What's Next? Boomer Business Summit Reveals New Research, Case Studies and Marketing Strategies for Those Serving the 50+ Market

Business Wire, Jan 13, 2005

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The second annual What's Next? Boomer Business Summit will be held March 9-10, 2005 at Loews Philadelphia Hotel. It will lead into the 2005 Joint Conference of the American Society on Aging (ASA) and The National Council on the Aging (NCOA), March 10-13, 2005 in Philadelphia.

The Summit is an official designated event of the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA).

The What's Next? Boomer Business Summit is co-produced by the ASA and its Business Forum on Aging, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University and Mary Furlong & Associates.

The What's Next? Boomer Business Summit and its $10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition presents leaders in marketing, product development, funding and other business aspects important to those serving the fastest-growing U.S. segment, people who are age 50 or above. New research, consumer insights, case studies and successful marketing strategies will be showcased, as well as projected demographic trends and the associated opportunities. To register, visit www.boomersummit.com.

Mary Furlong, CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates, executive professor of entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, and co-producer of the What's Next? Boomer Business Summit said, "Ninety-one percent of the net assets are in the hands of baby boomers, the youngest of whom are now turning 40 years of age. This spending power combined with the changing needs and interests of the growing boomer market give rise to tremendous market opportunities. The boomers' future will be as creative as its past."

Presenters will include top experts serving the boomer market from healthcare, financial services, media, advertising, travel, housing and the aging community.

Sessions will include: A Global Look at Boomer Demographics; Building Global Brands; Media and Marketing Strategy -- Radio, Search, Integrated Marketing Solutions; Health, Drugs and Fitness: Trends and Surprising Opportunities; An Investor's Perspective: How to Capitalize New Businesses that Tap the 50 Market; and many more.

$10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition

An integral element of the conference is the global competition for early-stage businesses, entrepreneurs and students who are developing products and services for the boomer market. It is the first and only business plan competition in the world that is focused on a specific market segment; in this case consumers age 50 .

"The $10,000 Grand Prize goes to the author of the business plan that has the highest potential for success in the 50 market," says Mary Furlong. "Five finalists will present their business ideas to the conference and the Grand Prize winner will be chosen. Last year's 85 entries included plans in medicine, media, fashion, financial services, housing, and travel. Entries came from students from a dozen U.S. colleges, entrepreneurs from all over the U.S., and England, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. We want to challenge entrepreneurs to tap into the lucrative and growing boomer market."

For more information and registration for the What's Next? Boomer Business Summit and $10,000 Business Plan Competition, visit the conference web site at www.boomersummit.com.

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University was established in 1998. The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is an essential part of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. The Center's mission is to enhance the body of knowledge, teach the theory and foster the art of innovation and entrepreneurship. The Center adds a distinctive dimension to these studies and initiatives -- the blending of the lessons learned with the promotion of global entrepreneurship and social justice. The Center seeks to integrate both graduate and undergraduate students in its efforts, as well as faculty pursuing research in a variety of disciplines. More information is online at www.scu.edu.

About the Leavey School of Business

The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University began in 1926, and was one of the first business schools in the country to receive national accreditation. Its undergraduate business program is recognized as one of the best in California, and its MBA program is ranked 10th in the nation among part-time graduate programs for working professionals. More than 80 percent of its 1,100 MBA student body are working professionals in the Bay Area.

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located in California's Silicon Valley, offers its 8,047 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees. Distinguished nationally by the second-highest graduation rate among all U.S. master's universities, California's oldest higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. More information is online at www.scu.edu.