Lisboa, 21 e 22 de Maio
Chris Curtis
Chief Entrepreneurship Officer
Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Chris Curtis got his first taste of entrepreneurship in the 1970s when he helped a friend launch a clothing store. Bitten by the bug, he soon followed by opening a restaurant and two donut franchises of his own. After selling these successful operations, he turned to helping othersCas an entrepreneurship consultant.
As President and Director of Operations for Junior Achievement of Mainland Nova Scotia (1989B1992), he launched the Entrepreneurship Mentoring Program. He went on to become an Entrepreneurship Consultant with the Nova Scotia Department of Education where he designed and implemented programs to develop entrepreneurship for grades 3 to 12. More than 25,000 students participate in these programs annually and Entrepreneurship 12 is the most popular elective in the province.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED) was born in 1995 through Chris’s work within the Department of Education and remains today within the mandate of this department. As Chief Entrepreneurship Officer of CEED, Chris manages this organization, which is dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurship in young people by acting as a catalyst in the areas of: Entrepreneurship Education; Research and Program Design; Professional Development and Community Entrepreneurship.
Chris is focused on fostering the entrepreneurial spirit. He has advanced the entrepreneurial culture, not just in the Atlantic region, but across the country and worldwide. CEED has hosted visitors from across Canada, the US, Sweden, Finland, Northern Island, Africa, the Caribbean and more. Chris has been invited to speak and work in Europe, South America and the US. He has been recognized by numerous organizations, including Global Television’s Leading Edge, Royal Bank of Canada, the Hungarian and Slovak Women Entrepreneurship Program, the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers, the Rotary Club, the Canadian Banker’s Association and the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards program.
In the past five years, Chris has spearheaded CEED=s growth from a staff of six to 50. Over 30 projects have been developed and implemented by CEED. These include the award-winning Break Into Business Camp, which instils the entrepreneurial spirit in kids aged nine to 15; Open for Business (OFB), an international network of youth-friendly walk-in centres where staff help with the “how to’s” and “next steps” for anyone who wants to start, improve or expand a business; and the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Conference that attracts 500 people annually. CEED’s professional development programs have been attended by educators and economic developers from across the globe.
Chris has made a difference in the lives of many Nova Scotia youth, including several for which he acts as a mentor. The contribution that Chris Curtis is making today will pay huge dividends tomorrowCbuilding success for othersCand energizing his country’s youth, and the economy, locally and worldwide.