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The John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship at Baylor University honored the participants of the FastTrac Entrepreneurship Training Program on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at a graduation ceremony and alumni reception held at Baylor University’s Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center located at 1212 S. University Parks Drive.

Keynote speaker was Gary Heavin, CEO and Founder of Curves International. With over 6,500 centers worldwide and over 2 million members, Curves continues to open a new location every four hours. Gary holds a degree in Health and Nutrition Counseling from Thomas Edison State University. He is the author of "Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting" which has over one million copies in print and his most recent book, Curves, spent more than two months on the New York Times bestseller list.

Other guest speakers included Linda Beasley of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, Tom Collins, executive director of the Waco Foundation, and Patrick Ryan of Swarco Futurit America, Inc., who served as master of ceremonies, J. David Allen, director of the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship; and Mary Abrahams, FastTrac program coordinator.

FastTrac is a national program geared toward aspiring and current entrepreneurs. It has been holding classes in Waco since 1996. The program is co-sponsored by Baylor’s John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship, the City of Waco and the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

FastTrac NewVenture is a nine-week entrepreneurship training program designed to allow participants to explore the potential of their business idea. The instructor is Rob Gibson, owner of Holze Music Company.

FastTrac Planning is an 11-week entrepreneurship program created to help participants unleash the potential of their existing business. The instructor is Linda Ramirez, director of the Small Business Development Center.

FastTrac NewVenture graduates:

• Franklin Beckles, Becasolutions
• Michael Bonfiglio, Slim Dezyne
• Richie Cavazos, CC’s Car Care
• Roglly Centeno, Siete Velos
• Veronica Gomez, The Beauty Clinic
• Francisco Gonzalez, TENISUELA
• Margaret Kramer, Hands for Health
• Mark Krumnow, Pro Landscape and Irrigation
• Katie LeMay, Grandmother’s Choice Transition Nipples
• Bonnie Martinez, 3F Ranch (and the Tack Room)
• Todd Millerd, Bloopers, Inc.
• Erika Schwartze, Jewelry by Erika Schwartze
• Juan Silvera, CustomTextBooks.com
• David and Penny Swinson, Ben and Tina Pinckney, National Christian Voices Productions
• Chip Tate, The Last Word
• Linda Weaver, Franklin Real Estate Development

Graduates of FastTrac Planning:

• Elizabeth and Bage Anderson of E. H. Anderson Public Relations
• Jeff Byington, Byington Group, Inc. (BGI)
• Trish and Bubba McGuire, Bubba’s Garage Club
• Samuel Torres, Ector Torres, Diane Torres and Paul Crosby, U Magazine
• Kelvin Williams, KW & Associates