The Center for Innovation is bringing in UND Alumnus and SUMMIT Brewing Co. Founder and President Mark Stutrud for its Entrepreneur Forum Series. The forum will occur at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the Idea Lab at the Center for Innovation. Stutrud will share his story, provide secrets and lessons learned, and answer questions from the audience.

Mark, a Wahpeton native, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from UND in 1975. He received post-graduate training in family therapy and specialized in adolescent and young adult substance abuse and addiction. Following his work as an addiction counselor in Jamestown, Mark moved to the Twin Cities where he accepted a position as the Supervisor of the Evaluation Unit of St. Mary’s Adolescent Chemical Dependency Program.

An avid home brewer and beer enthusiast, Mark identified an opportunity to establish a small brewery in the Twin Cities area. After completing market research and “re-tooling” himself, he secured 20 investors to start up Summit Brewing Co. in 1986. Growing from a “micro-brewer” to a larger regional craft brewer, Summit Brewing owes a lot of their success to Mark’s passion towards innovative research and development focusing on taste which has led to the release of several great tasting ales. Summit has grown into one of the largest craft brewers in the nation. This growth occurred while bigger, locally based breweries like Hamm's, Stroh's and Grain Belt in the Twin Cities faded into history. Some recent highlights from Summit Brewing Co.:

• 21st - 2010 sales among National Regional Craft Brewers
• 28th - 2010 sales among Overall National Brewers
• Summit’s sales exceeded 100,000 barrels in 2011
• 25+ years of business growth
• Summit Brewing’s work culture has received high regard as the company offers excellent benefits including an employee stock ownership plan and utilizes open-book management.

The brewery produces classic styles of English and German style beers. Summit beers have won numerous awards, including a recent gold medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup for the Extra Pale Ale. Summit produces 11 varieties of premium craft beer, including Extra Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Great Northern Porter, Pilsener, Maibock, Oktoberfest, Winter Ale and Oatmeal Stout. The Unchained Series, limited releases by the individual brewers has received critical acclaim. In addition, this spring, the brewer will be introducing a new seasonal, Summit Summer Ale and Saga, a new year round assertive India Pale Ale.

Summit Brewing products can be found in 15 states, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, Kansas and Texas. To gain additional insight into Summit Brewing Company, visit www.summitbrewing.com.

In 2000, Mr. Stutrud received the Business Innovator of the Year award from the Center for Innovation for his entrepreneurial accomplishments. In addition, he was a 2000 finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Summit Brewing Company received the Deubener Award for small business excellence in manufacturing from the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce in May 2004 and the H.E.R.B.I.E. award from the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce in February 2006. Attend the Entrepreneur Forum to find out how North Dakota transplant and entrepreneur Mark Stutrud has been successful, and how Summit has become the "beer of choice" among UND alumni.

Useful links:

• Entrepreneur Forum; www.innovators.net/innovators/public_html/news_events/2012-02-14_entrepreneur_forum.html
• Center for Innovation; www.innovators.net/innovators
• Summit Brewing Company; www.summitbrewing.com