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Keynote Speaker
Panelists
Presenters - Lunch & Learn Networking Session
Keynote Speaker
Anil
Arora (MBA '84), President & CEO, Yodlee
Anil Arora is the president and chief executive officer of Yodlee.
Recognizing the possibilities widespread internet adoption could
have on the banking sector, Anil joined Yodlee as a startup over
eleven years ago. Anil has led the company to leadership position
in personal financial management (PFM) solutions for all types of
financial institutions. From start-ups to seven of the world’s top
ten banks, Yodlee makes it easy to bring financial innovations to
consumers. Anil is a three-time selection for Institutional
Investor’s “The Online Finance 40," for helping advance PFM from
the checkbook to the financial cloud.
Prior to Yodlee, for more than fifteen years Anil was an architect
of some of the world’s most recognizable consumer brands,
including serving as the chief marketing officer for Gateway
Computers in the late nineties. He was named Advertising Age’s
Marketer of the Year in 1999, after helping drive Gateway to
almost $10 billion in annual sales. Previously he learned the
ropes of global brand management with Progresso Soup from
Pillsbury and Velveeta Cheese from Kraft.
He holds a master’s in business administration from the
University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in economics from
Rockford College. Anil is a director on the board of several Bay
Area start-ups, including BillShrink, Visual Sciences and Truaxis.
He resides in the Bay Area with his wife and two daughters, and in
his free time plays golf, soccer and basketball with them.
Panelists
Starting
Up: Successes and Failures Along the Way
Eric Ersher (BBA '86), Founder
and CEO of Zoup!
Eric has overall responsibility for
strategic planning, concept evolution, quality and franchise
support. He also leads the company’s staff in building and
protecting the Zoup! brand and in shaping its corporate culture.
Before creating Zoup! in 1998, Eric owned Michigan Foods, a
company that provided restaurants with custom spice blends and
other premix products. Eric holds a Bachelor of Business
Administration from the University of Michigan School of Business
and a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School. He
serves on the Advisory Board of Forgotten Harvest (the Detroit
area’s leading food rescue organization) and he is an active
member of EO, Entrepreneur’s Organization. Eric’s favorite soup is
Shrimp and Crawfish Etouffee.
Adrian Fortino (BSME ’00, MBA ’10), Co-Founder, FlockTAG, Shepherd
Intelligent Systems Inc. & SideCar; Principal, First Step Fund
Adrian has over 12 years of management, engineering and investment
experience in technology-based companies of all stages. Adrian is
the Co-Founder of Shepherd Intelligent Systems Inc. (SIS) and
SideCar. The SIS platform provides a lightweight & hosted fleet
management solution for livery fleets through the B2B Shepherd IS
technology platform. Adrian also led the investment acquisition
effort where the SIS secured over $3M in venture investment used to
build and launch the instant rideshare spinoff (SideCar) which
recently launched in the Bay Area and passed 25,000 rides
this month, invite-only beta. He also co-founded FlockTAG in
January 2011 with a colleague at the Ross School of Business.
FlockTAG is an intelligent loyalty network to bring big company
marketing technology to the small business. FlockTAG is now
working with 100 businesses and has over 50,000 users since
launching a beta product in January 2012. He is currently a
Principal at the First Step Fund, a Detroit-base early stage
venture fund.
Eric Friedman, Co-Founder & CTO, Fitbit
Eric Friedman is
the chief technology officer of Fitbit which he co-founded in
2007. Fitbit designs innovative connected devices and
online services that harness the power of new technologies to make
people more aware of their everyday activities and motivate them
to do more. At Fitbit, Eric is responsible for managing site
development and operations, mobile, firmware, research and
IT. Prior to Fitbit, Eric was
a co-founder of Windup Labs, which created HeyPix, one of the
first P2P photo sharing applications. CNET Networks acquired
Windup Labs in 2005. At
CNET / Webshots, Eric led the engineering team for one of the largest photo sharing sites in the
world, with 500+ million stored photos and 20+ million monthly
visitors. Prior to
Windup Labs, Eric was a founding engineer of Epesi Technologies
and was also a technical member of the Real-Time Collaboration
Group at Microsoft. Eric has a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science
from Yale University.
Maria Thompson (MBA ’88),
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Arsenal Venture Partners, Co-Founder,
T/J Technologies
Maria Thompson is an Entrepreneur-In-Residence for Arsenal Venture
Partners. Maria was President and CEO of T/J Technologies,
Inc., a nationally recognized Michigan alternative energy company
that she and her husband, Dr. Levi Thompson, co-founded in 1991.
T/J Technologies was acquired by A123 Systems in 2006. A123
Systems is one of the world's leading suppliers of high-power
lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, hybrid electric
and plug in hybrid vehicles and grid stabilization.
Maria ran the Government Solutions Group of A123 Systems after the
acquisition until she retired from A123 in 2010. She and her team
worked with The United States Army Tank Automotive Research,
Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), The
Department of Energy and other federal, state and county officials
to secure grants and contracts to build the first lithium ion
battery manufacturing facilities in Michigan. Maria earned a
Masters of Business Administration degree and a Bachelors of Fine
Arts (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Michigan in Ann
Arbor. Prior to starting T/J Technologies, Ms. Thompson
worked in industrial design at Steelcase and in marketing at IBM.
Current/Former Director Roles: Maria is a member of
Ann Arbor SPARK's Board of Directors, NextEnergy's Board of
Directors, the University of Michigan Technology Transfer National
Advisory Board, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Zell Lurie Institute Advisory Board, The University of Michigan
Transportation Research Institute External Advisory Board, United
Bank and Trust Washtenaw Board of Directors and the Washtenaw
Community College Foundation Board. She served for 6 years on the
Advanced Technology Advisory Board for the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), and is a former member of several
non-profit organization boards.
Moderator: Lizzie Coston (MBA '13), Ross School of Business
Innovating in Corporations
Ricardo Rodriguez, Product Portfolio Manager,
Chrysler Group’s North American Passenger Car Product Portfolio
Ricardo Rodriguez is a Product Portfolio manager for Chrysler
Group’s North American passenger car product portfolio. In this
role, Ricardo works with a cross functional team of designers,
engineers, cost analysts, marketers and finance staff to manage
the capital funding of future products for the group’s Chrysler,
Dodge, FIAT,
Alfa Romeo and SRT brands. Previously, he led all product planning
activities for the creation of the SRT brand and the 2013 SRT
Viper. Ricardo joined the Chrysler Group in 2010 from Lazard
Frères & Co. where he was an associate in the firm’s global
automotive M&A and restructuring advisory group. His assignments
at Lazard
included advising the UAW during the bankruptcy of GM and
Chrysler, IG Metall on the merger of VW and Porsche, the Finance
Ministry of Germany during GM’s failed attempt to sell Opel, and
various Tier 1 supplier debt restructurings. Ricardo also spent
some time at Dana Holdings supporting Centerbridge Partners’
investment team right after finishing his graduate studies. Prior
to this, he completed a 4 year leadership development program at
Magna International’s Cosma division performing various
operational roles in Mexico, the U.S.A, Canada, China and Japan
while completing his undergraduate studies. He has an
undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and Management from
Kettering University (former General Motors Institute) in Flint,
Michigan and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the
Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts.
Heath
Silverman (MBA ’08), Strategic Planner, Education Markets Platform
Group,
Intel
Heath Silverman is
currently a strategic planner in the Education Market Platforms
Group at Intel working on defining new businesses in the education
vertical. As a member of Intel's Accelerated Leadership Program, he held a number of different
positions in the company including marketing and sales support in
the channel and venture investing in Intel Capital. He worked for
Intel out of offices in the UK, Brazil, and Mexico before settling
at the Santa Clara site. While at Ross, Heath was co-president of
the EVC and
a fellow on the technology team of the Frankel Commercialization
Fund. Heath also worked at Amazon.com as a Product Manager in the
Web Services group. Additionally he worked at two software startups,
one of which he co-founded and successfully sold. Heath holds a BA
in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley
and an MBA with High Distinction from the University of Michigan,
Ross School of Business where he was recognized as Entrepreneur of
the Year.
Jeff
Weedman (MBA '77),
CEO, Cintrifuse: Vice President, Global Business Development, Procter & Gamble
Jeff Weedman is CEO of Cintrifuse, a not-for-profit newly formed
by Cincinnati’s top companies and institutions aimed at fostering
innovation and job growth by supporting high potential startup
companies. Cintrifuse will provide startups with access to a
network of physical accelerators/incubators, a major early stage
investment fund of funds and connection to strategic companies,
mentors and service providers. Jeff is an Executive on Loan from
Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest consumer packaged goods
company where he served as Vice President for Global Business
Development (GBD). Over the past decade, Jeff’s global
organization was responsible for external partnerships that have
delivered billions of dollars toward P&G’s annual sales growth.
Jeff’s team managed mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint
ventures, equity investments, outsourcing, technology and
trademark licensing, and P&G’s Global Open Innovation efforts.
His team also delivered the first-ever comprehensive
agreements with the public university systems of Ohio and Michigan
and similar agreements in China, India, Singapore and Israel with
government research institutes, academic entities and
entrepreneurs. Jeff has/is currently a board member of: Glad Joint
Venture (P&G’s partnership with The Clorox Company); Swiss
Precision Diagnostics (Switzerland based 50/50 joint venture with
Alere); and yet2.com (Boston-based Intellectual Property firm);
Medical Center Fund of Cincinnati Board; The University of
Michigan’s Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for
Entrepreneurial Studies – Advisory Board; the University of
Cincinnati Research Foundation Board and the Albion College Board
of Directors.
Moderator:
Ryan Fukushima (MBA '13), Ross School of Business
Financing Your Business
Jennifer Baird, CEO, Accio Energy
Ms. Baird is CEO of Accio Energy. She brings her track record of
successfully commercializing transformational technologies to
develop Accio’s revolutionary Aerovoltaic™ wind energy
systems.
From 2005 to 2010, Ms. Baird was President and CEO of Accuri
Cytometers, a rapidly growing company developing and marketing
breakthrough life science products for research and clinical use.
Ms. Baird co-founded Accuri and led the company from inception
through development and commercialization. She raised over $30
million in venture equity and debt
funding and achieved more than $12 million in annual sales, a
global reach, and near-profitability in just five years time. In
2011, Accuri was successfully sold to Becton Dickinson for
$205 million, generating 5-6x returns for investors. Previously,
Ms. Baird was a key member of the senior management team at
Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc., a technology development
firm focused on using micro-electromechanical systems for medical
and scientific sensing applications. Earlier in her career, as a
Vice President at Keane Consulting Group, she managed
over $10 million in projects and helped the firm quintuple in size
to over 150 staff. Ms. Baird began her career in commercial
banking. She received her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate
School of Management, where she shared Top-of-Class
honors, and a BA degree from the University of Michigan.
Tony Grover, Co-Founder & Managing Director,
RPM Ventures
Grover is co-founder and managing
director of RPM Ventures. He
is currently involved with the boards of Arbor Photonics, DeepField Networks,
Eden Park, JanRain,
and Caterva.
He was previously on the boards of Mobius Microsystems (acquired by IDT)
and led the firm’s investment in ShareThis.
Prior to RPM, Mr. Grover was vice president and partner at White Pines
Ventures, a $100 million venture capital firm where he was
responsible for investments in
telecommunications, enterprise software and supply chain sectors.
He was also co-founder of Promotum,
an Internet-based promotions, marketing, and services company. Mr.
Grover received finance, engineering and manufacturing experience
serving as a business
and cost analyst with Intel Corporation and as a manufacturing
engineer for Cummins Engine
Company.
Mr. Grover is a lecturer at the Ross School of Business at
the University of Michigan.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering
from the University of Michigan,
a
Master of Science in industrial engineering from Purdue
University, and an MBA from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Business.
Marcia
Hatch (JD ’97), Corporate & Securities Partner, Gunderson Dettmer
Marcia is
a corporate and securities partner in our Silicon Valley office.
Marcia represents and helps build great companies and also
works with venture capitalists who finance them. Her work and
interests are in the IT, life sciences, cleantech and
semi-conductor industries. Marcia’s work with companies spans the
entire corporate life cycle, including strategic decisions and
coaching prior to incorporation, prospective investor
introductions, general corporate representation and counseling,
venture capital financings, employment matters, commercial
contracts, public offerings and mergers and acquisitions. Marcia
focuses on formation and initial financing at the early stage, and
works with businesses in their follow-up financing events, mergers
and acquisitions, public offerings, debt transactions and
corporate governance matters. Marcia is one of the few attorneys
in Silicon Valley who combines a dynamic emerging company practice
with a top-tier venture capital investment representation
practice, giving her insights, experience and connections relevant
to entrepreneurs, companies and investors. She routinely
represents venture capital firms in their investment activities,
related business matters and counseling. Marcia received her J.D.
from University of Michigan Law School and her B.A. in history
from University of California, Berkeley, where she played on the
CAL women’s basketball team. Prior to joining Gunderson Dettmer,
Marcia was a partner at Heller Ehrman and a senior attorney at
Venture Law Group. Early in her career as an attorney Marcia
practiced in New York with Sullivan & Cromwell. Marcia Hatch is
admitted to practice in California and New York.
Moderator: Matthew Newman (MBA '13), Ross School of Business
Launching While at School
Judy Skiles Lavers (EMBA ’11), CFO, Fashion Forward Maternity
Judy earned a BS in Accounting from the University of Detroit and
an Executive MBA from the University of Michigan (with
Distinction). Judy is a results-oriented financial executive with
more than 20 years of progressive experience within global
financial management, client contract negotiations, and audit
management. She is a Certified Public Accountant and is also a
member of both the Michigan Association of Certified Public
Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. Judy is a mother of two.
Jon
Oberheide, CTO, Duo Security
Jon is
a well-known security expert and researcher. While his research
interests span across the security domain, he has deep expertise
in
mobile security, cloud security, and malware analysis. Jon attended
the University of Michigan for a BS, MS, and PhD in Computer
Science,
and has held positions at Merit Network and Arbor Networks. Jon
frequently speaks at leading security conferences, both in
academia (USENIX Security, WOOT, HotSec) and in the industry
(Black Hat,
CanSecWest, SOURCE Boston, NANOG, Infiltrate). Jon was
recently named one of Forbes'
"30 under 30" for his Android security research.
Tyler
Paxton (MBA ’11), Founder & CEO, Are You a Human
Tyler
Paxton is the founder and CEO of Are You a Human which uses
minigames to replace annoying experiences like captcha. He founded
the company while attending Ross School of Business at the
University of Michigan. Prior to earning his MBA, Tyler worked as
a project manager for implementation of global IT systems and
founded an IT services and consulting firm. Tyler was recently
named one of Crain's 20 in their 20's. He lives in the Detroit
area with his wife and three kids.
Sherman
Powell (MBA '09), President, ArmyProperty
Powell, Ross ’09
MBA and 1995 MIT / Sloan School of Management graduate, led the
winning teams in the 2008 Michigan Business Challenge and the 2008
"Spirit of Enterprise" intercollegiate business plan
competition. He spent 11 years as a U.S. Army tank and infantry
officer, with multiple deployments to Korea and Iraq, totaling 46
months of overseas service.
He spent 2 1/2 years as a company commander, in addition to other
assignments including his final position as the Commanding
General's Aide in the U.S. Army's Third Infantry Division. While a
student at Ross he focused on finance and strategy, and completed
internships at Google and the Boston Consulting Group. Sherman
lives in Ann Arbor with his wife and two children.
Moderator: Lemu Coker (MBA '13), Ross School of Business
Presenters
Lunch and Learn
Tyler Paxton (MBA '11), CEO, Are You A Human
Sherman Powell (MBA '09), President, ArmyProperty
Chair: Erin Braddock (MBA '13), Ross School of
Business
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