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In his opening remarks, Governor Benson said, "The motivation for entrepreneurship is always about making a difference and changing the world, and entrepreneurship is always fueled by passion. Yes, I got rich in my business, but I really wanted to make a difference in computer networking." Benson founded Cabletron Systems in Rochester, N.H., in 1983, and served as its CEO for 16 years.

A Tuck team won first place in the business-plan competition. T'03s Ned Coletta and Preble Jaques presented their plan for Thermal Vision, a company with a microwave-based thermal technique for reshaping corneas and improving eyesight. "The process should be less risky than laser surgery because it requires no incisions, and it promises to be much less expensive," said Coletta.

Fred Wainwright T'02, executive director of the Foster Center, said he and the other conference organizers were very pleased. "Entrepreneurship is a critical component of a strong national economy," he said. "Dartmouth College and DHMC have realized that—like Stanford, MIT, and other top institutions—they can leverage their intellectual capital to assist in the development of innovative products and services that create jobs and fuel economic growth, both regionally and nationally. Tuck, being a top business school, can play a strong role in the college's and the medical center's strategy of supporting entrepreneurship and commercializing innovation."

The Foster Center for Private Equity is one of five research centers at Tuck and aims to advance the understanding of private equity investing—the engine behind the entrepreneurial activity that drives global innovation and productivity. The center supports and produces internships, surveys, workshops, courses, and conferences in finance and entrepreneurship. Greener Ventures, an annual conference program, was formed in 2001 in response to strong interest in entrepreneurial activity throughout the Dartmouth community.

To learn more about the Foster Center or Greener Ventures, please visit www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pecenter.