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Pepperdine Graziadio 5th Annual SEER Symposium Features Values-Based Industry Leaders Who Prioritize Social Impact and Profitability
[February 02, 2016]

Pepperdine Graziadio 5th Annual SEER Symposium Features Values-Based Industry Leaders Who Prioritize Social Impact and Profitability


The 2016 SEER Symposium, Beyond the Horizon, provides a forum for exploring the complexities of integrating sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and ethics into entrepreneurship, innovation, and producing a superior product that generates financial growth. This unique opportunity features an inspiring line-up of innovators, thought-leaders, and entrepreneurs who will be sharing their journey in creating profitable companies that help make the world a better place. The 2016 SEER Symposium will be held on February 5 from 8 AM - 4 PM at the Le Meridien Delfina in Santa Monica.

"Through the power of technology and global connectivity, entrepreneurs have unprecedented resources at their disposal to target challenges both locally and globally," said Rob Bikel, Director of the SEER Program at Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management. "The Pepperdine SEER Symposium features socially conscious entrepreneurs and industry leaders who have developed unique, innovative, and disruptive solutions to meet those challenges."

This 2016 SEER Symposium combines 30,000-foot thinking with a boots-on-the-ground perspective that encourages active audience participation. Students can present their new business ideas to an expert panel of judges from the entrepreneurial and lending communities as part of the Symposium's Fast Pitch Competition for a chance to win $500.

The "TED Talk" structure will feature a series of speakers on topics related to the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and creating profitable companies that have a positive social impact:

  • Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of JumpStarter, Inc., an online crowdsourcing platform for entrepreneurial projects, and CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc., a project initiated by Elon Musk and incubated using JumpStarter's crowd collaboration process.
  • Lori Seele Contorer, Founder, Everyone Counts, which brings proven state-of-the-art technologies to the election process, making them more accessible, affordable, transparent, and secure.
  • Dan Macklin, Co-Founder, SoFi VP Community Member Success, a disruptive finance technology company refinancing over $6 billion in student loans, mortgage origination, and more for financially responsible consumers.
  • Marci Zaroff, ECOlifestyle Entrepreneur, Educator, and Innovator exploring the relationship between sustainability and fashion, and leading change in the industry.
  • Nick Gates, Founder of Play Soccer, Founder of Coaches Across Continents, and English Premier League Executive whose programs have reached 1,700,000 children.
  • Steve Glenn, Founder and CEO of LivingHomes, LLC, which combines world-class architecture with an unparalleled commitment to healthy, sustainable construction.
  • Paddy Spence, Chairman and CEO of Zevia, the fastest-growing zero-calorie soda on the market.
  • R. Paul Herman, CEO of HIP Investor Inc., which has evaluated more than 4,800 companies and 10,000 municipal bonds, examining the relationship between shareholder returns and human impact.



For more information or to register for the conference visit us here. In addition to the Symposium, the Pepperdine Graziadio School offers a Certificate in Socially, Environmentally, and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Business Strategy led by Pepperdine Graziadio faculty Rob Bikel.

About the Pepperdine University Graziadio School for Business and Management


A leader in cultivating entrepreneurship and digital innovation, the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management focuses on the real-world application of MBA-level business concepts. The Graziadio School provides student-focused, globally oriented education through part-time, full-time, and executive MBA programs at our eight California campuses, as well as through online and hybrid formats. In addition, the Graziadio School offers a variety of master of science programs, a bachelor of science in management degree-completion program, and the Presidents and Key Executives MBA, as well as executive education certificate programs. Follow the Graziadio School on Facebook, Twitter at @GraziadioSchool, and LinkedIn.


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