For those of us who live in the snowier parts of the country, Orlando's warm weather was enough to put us in a good mood at the USASBE/SBIDA Entrepreneurial Odyssey 2001 conference last month. George Solomon and Sherry Taylor put together our largest conference yet--over 520 in attendance, including 25 visitors from abroad. The full moon, Atlantis shuttle launch, and Epcot fireworks provided a backdrop that would have made Stanley Kubrick smile. Even for those of us who are past the age of Saturday morning cartoons, Epcot's Tapestry of Nations and the myriad displays, shops and concerts were worth the lines. George Solomon's entrepreneurial expertise drew Mickey and Minnie and a proclamation from the Mayor of Orlando; George's gift of persuasion brought Ambassador John Bryant, ICSB President and Anderson Chair Holder Dale Meyer, AACSB Chair Larry Penley, and Maisie Jane Hurtado, California entrepreneur extraordinaire, as plenary speakers. Thanks to Joan Gillman and Jean Von Allmen, the tireless team who run USASBE's central office, our registration lines were short, the food was great, and scholarship and award checks were processed on the spot. Our heartfelt thanks to John Hughes and Michael Hennessy for their generosity in sweetening the pot of awards.

This marks the end of our two-year conference experiment with SBIDA. Both organizations have grown and branched out in new directions. Our joint conferences have been learning experiences for us all. As both organizations plan separate conferences for next year, we still have many members who belong to both organizations, who are involved in small-business development efforts and student projects with local businesses, as well as in-the-classroom entrepreneurship education and state-of-the-art research.

USASBE's goal of becoming the premier entrepreneurship education conference has become a reality. We have grown in membership and prestige, and our conferences continue to attract foundation and institutional sponsors and partners. New for 2001, formed by enthusiastic petition of more than 15% of our membership, is our eighth division: Entrepreneurship in the Arts. New Division Vice President Joe Roberts, Columbia College Chicago, is already working on creative sessions for next year's conference in Reno.

Also new to the USASBE Board this year is Emeric Solymossy, our new Vice President of Electronic Communications. Emeric will take over the web manager job from Michael Meeks, who pioneered the USASBE web site. I hope you will all join me in thanking Michael for his tireless efforts over the past three years, keeping us informed with an attractive, easily-navigable web site.

USASBE is a community of entrepreneurship educators. Member benefits include scholarly journals (JSBM, ET&P) for the advancement of knowledge, and newsletters and mailings containing information about entrepreneurship programs from fellow educators. Our conferences provide a forum for sharing, promoting, and improving management knowledge, techniques and skills. Alliances, among our ICSB affiliates, Academy of Management colleagues, and with the Coleman, Kauffman, and Edward Lowe Foundations, facilitate the free exchange of ideas and expertise among educators, practitioners, and policy makers. USASBE awards include Model Entrepreneurship Programs and Pedagogies, research and workshop awards, and sponsorship of cutting-edge programs to promote entrepreneurship education. The Coleman Foundation's Entrepreneurship Awareness and Education Grant program has teamed with the USASBE proposal review board to provide funding for innovative programs and projects.

While our 2001 Orlando Odyssey seems a tough act to follow, please mark your calendars for January 17-20, 2002, when USASBE will head west for its 16th annual conference. VP-Programs Frank Hoy promises an Entrepreneurial Bonanza at the Silver Legacy Resort in Reno. Bring your golf clubs and your skis and prepare for a wild west adventure. Those of you who haven't attended a USASBE conference recently will be surprised at the energy, excitement, and collegial exchange of ideas and learning that permeate USASBE gatherings. The deadline for competitive papers and workshop submissions for USASBE 2002 in Reno/Lake Tahoe is August 1, 2001. Complete conference information, including submission guidelines and on-line registration, is available on the conference page of this website.

I'm pleased to see more people involved in program planning and decision-making than ever before. The best way to get involved is to become more active in your divisions. Membership in two USASBE Divisions is included in your membership fee. You can join additional divisions for only $5 each (such a deal!). The Division VPs and program chairs are eager to have your input and, of course, your submissions for next year's conference. Concerted efforts over the last year have resulted in Division Domain Statements and enhanced program presence. Look for more division news on the web page in the weeks to come.

USASBE is dynamic and growing. We welcome your ideas, your energies, and your enthusiasm. Our success as an organization depends on the camaraderie and active participation of its members. Interest is not enough. Get involved!