Welcome Letters

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| 2022 BELMONT ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARDS To Our 2022 Top 100 Alumni Entrepreneurs, Congratulations! Your commitment to excellence, high standards for execution and continued pursuit of innovation have contributed greatly to your incredible success. We are delighted to acknowledge your efforts—both professionally and personally—as one of the University’s Top 100 Alumni Entrepreneurs. As is evidenced by each of you, the entrepreneurial mindset that Belmont seeks to instill in all of our graduates is in great supply across our campus. The diverse industries, backgrounds and programs of study represented in this year’s Top 100 illustrate exactly what it means to live into this mindset, and we are so grateful for you and your story. Over the last few months, Belmont has focused on our Strategic Aspiration for 2030, including pathways that will enable us to champion the pursuit of life abundant for all people. We recognize the God-sized significance of this aspiration, and we understand that it requires unbelievable levels of creativity and imagination from people throughout the Belmont community who are equally committed to doing incredible work that will lead to human flourishing. That’s what I see in each of you—and it’s why we’re here tonight to celebrate and honor you. The impact you are making in the lives of those around you, through entrepreneurship, is enormous. We are grateful for the example you are setting for those who will come after you, and we look forward to continuing to cheer you on as you move toward even greater heights. Cheers,

Dr. Greg Jones Belmont University, President

Dear Alumni,

Welcome to the 4th annual Belmont Entrepreneur Awards! Once again, I am delighted to honor and celebrate you, our Belmont alumni, who have created impactful, thriving and successful businesses. I would also like to extend a special welcome to 35 new founders in our Top 100. Overall, this year’s list encompasses alumni from 39 different majors who have founded businesses in 33 cities. My work here at Belmont is building on your collective impact in Nashville and beyond. The purpose of this annual awards ceremony is simple: I wish to recognize your hard work, determination and accomplishments. Your success motivates and encourages current student entrepreneurs who are walking the same halls and attending the same classes that you did. You guide and encourage current students by demonstrating how courage, risk-taking and believing in your idea is worthwhile. Some of you may be familiar with the mission of the Thomas F. Cone, Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship. In short, we equip students with the entrepreneurial mindset and the competencies to build and deploy transformative ideas. Celebrating our alumni through inspiring storytelling—which will be at the heart of this evening—is a critical piece of this mission.

At last year’s award ceremony, the Massey College of Business launched the Jeffrey R. Cornwall Legacy Launch Fund to celebrate Dr. Cornwall’s legacy of building a nationally recognized entrepreneurship program. This year you are invited to continue the support of future Belmont entrepreneurs and the building of our community. Once again, congratulations to this year’s Top 100! I am so proud of your accomplishments and look forward to seeing what your future holds.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Gortmaker Executive Director of the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship