Speaker addresses veteran entrepreneurship and economic benefits at Cultivate918 in Tulsa

Friday, July 8, 2016

The Riata Center for Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University and the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation are partnering to bring speaker Derek Distenfield to address the importance of veteran entrepreneurship as part of the Cultivate918 initiative at 5 p.m. July 13 at the Tulsa Community College Center for Creativity in Tulsa.

Distenfield is the Executive Director of Strategy and Expansion for Bunker Labs, a 501c3 organization that assists veteran entrepreneurs with educational programming, mentors and events. As a previous Army officer and Bronze Star recipient, Distenfield will discuss the importance of fostering veteran entrepreneurship and the positive economic impacts it has on a community.

“Veteran entrepreneurship is a passion we have at the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship,” said Alexces Bartley, manager of events and outreach for the Riata Center. “Since 2009, the Riata Center at Oklahoma State University has hosted the annual Veterans with Disabilities Entrepreneurship Program, which has since expanded across the United States. Tulsa’s growing entrepreneurial community is full of possibilities and we want to make sure that our veterans are actively engaged and represented. “

Distenfield will also host an office hours session from 10:30-11:30 a.m. July 13 at the 36 Degrees North building in downtown Tulsa.

“We partnered with the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation to bring Derek to Tulsa for July’s Cultivate918 event to educate the community on the importance of veteran entrepreneurship and what it means for a community like Tulsa,” said Sarah Teague, Tulsa office manager of events and outreach for the Riata Center. “Veterans are 25 percent more likely to start a business than any other group, which is why we want to insure that these men and women have the support and access to the resources they need in order to be successful.”