Centralight

supporpport system CMU off ers entrep e CM off er Many people keep their distance when it comes to bees, but Steve Haystead, '79, has always been intrigued by them. In 1998 he pursued his interest and invested in fi ve beehives – just enough to begin a new hobby. The human resources executive turned beekeeper's fi ve beehives soon became 15, and over the next two years grew to more than 300, which is enough hives to be considered a commercial beekeeper. Beekeeping grew from Haystead's hobby into a full-time job, and he and his wife, Jan, knew that they needed to fi nd a way to make it a lucrative one. After some experimentation, the Haysteads had made their fi rst batch of mead – wine made from honey – at their home in Montague, Mich., using unfi ltered, raw honey harvested from their organically managed beehives. The process of making mead is authentic to the Middle Ages, so the Haysteads ensure that they are producing it in a traditional way. The process is slow – each batch of mead takes about a year to make. When Haystead obtained his license to sell the mead in 2007, Bardic Wells Meadery was born. With an MBA under his belt, Haystead, who considers himself a natural entrepreneur, knew he didn't need business assistance but rather needed guidance and encouragement to get his business up and running. eprreneur auriial H th C p in He soon heard of the resources available through the CMU Research Corp. CMU-RC was established as a not-for- profi t organization established to facilitate innovative research and development opportunities between the university and high-technology companies. It's located in one of Michigan's SmartZones, so it focuses on the state's emerging sectors of advanced automotive manufacturing and materials, life sciences, alternative energy, and homeland security and defense. "We get so intimately involved with the clients we work with, because we're down in the trenches with them, supporting them and helping them move along their way," says Erin Strang, director of operations at CMU-RC. "We have a large network of people here who all have their own networks. It's an intricate web of connections that ultimately helps our clients." Other alumni involved include Doug Willet, '90, owner of Luna Tech Designs, a 3D geospatial modeling company that sells service to municipalities, school systems, real estate developers and business associations as a marketing and promotional tool. The mapping service allows Internet users to "fl y in" to any given area and see 3D images of buildings Erin Strang, director of operations at CMU Research Corp., meets with Steve Haystead in the tasting room of Mountain Town Station restaurant in Mount Pleasant, one of the retailers for Haystead's mead. and properties – enhanced with extras like schedules and menus. Art Sills, '63, owner of The SpaBath Co., developed a walk-in bathtub for use in commercial facilities such as nursing homes, and the company now is adapting the design and business model for residential sales. The student connection Students play a large part in entrepreneurship at CMU through the LaBelle Entrepreneurial Center in the College of Business Administration. The LaBelle Entrepreneurial Center is one of the driving forces closely connected to CMU-RC, and the two share resources and continue to strengthen the university's entrepreneurial force. continued centralight spring '10 17

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