Manhattan, NY – New York Institute of Technology's annual business and entrepreneurial summit next Monday at NYIT Auditorium on Broadway will focus on the rise of the Chief Listening Officer and the importance of social media in the business world.

Following a networking session, marketing and technology experts at TheBizDen Business Summit will participate in three panel discussions on social media, entrepreneurship and the importance of audience or customer awareness.

"The Chief Listening Officer, or CLO, is the person who listens to his or her audience," said Arjun Rai, a School of Management student who is organizing the BizDen summit for the second consecutive year. "It's about pushing out messages and being relevant to your audience and being part of the conversation."

School of Management Dean Jess Boronico said the summit is important for students who are interested in learning about convergent technologies, technology-based entrepreneurial ventures, and new business models that employ social media.

"It's a wonderful activity that engages entrepreneurs and small business leaders throughout the New York community in an open forum where we can hear from and interact with some of the recognized leaders in entrepreneurship and social media," Boronico said.

The event also includes an opportunity for a 54-second live elevator pitch, during which attendees will float business ideas to summit speakers in the AOB's elevators. Rai said he shaved six seconds off the traditional one-minute pitch to match the true length of time for the elevator ride. The pitch opportunity, he added, provides up-and-coming entrepreneurs a chance to sell their ideas and gain valuable feedback.

Greater awareness of social media, branding, and marketing will help student-entrepreneurs gain a competitive edge, Rai added.

Among the speakers are:

• Gemma Craven, leader of Ogilvy New York's social media team and marketing experts
• Ramon Ray, regional development director, NY/NY Infusionsoft
• Lauren Drell, campaigns editor, Mashable
• Diana Ransom, editor, YoungEntrepreneur.com
• Joseph Jaffe, Founder and Partner at Evol8tion
• Emily Miethner, Founder and President at NY Creative Interns

Event sponsors include NY Technology Council, Grind, Ultra Light Startups, NYU Entrepreneurs Network, EntrepreneurWeek, and StartUpOneStop.com.

Registration is ongoing for the May 6 event, which will be held from 12:30 pm to 5 pm. Contact http://thebizden.org/ to sign up for an elevator pitch.

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New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

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Elaine Iandoli
Office of Communications and Marketing
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