Karl Ortmeyer, National Republican Campaign Committee Business Advisory Council member and SUNY Canton Business Administration student

Between studying business administration at SUNY Canton and running his own business, Karl Ortmeyer is accustomed to using his time productively.

The Potsdam native recently won a national leadership award through the National Republican Campaign Committee’s Business Advisory Council (BAC). As a result, he will be invited to participate in periodic strategy sessions and provide input on the economic and tax issues.

“Karl is a no-nonsense SUNY Canton student intent on making the most of his business courses,” according to Associate Professor of Accounting Janice Robinson. “He loves real world experience and prefers to work with motivated self-starters,” she said.

While studying for his degree, Karl has already begun his own computer consulting business, Liberty Information Resource Management. Ortmeyer said business is growing faster than normal start-ups. “We’re not making a killing, but I’m 21 years old and I have my own office.”

Ortmeyer will share his own experiences with the BAC to hopefully benefit all small business. “Small businesses are essential to the continued development of the American ideal of competitiveness and free trade,” Ortmeyer pointed out. “American small businesses have always driven the new ideas of this country.”

“Karl is utilizing his education to augment his business savvy,” said SUNY Canton Assistant Professor of Technology Management Charles Fenner. “He instantly grasps academic concepts and directly applies them to his business.”

Fenner went on to say that Ortmeyer does what he sets his mind to and will make an excellent politically active business advocate in both his pre- and post graduate careers.

Ortmeyer is an active member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and was on the President’s List for outstanding academics during the Fall 2006 semester.