Speaker Bios

Dr. Mel Billingsley, President & CEO, Professor of Life Sciences Greenhouse, Penn State University

http://www.lsgpa.com/index.cfm

Mel Billingsley, Ph.D. is President and CEO of the Life Sciences Greenhouse, Professor of Pharmacology at Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine (MSHCM), and Professor of Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship, Penn State University - Harrisburg, PA campus. His background includes rich and varied experience as a researcher, educator, and investor, as well a long history of actively fostering the advancement of technology within the larger community. Dr. Billingsley leads the LSGPA participation in Gap and Tech Fund investments. He has an undergraduate degree in Biophysics and Microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh, a doctoral degree in Pharmacology from George Washington University, and a postdoctoral degree in neuropharmacology from Yale School of Medicine.

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Dr. Chuck Brandt, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer of The Technology Collaborative

http://www.techcollaborative.org/

As CTO of The Technology Collaborative, Dr. Chuck Brandt coordinates the Technology Commercialization Initiative. The Technology Collaborative is a non-profit organization funded in part by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a consortium of 60 member firms along with the participation of Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. The Technology Collaborative programs aim to grow jobs and companies in Pennsylvania focused on target market segments involving advanced electronics, next-generation networking, embedded system, cybersecurity, and agile robotic applications. A graduate of the University of Illinois and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Brandt has spent the past 27 years in the microelectronics and electronic materials fields.

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Mr. Matthew Brezina, Co-Founder of Xobni Corporation

www.xobni.com

Matt Brezina co-founded Xobni, a San Francisco, CA based email software company, in 2006. Xobni has raised $4.2M in capital from venture investors including Khosla Ventures, First Round Capital, Baseline Ventures, Atomico Investments, and Y Combinator.

Matt received his B.S. EE with honors from Pennsylvania State University in 2003. Matt did his M.S. work in electrical engineering at the University of Maryland where he was an Institute for Systems Research fellow. Matt published his M.S. thesis work, which was a result of his work in space construction robotics at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His technical interests lie at the intersection of communication and control theory. Matt has worked as consultant to the Naval Research Lab.

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Mr. Todd Erdley, Founder, President, CEO of Videon Central, Inc

Todd Erdley is the founder, president, and CEO of Videon Central, Inc. In this role, Mr. Erdley has established a strong foundation for the company and assembled an outstanding technical team that has enabled Videon to grow from a six person organization in 1997 to an industry leading firm of 60 people that specializes in the creation of digital video solutions for the consumer electronics market. Mr. Erdley's guidance has established an effective business model for Videon that provides for growth and expansion in areas that include DVD, High Definition Television, Liquid Crystal Displays, and In Flight Entertainment. A key to Videon's continued growth has been its affirmation of the people within the organization. By establishing an organization where the commitment to the individual is paramount, Mr. Erdley has created the environment where people work together in a positive and supportive manner towards the common goal of ensuring success for Videon Central, Inc.

Mr. Erdley's business insight for Videon evolved from his initial startup, Paragon Technology in 1992. Mr. Erdley was instrumental to this company's growth to a twenty-person organization that was a recognized leader in developing products for computer based digital video disk (DVD) applications. Mr. Erdley was responsible for sales and marketing, along with the definition of the company's technology roadmap. Following several years of successful and sustained growth, Mr. Erdley and his partners sold Paragon to Fieldworks, Inc., where he continued to work until founding Videon in 1997.

Much of Mr. Erdley's understanding of operational and technical issues stems from his experience in the Department of Defense work. Mr. Erdley worked at HRB Systems (now Raytheon) in State College for four years and prior to that at Locus Inc. for another year. At these companies, Mr. Erdley lead programs and was the responsible technical individual within these programs for analog, RF, Microwave and antenna design.

Mr. Erdley received a Batchelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University in 1986, immediately followed with a Master of Science degree in 1992. The focus of his thesis research at Penn State included antenna design and simulation. Mr. Erdley continues to be actively involved with Penn State's College of Engineering and Electrical Engineering Department through participation in the College of Engineering's Industrial Professional Advisory Committee (IPAC) as well as a frequent lecturer at various engineering classes.

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Mr. Bill Frezza, General Partner of Adams Capital Management

email:waf@acm.com  phone: 617-444-8620  -  http://www.acm.com

Adams Capital Management, Inc. (ACM) is a national venture capital firm specializing in early-stage applied technology investments. Established in 1994, ACM is a lead Series A investor and currently manages $800 million. Bill joined Adams Capital Management in 1997 as a General Partner. Prior to his work at Adams Capital, Bill was Founder and President of Wireless Computing Associates, providing technology and strategic consulting services to major vendors in the semiconductor and telecommunications industries. Bill served as the Director of Marketing and Business Development for Ericsson, Inc.`s wireless data division and has extensive engineering and product management experience from General Instrument Corp. and Bell Laboratories. Bill has also been involved in several start-up ventures, holds seven patents, and was a regular columnist for Network Computing Magazine and InternetWeek. He is a former Director of the Materials Research Society (MRS) and serves on the board of directors of AmberWave Systems, BrightScale, VBrick Systems, and Liquid Piston.

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Ms. Donna Holmes, Director of Penn State Small Business Development Center

www.sbdc.psu.edu

Donna Holmes has been the director of the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) since its inception in 1997. Under her direction, the center has grown from a one-person operation to having 10 full-and part-time staff and students working to assist small businesses. The center, part of a nationwide network, provides one-on-one consulting for small business owners and conducts small business seminars on practical business topics. The consulting services of the center are free and confidential. The services of the SBDC can be accessed through their website: www.sbdc.psu.edu.

Prior to her current position, Donna was a Commercial Loan Officer and Assistant Vice President at Mellon Bank. She has over 14 years of banking experience in the commercial, mortgage, and consumer areas of lending, as well as experience in management and loan review. In addition to being an alumnus of Penn State, Donna also graduated from the Pennsylvania Banker's Association School of Banking and School of Commercial Lending. Donna has taught classes for the SBDC as well as the American Banker's Association.

In addition to her work experience, Donna also owned a small home-based business in Centre County. Donna is currently the secretary of WiNGs and has been active in her church and in children's school activities.

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Ms. Jennifer Keller Jackson, Grants Manager of National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance

www.nciia.org

Jennifer Keller Jackson, NCIIA's Grants Manager, oversees the NCIIA's grants, awards, and competitions. Keller Jackson's background is in nonprofit management, in the areas of education and technology. Her experience includes program development, marketing, fund-raising, technical proposal writing, communications, and PR. She has also helped to start a nonprofit and worked to transform another nonprofit into a for-profit company. Keller Jackson and her family moved to Amherst, MA from the Washington, DC area in 2004. Jennifer grew up overseas in Asia, Africa, and South America and is deeply interested in alternatives to the traditional aid model of development. She is fluent in French and understands Spanish.

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Dr. Robert Macy, J.D., Ph.D. , Clinical Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship of Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Smeal College of Business

Dr. Macy's research is largely focused on the strategic management of intellectual capital and the use of knowledge and knowledge workers to facilitate innovation. He has examined the strategic value in the aligning of knowledge worker stocks and flows with the velocity of task environment innovation; the use of interdisciplinary teams and
problem-based learning to foster entrepreneurial learning; the role of
market driven and market driving strategies to commercialize technology; and corporate social responsibility as an effective business strategy.

He has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years and is member of the
Oregon State Bar. As an attorney Robert's practice has focused on new ventures and business transactions from initial development through exit. He has represented online companies, small and medium sized enterprises, joint ventures, and worked particularly closely with start-up companies as well as serving as corporate counsel for several non-profits. He is one of the founders of Sleep Deprivation Studios, a member of the Virtual Worlds and Multiuser Online Games committee of the American Bar Association, and one of the directors of the Lion LaunchPad a start-up business accelerator for Penn State Undergraduates.

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Mr. Steve McGregor, Director - Central PA of Ben Franklin Technology Partners

http://www.cnp.benfranklin.org/default.cfm

I have been with Ben Franklin since January 2000 and I assist small and medium sized companies in Central Pennsylvania access the resources available to them at Ben Franklin. Six counties I focus on are Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and Mifflin.

Ben Franklin CNP invests in eligible start-up, early stage and established businesses that have innovative product and service ideas. Our financial investments in companies are based on competitive review of their project proposals. I work with company representatives in the process leading up to a proposal submission, and if we invest in the company, I work with the management on a path to growth and success through the sponsored project. The company project can include technical and marketing developments leading to the establishment and expansion of the business.

Another responsibility I have is management of our Centers of Excellence (CoE) program. Ben Franklin financially supports several organizations that we have designated as a CoE. These organizations agree to help Pennsylvania companies take advantage of developing technologies leading to creative processes and products, and that helps companies compete more effectively in their markets.

Some technology sectors we have supported include food nutrition and processing, laser processing, mushroom products, plastics parts design and rotational molding, polymer solvents, powder metallurgy, electronic components design, and nano-particles.

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Woody Norris, Visionary, Serial Entrepreneur of American Technology Corporation

http://www.woodynorris.com/

Elwood "Woody" G. Norris won the 2005 $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize as Inventor of the Year. He holds 47 U.S. patents with more than 100 pending patents worldwide, Elwood "Woody" G. Norris is widely recognized as a prolific inventor and a talented technology integrator. His interest in electronics started at a young age, with a rigorous experimentation method of inventing that he continues to this day.

Woody Norris joined the U.S. Air Force in 1956 and was trained as a Nuclear Weapons Specialist, specializing in electronic fusing systems. He studied electronics at the University of New Mexico. After his honorable discharge in 1959, he began employment at the University of Washington where he continued his practical education, elevating his position from technician to Director of the Engineering Experiment Station for the campus within two years.

Upon conceiving his first commercial invention in 1970, Mr. Norris left the university and embarked on his entrepreneurial career. He invented a phonograph tone arm that initially was developed for a contest, and was later sold for $20,000.

Many of Woody Norris's inventions are not just single product ideas; they shatter technology barriers creating multiple applications and a lasting impact.

The inventions of Woody Norris have been the keystone for several new companies. In 1980, he founded American Technology Corporation (ATC) where he currently works as Chairman, as a means to promote his inventions. Today, ATC is publicly traded and is marketing HSS® products to customers around the world.

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Mr. Daniel Veltri, Founding Partner of Weebly, Inc.

www.weebly.com

Daniel W. Veltri graduated from Penn State University in 2007 with highest distinction and honors in finance. At Penn State, he was the Director of Portfolio Analysis for the multimillion dollar Nittany Lion Fund. During January of 2007, he moved to San Francisco, CA with two other Penn State students to found Weebly, a company dedicated to making web creation easy for non-technical users. Weebly.com currently has 90,000 registered users and was named one of Time.com's 50 best websites of 2007. Weebly received $20,000 in initial capital from a seed funding group called Y Combinator, and has since raised $650,000 from a group of prominent angel investors, including Ron Conway, an early investor in Google, and Paul Buchheit, the creator of Gmail.

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Dr. Anthony C. Warren, Director of the Farrell Center for Entrepreneurship of Penn State University / Adams Capital Management

Dr. Anthony Warren (Tony) received a B.Sc. (1st Cl. Hons.) and Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Birmingham, (UK) followed by post-doctoral research in low temperature superconductivity undertaken at the Universities of Toronto and Illinois. After three years heading a multi-national program in magneto-hydrodynamic power generation, Dr. Warren joined a start-up in Cambridge, England that created and executed new product strategies for major corporations based on a broad range of technologies. As the company, PA Technology, grew rapidly, Tony was responsible for the international operations setting up divisions in Australia, several European locations and finally in Princeton, NJ.

In 1987, Tony co-founded and raised the capital for a 10-year Limited Partnership to create and develop early stage technology-based companies. Over one hundred companies were formed to commercialize proprietary technology during the 10-year life of the partnership. In 1999, he co-founded Strategic Technologies LLC, a boutique investment bank undertaking transactions for corporations with significant intellectual property assets. He is also a venture partner in Adams Capital Management, a nationwide VC firm headquartered in Pittsburgh with over $700MM under management.

Dr. Warren joined the Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State as Director of the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Farrell Clinical Professor for Entrepreneurship in 2001. Since then the Center has grown and is now ranked within the top tier of US Centers for Entrepreneurship.

He is the author of many scientific papers, patents as well as articles on innovation and risk finance. Tony is often quoted in the press regarding entrepreneurship issues, the management of risk and public policy regarding economic stimulation through small company foundation. He is often invited to speak on corporate innovation, technology commercialization and economic development. He has been a regular keynote speaker at the national SBIR conferences and was recently invited to join the National Innovation Initiative, a joint program between industry and government to create an agenda for the US to continue to prosper through innovation in the 21st Century.

His current research interests are centered around scalable problem-based learning, improved practices for technology transfer, hybrid business models, and factors important in entrepreneurial eco-systems.

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Mr. Ethan Wendle, President & Co-founder of Diamondback Covers

http://www.diamondbackcovers.com/

Ethan Wendle co-founded DiamondBack Automotive Accessories Inc. in May 2003 following three years in Penn State University's Civil Engineering program. He has been President/CEO since that time and has helped the management team grow the company from product concept to a 20-member manufacturing company in Philipsburg, PA with over $2M in annual sales and an average annual growth rate of over 75%. 
The company has been selling its patented DiamondBack Truck Cover since January 2004 and has brought an additional 12 products to market since that time including ATV ramps for its ATV Solutions product line and ladder racks for its Commercial Solutions. The company recently posted four consecutive quarters of profitability and is poised for continued growth in 2008 with international distribution and the launch of the new Hummer H3 Truck Cover licensed by General Motors.

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