Cornell Entrepreneur in Residence
The Cornell Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program focuses on mentoring and advising Cornell-connected startups and aspiring entrepreneurs.
The EIR actively works with entrepreneurially minded members of the Cornell community including Johnson School students, students from other Cornell programs, faculty, staff, and alumni. The EIR assists these constituents in developing proposed business ideas (including business plan review), solidifying business strategy, identifying market position, securing intellectual property, and obtaining funding. The EIR mentors and advises startups, particularly those in the early stages of development and those seeking to commercialize Cornell technology. In addition, the EIR works with aspiring Cornell entrepreneurs to move potential ventures from the idea phase to startup, and helps Cornell inventors (including professors and PhD students) create businesses around Cornell technology.
Alison B. Gerlach is the EiR for 2011/2012. Ms. Gerlach is a successful, serial entrepreneur, investor, business executive, strategic management consultant and lecturer with expertise in and passion for building businesses. After doing extensive research in optimizing the business start-up process, Ms. Gerlach went on to build successful businesses in industries including media, technology, entertainment services, consumer packaged goods, and professional services. Prior to her entrepreneurial endeavors, she was a strategic management consultant with Booz, Allen & Hamilton specializing in supply chain management, business process redesign, and revenue building strategies for Fortune 100 consumer companies. In addition, she has experience in overseas investment banking specializing in M&A and new product development.
Today, Ms. Gerlach continues to build and invest in companies in a variety of stages and industries. In addition, she continues to advise Fortune 500 companies as a strategic management consultant as well as work with multi-billion dollar private equity funds as an investment allocation advisor. Ms. Gerlach is a frequent lecturer to both business and academic audiences on entrepreneurship, optimizing business building and growth strategies, conflict management and aligning incentives. Ms. Gerlach also maintains her position as the CEO of a venture she founded in 2003, “Allies Edibles.” Allies Edibles, LLC is an artisan consumer packaged goods company that creates handmade, chocolate-covered, ‘indulgent comfort sweets’ (www.alliesedibles.com).
In addition to her professional pursuits, Ms. Gerlach is an active academic. She is a lecturer in the Management Department at San Diego State University teaching a semester long course in business plan writing utilizing a curriculum directly derivative of her academic research, entrepreneurial ventures, venture investments, executive and business advisory experiences. For the past five years, she has also served on the advisory committee of Entrepreneurship@Cornell at Cornell University.
Ms. Gerlach has published numerous white papers primarily focused on alternative investment allocation and funds. She is currently working on her first book focused on optimal goal setting and achievement in investment, business and in life entitled: “Most Likely to Succeed?”.
Ms. Gerlach serves on a number of philanthropic boards, is active in many professional associations, and volunteers a great portion of her time toward the mentorship and education of future business leaders.
Ms. Gerlach graduated at the top of her class at MIT earning an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a BA in economics from Cornell University.
Ms. Gerlach will be visiting campus on the following dates:
September:
September 12th - 15th
September 26th and 27th
October:
October 17th - 21st
November and December:
November 7th - 11th
Spring Semester:
February 6th - 9th
March 6th - 10th
April 16th - 20th
May 7th - 10th
Contact Alison at alisongerlach@gmail.com to make an appointment
