Day 2: May 30, 2009

Project Management, Team Dynamics, Process Management and Project Story Boarding ruled the day. Teams defined individual roles and began the process of understanding the current customers vs. the desired customers for our corporate partner on Project 1: Video Gaming Technology (VGT).

After 3 morning studios (Accelerator overview by Burcham, Project Management by Cherrie Clark and Team Dynamics by Brian Griffith), the teams immersed themselves into understanding the data available on the gaming industry as they work to address the challenge provided by the VGT executives.

We returned to Averbuch auditorium for 2 additional teaching studios – one on Personal Branding with Kimberly Furse; the other on “Strategy 101” with David Furse.

After dinner, the teams divided tasks – sending some members out to collect information, capture images and complete research. Others began working on storyboard and final presentations. Lots of Dasani water, Coffee, Soda, and Post Its.

The teams clocked over 14 hours of work today and consumed (while working) over 200 bottles of water, 4 gallons of coffee, a 3 flats of chips, 8 cases of soda (plus 3 full meals). “Twenty somethings” do get hungry!

If you want to see our photo library, you may do so at http://picasaweb.google.com/VanderbiltAccelerator

Michael Burcham
Faculty Director, Accelerator 2009

Day 1: May 29, 2009

Arriving in their best “Business Professional” attire – we launched Accelerator 2009 this evening with some of the country’s top young minds. Our participants this year come from 27 different universities and 4 countries. Collectively they have held over 300 leadership experiences, awards and internships as students.

Our Immersion Experience model sets Accelerator apart from any other summer internship or opportunity out there. Where else can a 20-23 year old:
- Consult with some of America’s leading companies to solve problems,
- Be given honest critique of your work,
- Receive just-in-time training and studio-based education by Nationally Ranked faculty, and
- Create their own “Personal Brand” and Authentic Voice?

Jim Bradford, Dean of the Owen Graduate School of Business, gave the welcome address to this year’s participants. We were joined by the Executive Team from Video Gaming Technology: John Yarbrough, Jay Sevigny, Doug Edwards, Aaron Milligan and Dave Marsh. Immediately following the opening dinner, we all moved into Averbuch auditorium where the VGT team unveiled their corporate challenge for the Accelerator teams.

By the end of the evening (10 PM), Accelerator participants were organized into 8 teams, had framed the opportunity for working with VGT, and assigned the various team roles to the team members. These teams will have 20 work hours to develop their recommendations for VGT.

If you want to see our photo library, you may do so at http://picasaweb.google.com/VanderbiltAccelerator

Michael Burcham
Faculty Director, Accelerator 2009

Accelerator 2009 Begins!

The big day is here – we launch Accelerator 2009. The months of work leading up to today seem a blur. Amid the flurry of last minute details, my mind is already racing toward tonight’s opening dinner. I see in the faces of our arriving students (who tonight become the “apprentice”) -anticipation, excitement, and a bit of worry. I know what lies ahead for them. The next 30 days will be an amazing adventure of self discovery, learning, and growing. They will “do more then they ever imagined.”

Before we “officially” begin, I’d like to thank the many individuals who have worked so tirelessly to make Accelerator 2009 an amazing experience. First – the core team: Greg Harvey, Kimberly Pace, David Furse, Cherrie Clark, Brian Griffith, David Franklin, Jeff Schwartzenberg, John English, Paul Frankenberg, Greg Stielstra, Matt White, Amy Wolf, Coco Chalfant, Erin Anderson, Thomas Bernstein, Akadius Berry, Eric Bilbrey, Macee Bumpus, Brad Cayer, Kyle Clay, Jeff Freude, Dave Thomas, LaDonna Thornton, Brad Lawrence, John Morrison, Ethan Dunham, and A.J. Axelrod.

Next, a special thanks to the many great Faculty of Vanderbilt who will be leading our “get-it-and-go” learning modules that surround our Corporate Challenges. We have a great lineup of faculty for Accelerator 2009: Froeb, Clark, Hoeffler, Lapre, Hyer, Franklin, Victor, Furse, DuBois, English, Moye, Griffith, Pace, Frankenberg, and Owens.

We appreciate the support and participation of our Corporate Partners – who create with our faculty the “real world experiences” that define the Owen Accelerator experience: Video Gaming Technology, The Nashville Chamber of Commerce, BlueCross BlueShield of TN, Arrington Vineyards, Gordian Health Solutions, Sony Music Entertainment, Abeo Partners, Cisco, Presidio Networked Solutions and Coca-Cola Enterprises.

Now it’s time to - Learn it. Apply it. Live it. Let’s roll.

The 7th Corporate Partner Firm for Accelerator 2009: BlueCross BlueShield of TN & Gordian

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee & Gordian Health Solutions have teamed together to have Accelerator participants development of a Strategic Plan to add Social Media as a key tool to promote health and wellness for the population insured by BCBST and its subsidiary Gordian Health Solutions in a Business to Consumer engagement model.

The Challenge for the Accelerator Teams:

To create a Social Media strategy for BCBST and Gordian that protects an individual’s right to privacy while providing the opportunity to link to others either at the work place or from home to share relevant information about wellness and illness.

The strategy should utilize social media tools and applications to engage individuals interested in specific topic areas on an opt-in basis. The strategy’s overarching concept should be on transforming BCBST and Gordian’s interaction method from a Business to Business (B2B) methodology to a Business to Consumer (B2C) methodology.

About BCBST:

For more than 60 years, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has been centered on the health and well being of Tennesseans. Today, more than 2 million people across the state turn to us for health plan coverage and insurance products. And more than 5 million people nationwide benefit from the services we provide.

About Gordian Health Solutions:

Gordian Health Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BCBST, is a leading, national personal health coaching company. Blending health science, coaching and technology, Gordian is pioneering the next generation of integrated health solutions to deliver a personalized, interactive service promoting healthcare self-improvement and long-term wellness.

The 6th Corporate Partner Firm for Accelerator 2009: Presidio Networked Solutions

Presidio Networked Solutions and Cisco have teamed together to have Accelerator participants create an integrated marketing and communications program to develop market opportunities for the Cisco WebEx and TelePresence solutions to Presidio’s customers and prospects. Presidio is the customer facing entity for this solution and will be the channel marketer of the work created.

The Challenge for the Accelerator Teams:

To create a marketing message and go-to-market program on the "intersection" of WebEx and TelePresence technology as an effective business tool by leveraging the Social Media aspects of the “connected generation” of workers today.

Challenge Questions:

1. How can Presidio most effectively communicate the business relevance of Cisco WebEx and TelePresence technology to motivate customer to purchase and fully utilize the solution?

2. How can the WebEx and TelePresence technology itself be used to delivery the key company and product messages and to what extent can business-to-business social networking be used?

3. Can this product be made even more relevant by leveraging it as a method of B2B social networking?


About Presidio Networked Solutions:

Founded in 2004 Presidio, as a Cisco Gold Partner, is a leading professional & managed services firm at the forefront of creative collaboration, data center & IT infrastructure solutions. Presidio is made up of a team of expert technology professionals who assist clients in transforming the latest innovations into meaningful productivity enhancements:
- Enabling seamless enterprise-wide communication
- Connecting work teams to all vital information
- Controlling costs related to energy, travel
- Realizing greater efficiencies via a collaborative work environment

The 5th Corporate Partner Firm for Accelerator 2009: Nashville Chamber of Commerce

I'm happy to announce that the The 5th Corporate Partner Firm for Accelerator 2009 is the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.

Nashville is consistently ranked one of the most entrepreneurial cities by Entrepreneur Magazine. The reality is that the necessary resources are not readily available to entrepreneurial individuals and new firms – the city has a very informal network. There’s no real connecting place – to meet, to secure capital, to find resources, tools, etc. Outside of our immediate area, Nashville is not known as an “Entrepreneurial Hotbed” – which is an obstacle – particularly for technology companies who are looking to raise capital.

The Challenge for the Accelerator teams: How should one brand Nashville as a creative and entrepreneurial city and as an Entrepreneurial Leader (as it really is)? How do we develop this identity that leverages the “Music City” brand without harming the investment in the “music city” image?

About The Nashville Chamber of Commerce:

The Nashville Chamber is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating community leadership to create economic prosperity. The Nashville Area Chamber is Middle Tennessee's largest business federation, representing more than 2,500 businesses in 10 counties (Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, Cheatham, Robertson, Wilson, Sumner, Williamson, Rutherford and Maury). Through a wide variety of programs and initiatives, the Chamber works to positively impact the economic vitality and enhance the quality of life in the region, while supporting the growth and prosperity of Chamber-member businesses.

Video Gaming Technologies to Partner with Accelerator 2009

The 4th Corporate Partner firm announced for the 2009 Summer Business Institute at Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management is Video Gaming Technologies, Inc. We're delighted to have this outstanding company a part of Accelerator 2009.

VGT is providing an opportunity for our Accelerator participants to design an interactive game that would involve multi-site players and would potentially be integrated with a TV show or Movie. Expect this particular project to be a combination of creative design, engineering, consumer adoption, and competitive fun.

About VGT:

In business since 1991, VGT has more than twenty years experience and a proven track record to Class II gaming. Led by it’s founder, Jon Yarbrough, VGT has provided quality games in markets throughout the United States.

Driven by innovation, VGT’s accomplishments continue to set the standard in the competitive Class II and Skill-based markets. VGT has created exciting game titles that generate intense customer loyalty and record-setting gaming revenues.