Speaker: Paul (Fred) Swope is an enrolled agent (EA), a federally-authorized tax practitioner empowered by the U.S. Department of Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the IRS for audits, collections and appeals. His public accounting and tax practice was established in Chelsea Michigan in 2004 where he and his staff serve 550 clients, including 130 sole proprietors and 50 small corporations and partnerships. A large part of the business is helping new businesses with profit focused accounting and cash flow analysis. Fred served in controller and finance management positions for 34 years in eight locations before opening his practice in Chelsea. He is a member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce.

Testimonial: Stories from the Trench: Zachary King and Matt Stoner from Crimson Optics

Business of the Month & Refreshments Sponsor: Marcoux Allen Schomer Bower Nichols & Kendall PC, 145 S Jackson St., Jackson, Mich.

Jack Aherens of TGap Venture Capital Funds will speak on “Finding & Working with Investors” at the June 26 JIN meeting.

Jack is a founding General Partner of TGap Venture Capital Funds, headquartered in Kalamazoo, a Midwest focused venture capital fund that has raised over $46 million. Jack has been a venture capitalist since 1979; first as President of United Capital Corporation of Illinois (an SBIC), since 1983 as a General Partner of Pathfinder Venture Capital Funds I,II, III. Prior to that he had seven years of experience in bank trust investments and operations. He has served on many Boards during his career including Afmedica, Inc., Central Data, Inc., Micro Business Applications, Inc., MedVantx, Inc., MinuteClinic, Inc., NeoChord, Inc., Regenesis Biomedical and Vector General, Inc. and he is the Chairman of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur Quest.

Also, “Stories from the Trench:” Dr. Salah Huwais from Jackson Citizens for Economic Growth
Dr. Huwais is a periodontist and is developing dental tools.

Business of month and refreshments sponsor:  Abbott, Thomson & Beer, in Jackson, Mich.

This month’s topic, “Patent Law”, is a must-attend meeting. The laws have changed for patent law and we need to know about these changes and how they will affect us. Come hear Professor and Patent Attorney Mikhail Murshak and Patent Attorney Steven Parks PhD update us and speak on patent law.

Mr. Murshak and Dr. Parks are both patent lawyers in the Lansing office of Dickinson Wright, PLLC. Both received their Bachelors Degree (BS) in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University. Dr. Parks earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State prior to attending law school at the University of Michigan. His research focused on turbulent fluid modeling. Mr. Murshak attended law school at the University of Connecticut. He has experience in patent counseling related to many technologies including consumer products, automotive, computer systems, medical devices, hybrid vehicles, and many others. Recently he has specialized in working with start-up businesses in their pursuit of patent protection. Dr. Parks has spent much of his practice focused in high-tech chemical processes and compositions, with particular attention to university clients and research. Both have been guest speakers at Michigan State for the technology transfer office and student career symposiums. Mr. Murshak also works closely with the Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan as a Board Member and is a frequent speaker on issues of intellectual property. This summer they will be teaching a course in advanced patent prosecution at Cooley Law School in Lansing.

Also, the meeting will kick off with a “Stories from the Trench” featuring Steve Ward from Micro Plastics.

Business of the Month and Refreshment Sponsor: Taryn Smith, president, Advertising Solutions Today!

Another great meeting is set of April 24, where Kristina Fisk of Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, in Jackson. Her topic will be business law.

Her practice areas include Business Law, Construction Law, Real Estate, Corporate Law, Contracts, Collections, Debtor and Creditor, Personal Injury, and Trademarks and Service Marks.

Mrs. Fisk received her B.S. in Political Science from Central Michigan University in 1999. In 2002, she received her J.D. from Michigan State University, Detroit College of Law, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and earned the prestigious Jurisprudence Award in Construction Law. While in law school, Mrs. Fisk served as a Law Clerk in Jackson, Michigan. Upon graduation, she joined the Law Office of Bruce A. Inosencio, Jr., PLLC, as an Associate Attorney in January, 2003. On Jan. 1, 2009, Mr. Inosencio and Mrs. Fisk formed Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC.