Clemson University to honor alumni entrepreneurs Kirk Hawkins and Jane Robelot

Published: March 15, 2011

By Taylor Reeves

CLEMSON — The Arthur M. Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership will honor two distinguished Clemson University alumni at the sixth annual Celebration of Clemson Alumni Entrepreneurs at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the Madren Conference Center. This year’s honorees are Kirk Hawkins, founder and CEO of ICON Aircraft, and Jane Robelot, television news anchor and co-founder of CarolinaZoom TV.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson, Hawkins worked in aviation and aerospace engineering most of his early career. He was the director of engineering at Task Industries, an aerospace contractor, before earning his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

Before founding ICON, Hawkins flew F-16s in the U.S. Air Force, including two tours in Iraq, and also flew 757s for American Airlines. ICON was conceived to build a new line of consumer-focused sport aircraft. Hawkins and his team developed ICON’s business model, strategy and product line of Light Sport Aircraft to reach a broad market of mechanics and pilots.

Robelot graduated from Clemson with a degree in economics in 1982. After beginning her career in radio and television in South Carolina, Robelot was a CBS News anchor from 1995 through 1999, co-anchor of CBS Morning News and anchor of CBS This Morning. She has interviewed numerous politicians, celebrities and public figures throughout her career and has covered various high-profile events.

Robelot was nominated three times for national Emmy awards and won twice for journalistic excellence. She co-founded CarolinaZoom TV, a production company based in Greenville, with her husband Mario DeCarvalho.

Hawkins and Robelot will share their experiences and offer advice in a panel discussion open to Clemson students and faculty, as well as local entrepreneurs and members of the business community. The moderator for the event will be Andy Monin, a Clemson graduate and chairman and CEO of Vendormate.

Attendance for the event is free, but registration is required. Register online at http://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/spiro/rsvp.html or contact spiro@clemson.edu for more information.

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