About the Institute

The Institute for Business, Innovation & Entrepreneurship was founded in 2004 and is located at the Partners in Higher Education building in Apple Valley, Minn. Entrepreneurship and self-employment have always been a natural product of the high-quality technical and professional education provided by Dakota County Technical College.

And now, with the development of the Institute, the college has amassed the knowledge, resources and community support needed to give our students and community the "competitive edge" in today's economic climate.

The Institute, through its advisory board, brings together the area's top business leaders in a wide variety of industries. The collective experience of these advisors and the vision of DCTC President Ron Thomas has produced a comprehensive and timely menu of programs and services to meet the needs of fledgling entrepreneurs and growing companies.

The Institute for Business, Innovation & Entrepreneurship is the cutting edge of business education, support, capital development and serves as an important resource for economic development in the south metro. We look forward to your involvement in the Institute!

Staff

Christine Pigsley	Julie DuBois	Bob Voss
Associate Dean of Business 651-423-8602 Institute@dctc.edu	Administrative Specialist 651.423.8601 Institute@dctc.edu	Business Entrepreneur Faculty 651-423-8356 Institute@dctc.edu
Harold Torrence	Scott Gunderson
Dakota County Technical Supervisory Management Instructor 651-423-8606 Institute@dctc.edu	Customized Training Coordinator and Faculty, Dakota County Technical College 651-423-8295 Institute@dctc.edu

 

A Message from Ronald Thomas

Ronald Thomas
Ph.D., President Dakota County Technical College

This is a time of great challenges, but also many opportunities. We at Dakota County Technical College believe that entrepreneurship is a key component of the "new economy" of the 21st century. It's for this reason DCTC created the Institute for Business, Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Apple Valley to provide the building blocks for successful businesses that will grow and prosper right here in our community.

A big part of the Institute's success comes from the strong support of Flint Hills Resources. Flint Hills Resources is the naming sponsor of our speaker series featuring local entrepreneurs who have achieved acclaim in their fields. The support of Flint Hills Resources has been incredibly important in the early days of the Institute, and we thank them for their support.