Mediaesque PR hired by QBG

Thelma Sardin |

Mediaesque PR recently signed a consulting contract to oversee operations of the Quentis Bernard Garth Foundation (QBG). Mediaesque PRs CEO/President, Larissa M. Tyler, is an Avalon Park resident and has a plethora of experience in community affairs, public relations and

corporate communication. She holds a bachelors degree in Marketing Communications from Columbia College Chicago and will complete a management program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in June 2011. Currently, she is the national publicist for the soul and R & B group, The Chi-Lites. Tyler is also a board member of Lake View Citizens Council and the Counseling Center of Lake View. Before coming to QBG, she was Executive Director of the Central Lake View Merchants Association.

A native South Sider, Tyler will lead QBGs philanthropy efforts and assist in finding students for its STEM+ partnership with the Illinois Institute of Chicago (IIT). Her objectives for QBG includes, transform[ing] [the] foundation into the foremost giver of scholarships and educational funding to young people in the city of Chicago, she said. In addition, Tyler hopes

to make QBGs brand more recognizable in order to raise enough money to help more students.

Corporate educational funding is crucial. Tyler believes more corporate financial support can help lower youth crime and violence rates. She quickly admits she does not know the statistics of the link between violent crime and education. I will venture to say that the chances of a college

student committing a crime involving a gun or becoming a victim of gun violence are a lot

lower than that of an uneducated, unemployed young person wandering the streets, she said.

Corporate financial support not only pays tuition, Its now also about saving young lives.

Drawing on past networking, Tyler plans to blend these connections in her QBG efforts. Im looking forward to integrating these relationshipsas they will be beneficial to achieving my initiatives and goals, she said.

Community organizations like as QBG help lessen social problems such as educational disparities and lack of resources. Tyler has observed QBGs community presence for

years and, it is transmitting power onto our youth, she said adding that QBG and other

community organizations must continue to empower youth to help diminish the social and

educational problems facing our community today.

Aligning with her personal goals for QBG, Tyler is establishing a mentoring committee and it will be a part of a new framework for the organization. My goal is to make this committee the largest and most active. Hoping to comprise the committee of judges, scientists and community

activists, Tyler says, Its of the utmost importance for our young people to interact with well established professionals within their own community.

She says relationships such as these are inspirational and helped her in the past. Understanding the financial responsibility of college, Tyler is excited about QBGs scholarship initiative. Duringcollege, she was able to receive tuition reimbursement from her employer. When I graduated, I didnt owe one dime in student loans it was like receiving a scholarship, she

admitted. Tyler divulges college would have not been affordable otherwise. From personal experience, she appreciates what QBG is doing for students in need of financial assistance.

In addition to IITs STEM+, Northwestern University is also recruiting local students through its Good Neighbor, Great University program. Through this initiative, Northwestern will help 100 incoming local freshmen in fall 2011 who are all residents of Chicago and Evanston.

Tyler believes local programs like these are exceptional. Chicago is a world class city and a fantastic place to receive a college education, so what these schools are doing is wonderful for Chicagos youth, she said excitedly. Tyler is also looking to use collaborations such as these to expand QBGs philanthropy. More importantly, the likely partnerships that will develop between these institutions and QBG are exciting and inspiring.

During her short time at QBG, Larissa M. Tyler has hit the ground running. [After arriving,

I] immediately identified potential funding sources and donors for QBG and have had good discussions. These victories will become my building blocks for a successful future, she said.

PLANS Topic:369 Small Business Competition Innovate Illinois

Vincent C. Ragland is

CEO of PLANS. PLANS can

be reached at (312) 286-6886

and by E-mail at vncnt599@

sbcglobal.net

Innovate Illinois is statewide entrepreneurial competition where high growth businesses have

the opportunity to be named the most innovative company in the state by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Four companies will win cash prizes; the two winners each receive $30,000 prizes, and the two runners up each receive $10,000 prizes.

Participating businesses compete on the basis of a recent innovation in one of the competitions two stages. Throughout the competition, semifinalist and finalist companies will network with Innovate Illinois alumni, potential investors, and state officials. Also, Innovate Illinois actively seeks out media opportunities for finalist companies.

The purpose of Innovate Illinois is to recognize the important impact innovation has on our economy and promote companies taking risks to create new jobs. Innovate Illinois provides entrepreneurs with exposure to other innovators and potential investors. Also, Innovate Illinois

highlights the states efforts to promote entrepreneurship and innovation.

Companies interested in competing submit an application online for one of the states competition areas, Northern, Central, or Southern, and choose to compete in either the early

or later stage. Each application is reviewed by a judging panel, and the top 16 companies, eight for the early stage and eight for the later stage, are chosen to present at each of the area semifinals competitions.

At the area semifinals, companies will present before a panel of judges for seven minutes, followed by two minutes for questions and answers by the judges. The four top scoring firms from each area, two from the early stage and two from the later stage, will move onto the statewide finals. At the finals, companies will present before a new panel of judges for seven minutes. The companies in each stage with the highest score will each win Innovate Illinois and a $30,000 cash prize. The companies with the second highest score in each stage will each win a $10,000 runner-up prize.

Stage Definitions

Early Stage: A company with an idea for an innovative product, service, or process that has yet to be commercialized or implemented as of September 10, 2010, and once deployed would have a lasting impact on the State of Illinois

Later Stage: A company that recently commercialized and implemented an innovative product, service, or process that is impacting the economy of the State of Illinois.

For the purposes of the Innovate Illinois program, innovation is defined as a novel product, service or internal process that solves a market problem or internal inefficiency. In addition, successful innovations must have the potential to foster economic growth through revenue generation and/or job creation. Companies interested in applying must fill out and complete the online application by Friday, September 10 at 11:59 pm CST. The website can be accessed at www.innovateillinois.org. Applicants will be notified by October 1 whether or not they are selected as area semifinalists.

If you have questions please contact John Roberson of the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center at: (312) 494-6742 or by E-mail at john@chicagolandec.org

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