Maury Forman

Maury Forman was the Senior Manager for the Washington State Department of Commerce until his retirement in 2016. His focus was on creating healthy communities and developing a culture of entrepreneurship in rural areas. He was the founder and director of the award-winning Northwest Economic Development course at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington where over 2,000 practitioners graduated.  He became the first recipient of the Finkle Leadership award from the International Economic Development Council in Washington DC for his “integrity, tenacity, and philanthropic spirit in the profession.” In addition to his many publications in the field of economic development, he also was the founder of three startup businesses.  

Jennifer Korfiatis

Jennifer’s background is diverse, her experience deep and education cutting-edge. She has a proven track record of helping companies and non-profit organizations create comprehensive and solid business and marketing plans and research-based campaigns that are effective and bring results. Jennifer has worked with a variety of organizations throughout the US and Canada and has a keen interest in entrepreneurship.

With a 22-year background in marketing, Jennifer operates as an independent contractor, while enjoying the ability and freedom to forge close relationships with select clients.

Jennifer serves as an Adjunct Professor at Wenatchee Valley College where she teaches business, entrepreneurship, and marketing classes. She also spent eight years as the Administrator of the non-profit North Central Washington Economic Development District.

Terry Lawhead

Terry Lawhead works for the Washington state Department of Commerce as an Outreach Facilitator with an emphasis on assisting rural communities but also provides economic and community development services statewide.  He has worked in downtown revitalization and economic development throughout Arizona, Oregon and Washington and in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands.  Prior to such work he was a journalist, book author, publisher, involved in numerous natural resource trades and was a children’s librarian where he earned his nom de plume as The Bearded Story Lady.

Eric Forman

Eric J. Forman, Esq. is the founder and principal attorney at Eric Forman Law Office. He received his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2009, where he was Associate Notes Editor of the Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal. Eric graduated cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in Media Arts in 2002. He is licensed to practice law in New York. His practice is focused on providing counsel to leading technology and biotechnology middle-market corporations, entrepreneurs, start-up companies in all industry groups, and small closely-held businesses. Eric has performed a substantial amount of pro bono and volunteer work with organizations such as The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, The Innocence Project, WNYC 93.9 FM, and NYCTV. He is also the co-founder of Human Resource Records, LLC, an independent record label devoted to jazz and other good music. He is a regular contributor to the Maury Forum, where he answers some of the most frequently answered questions about business start-ups.

Milt Priggee

Milt Priggee began his cartoon career for the weekly Crain’s Chicago Business in 1978. He then went on to cartoon for the Journal-Herald and Spokesman-Review. Currently, he is freelancing editorial cartoons from his site www.miltpriggee.com in Washington State. His cartoons have been reprinted in many major publications like the NY Times, Washington Post and the Mauryforum.com. Milt has won numerous awards including recognition from the Mencken Awards, National Newspaper Association, the Small Business Foundation of America, Inc., the Fischetti Editorial Cartoon contest and The First Iran Internet Cartoon contest. As a speaker, he has entertained audiences across the country with his visual presentation about the past, present and future of editorial cartooning. Currently, he is a speaker with the Washington Chapter of National Endowment of the Humanities.