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MASSILLON - Stark Entrepreneurship Alliance (SEA) will host a special networking event on Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Kozmo’s Grille, 37 First St. SW, Massillon. Featured speaker is active entrepreneur and engineer Todd Hawkins, president and founder of Tesla NanoCoatings, Inc., North Canton, Ohio. For the past six years, Hawkins has guided the development and commercialization of the company’s innovative paint systems designed to inhibit the corrosion of steel in the aerospace/military, petrochemical, transportation and marine and industries. Focused on the global steel end-user markets, Hawkins’ marketing research, new business and product development efforts have most recently helped the firm earn several honors including the 2013 FIATECH CETI AWARD, R&D 100 Award from R&D magazine, the 2012 NorTech Innovation Award from Crain's Cleveland Business, and a $100,000 grant from The Innovation Fund. Hawkins recently negotiated the lease of 1,500 square feet of space at Stark State College’s Advanced Technology Center to allow more room for research and development of its corrosion control coating. His plans are to expand the company and create more market solutions for his revolutionary product. Prior to Tesla, Hawkins held the position of Chief Development Officer at Midwest Industrial Supply, where he specialized in the development of innovative soil stabilization chemicals for rapid deploy runway and helicopter landing zone construction for military engineers and expeditionary forces. Hawkins holds an M.B.A. from the Krannert Graduate School of Management at Purdue University and a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering and Geology from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. A resident of Massillon, Ohio, he is an active member of the Society of American Military Engineers, NACE International and SSPC. This is the sixth event in a year-long speakers program by the Stark Entrepreneurship Alliance. The cost of the event is $10. Register online at www.cantonsbdc.org; select the SEA Speaker Series tab. Visit www.starkentalliance.com for more information.