Inner Circle

About the Dingman Center Inner Circle

Since its inception in 1986, the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship has relied on corporate and personal gifts to support its various programs, services, and events.  Known as the Inner Circle, the development campaign solicits annual fund contributions, program underwriting, and event sponsorship.  The Inner Circle brings together successful entrepreneurs and business leaders who help to navigate the future of the Dingman Center, the Robert H. Smith School of Business, and entrepreneurship in our region.  All funds raised through the Inner Circle are used to provide direct support for programs and services and to offer scholarships to students at the Dingman Center.

Inner Circle Gift Levels

At the end of each fiscal year, each donor's annual fund contributions, program underwriting, and event sponsorships are totaled and recognized by the following club names and corresponding gift levels.

Founder's Club [$10,000 or more]

Honoring Rudolph P. Lamone, the Founder of the Dingman Center

Members Include:

  • Chesapeake Innovation Center
  • Emerging Technology Centers
  • Grassroots.org, Michael Mann
  • The Han Group - Citigroup Smith Barney
  • Maryland Technology Development Center
  • Shipston Group, Ltd., Michael Dingman BS ‘55
  • Snow Valley Water, John LaPides
  • SPI Management, Inc.
  • TW Perry, Edward J. Quinn, Jr.
  • Under Armour, Kevin Plank BA '97

Chairman's Club [$7,500 to $9,999]

Recognizing John LaPides, the Chairman of the Board of Advisors

Members Include:

  • Deloitte & Touche, Charles G. Carr

Director's Club [$5,000 to $7,499]

Recognizing Asher Epstein, the Managing Director of the Dingman Center

Members Include:

  • Morgan Stanley, Jeff Grinspoon BS '90, MBA ‘95
  • Sylvan Learning Foundation, Inc., Lee McGee Jr.

1986 Club [$2,000 to $4,999]

Celebrating the year that the Dingman Center was founded

Members Include:

  • Aarsand Management, LLC, Kurt Aarsand
  • Automatic Data Processing, Inc., Joe Mischler
  • DLA Piper Rudnick
  • Deloitte, Charles G. Carr
  • Ernst & Young, William E. Cole, Jr. BS ‘71
  • Friedman Billings Ramsey &Co., Inc., Skip Alyesworth
  • Gabriel Venture Partners
  • J. Robert Baum
  • Mark Walsh
  • Matt Brach
  • RedShift Ventures Management, Inc., Richard Harris JD '94, MBA ‘98
  • Dr. Rudolph P. Lamone
  • Silicon Valley Bank, Shawn Goozman MBA ‘99
  • Stout, Causey & Horning, Barry Offutt
  • Venable

Alumni Club  [$1,000 to $1,999]

Acknowledging the success of Dingman Entrepreneur Scholars

Members Include:

  • Carton Donofrio Partners, Inc., Chuck Donofrio
  • Core Capital Partners, Mark Levine
  • Layline Risk Management
  • Microsoft Corporation
  • Phil Bundy Golf, Phil Bundy MBA ‘91
  • Richard J. Princinsky & Associates, Inc.
  • Stanton Chase International, H. Edward Muendel
  • William E. Cole, Jr. BS '71

Friends of Dingman [less than $1,000]

Thanking the continued support of outside donors

Members Include:

  • Andrew Kramer
  • Annapolis Consulting Group, Charles O. Heller
  • Buz Warfield
  • Continental Business Development, Inc., Ryland Bristow
  • Innovative Biosensors, Inc., Joe Hernandez
  • James McEneney
  • JASAR, Inc., Charles Feldman
  • J. Phillip Samper
  • Julie Lenzer Kirk
  • Michael Lawlor
  • Michael Miller
  • New Century Tours, Bill Liedholm
  • Tom Mierzwa

Inner Circle Benefits

  • Listing by gift club on the Dingman Center website and in printed materials
  • Invitations to exclusive networking events for members of the Inner Circle
  • Opportunity to serve as an advisor for the strategic direction of the Dingman Center
  • Invitation to participate as a mentor to area entrepreneurs or student entrepreneurs
  • Chance to assist students with entrepreneurial consulting projects
  • Occasion to serve as a speaker at an entrepreneurship class, panel discussion,  seminar, or event
  • Access to students for full-time, part-time, and internship positions
  • Complimentary attendance at select Dingman Center events and seminars
  • Recognition as a member of the Clocktower Club of the Robert H. Smith School of Business and the Colonnade Society of the University of Maryland

To discuss specific gift opportunities to the Dingman Center, please contact Managing Director Asher Epstein at aepstein@rhsmith.umd.edu or by phone at (301) 405-9510