Business entrepreneurs with Hays roots

will speak at event on the FHSU campus

Tammy McClellan, founder and owner of Simply Charmed in downtown Hays, and Dylan Bathurst, founder of Rumgr, a smart-phone buying and selling service, will share their insights about creating innovative businesses as part of a speaker series at Fort Hays State University.

McClellan and Bathurst will provide up-close and personal experiences in a presentation from 9 to 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in the Eagle Communications Hall of the Robbins Center on the FHSU campus. Attendance is open to the campus community and the public free of charge.

"Entrepreneur Direct is a speaker series that features successful entrepreneurs in an informal setting accessible to students and faculty," said Dr. Mark Bannister, dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship. "The program is intended to connect students with successful entrepreneurs who have stories and advice to share. A faculty/student panel asks questions about entrepreneurship and encourages questions and interaction with the audience."

McClellan founded Simply Charmed in her home in 2001. Today, it provides customers a wide variety of women's clothes, jewelry and accessories. Simply Charmed is part of the resurgent Chestnut Street District in downtown Hays.

Bathurst started Rumgr through involvement in a "Start-up Weekend" in Las Vegas while working for Zappos. Rumgr is a smart-phone application that makes selling garage-sale-type items quick and easy. Rumgr has received investments from such luminaries as Tony Hsieh, Fred Mossler and Arun Rajan, as well as Andrew Donner of Resort Gaming Group.