The Founders of the Kentucky Entrepreneur Network are all successful entrepreneurs.  They have started, run and grown businesses.  They have come together to form an organization whose sole focus is on the entrepreneur.  KEN is here to help entrepreneurs by providing information and networking opportunities.

Alex Day is the Founder and CEO of Sheltowee LLC.  His academic background is in physics, mathematics and Russian language.  Alex had his first entrepreneurial experience in the 5th grade when he discovered the concept of "profit".  He learned that a hand knit air freshener in the PTA's crafts fair fund raiser for his elementary school was very popular with students.  He purchased the entire supply and marked the price up significantly.  This was Alex's first run in with regulatory authorities.  The teachers were not happy with the practice.  When Alex was 15 years old he contracted with Paramount Pickles and raised an acre of cucumbers.  The back breaking labor insured Alex went on to pursue a college degree.  Alex has worked with dozens of small businesses.  He founded Sheltowee in 2001 and has accumulated various experiences during his years as an entrepreneur.  He has managed venture capital funds and has been instrumental in starting various companies including Kentucky BioProcessing.  Alex has partnered with the other founders of KEN to provide a platform for entrepreneurs to network with other entrepreneurs and as a forum for small business owners to have their voices heard. 

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Bobby Clark is a publisher, speaker, trainer, entrepreneur and developer of social enterprises. Bobby is co-founder of Midwest Clean Energy Enterprise LLC and is President of Sustainable Business Ventures, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Bobby is one the founders of the “low profit” company Unlimited Carbon Assistance Network, L3C (http://www.ucanl3c.com) and board member of the Social Enterprise Alliance – Kentucky Chapter.  He is chair of Bluegrass Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Forever Green program; a member of the Louisville Sustainable Council’s Green Economy Action Team; a member of the West Louisville FoodPort Community Council; and Director of Business Development for the Kentucky Sustainability Council. Bobby has created a Green Entrepreneur program that has served low income youth and difficult-to-employ individuals including inmates. Bobby has presented the Green Entrepreneur Program at three national conferences and an article about the program was published in Corrections Today, the national magazine of the American Correctional Association. Bobby is one the founders of the “low profit” company Unlimited Carbon Assistance Network, L3C and board member of the Social Enterprise Alliance – Kentucky Chapter. Bobby is a small business advocate; former Kentucky delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business; was one of the first 50 small business owners across the country to be appointed to chair the SBA Region IV Regulatory Fairness Board; and served on the SBA National Advisory Council.  He was appointed by the Governor to create and chair of the Kentucky Commission on Small Business Advocacy. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. 

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Bill Schutters has over 40 years experience as an entrepreneur, economic developer and business consultant. Schutters, whose specialties include marketing and finance, has consulted with more than 400 small business clients (January 2002-Present). He also is a certified trainer for the Ice House Entrepreneurship program, the Kauffman FastTrac and the NEF CORE-Four curriculums that help existing and aspiring entrepreneurs accomplish their goals.  He is also certified to administer the Growth Wheel development tool and has his own entrepreneur acceleration platform called Digital Entrepreneur.
Previously, Schutters worked for Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation (KHIC) in London, Kentucky as their Entrepreneurial Support Director. Bill continues to work with KHIC as a consultant. He has also been a Director for the Kentucky Innovation Network.

The Mountain Association of Community & Economic Development (MACED) in Berea, Ky. recruited Mr. Schutters from North Carolina where he was founder of five separate businesses. He served as Vice President for Programs at MACED from January 2007 to May 2010 where he coordinated the management and implementation of MACED’s programmatic efforts that included economic development, forestry, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.  He continues to do consulting work with MACED. 

Schutters’ career has included multiple entrepreneurial endeavors and a variety of nonprofit experiences. He has formed and operated five successful businesses (December 1977-Present) in diverse industries; apparel manufacturing, retail interior decorating and furnishings, a national music camp organization, stretch limousine manufacturing, and ad specialty and embroidery businesses. He has recently co-founded a technology company that houses the Digital Entrepreneur platform.
Schutters has a bachelor of science in business administration degree with a concentration in accounting from Western Carolina University (May 1985). He was a founding board member of HandMade In America, a craft industry non-profit. Schutters also served as chairman of the Friends of Mountain History, another non-profit, and was vice-chairman of the Small Business Administration’s North Carolina Advisory Council. Bill is a certified SBA SCORE business mentor.