DePaul Coleman Entrepreneurship Center Appoints Entrepreneur and E-Commerce Law Expert John Lanigan As Director.

Business Editors/Education Writers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 2, 2003

As DePaul University's Coleman Entrepreneurship Center in Chicago opens its doors on a new academic year of educating and assisting entrepreneurs, it also welcomes its first director, John Lanigan, 39, an entrepreneur and e-commerce law expert who has founded two firms.

Lanigan brings a depth of experience in law, accounting, finance and computer technology to his new position. During the last 12 years as an entrepreneur, he has started his own law firm and a computer systems consulting company. He also has taught e-commerce law at DePaul's School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information System and the John Marshall Law School. Currently, he teaches entrepreneurship and technology innovation strategies as a management department faculty member at DePaul's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.

"John Lanigan's background and experience is an exceptional fit with our needs of center director," said Harold Welsch, DePaul's Coleman Foundation Chair in Entrepreneurship and founder of the center. "He has an exceptional blend of technical, interpersonal and sales capabilities, combined with his enthusiasm and energy, all of which make him an outstanding hire."

Lanigan's appointment is part of the creation of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center at DePaul's business school through a 5-year, $2.5 million pledge made in June by the Chicago-based Coleman Foundation. The center will hold an official open house from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 7, featuring a ribbon cutting and an address by Hattie Bryant, host of "Small Business School" on PBS television. The free event will take place in the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson, 8th floor.

The center's mission is to educate students in entrepreneurship, link aspiring entrepreneurs to resources for establishing new enterprises and enhance DePaul's entrepreneurship outreach and research. The center offers mentoring and business services to help entrepreneurs start and grow their ventures.

Lanigan said the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center has generated much excitement since its launch. "The first day I showed up to work, the telephones were ringing-off the hook," he said. "Everyone wanted to know more about the center and what it has to offer. It has been non-stop ever since, and I have loved every minute of it. What true entrepreneur wouldn't?"

Lanigan and Welsch, have moved the center into space on the eighth floor of DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., and are working to complete its marketing materials, diagnostic tools and resource links. Networking with students, alumni, faculty members, area entrepreneurial experts and business development centers have been a priority. The center already has linked several entrepreneurial companies to services while maintaining a continued advisory role with others. As the school year starts in September, Lanigan is looking forward to interacting with returning students, both as entrepreneurs and as consultants.

"The center is designed to help students, alumni and the community in two ways," he said. "First, for those students, alumni and community members who want to start their own businesses, the center works with them throughout the entire process, from start-up to continuation, helping them develop business plans, connecting them to services that will help launch businesses and providing support for growth from a strong team of mentors. Second, the center offers the skills, experience and talent of DePaul's students, alumni and any available community resource to help entrepreneurial businesses succeed.

"In this way, students and alumni can apply their knowledge to various industries and organizations in the real-world, in consultation with DePaul's faculty and other noted professional experts," Lanigan said.

As an attorney who founded Lanigan Law Office, Lanigan has advised small- to medium-sized companies about the legal ramifications of corporate formation, continuing business operations, implementation of computer technology and the development of e-commerce businesses. He is an expert in corporate legal and business problems, finance, accounting and litigation. Lanigan also has experience working with businesses on technology issues, security issues and computer audits related to litigation or potential litigation. Lanigan is a licensed Illinois Certified Public Accountant and holds other certifications in accounting, auditing, computers and fraud detection.

Lanigan's computer consulting company, Miramar Systems, Inc., has recommended, developed and implemented customized information systems and/or applications. The company has constructed litigation and electronic document retrieval databases for case management and data mining opportunities; installed and supported accounting and administrative systems; and furnished hardware, software and technical support for various mainframe, mini and microcomputer platforms.

Lanigan received his law degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology's Chicago-Kent College of Law, and he is a licensed attorney in Illinois, Florida, Texas and the District of Columbia. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in accountancy from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is a volunteer with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Editor's Note: Reporters interested in interviewing Lanigan can reach him at 312/362-8676 or via e-mail at [e-mail]. For more information about the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center as well as the center's Oct. 7 open house, call 312/362-8625.