April 23, 2012, Atlanta, GA . . . Entrepreneurs continue to play a vital role in our country’s economic recovery, accounting for 64 percent of new American private sector jobs over the past decade, for a total of 40 million new jobs. On April 19th & 20th, Atlanta welcomes more than 500 entrepreneurs from all over the east coast as the city hosts the Annual Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO) NERVE Conference at the Loews Hotel in midtown. This is the largest number of entrepreneurs and small business owners ever to converge in Atlanta, and their collective clout is impressive: the average age of an EO member is 41; the average number of employees he/she employs is 182, and the average yearly sales is $17.3 million.



The EO NERVE 2012 Conference includes several outstanding keynote speakers, notably twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the Harvard graduates and Olympic rowers, who will make their first public address regarding their claim that Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea of Facebook from them, after the brothers hired him to create an online community called HarvardConnection. Opening the conference is Richard Kahlbaugh, CEO of Fortegra Financial, followed by EO Chairman Kevin Langley, who will formally announce the newly-created relationship between EO and the NYSE called The NYSE Big StartUp, which is a nationwide jobs growth initiative connecting startups and entrepreneur with corporate America to accelerate new business, funding and success. Also speaking are Sarah Shourd, her fiancé Shane Bauer, and their friend Josh Fattal, often referred to as “The Iran Hikers,” who will candidly discuss their struggles and perseverance as they were held captive in Iran. The conference also hosts keynote speaker Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot, who will discuss inbound marketing and the power of social media, blogging and Google. Breakout sessions focus on current topics such as running a business in today’s turbulent economy, connecting with The Cloud and protecting trade secrets. See a complete listing of speakers at EONERVE2012.

“entrepreneurs and small businesses will be key factors in stabilizing the U.S. economy as well as driving future growth,” explains David Duncan, programming/learning chair for EO NERVE and founder of Paddywax, hand-poured soy wax candles. “That’s why it’s so important to continue to bring entrepreneurs together to learn from each other and build strong networks. This event brings together intelligence, leadership, and a passion for business. It’s an incredible opportunity for learning, networking and sharing of ideas and experiences.”

Duncan is the incoming President of the Atlanta EO Chapter – his second service. He and EO NERVE Chair Todd Bone, founder and CEO of XS International, Inc. (XSi), and Sponsorship Chair Henry Rischitelli, founder and CEO of Next Marketing, are part of the larger EO NERVE Committee and have been vital to attracting the record attendance and quality speaker line-up.

Interview opportunities with David Duncan, Todd Bone and/or Henry Rischitelli can be arranged by contacting David Duncan at Duncan.DavidA@gmail.com or 678-296-9999.

About The Entrepreneurs’’ Organization

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) – for entrepreneurs only – is a dynamic global network of more than 7,500 business owners in 38 countries. Founded in 1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn and grow from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. Membership in one of EO’s 118 chapters is by invitation only; the average member is 40 years old with annual revenues of US$18.4 million. For more information on EO, visit www.eonetwork.org or call +1.703.519.6700.