The University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center will recognize seven entrepreneurs at its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Honors event. Awarded since 2020, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Honors recognize outstanding entrepreneurial accomplishments of UI alumni, students, faculty, mentors and Venture School participants. The 2024 honorees are:
- Jim Coble, CEO of Coble Holdings LLC, will receive the John Pappajohn Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award. (BBA marketing and management ’04)
- John Slump, executive leader at both Atraverse Medical and Volta Medical, will receive the Alumni Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. (BBA finance, certificate in entrepreneurship ’08)
- Melissa Bates, CEO of LSF Medical Solutions, will receive the Iowa Innovator of the Year Award.
- Dylan DeClerck, co-founder of Can Play, will receive the Young Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award. (MBA ’20, leadership certificate ’20)
- Shamus Roeder has been named Mentor of the Year. (BS, human physiology, ’17, BSE, biomedical engineering, ’17, MS, biomedical engineering, ’19)
- Tumbleweed, founded by Paul Richardson, has been named Venture School Business of the Year.
- Dr. Lucy Amaniyo of Uganda, who attended the 2017 cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, will receive the International Entrepreneurship Impact Award.
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Honors event is set for Oct. 11 at Old Capitol Museum in Iowa City.
