After graduating from Fordham's College of Business Administration at Rose Hill in 1994 with a BS in Marketing, Anthony began a successful sales career in telecommunications working for NYNEX, now Verizon Communications. After Verizon, he worked for then start-up Time Warner Telecom and later pursued an opportunity with then start-up Level 3 Communications. At Level 3, he was a top salesperson who worked with many start-up internet companies during the height of the internet boom of the late 90's. In December of 2006, Anthony received his MBA in Marketing and Management with a designation in Entrepreneurship from Fordham University. Most recently, he left his day job at British Telecom to pursue his dream of becoming an internet entrepreneur.
Thus, Neighborbee was born and with the help of Fordham University, it will bring neighborhoods online to improve the lifestyles of members of the community and improve communities at large.
While in graduate school, Anthony founded the Fordham Entrepreneur Society in 2004 with fellow classmates and currently remains active within the Fordham community. He also sits on the Dean's Panel for Entrepreneurship at Fordham's Graduate School of Business.
Ingrid Jeannot, daughter of a German mother and a Swiss/South African father grew up in Germany where she started her professional career with an apprenticeship as a Telecommunications Technician at Siemens AG in Munich, Germany. After working as a technician for one year, she moved on and studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt, Germany. She graduated in 1985 with a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering (Diplom-Ingenieur) and started a career in the field of technology. Throughout her career she held positions as a Software and Requirements Engineer and Project Manager at companies in the medical, defense and automotive industries including BMW, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) as well as a multi-national software vendor. Ms. Jeannot was invited to present at international conferences such as OMG Days and Web Services Conference in Europe. Today, she participates in the MBA program of the Fordham Graduate School of Business where she is majoring in Finance and Management.
Ms. Jeannot owns active licenses for Aerobics (B- and A- license), Step Aerobics, and Personal Trainer Certifications in Germany and in the U.S. Ms. Jeannot is also a student of Kyokushinkay Karate. In Germany, she led the Gymnastics Department for the MTV, Munich’s third largest sports club, and taught various types of aerobics classes. Currently, she is voluntarily involved in developing a program against child obesity which will be rolled out by multiple clinics in New York City.
Michael Peters works in New York City for Chubb Custom Market. He manages an underwriting and sales department that provides insurance products to the entertainment industry. He attends Fordham Graduate School of Business on a part-time basis. He is concentrating in marketing with a designation in electronic business. He majored in finance as an undergraduate at Boston College. He volunteers as a marketing manager for a non-profit foundation (FoodChangeTM) that focuses on delivering nutritious food to the low-income New York City community. Currently, he is acting as the Vice President of marketing for the Fordham Entrepreneur Society and has aspirations to own his own business. He was recently married and travels as much as possible.
