Over Two Dozen Orange County Businesses Sponsor Forum For Women Entrepreneurs' Venture Summit Progressive Dinner.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Cerius Consulting Partner Network and Wells Fargo Bank Head List of Supporters

Forum for Women Entrepreneurs' Venture Summit Progressive Dinner (VSPD) will take place this year on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 5-6. Now in its fifth year, this highly anticipated event with approximately 400 people expected to attend is the definitive fundraising networking event for women- and men-led enterprises in the life sciences, biosciences and technology sectors. For one evening, top capital providers, high-growth technology and life science CEOs and founders, and a select number of leading professional service providers will gather for an evening of insight, structured networking and great food.

"The VSPD is the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs, capital providers and guests to network and socialize in a unique setting," said Jnana Anderson, president of FWE Orange County/LA area. "We are truly thankful to our sponsors for helping bring this to fruition."

The event commences with a networking reception on October 5, sponsored by Cerius Consulting Partner Network.

"We are extremely pleased to support this event," declared W. Bruce Steever, Cerius co-founder and director. "A number of our principals focus on earlier-stage entities through our Emerging Growth Practice. We feel the cocktail reception the evening before the progressive dinner offers the attendees an extended opportunity for getting together and networking in a more casual atmosphere."

In addition to Cerius Consulting Partner Network, sponsors for this year's VSPD include Silver sponsor Wells Fargo Bank, and table sponsors Microsoft; Palomar Ventures; Perlinski & Company; Cox Business Services; Preston Gates & Ellis LLP; Yocca Patch & Yocca, LLP; Bank of the West; Fish & Richardson P.C.; Comerica Bank; O'Melveny & Myers LLP; Hazelina Belladora Laskey; Zebra-net; The Centers for International Trade Development; Askew Kabala & Company, Inc.; and Manx & Associates, Inc. In-Kind sponsors are ImageBEAM; Joey Tamer; N-tonic; Business Wire Newport Beach; Women's Online Media and Education Network; Smith Fidler; Porter Creative Group; Impressive Printing; Robert W. Price; and Unismart Capital Software LLC. Weldon Edwards and Payden & Rygel are scholarship sponsors.

In addition to the cocktail reception, a venture summit will take place from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on October 6, and will feature a speaker panel to discuss the benefits of starting, growing, building and funding business in Orange County. Following the luncheon is the progressive dinner, where entrepreneurs will progress through three dinner courses. At each table, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to present their pitch to a variety of experts in their particular field.

Elaine Levin, a partner in the Orange County office of Preston Gates & Ellis, LLP, said, "Preston Gates supports the efforts of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs to provide resources for emerging businesses in Orange County. The FWE VSPD is an important event to showcase exciting Orange County businesses and entrepreneurs to a broad venture capital community. Unlike many other conferences which have quick-pitches, this is a unique event that brings together capital providers and entrepreneurs for in-depth discussions on financing and business issues. Preston Gates is in the forefront of sponsoring organizations, such as FWE, that help promote, educate and grow the Orange County business community."

Comerica Bank is sponsoring the event for the second straight year. "Comerica Bank's Technology and Life Sciences Division employs a variety of resources to foster the establishment and growth of young companies, and to bring those companies together with qualified investors," pronounced Michael Berrier, senior vice president and regional manager with Comerica's Technology and Live Sciences Division. "We have found the FWE event to be a valuable forum to contribute to these important goals. As returning sponsors we have good reason to expect that this year's event will result in accelerating the growth and focus of new enterprises and in our establishing or deepening relationships with entrepreneurs and investors alike. We would encourage potential sponsors to consider these benefits when allocating the funds they have available for sponsorship."

In addition to sponsoring a table at the event, Palomar Ventures has made a special donation for each entrepreneur to receive Robert W. Price's book, Roadmap To Entrepreneurial Success: Powerful Strategies For Building A High-Profit Business. "Palomar Ventures is pleased to be a sponsor for the VSPD and an attending capital provider," said Randy Lunn of Palomar Ventures. "Introducing Robert Price's new and exciting book will give FWE participants stunning insights into the venture world and entrepreneurial process. The goal is to create a strong base of entrepreneurs in Southern California."

Lisa McCann, president of Weldon Edwards agrees. "We really believe in FWE 's mission. The Progressive Dinner is an excellent forum not only for women, but also for all entrepreneurs participating - to get face time with top-tier capital providers from around the country. It's a great opportunity for businesses like ours to network and get exposure to our local entrepreneurial community. Weldon Edwards has had a lot of success and as an Orange County-based company, I feel we have a responsibility to give back to the community and support our entrepreneurs."

"Perlinski & Company believes that the basis for a strong economy is a strong Small-Medium Enterprise population," said Steve Perlinski, president/COO of Perlinski and Company. "We have attended events such as this around the world and understand its potential. In sponsoring this FWE event, we hope that it will foster a greater understanding of the key factors that stimulate SME growth and a significantly more cooperative SME services environment in Orange County. We also hope to expose the more positive aspects of Southern California as a place for business to our overseas visitors. Lastly, as a sponsor, we feel this annual forum is an effective way to join together with other Southern California businesses to demonstrate that we can and do provide a comprehensive, friendly and nurturing environment for a wide variety of industries."

For more information about the event, visit the Web site at www.pvdsc.org. For more information about the Orange County and LA area Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, visit the organization's web site at www.fwe.org or call Jnana Anderson at 949.439.1943.