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A franchise player steps down: Longtime CED President Monica Doss Announces Resignation

Swamp Fox note: An institution in the southeastern entrepreneurial community, Monica Doss, has stepped down as president of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development in Research Triangle Park, NC. Over two decades, she built the preeminent entrepreneurial development organization probably in the world.

In 2003 when we were developing the concept for InnoVenture, Monica was incredibly generous to a group of us from Greenville, who visited with her while she gave us the full benefit of her years of experience. It was a lesson in servant leadership which I've never forgotten, and a model I've tried to emulate.

Fresh from the giddiness of the third annual InnoVenture, and colleague and I attended CED's Venture 06. We were humbled by the dozens of venture capitalists in attendance, and inspired by the potential of what could be.

Monica has been a role model who will be missed by more people that she realizes, including me.

John

Contact: Cassandra Cranston
Sr. Manager, Marketing & Communications
ccranston@cednc.org

Research Triangle Park, N.C., February 27, 2008 – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) today announced Monica Doss, the longtime president of CED, has submitted her resignation, to become effective on May 31, 2008. CED officials and Doss made a joint announcement at today’s regular meeting of the CED board.

Doss, 56, has served as president of CED for more than 20 years. During her tenure, CED has become the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the United States, with more than 5,000 members representing 1,100 member companies.

Doss commented Wednesday, “I have resigned to pursue fresh opportunities after my service with CED this spring is complete. I have truly enjoyed my role in building such an important organization. I expect to remain involved in entrepreneurial activities on a national and regional basis.”

Doss, who came to CED after service with the N.C. Museum of Art, is actively involved in many of the Triangle’s professional, educational and community service organizations. She was awarded the Goodmon Leadership Award in 2003, the 2004 Triangle Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award and the national Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Support of Entrepreneurs given by Ernst & Young, the Kauffman Foundation in 1999.

Mary Musacchia, chair of the CED Board of Directors, said, “Monica Doss has been an integral part of every success enjoyed by CED over the last 20 years. While regretting her decision, we fully support and understand her need for a new direction. Everyone associated with the organization owes heartfelt gratitude for Monica’s service here.”

Musacchia pointed out that Doss will remain with the organization until the end of May, and will be involved in CED conference activity in the spring, including major conferences in the Triangle and the Triad including MedTech, Venture and Biotech.

About the Council for Entrepreneurial Development
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the Research Triangle, North Carolina and Southeast region. Since 2001, CED has helped triangle-area companies raise over $2.6 billion in venture capital. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED is the largest and oldest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 5,000 members representing over 1,100 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. For more information, visit www.cednc.org.