Tim Westergren, founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Pandora internet radio Featured at Entreprenuer Forum
Grand Forks, ND October 20, 2010:  The Center for Innovation and the Dakota Venture Group are excited to announce that successful entrepreneur, award-winning composer, accomplished musician, and record producer Tim Westergren will be speaking as part of the ongoing Entrepreneur Forum series.  Tim founded Pandora internet radio in January 2000 and now serves as its Chief Strategy Officer.

The forum will be held on Tuesday, November 9th at 5:00 pm in the Idea Lab at the Ina Mae Rude Entrepreneur Center, 4200 James Ray Drive.  Free visitor parking is available.

Tim is an award-winning composer, an accomplished musician and a record producer with 20 years of experience in the music industry.  He has recorded with independent labels, managed artists, owned a commercial digital recording studio, scored feature films, produced albums, and performed extensively.  His main instrument is the piano, but over the years he has played the bassoon, drums and clarinet, and his musical background spans such genres as rock, blues, jazz, and classical music.

Tim received his B.A. from Stanford University, where he studied computer acoustics and recording technology.  A musician's musician, he is obsessed with helping talented emerging artists connect with the music fans most likely to appreciate their music.  In addition to guiding Pandora's overall strategy and vision, Tim now spends most of his time as Pandora's chief evangelist - traveling the country to meet with listeners to collect feedback, research local music and spread the word of the Music Genome Project.

Pandora gives people music they love anytime, anywhere, through connected devices.  Personalized stations launch instantly with the input of a single “seed” – a favorite artist, song or genre.  The Music Genome Project®, a deeply detailed, hand-built musical taxonomy, powers Pandora's personalization – using musicological “DNA” and constant listener feedback to craft personalized stations from a growing collection of hundreds of thousands of recordings.  Tens of millions of people in the U.S. turn on Pandora to hear music they love.  

The Entrepreneur Forum is a periodical gathering of entrepreneurs and business people who share experiences, strategies and success stories.  The event is free and open to the public. The Red River Valley Research Corridor University Center is supported by the Economic Development Administration, US Department of Commerce, through its University Centers Program.