Larry Davidson Named Co-Chair of Rhode Island Business Plan Competition

PROVIDENCE – (Sept. 15, 2009) – Larry Davidson, a principal of Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., Ltd. (KLR), one of the largest CPA and business consulting firms in New England, has been named a co-chair of the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition, it was announced today.

Davidson, who has more than three decades of business building experience, since 2006 has served as a judge in the competition, the only one of its kind in New England supported by a consortium of public and private companies, universities and colleges, and public agencies.

“We are delighted that Larry will join us as a co-chair and we look forward to working with him to build on the solid foundation that the competition has established as a key resource for emerging entrepreneurs in Rhode Island,” said Garrett B. Hunter, himself a co-chair who established the competition in 2000 while serving as president of the Business Development Company of Rhode Island.

David Mitchell, dean of the College of Business at Johnson and Wales University has also served as co-chair since last year.

“Rhode Island is fortunate that so many members of the local business, educational, and philanthropic community support the competition, as it provides existing and aspiring entrepreneurs an excellent opportunity to hone their business development skills,” Davidson said. “I’m proud to help in any way that I can.”

The 2010 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition will launch on Oct. 29.

Davidson is responsible at KLR for coordinating all services to a variety of entrepreneurial companies. He specializes in the financial needs of closely-held businesses, private equity, and venture capital funds and their portfolio companies.

Davidson began his career in public accounting in 1968 with the Boston office of Ernst & Young. He was a resident with Ernst & Young’s National Office of Accounting and Auditing before transferring to Providence in 1983 as a partner. He has served as the chairman of the Providence Cranston Workforce Development Board and the Regional Employment Board and on the boards of the Better Business Bureau, Rhode Island Philharmonic, United Way Campaign, and the Urban League of Rhode Island.

About the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition

Established in 2000, the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition has become an important element of the Rhode Island entrepreneurial landscape. To date, it has awarded more than $630,000 in prizes to competitors developing companies that span a number of industries.

In addition to awarding prizes, the competition hosts educational events in the months leading up to the application deadline in early April. They include writing, financial planning, and presentation skills workshops. In addition, the competition hosts the annual Rhode Island Elevator Pitch Contest, in which participants have 90 seconds to make a presentation to a panel of judges, who then provide constructive feedback and award cash prizes.

Complete competition information, including rules, application procedures, guidelines, and business plan resources, is available at www.ri-bizplan.com.