Contact Information: Contacts: For HSIEC Mara Conklin (847) 816-9411 mconklin@teamclarus.com Linda Muskin (847) 432-7300 lmuskin@teamclarus.com For Northwestern University Megan Fellman (847) 491-3115 fellman@northwestern.edu For Millikin University Connie Beck (217) 424-6267 cbeck@millikin.edu
Communications Made Easy Receives $10,000 in Business Development Grants From Millikin Regional Entrepreneurship Network and Illinois Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center
| Source: Illinois Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (HSIEC)
ROCHESTER, IL--(Marketwire - February 18, 2009) - The Millikin Regional Entrepreneurship
Network (MREN) and the Illinois Homeland Security Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Center (HSIEC) are pleased to announce that their client,
Communications Made Easy™ (CME), is the recipient of a $5,000 Challenge
Grant from each center.
CME, a 4-in-1 broadcast communications service based in Rochester, IL,
allows customers to send immediate, simultaneous messages via e-mail, text
message, phone voice message, or website postings all from one central
point of access with no additional hardware or software to purchase. In a
homeland security application, CME gives emergency management officials the
ability to send news, updates, evacuation instructions, and AMBER alerts,
as well as to quickly coordinate an emergency response to help people
affected by natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other dangerous
situations.
In addition, CME is an ideal solution for university and college officials
who need to establish a written emergency broadcast communications plan
under the provisions in the Clery Act. CME provides the service they need
to immediately warn students, parents, and staff of a potential danger to
the campus or emergencies that require quick action.
"We are thrilled to receive the grant money and will use it to further
develop our strategic business plans for CME," said Michelle Tjelmeland,
co-founder of CME. "These awards will allow us to expedite our marketing
efforts and target specific customers who can really benefit from CME's
services."
MREN and HSIEC award grant money to businesses with high growth potential
to help with comprehensive business planning, evaluating a proposed
start-up or expansion, or other accelerated support services. Through
their respective grant programs, MREN and HSIEC help award recipients
achieve significant milestones to take their businesses to the next level.
HSIEC gives preference to companies demonstrating the pursuit of products
or services that clearly meet a published request by the Department of
Homeland Security.
About MREN
MREN works with entrepreneurs and businesses (regardless of industry or
stage) that demonstrate the ability to achieve growth through revenue
generation and job creation and to contribute to the economic development
of Illinois. MREN is a network of organizations and individuals throughout
the region and state that are collaborating together and strive to become
the driving force for exciting entrepreneurial activities and initiatives
throughout the Central Region. For more information, visit
www.millikinren.com.
About HSIEC
HSIEC delivers specialized business development assistance in homeland
security to entrepreneurs and small businesses as part of the Illinois
Entrepreneurship Network through a joint effort between the Illinois
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Northwestern
University. The Center launched in October 2005 and has made over 20
challenge grants to fund strategic business projects. For more
information, visit http://www.hsiec.org.