{"id":15353,"date":"2012-01-25T19:56:11","date_gmt":"2012-01-26T00:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/?p=15353"},"modified":"2017-06-27T16:58:56","modified_gmt":"2017-06-27T20:58:56","slug":"digicel-program-recognizes-and-encourages-haitian-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/2012\/01\/digicel-program-recognizes-and-encourages-haitian-entrepreneurs\/","title":{"rendered":"Digicel program recognizes and encourages Haitian entrepreneurs."},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/strong>As Haiti marked the second anniversary of its devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, one of the most significant signs of economic growth is a strong entrepreneurial spirit, very much a part of that country.<\/p>\n

The \u201c2011 Digicel Entrepreneur of the Year\u201d from telecommunications operator Digicel fosters that success. As part of the program, for the second year, a three-day Haiti-CEO Retreat took place at Florida International University (FIU).<\/p>\n

\"Twenty-four
Twenty-four Haitian CEOs and entrepreneurs participated in a three-day Haiti-CEO Retreat organized by the business school\u2019s Office of Executive and Professional Education.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Twenty-four Haitian CEOs and entrepreneurs, selected as finalists from a group of 245 applicants, traveled to FIU in November 2011 for the event conducted by the Office of Executive and Professional Education (EPE),<\/a> part of the College of Business Administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe program\u2019s central theme focused on how to build a giant company with no capital,\u201d said EPE\u2019s assistant director Rosangel Quintero (PMBA \u201910). \u201cThe agenda was packed with instruction, motivation and recognition, and a chance for participants to share their stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was, by far, the best executive program I have been involved with and the knowledge acquired is already being applied in my company,\u201d said Valentin Abe, an aquaculture businessman who subsequently was named the 2011 Digicel Entrepreneur for his unique business model of selling fish-raising kits to Haitian farmers then buying back the fish, an effort strengthening the local economy.<\/p>\n

Program arms entrepreneurs with information and encouragement.<\/em><\/p>\n

Program topics included product development, market analysis, pricing, product-customer convergence, financial plans and more. The latest research on how to build big business without capital was of particular importance.<\/p>\n

\"Keynoter
Keynoter speaker Dumas M. Simeus; Valentin Abe, subsequently named 2011 Digicel Entrepreneur; and Dileep Rao, faculty director and instructor. Photo by Liezel Quintana.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cEntrepreneurship is a very lonely vocation,\u201d said Dileep Rao, who served as faculty director and instructor. \u201cThese Haitians entrepreneurs are not as privileged as business developers in Silicon Valley but they are determined, talented and hard working. It\u2019s wonderful that Digicel recognizes and helps them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keynote speaker Dumas M. Simeus, a Haitian-born entrepreneur who owns and operates Simeus Foods International, one of the world\u2019s largest processors of frozen foods, shared his story from poverty to success.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank Digicel and FIU and I dearly hope they continue to assist Haitian entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from all over the world,\u201d Abe said.<\/p>\n