The May Report: 11/22/2010: NAVTEQ Acquires PixelActive; Raymond Reinhardt bolts (?) Cuddlephish which he founded for full-time job at Nerdery; Model Metrics cuts deal with RIM; Carl Ledbetter on how he passed on investing in Starbucks and eBay snd how Stanford is the only school that does not pay royalties to software developed by students; More Melzinie Babylon Buttinsky on J Schwan and Mobile Web Development: 30 Tips in 60 minutes; The big divide: Do you remember 47 years ago today?; Gary Vanyerchuk still around — on TV and profiled in The New Yorker Magazine

The May Report November 22nd, 2010

Editor and publisher: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com, www.themayreport.com , 773-525-3944.

Assistant editor: Melanie Adcock, iPHONE: 312-259-0610, melanie_adcock@msn.com

If you missed an article, go here: www.tmronline.com/A55951/tmrarticles.nsf/vwFullNewsletter

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Drupal Business Summit – November 30
Join the Revolution – revolution2010.acquia.com

*See what people are saying about the Drupal Business Summit – Twitter hashtag #jointherev

Acquia is hosting the Drupal Business Summit on November 30 at the Gleacher Center in Chicago. This unique event is packed with fantastic stories by companies like VML featuring Cartoon Network, Scranton Gillette Communications, Florida Hospital, World Business Chicago, Chicago Public Media and the Gilbane Group. Sessions will discuss how these organizations are taking advantage of the power of Drupal to create communities, get closer with their customers and employees and improve top and bottom line ROI. The Drupal Business Summit is ideal for Senior IT and Marketing Professionals who are responsible for their Corporate Website CMS, Interactive Media Technology – including social media platforms and online communities, Web Platform and Application Management, Digital Communications, Marketing and Branding. There is no cost to register however space is limited. revolution2010.acquia.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– NAVTEQ Acquires PixelActive: Acquisition Reinforces the Company’s Commitment to Leadership in 3D Mapping
– Overview of Last Week’s Tech Events, by Melanie Adcock
– Additional Information on the recent event: “Start-ups: Private Equity” by Galen G. Williams (Nov 19, 2010)
– Interview with Chris Sweis of JunoWallet on Tech in Twenty
– Canright Chicago Networking Calendar, Week of 11-22-10 including the EDC on Wednesday, November 24th
– Thursday, December 9: iPhone Application Development Workshop
– Wednesday, December 1: SSC Holiday @ Crimson Lounge!
– Friday, December 3: FRA’s Joe Szabo to speak in Indianapolis: “Indiana High Speed Rail Association”
– John Katsantonis: Should You Be Snuggling With Your Cellphone?
– John Katsantonis: “Little Suzie Groupon will go to bed hungry tonight…unless you help!”
– Tuesday, November 30: Un-Corpoorate Holiday Party – a sushi and sake celebration
– Melzinie found an interesting article by Declan McCullagh on how Cybersecurity bill gives DHS power to punish tech firms
– Miscellaneous notes (4 messages)
– Pud’s newsletter: You su** at your job
– National Technology survey finds much greater optimism over next six month in hiring and company outlook than peers
– Gerald L. Murphy: Not at all happy with Ron’s broadside attack on the elder statesman Jerry R. Mitchell and Ron’s response

[Editor's note: Ron May here. First, a spelling correction. It is Raymond Reinhardt, not Reinhart as we have written in some previous reports.

Second, Melzinie Babylon Buttinsky has now made it to 95 days with this report and she is doing well -- wouldn't you say? She still has much to learn but she is eager to absorb new things.And not only is she a moderating influence, but she helped a lot last week getting me into the Great Lakes Tech Bash.

Third, I saw our old buddy Gary Vaynerchuk (he was at Frank and Eric's conference two years ago) on MS/NBC Friday morning being interviewed by Chris Jansing. He was talking about how Facebook and Twitter have contributed to many extra-marital affairs by re-connecting old flames once one or the other is married. They introduced him in a low key way -- simply as an author. Gary was featured in a New Yorker article on June 7, 2010.

www.newyorker.com/talk/2010/06/07/100607ta_talk_friend

Fourth, one of the big divides in our tech world or any world in the U. S. is whether one recalls this date 47 years ago today. I do vividly. I was in Mrs. Cornelius' 2nd grade class at West Boulevard Elementary School in Columbia, MO. The principal, Richard Muzzy, came into the classroom and made the shocking announcement and we were all sent home. A year later when I was in Mrs. Madison's 3rd grade class, Mr. Muzzy announced to the entire school that we were the only Jewish family in the school and I recall a teacher asking me if I could participate in art class. No graven images, and all that. It fascinates me how we can remember some things so well, yet most of us could not say what we had for dinner last week or even last night. Melzinie told me a story about how in 1986 one of her fellow students in the 4th grade had a dream the day before the Challenger blew up that the Russians blew it up! That was some premonition. The Challenger explosion was another big divide for young kids at that time.

I had my own bedroom in our finished basement at 807 West Ash Street in Columbia and for a long time after the Kennedy assassination, I had bad dreams that Lee Harvey Oswald was coming down the stairs to get me.

Mark Piper is an angel investor who attended BNC's Tech Pitch last Wednesday at the Syncubator. He has done ten deals in the last five years, he says, and he typically puts in $100K for each deal. He would not give me his email address but we'll get it for you. His background is as a developer -- Java, I believe. The third presenter last week, TIP Solutions, the firm with the voice screening technology for mobile smart phones, is of interest to Mark. In fact, it sounded to me as though it was a done deal on the spot. I will get you the name of the entrepreneur. He has five full-time employees and a bunch of contractors, and he told me his pre-money valuation was set by Grant Thornton at $5MM. The entrepreneur has put in $650K of his own money so far. TIP does voice centric solutions and the best solution they have came from surveying prospective users.

Len Bland, I will run your event notice tomorrow.]
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The ITA website monitor

Comments made on the ITA’s website regarding the holiday party location:

November, 15 2010, 03:20 PM Sam Sansome
I agree that Fado’s is not a great place for a party of this nature. It is small, noisy, crowded and not easy to mix and network in. In the past you have held the party in locations allowing you to offer your members small and affordable promotional booth/table opportunities as well. Perhaps it is too late to change for this year but in future I think that sort of format would be appreciated by your members.

November, 11 2010, 05:57 PM
Last years party held at your offices was fantastic, I was looking forward to it this year. However Fado is not what I had in mind, I think we’ll skip this year.
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Why listen to customers? A living case study by Jerry R. Mitchell: Co-located with the MEF Semi-Annual networking party: December 6, 2010

During this fascinating case study in action you’ll see the tactics that Jerry Mitchell has used to shrink his organization from more than 300 to a handful of members in one short decade. Jerry’s mandates that new customers are bad and old customers are even worse will be on full display during this event. Some of the takeaways include:

** Customers don’t know anything about your business, what value can they possibly have?

** If customers don’t like what you’re selling they’re clearly too dense or ignorant to bother with.

** Why innovate and change? If your current customers don’t get it, it’s their problem.

** You know your business best, so the heck with anyone else’s ideas.

Careful adherence to these principles and tactics will ensure that your organization or business will follow the same path as Jerry’s — a testament to the success of this approach can be found in his recent MEF meeting downtown in November — 186 seats were in the auditorium and 5 were filled.

Tomorrow we’ll tell you who will and who won’t be there and Wednesday, we’ll tell you about the All Mobile party going on at the same time.
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The Scoop section:
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NAVTEQ Acquires PixelActive: Acquisition Reinforces the Company’s Commitment to Leadership in 3D Mapping

From: Bruce Montgomery
Subject: NAVTEQ Acquires PixelActive
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:29:26 -0800 (PST)
To: Ron May
Cc: Ron May

NAVTEQ Acquires PixelActive

Acquisition Reinforces the Company’s Commitment to Leadership in 3D Mapping

Chicago, IL ? November 19, 2010 ? NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of maps, traffic and location data enabling navigation, location-based services and mobile advertising around the world, has acquired PixelActive. The acquisition is an extension of NAVTEQ?s strategy to accelerate expansion from a 2D to 3D map, as well as providing further opportunity to leverage 3D technologies for all NAVTEQ products.

The acquisition of PixelActive Inc., a California-based company with 16 employees prior to close, supports NAVTEQ?s move to a 3D-based architecture. PixelActive specializes in tools and technologies for 3D modeling of detailed road networks, buildings and terrain. The company?s Cityscape product has been utilized by NAVTEQ in the development of product offerings such as 3D Junction Objects and 3D City Models. The acquisition of PixelActive is aimed at expanding NAVTEQ?s ability to efficiently build products in a 3D environment. Steve Rotenberg and Michael Kelley, the founders of PixelActive, will stay with the company and continue their roles in the R&D organization supporting these efforts.

?Future developments in navigation and other location-enabled solutions will rely heavily on 3D mapping capabilities,? said Cliff Fox, executive vice president, NAVTEQ Maps. ?Putting this critical product architecture in place will provide a foundation for the rapid creation of 3D content and keep NAVTEQ on the forefront of the industry.?

?The acquisition of PixelActive underscores NAVTEQ?s continued commitment to providing the most advanced digital maps,? explained Larry Kaplan, president and CEO, NAVTEQ. ?We are quickly moving to a world of 3D maps and NAVTEQ is taking the necessary steps to continue to provide our customers with a superior offering from which they can differentiate their products.?

Terms of the acquisition are not disclosed.

About PixelActive

PixelActive is a leading provider of 3D urban modeling software for video games, simulation, navigation, and urban planning. Their flagship product, CityScape, enables developers to create 3D urban environments easier and faster than traditional methods, and allows creation of optimized models for real-time visualization and simulation. PixelActive is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and was founded by game industry veterans Steve Rotenberg and Michael Kelley.

About NAVTEQ

NAVTEQ is the leading global provider of maps, traffic and location data (digital location content) enabling navigation, location-based services and mobile advertising around the world. NAVTEQ supplies comprehensive digital location content to power automotive navigation systems, portable and wireless devices, Internet-based mapping applications and government and business solutions. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 5,100 employees located in 212 offices in 48 countries. NAVTEQ is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nokia Corporation.

About Nokia

At Nokia, we are committed to connecting people. We combine advanced technology with personalized services that enable people to stay close to what matters to them. Every day, more than 1.3 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia device ? from mobile phones to advanced smartphones and high-performance mobile computers. Today, Nokia is integrating its devices with innovative services through Ovi (www.ovi.com), including music, maps, apps, email and more. Nokia’s NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, while Nokia Siemens Networks provides equipment, services and solutions for communications networks globally.

Bruce Eric Montgomery
Executive Producer & Host
Technology Access Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312) 725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
www.facebook.com/brucemontgomery
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Overview of Last Week’s Tech Events, by Melanie Adcock

From: Melanie Adcock
Subject: Overview of Last Week’s Tech Events
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:17:15 +0000
To: ,

Overview of Last Week’s Tech Events

By Melanie Adcock

Monday Nov. 15

MoMo Chicago www.momochicago.org

Speaker: J Schwan, Mobile Web Development: 30 Tips in 60 minutes, The event took place at Citytech. www.citytechinc.com Approximately 45 people in attendance. J Schwan is the Mobile Technology Practice Partner at Solstice Consulting.

Some things I wrote down from J’s talk:

Feature Phone purchases are down. Smart phone purchases are up. If you design your website to look good from the mobile web you are optimizing it to look good from a mobile screen. You can load the same site across platforms and get a higher ROI than you can with a Mobile App which is more expensive. You also don’t have to worry about third party app stores. This year alone there was a 400% increase in mobile search and by 2013 phones are expected to overtake pcs for web.

Mobile web users don’t want to browse, instead they want to find. The goal of your mobile web designs should be to enable users to find things quickly for example, When’s the next train? What’s traffic like? Minimal navigation, less click investment, less drill downs, limited categories, sorting by frequency of access, single column layouts, vertical scrolling, and shorter urls were additionally suggested. He suggests QR codes and using bit.ly. QR Codes are graphical representation of data. If you’ve never seen one it is a black and white square filled with abstract shapes. By downloading a QR Code Reader app on your smart phone you can point the camera on your phone at the QR code and it will automatically direct you to a website.

For performance considerations of mobile websites J introduces the term minifying, which means to remove all unnecessary characters from your source code. Making content smaller results in faster travel of data. He urges to watch out for JSON which stands for Java Script Object Notation because it can cause new age hacks. Here is a website where you can learn more: www.json.org/

During the Q-n-A, a participant suggested finding out what type of smart phone your clients’ use and make sure you use the same phone for testing of the site. Great suggestion.

J went into a lot more technical detail in his presentation. If you would like to hear from the expert please contact him at j@sols.tc

Kelly Stickle from Acquity Group said they are hiring for all positions at their company and she says Acquity Group is planning an event April 30, 2011, called Bricks and Mobile. I ran into an old colleague back from the days when I was teaching, Abby Salch. We had a lot to catch up on since our teaching days. She now works for Cantaloupe tv www.cantaloupe.tv I spoke to Laurie Pasler laurie@bluefishproductions.com who is looking for someone to create an app for free for an association conference. I’m not sure an established start up with several mobile clients is the right fit for her project, however it would be a great for a programmer looking to prove themselves. If that sounds like a project for you please send Laurie an e-mail.

MoMo is having a holiday party Dec. 6 chimobileholidaymixer.eventbrite.com/ Hope to see you there!

Tuesday Nov. 16

Great Lakes Entreprenuer Bash 2010 Took place at UIC Forum, we counted approximately 270 people in attendance.

Featuring Bob Jordan’s new book “How They Did it: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America” www.howtheydiditbook.com/

We narrowly escaped getting escorted out of the UIC Forum in University Village where this event took place. Ron is a member of the MIT Forum, one of the event’s presenters, however we had issues getting him into the event. Help from friends, a little diplomacy on my part, and a promise from Ron to be on his best behavior admitted us into the event. I was thankful for the opportunity to attend. Ron was in fact on his very best behavior. I wish you all could have been there to see it. Scott Harris commented to me a few days later at another event that he noticed a difference from Ron’s usual behavior at this event. Kudos to Ron. If you noticed this as well please send him a note complimenting him. He could use the encouragement. I finally got to meet Ed Longanecker and Darcy Evon. It was nice to meet them in person. Afterwards we went to Joy Yee Noodles nearby to get Ron some soup and ran into another event attendee where we had a terrific discussion about how truly supportive the people are in the MidWest as compared to either coast. It was uplifting and inspiring to hear their perspective.

Here are some interesting tidbits from the notes I took at the event:

Jim Dolan: He saw some people doing things and he thought he could do it better. He had the freedom to take chances partly because he had no kids. He says if you don’t have more options you’ll never get the deal done. Always have hot standbys in case the first one drops out.

Chris Moffitt: He made 90k the year he was unemployed and he was proud of that fact. He wasn’t a fan of the corporate world and thought there had to be an easier way.

Marke Tebbe: Fortune Magazine listed him once in a top 20 list of people who had lost the most net worth. He advocates knowing how much money you need to make you happy for the rest of your life. If you spend it faster than you make it you’ll never be happy. You’ve got to know your number and be happy with what you have. He made it a rule to never work when the kids are home and says if you can make money while you’re sleeping it’s been a good day.

Michael Polsky: He had an experience where he went to work one day and the locks were changed. He started a company after that and sold it. He recommends not counting details because if you count too much you can’t make a big picture decision.

Bill Deville: When his employees knew his income he was uncomfortable. Selling your company in a bad situation is like building a dream home and then being asked to stay and move into the basement while the new owner redecorates. Find someone to build a business with that you can celebrate with and be supported by. Business plan copying is not good.

Tim Krauskopf: Says one of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking you can build the whole channel yourself. Select the best distribution and stop agonizing is his advice. Pay attention to your partners and backers. If they are great you will have good decision making and good luck.

Pictures of the event from the book’s Facebook Fan Page: on.fb.me/cqBaJC

Before the night ends I take Ron’s bag of Twizzlers left over from Halloween because he shouldn’t be eating them but notice they look especially delicious…

Wednesday, Nov. 17

Spent afternoon with a belly ache after eating too many Twizzlers, vow to swear off all Twizzler eating activities and proclaim Twizzlers to be the biggest enemy of The May Report.

“The Mobile+ Event” with Adobe Evangelist Kevin Hoyt

Event put on by Michael Epstein and partners of www.chicagoflex.org

Third Wednesdays of every month. Excellent presenters. over 70 people attended. The event took place at the ITA.

I spoke with Jason Ernst who is the lead Developer at Model Metrics. He seemed like one of the sharpest people in the room so I wanted to get to know him. The interesting news I learned was Model Metrics is partnering with Blackberry’s RIM and plans to display their projects at this year’s Dreamforce Conference, the annual conference for salesforce.com. bit.ly/9LQMcz I met Adam Caplan, CEO of Model Metrics, a few years back when he spoke about CRM adoption at the ITA. I learned the term super user for the first time in Adam’s presentation and have considered myself to be a salesforce.com super user ever since. Model Metrics was recently named one of Chicago’s top places to work. bit.ly/9H0AG2

I ran into some friends from Forte Consulting www.fortecg.com/about.aspx who shared with me Raymond Reinhardt, CEO of Cuddlephish, www.cuddlephish.com/ co- Founder of Mobile Visionary Mixer events, mobilevisionary.com/ and Chair of the ITA’s mobile round table www.illinoistech.org/roundtable.aspx/19 has now taken a full time job as a Solution Engineer at Nerdery. www.linkedin.com/in/rreinhardt I know Raymond pretty well but over the last few months no one had heard from him, people were starting to wonder what was going on with him and what he was up to. To confirm this I did call up Nerdery and ask for Raymond. He is in fact working there. He wouldn’t take my call because he was busy. He’s the type who needs the time to focus and doesn’t want to be disturbed. So if you call him and he doesn’t pick up it’s nothing personal. I left him a voicemail saying his pals missed him. It’s good to know he’s doing well. I hope to see him soon and get some more info about all the things he’s up to.

The event itself was terrific.

Adobe Developer Evangelist Kevin Hoyt blog.kevinhoyt.org discussed how to use Adobe Flash on a variety of mobile and tablet platforms and talked about his new Google TV. Romke de Haan of Spreenkler Creative spreenkler.com/ He shared the success he’d had with Flex Hero and showed us the Apps he’d created. Visit here if you’d like to download Flex Hero and try it for yourself: bit.ly/9ygbru Jinnan Sun, Product Manager, Developer Platforms and Services, Motorola developer.motorola.com/ spoke about the MOTODEV program for developers, and Flash support on Motorola Android phones. He highlighted the fact that Motorola supported Flash and discussed some of the great work his team has accomplished on several Motorola mobile devices.

To learn more about future events for Chicago Flex visit their website chicagoflex.org or send an e-mail to info@chicagoflex.org

Afterwards twenty or so people went over to the Billy Goat Tavern nearby for lively further discussion. I shared with them the book “How They Did it,” www.howtheydiditbook.com/ by Bob Jordan and a few people checked it out. I think it is one of those books every Midwestern tech company should have in their lobby.

While I was at the Billy Goat Tavern I received a call from Ron asking me to head over to the Sync Center where he was attending the Tech Pitch event. I went over and found him yacking away with some great people who were still there about all subjects from tech to politics having a grand time showing off his keen intellect. Ron also had with him his copy of “How They Did it,” by Bob Jordan and was also sharing it with others throughout the evening. I wheeled him out of the Sync Center and over to Mr. Greek’s, a 24 hour place in Greek Town that makes a darn good Gyro. I fixed him up with a few delicious snacks and talked to him for quite awhile about a number of subjects from entertaining to tech to just plain fun and silly. In life you’ve got to have a good laugh every once and awhile, right?

Thursday Nov. 18

Google Android’s Birthday Party

I headed over to Bennegian’s in the evening to check out the Google Android’s Birthday Party. There were around 50 people or so there. I saw the usual mobile attendees like Uki Lucas, Todor Krecu, Chris Beavers, Kati Scronce, Daniel Fedor Apps presented included: Taxi Cab Share, Children TV – videos for kids, and Yachts and Tall Ships. Around 40 people were there.

I had a good conversation with a man who didn’t have a business card. He told me about a recent city hearing he went to for the ADA and it seemed to him the only group that is clear about the future of Artificial Intelligence and the future developments they’d like to see. For more info about these meetings please visit here: www.pacebus.com/sub/paratransit/ada.asp Another man spoke of virtual world industry and the woeful state of SecondLife secondlife.com/ and his predictions that they’ll lose completely to open source competitors. Yet another successful event put on by Todor Krecu and Chicago Android with only a few weeks of planning. They are getting good at putting on events! If you want to receive announcements for their future events sign up here: bit.ly/czAN59

Lean Start Up Circle

Took place at the ITA- Featuring Carl Ledbetter, Managing Director of Pelion Venture Partners pelionvp.com/CustomContentRetrieve.aspx?ID=2984880

One of the most insightful speakers I’ve seen all month. I counted 62 people in attendance. I learned a lot from this presentation. Here are some of my notes:

To give some perspective most v.c. companies are right when they invest in a company only one third of the time. If you’re right only half of the time then your success is higher than average. His company invests in only high tech companies in the late seed to early growth stage either right before or right after their first revenues. They make a $4 million investment over the life of the partnership and have a good mix of repeat vs first time entrepreneurs. He sites the company Riverbed www.riverbed.com/us/ to be one of his biggest successes. So far he has only seen one company make their business plan exactly. Good food for thought.

Google is ranked 8th when it comes to search engine technology. Why did they make it? Because they didn’t run out of money. Read Google’s 10k and you will figure out how they make money. They get companies to pay them for search rankings and they understand who their customers are and whey they pay them. Carl knows Carol Bartz, CEO of Yahoo! and one of her biggest challenges is articulating what they do and who their customers are. Our ability to predict the next market that will explode is hard. Most of what will hit it big in the next few decades are inventions that have already been patented in the last 13-14 years and already exists. Everyone says they want to be the next Google, but the next big thing never quite looks like the last big thing. Back in the 60′s Ledbetter saw a Popular Science magazine cover that predicted what technologies would be popular now and they completely missed computers and the internet. If a company wants to hit into a big existing market and they get 1% that is still very tough to do. Despite the energy and enthusiasm most pitches contain they overlook it a lot and just focus on who they are and what they do. It’s also a mistake to try to make your potential market look bigger than it actually is. He also adds that if someone asks you a question you don’t know the answer to don’t fib but let them know how you can figure that out. Andy Grove, founder of Intel, would give presenters 2 business cards. One was his card, and the other he would turn over and ask them to write their business plan. It’s extreme, but it says a lot about how well received simplicity can be in venture capital.

During Q-n-A , a question was asked about companies he didn’t invest in. He refers to the companies his company didn’t invest in as their anti-portfolio. Starbucks and eBay are included in this list. He says eBay gave the single biggest return in V.C. history with 1000x return. It’s not the technology that makes eBay work, but the feedback and reputation which was hard to predict at the time. Another question was asked about universities and he mentioned Stanford was the only college that doesn’t require royalties for software developed by students. In his closing remarks he said companies should think about Venture Capital money as years of salary that is invested into your company.

To learn about future Lean Start Up Circle Meetings sign up here: www.meetup.com/Chicago-Lean-Startup-Circle/

Friday Nov. 19

I spent part of the afternoon making follow up calls and wasn’t able to make it over to the event at Morgan Stanley called Private Equity 101. I was able to meet the speaker, Galen G. Williams, later that day and will follow up to get the details on how that event went.

Sip at the Sync

Neat Video about this event: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9IaXNiR6Rw&feature=player_embedded

There were over 40 people at this week’s Sip at the Sync, a fun informal networking gathering every Friday at the Syncubator. www.facebook.com/Syncubator

The conversations were flowing with plenty of refreshments to keep things lively. It was clear many were there to not only network but to actually do business. I had some great conversations and went out afterwards with 4 friends for further chit chatting at a local Greek Restaurant. I like this event because it is a lot of fun and it’s enabling people to really help each other. When I attend these I only write something if someone requests it, so use it, baby! I will say that if you haven’t been to one of these you should take time to go and mingle.

Melanie Adcock
iPHONE: 312-259-0610
DROID: 312-833-1825
E-Mail: melanie_adcock@msn.com
Facebook Fan Page: bit.ly/MelanieAdcockFacebookFanPage
Bio: bit.ly/MelanieAdcockARC
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melanieadcock
Twitter: twitter.com/melanie_adcock
Facebook Profile: www.facebook.com/melanie.a.adcock
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Additional Information on the recent event: “Start-ups: Private Equity” by Galen G. Williams (Nov 19, 2010)

Subject: Additional Information on the recent event: “Start-ups: Private Equity” by Galen G. Williams (Nov 19, 2010)
Date: 11/22/2010 12:05:48 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: melanie_adcock@msn.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Additional Information on the recent event: “Start-ups: Private Equity” by Galen G. Williams (Nov 19, 2010)

Likewise, Melanie. My responses to your questions are below:

From: Melanie Adcock [mailto:melanie_adcock@msn.com] â€¨Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2010 3:39 AMâ€¨To: galen.gerard.williams@mssb.comâ€¨Subject: How did your event go?

Hi Galen,

It was a pleasure to meet you at the Sync Tech Center on Friday. If you can could you please answer these questions for me so we can give the readers of The May Report some additional information about your events.

Best regards,

Melanie

Is there a link to your presentation from last week’s event you can share?
Not at this time.

What was the focus of the event? To whom was it targeted?
The focus was on PE history, PE fundamentals and the perspective of a private equity investor. I also incorporated feedback from members of Chicago’s PE community about what they would like to see more/less of from local entrepreneurs who are trying to raise capital.

I targeted my presentation to early stage entrepreneurs. It is my hope that the attendees will have better insight into the obligations and requirements of a PE/Angel Investor, resulting in an enhanced business plan and sales pitch. Ideally, the entrepreneurs’ probability of successfully funding/executing/exiting their business increases.

Will you be doing this event again?
Yes. The next ‘showing’ should be in January.

Where can people sign up to receive notifications about your future events?
One can email me at galen.gerard.williams@morganstanley.com for future invites.

Melanie Adcock
iPHONE: 312-259-0610
DROID: 312-833-1825
E-Mail: melanie_adcock@msn.com
Facebook Fan Page: bit.ly/MelanieAdcockFacebookFanPage
Bio: bit.ly/MelanieAdcockARC
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melanieadcock
Twitter: twitter.com/melanie_adcock
Facebook Profile: www.facebook.com/melanie.a.adcock
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Interview with Chris Sweis of JunoWallet on Tech in Twenty

From: Melanie Adcock
Subject: Interview with Chris Sweis of JunoWallet on Tech in Twenty
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2010 02:28:56 +0000
To: ,

Interview with Chris Sweis of JunoWallet on Tech in Twenty

www.techintwenty.com/interview-with-chris-sweis-of-junowallet/

Saturday, November 20th, 2010
Posted by Luis Sandoval
In this episode of Tech in Twenty you?ll hear:
About JunoWallet, how it started, how it?s changing the retail space, how users can engage, and what?s to come in the future.
Show length 24:57
Direct Link to Audio www.techintwenty.com/wp-content/uploads/November2010/Interview-JunoWallet.mp3
Subscribe to this broadcast via iTunes itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-in-twenty/id298741449 (leave a review and let us know how we?re doing).
This broadcast was brought to you by our sponsor Swebapps. When you?re in need of a mobile for your business, organization, or nonprofit, visit Swebapps to help you enter the mobile space. swebapps.com/ With iPhone and Android support, there?s no reason why your audience can?t stay connected with you.
1:28 We?re excited to introduce our guest for the show, Chris Sweis who is a one of three founders for the company JunoWallet, the mobile wallet for your giftcards and certificates.http://www.junobe.com/
3:01 Chris Sweis shares the history of how JunoWallet began and some of the splash the app has made since it entered the market.
6:03 JunoWallet was created with the social aspect in mind. Hear some of what went into making this platform not just good for businesses but also great for users. The idea of an app created for people by people and businesses just keep it all together. Brings up some great references that helped shape the idea for JunoWallet. It all came from playing Monopoly.
8:36 Chris compares the point system of JunoWallet to frequent flyer miles that an airline will give you. A great comparison on how to gain points, but JunoWallet points are much more flexible in how the user chooses to use them.
11:30 JunoWallet is great for users and for businesses. Chris shares how a business can come on board, and how retailers are seeing the changes in how business is done.
13:54 Chris shares insight on how online retailers are using the mobile space to reach not just regular customers, but attracting new ones as well. And the loyalty program that is created within the JunoWallet platform is unique and keeps relationships between business customer going, to the point where through the point system others can be introduced to the business when points are shared.
15:52 We are given insight on the user interface for both a retailer and a user and how easy it is for both sides to interact on the platform.
17:20 Chris drops a huge bomb and shares with the audience that they will be launching Gift Behind, a program where users can leave gifts for their friends and receive complimentary food, drinks, or anything your points can afford and thusly allows the business to institute peer to peer marketing.
21:15 We share how people can connect with JunoWallet online, and especially how businesses can become a part of the system.
22:07 Sharing the staggering numbers for the app that have really made JunoWallet a dominant presence in the mobile retail space.
24:17 Wrap up and thanks
______________________________________
Canright Chicago Networking Calendar, Week of 11-22-10 including the EDC on Wednesday, November 24th

Subject: Canright Chicago Networking Calendar, Week of 11-22-10
Date: 11/22/2010 11:18:22 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: Canright_Communications@mail.vresp.com
Reply To: reply-389a2c0440-f3f581acb8-9633@u.cts.vresp.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

The Canright Calendar

FEATURED EVENT OF THE WEEK

The holiday season officially begins this week, and the economic situation continues to warrant the descriptor “this economy.” Learn why at this week’s featured event:

Economic Development Council. “Economic Development in Today’s Economy,” a series of presentations over lunch. 11:30am – 1:30pm, Wednesday, Nov. 24, Tower Club, 39th floor, 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago.
Details and Registration.

www.edcchicago.org/

View the entire Canright Calendar. To make our lives easier and keep up with events in Chicagoland, we’ve put together a public calendar. We hope it helps you stay connected as well.

If you want us to add an event and consider it for the Featured Event of the Week, email our Calendar Editor at collin@canrightcommunications.com

Email Wires the Social Media Buzz
Our ebook on how email marketing and social media work together to keep you in touch with your network of prospects, customers, and vendors is available at: bit.ly/cfBKh5.

We don’t list all events, and we don’t publish the only Chicago Networking Event Calendar. Find more networking opportunities at:

InteractiveAmy.com
Network in Chicago

For Chicago technology events, see the events listing at Chicago Tech Scene.

Collin Canright
Principal
Canright Communications

Subscribe to the Canright Featured Chicago Networking Event of the Week email and monthly enewsletter.
773 248-8935 ext. 9404 (office)
773 426-7000 (mobile)

www.canrightcommunications.com
______________________________________
Thursday, December 9: iPhone Application Development Workshop

From: Melanie Adcock
Subject: iPhone Application Development Workshop Dec. 9
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:00:54 +0000
To: ,

iPhone Application Development Workshop

iPhone Developers Workshop
Dec 09, 2010
$499.00
Early Bird Special, Deadline Dec 03, 2010 $450.00

Date: Thursday, December 9th, 2010 ?Time: 8am – 5pm?Location: Solstice Headquarters (641 W Lake St, Ste 102)
iPhone application development has become a major platform for innovation. This workshop will give a detailed overview into the iPhone/Cocoa Touch mobile application framework. Learn first-hand from Solstice Consultants what steps are needed to properly setup and develop an iPhone App. In this collaborative, hands-on workshop, you will learn how to build a comprehensive iPhone application from the ground up.
Major Applications Development features will be explored including:
Learning the syntax of Objective-C and its differences and commonalities with Java, C#, and C++
Developing screen layouts with Interface Builder
Learning the ins and outs of the XCode IDE
Utilizing the ViewController APIs
Building Hybrid Mobile Web/App applications
Ingesting server-side web services
Creating data entry forms
Creating Table Views
Persistence
Debugging and Working with instruments
How to Submit an App to the App Store
And MORE!
Best practices will be shared as well as the source code. Our goal in this 8 hour session is to give you the core tools to be able to start building your own iPhone applications.
Intended Audience:
The workshop is intended for architects and developers with a good understanding of Object-Oriented (OO) concepts. It is an introductory course to Objective-C and Cocoa Touch.
Cost: $499
Preparing for this Course:
A Mac laptop is required for this course. If you do not have one, please submit a request to reserve one of our laptops along with your RSVP. Quantities are limited and will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.
If you have a Mac desktop (i.e. a Mini) a monitor, keyboard and mouse can be supplied.
XCode and the latest Snow Leopard OS is required for iPhone development and needs to be installed before the event.
Check out what other’s are saying from the last workshop:
“The hands-on lessons were a good mix with the amount of exercises. They provided great training and pertinent information.” ??”The instructor and staff were incredibly helpful and genuine. The choice of app was great, as it covered many aspects of iOS development.”?”Great individual help! Best thing about the workshop was learning XCode IDE, shortcuts that you can only learn with real world code. Great balance of coding and interface building!” ??”It focused on code and actually developing a working product! It gave me something to walk away with!”
Lunch and refreshments will be served during this all day event. Please contact Emily Moharam with any questions or dietary restrictions.
___________________________________
Wednesday, December 1: SSC Holiday @ Crimson Lounge!

From: Melanie Adcock
Subject: FW: SSC Holiday December 1st @ Crimson Lounge!
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:19:28 +0000
To: ,

Stimulus Social Club will be at Crimson Lounge Wednesday, December 1st! Check out pictures from last month’s SSC event on Facebook – just become friends with Stim Soc. Want to see where your $10 donation goes?

Executive Hosts: Kim Lichtenstein, Nadia Wetzel, Betsy Helmkamp, Megan Richards, Monica Canellis, Marissa Rudman & Katy Wilson

Guest Hosts: Steve Lieb, Paul Adreani, Kendra Peterson, Joran Thompson, Megan Taylor, Dan Ulbricht & Hunter Davis

Event Details:
- Complimentary appetizers + 1st round of drinks

- $10 donation at the door (CASH ONLY) – this month’s beneficiary: The Night Ministry

-The Night Ministry will also be collecting new adult white tube socks – bring a pack!

- Crimson Lounge is located at 333 N Dearborn St

- Event is 5:30 – 9 PM, entry is not guaranteed so we URGE you to get there early

- MUST RSVP rsvp@stimulussocialclub.com (first + last name and number of guests)
- Feel free to forward invite to people we may have missed!
________________________________
Friday, December 3: FRA’s Joe Szabo to speak in Indianapolis: “Indiana High Speed Rail Association”

From: “W. Dennis Hodges”
Subject: FRA’s Joe Szabo to speak in Indianapolis on December 3, 2010
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:45:42 -0600
To: “Indiana High Speed Rail Association”

Save the date – December 3, 2010
High Speed Rail Forum – Joe Szabo to Keynote

Attn Media: Please do not draw a story from this missive. I will have a press release for you shortly. Thank you!

Dear Friends and Colleagues of 21st Century Transportation -

A very important event concerning Indiana’s high speed rail project is coming to Indianapolis on Friday, December 3, 2010. Should you be interested in helping the Indiana High Speed Rail Association and the Hoosier Environmental Council build Indiana’s economic future through transportation, Take note and reserve your time to attend this critical discussion.

Please use the following link for information about the upcoming High Speed Rail Forum and to register for the event. The address and time of the event is shown on this website.

Members of the Indiana High Speed Rail Association look forward to greeting you at this important and informative event.

www.hecweb.org/issues/21st-century-transportation/understanding-the-issues/highspeedrail/

With my best wishes,

Dennis

W. Dennis Hodges
Founding Officer and Vice President, Business Development
Indiana High Speed Rail Association
2645 Ridge Road
Highland, Indiana 46322
Voice: 219.793.3370
_______________________________________
John Katsantonis: Should You Be Snuggling With Your Cellphone?

Subject: Should You Be Snuggling With Your Cellphone?
Date: 11/19/2010 4:51:46 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: jpkattt@att.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

This is the most serious news story I’ve ever written, or forwarded to, The May Report. It’s from Saturday’s edition of The New York Times. I’ve never gone ‘public’ with my part of this story until now, but three years ago I was first diagnosed with Stage IV-B — as in “very, very BAD” —- head/neck cancer. I had ZERO insurance. One of the key factors in the development of my cancer, I discovered once I began my research, was my use of cell phones. I had no doubt as to the impact my cell phone (which dropped several times and whose battery leaked, as a consequence) had, causally.

And there is now scientific proof positive.Much will be revealed as more research unfolds. In June, San Francisco officials voted to require retailers to display how much radiation each cell phone emits. I would hope that Mayor Daley, whose lovely wife Maggie suffers with yet-another cancer, will champion such legislation here. Ditto, Pat Quinn.

In my case, it was a ‘perfect cancer storm’ of over-consumption of Aspartame (to which I became addicted, and THANK you Dandy Don Rumsfeld, for pushing THAT specific poison through the FDA 30 years ago when Saccharin was pulled from the market —- temporarily — when you were CEO of our very own G.D. Searle), and cell phone usage.

Why, do you suppose, did my tumor manifest at exactly that spot in my head/neck where I held the phone while driving, especially on long road trips???

But for the grace of God, 16 tons of dumb luck, a Medicaid card and the brilliant, loving medicos at the University Of Chicago (as well as the chief out-patient social worker), I would not be typing this today. Also, thanks to Dr Keith Block, who teaches integrative (i.e., AMA and alternative/nutriceutical) cancer treatment at UIC and runs a clinic up in Evanston, I would not be typing this. And I’m glad I am!!!

The folks at Motorola, et al., will not be happy about this article. In fact, there will be Hell to pay….for them and for the other manufacturers that move 292 wireless phone numbers (now nearly equal to the total of every man, woman, and child) in the U.S., the 22.5 TRILLION minutes used, and the $109 BILLION in revenues they generate annually (not to mention all the app developers and hangers-on that constitute a “cottage” industry equivalent to Hearst Castle). I don’t care.

I’ve already paid mine and have NO sympathy for the manufacturers, service providers, and others in question. I only hope none of YOU have to pay YOURS.

EVER.

read, learn, and live~jk

Should You Be Snuggling With Your Cellphone?
By RANDALL STROSS
WARNING: Holding a cellphone against your ear may be hazardous to your health. So may stuffing it in a pocket against your body.

I’m paraphrasing here. But the legal departments of cellphone manufacturers slip a warning about holding the phone against your head or body into the fine print of the little slip that you toss aside when unpacking your phone. Apple, for example, doesn’t want iPhones to come closer than 5/8 of an inch; Research In Motion, BlackBerry’s manufacturer, is still more cautious: keep a distance of about an inch.

The warnings may be missed by an awful lot of customers. The United States has 292 million wireless numbers in use, approaching one for every adult and child, according to C.T.I.A.-The Wireless Association, the cellphone industry’s primary trade group. It says that as of June, about a quarter of domestic households were wireless-only.

If health issues arise from ordinary use of this hardware, it would affect not just many customers but also a huge industry. Our voice calls – we chat on our cellphones 2.26 trillion minutes annually, according to the C.T.I.A. – generate $109 billion for the wireless carriers.

The cellphone instructions-cum-warnings were brought to my attention by Devra Davis, an epidemiologist who has worked for the University of Pittsburgh and has published a book about cellphone radiation, “Disconnect.” I had assumed that radiation specialists had long ago established that worries about low-energy radiation were unfounded. Her book, however, surveys the scientific investigations and concludes that the question is not yet settled.

Brain cancer is a concern that Ms. Davis takes up. Over all, there has not been a general increase in its incidence since cellphones arrived. But the average masks an increase in brain cancer in the 20-to-29 age group and a drop for the older population.

“Most cancers have multiple causes,” she says, but she points to laboratory research that suggests mechanisms by which low-energy radiation could damage cells in ways that could possibly lead to cancer.

Children are more vulnerable to radiation than adults, Ms. Davis and other scientists point out. Radiation that penetrates only two inches into the brain of an adult will reach much deeper into the brains of children because their skulls are thinner and their brains contain more absorptive fluid. No field studies have been completed to date on cellphone radiation and children, she says.

Henry Lai, a research professor in the bioengineering department at the University of Washington, began laboratory radiation studies in 1980 and found that rats exposed to radiofrequency radiation had damaged brain DNA. He maintains a database that holds 400 scientific papers on possible biological effects of radiation from wireless communication. He found that 28 percent of studies with cellphone industry funding showed some sort of effect, while 67 percent of studies without such funding did so. “That’s not trivial,” he said.

The unit of measurement for radiofrequency exposure is called the specific absorption rate, or SAR. The Federal Communications Commission mandates that the SAR produced by phones be no more than 1.6 watts per kilogram. One study listed by Mr. Lai found effects like loss of memory in rats exposed to SAR values in the range of 0.0006 to 0.06 watts per kilogram. “I did not expect to see effects at low levels,” he said.

The city of San Francisco passed an ordinance this year that requires cellphone retailers to post SARs prominently. This angered the C.T.I.A., which announced that it would no longer schedule trade shows in the city.

The association maintains that all F.C.C.-approved phones are perfectly safe. John Walls, the association’s vice president for public affairs, said: “What science tells us is, ‘If the sign on the highway says safe clearance is 12 feet,’ it doesn’t matter if your vehicle is 4 feet, 6 feet or 10 feet tall; you’re going to pass through safely. The same theory applies to SAR values and wireless devices.”

The association has set up a separate Web site, cellphonehealthfacts.com. Four attractive young people are seen on the home page, each with a cellphone pressed against the ear – and all four are beaming as they listen. By this visual evidence, cellphone use seems to be correlated with elation, not cancer.

The largest study of cellphone use and brain cancer has been the Interphone International Case-Control Study, in which researchers in 13 developed countries (but not the United States) participated. It interviewed brain cancer patients, 30 to 59 years old, from 2000 to 2004, then cobbled together a control group of people who had not regularly used a cellphone.

The study concluded that using a cellphone seemed to decrease the risk of brain tumors, which the authors acknowledged was “implausible” and a product of the study’s methodological shortcomings.

The authors included some disturbing data in an appendix available only online. These showed that subjects who used a cellphone 10 or more years doubled the risk of developing brain gliomas, a type of tumor.

The 737 minutes that we talk on cellphones monthly, on average, according to the C.T.I.A., makes today’s typical user indistinguishable from the heavy user of 10 years ago. Ms. Davis recommends keeping a phone out of close proximity to the head or body, by using wired headsets or the phone’s speaker. Children should text rather than call, she said, and pregnant women should keep phones away from the abdomen.

The F.C.C. concurs about the best way to avoid exposure. It is not by choosing a phone with a marginally lower SAR, it says, but rather by holding the cellphone “away from the head or body.”

It’s advice that I find hard to put into practice myself. The comforting sight of everyone around me with phones pressed against their ears, just like me, makes the risk seem abstract.

But Ms. Davis, citing unsettling findings from research in Israel, France, Sweden and Finland, said, “I do think I’m looking at an epidemic in slow motion.”

Randall Stross is an author based in Silicon Valley and a professor of business at San Jose State University. E-mail: stross@nytimes.com.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: FORGOT TO INCLUDE THE URL…
Date: 11/19/2010 4:58:22 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: jpkattt@att.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

……for The New York Times cell phone story, which ran last Saturday – November 13, 2010:

www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/business/14digi.html?ex=1305694800&en=91376254988e0e61&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=BU-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M176a-ROS-1110-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click

……please include it in my last email/post.

It could save lives. Maybe yours!

thanks~jk

John P. Katsantonis
Chief Reality Officer
847-526-3622
______________________________________
John Katsantonis: “Little Suzie Groupon will go to bed hungry tonight…unless you help!”

Subject: “Little Suzie Groupon will go to bed hungry tonight…unless you help!”
Date: 11/21/2010 3:21:52 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: jpkattt@att.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

………and I am SO relieved, because Groupon REALLY needs the money.

sickening~jk

Groupon Sues Fellow Group Buying Site MobGob Over 9-Year-Old Patent

Robin Wauters

Nov 19, 2010
Posted: 19 Nov 2010 09:28 AM PST

Group buying site Groupon is suing one of the many small startups trying to emulate its successful social shopping model over a patent that was originally filed over a decade ago. The target of the lawsuit is MobGob, which enables people to use their existing social networks to gather their purchasing powers and collectively buy goods or services from sellers online. The complaint is embedded below.

Groupon alleges that MobGob infringes one of its patents by operating a system for aggregating demand for the purchase of a product by a number of individual buyers.

MobGob, as many group buying sites these days, allows sellers to provide a conditional sales offer for a product or service and set a price depending on the aggregate amount of acceptances of the conditional sales offer made in a specified and limited time.

Groupon claims MobGob knowingly infringes one of its patents, no. 6,269,343, entitled “On-line marketing system and method”, causing them harm to their business, market, reputation and goodwill. Groupon is asking for the company to stop infringing on this patent and to hand over “all infringing products and systems in their possession”, including the MobGob website, for destruction.

The description of the patent-in-suit reads:

The present invention provides a method and system that allows sellers to communicate conditional offers to potential buyers. The conditions include prices that depend on the aggregate amount of goods or services that buyers collectively agree to purchase by a given time and date.

The invention facilitates “demand aggregation”, that is, aggregating demand by potential buyers (who may or may not know each other), for products offered by sellers. This invention allows sellers conveniently to offer “Demand-Based Pricing”, that is, prices which go down as the volume of units sold in any given offer goes up.

A seller can therefor offer volume discounts to buyers acting as a group, even when the buyers may not have any formal relationship with one another.

What I found interesting about this lawsuit is that the patent was first filed back in 1999 and issued two years later, while Groupon is only three years old. The inventor listed is Matthew Pallakoff, currently in charge of mobile UI / UX for digital products at Barnes & Noble, and the company that the patent was assigned to is MobShop (not this one).

MobShop was in fact an early group buying site that raised a ton of money from entrepreneur-turned-VC Marc Andreessen and Mayfield Fund at the hight of the early-century Internet boom and unceremoniously folded in 2001, almost as quickly as it had risen.

I was curious to know whether Groupon somehow got hold of the patent through acquisition, which is particularly interesting given that they’re now filing lawsuits against smaller rivals based solely on the possession of the patent. Reached by email, Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason told me that it’s a “funny story” – I’m still waiting for him to get back to me and tell me what it is (will update if and when he does).

Update: so basically, Mason told me that the reason they’re suing MobGob is because they actually tried to patent-troll-sue Groupon first, under another name and with a patent that was issued at a later time than the patent-in-suit.

He added that Groupon has absolutely no intention of going after companies in the group buying space, but that they bought the early MobShop patent to protect themselves in “crazy lawsuits” that get filed against them now that they’re in the picture so much.

In other words, he says they bought the patent for usage in lawsuits filed against them, not with the intention to sue other group buying services.

(Thanks to patent news site Priorsmart for the heads up)

CrunchBase Information
Groupon
Information provided by CrunchBase
________________________________________
Tuesday, November 30: Un-Corpoorate Holiday Party – a sushi and sake celebration

From: Melanie Adcock
Subject: Un-Corpoorate Holiday Party – a sushi and sake celebration
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:43:49 +0000
To: ,

Un-Corpoorate Holiday Party – a sushi and sake celebration

Starts: Tuesday November 30, 2010, 06:00PM CST
Ends: Tuesday November 30, 2010, 09:00PM CST
Event Type: Networking/Meetup
Location: SUSHISAMBA
504 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60654 US
Price:
Website: tweetvite.com/event/SSCelebration
Industry:
Keywords: holiday party, sushi and sake, foodie, entrepreneur
Intended For: self employed, entrepreneur, owner, principal, partner

We want to start the holidays off right with a private sushi and sake tasting in the Red Room for all our friends on Facebook and Twitter.
? Sushi and Sake tasting ? Sprinkled with info about sake, sushi and Japan ? Tuesday, November 30th ? Red Room ? private dining room ? 6:00 to 6:30 Sake Cocktails ? 7:00 to 9:00 Sushi and Sake tasting ? $75.00 per person inclusive of tax and service ? Bring in a new toy and get a $20 gift certificate towards a future visit ? Limited number of seats
? Hold your reservation with a credit card by phoning the restaurant 312.595.2300
Join us at SUSHISAMBA to kick off the holiday season in style. We?ve reserved our private dining room just for you. Come in for a special tasting of sushi and sake along with a celebration with some of your most social friends.
You work behind a computer screen all day, so on November 30th, treat yourself like you would treat your clients; put on a pair of heels, maybe a sport coat, and come have a great night out with us.
We will have our private dining room reserved just for you and up to 40 of your closest virtual friends. Our master sushi chef Shige Katano will demonstrate his knife skills and Beverage Director Hayes Swopes will explain the origins and varietals of sake in an intimate and festive setting.
We will pour five different types of sake paired with items from our samba kitchen and the sushi bar. And, you can roll your own sushi roll too! (you will be getting professionally made rolls to eat in addition to your own roll)
We know the HOLIDAYS ARE ALL ABOUT GIVING and we want to help everyone start the season out right by paying it forward. We?ve teamed up with DreamsForkids.org so if you bring in a new toy along with you for dinner, we will give you a $20.00 gift certificate for your next dining experience with us at SUSHISAMBA.
We are also coming up with fun prizes for everyone during the night of the Sushi & Sake celebration.
__________________________________
Melzinie found an interesting article by Declan McCullagh on how Cybersecurity bill gives DHS power to punish tech firms

Subject: Cybersecurity bill gives DHS power to punish tech firms
Date: 11/22/2010 1:29:39 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: melanie_adcock@msn.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Ron, Here is an interesting article I found. Thought it would be worthwhile to share. -Melanie

Cybersecurity bill gives DHS power to punish tech firms
by Declan McCullagh

Democratic politicians are proposing a novel approach to cybersecurity: fine technology companies $100,000 a day unless they comply with directives imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Legislation introduced this week would allow DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to levy those and other civil penalties on noncompliant companies that the government deems “critical,” a broad term that could sweep in Web firms, broadband providers, and even software companies and search engines.

“This bill bit.ly/aXKfoK will make our nation more secure and better positions DHS–the ‘focal point for the security of cyberspace’–to fulfill its critical homeland security mission,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
Thompson’s proposal comes after a decade of heated, sometimes classified discussions bit.ly/9rtsIz in Washington centering on how much authority the federal government should have to regulate network and computer security, and which agency should be in charge. bit.ly/atReHd In a series of reports, three successive presidential administrations have taken strikingly similar approaches bit.ly/9ezTFI that favor self-regulation.

Skeptics say it’s not clear that lawyers and policy analysts who will inhabit DHS’ 4.5 million square-foot headquarters wapo.st/a5KKX9 in the southeast corner of the District of Columbia have the expertise to improve the security of servers and networks operated by companies like AT&T, Verizon, Microsoft, and Google. (American companies already spend billions of dollars on computer security a year.)

“Congress is stepping forward to regulate something it has no idea how to regulate,” says Jim Harper, www.cato.org/people/jim-harper a policy analyst at the free-market Cato Institute. www.cato.org/ “It’s a level of bureaucracy that actually adds nothing at all.”
DHS’s own cybersecurity record is far from perfect. bit.ly/aAHnLX In 2005, government auditors concluded that DHS failed to live up to its cybersecurity responsibilities and may be “unprepared” for emergencies; as recently as 2008, the head of the DHS said the agency still needed to develop a plan to respond to a “cybercrisis.”

Besides Thompson, the new bill, called the Homeland Security Cyber and Physical Infrastructure Protection Act (HSCPIPA), bit.ly/aXKfoK has other high-profile backers. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), chairman of the intelligence subcommittee, and Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chairman of the cybersecurity subcommittee, are also co-sponsors. No Republicans have signed on.
“Cyberattacks, whether originated by other countries or sub-national groups, are a grave and growing threat to our government and the private sector,” Harman said. “This bill provides new tools to DHS to confront them effectively and make certain that civil liberties are protected.”

Section 224 of HSCPIPA hands DHS explicit legal “authorities for securing private sector” computers. A cybersecurity chief to be appointed by Napolitano would be given the power to “establish and enforce” cybersecurity requirements.
HSCPIPA’s process works like this: DHS draws up a list of regulated “critical” companies by evaluating the likelihood of a “cyberincident,” existing vulnerabilities, and the consequences of an attack. DHS is supposed to consult with the NSA, other federal agencies, and the private sector to the “maximum extent practicable,” but the other groups don’t get a veto over the final list.

Any “system or asset” that is a “component of the national information infrastructure”–read broadly, that could be any major Web site or provider–is fair game for DHS regulation. Companies can appeal if they don’t want to be on the “critical” list, but it means asking DHS to reconsider its original decision (no neutral party considers the appeal).
“With a little bit of imagination, you can pretty much pull anything into that,” says Lauren Weinstein of People for Internet Responsibility. www.pfir.org/ “Does Google represent critical infrastructure now? It’s hard to see how any major Internet service or property could be assured of the fact that it would not be covered.”
Once the list is complete, DHS has the authority to require those regulated tech companies to “comply with the requirements” that it has levied. Those requirements include presenting “cybersecurity plans” to the agency, which has the power to “approve or disapprove” each of them. DHS “may conduct announced or unannounced audits and inspections” to ensure “compliance.”

“In the case of noncompliance,” the legislation says, DHS “may levy civil penalties, not to exceed $100,000 per day, for each instance of noncompliance.”
Harper, from the Cato Institute, says that private firms already have the right incentives on cybersecurity. HSCPIPA imposes “a layer of bureaucracy that seeks to replicate the incentive structure that technology firms already face,” he says.

Declan McCullagh www.mccullagh.org/ is the chief political correspondent for CNET. Declan previously was a reporter for Time and the Washington bureau chief for Wired and wrote the Taking Liberties section and Other People’s Money column for CBS News’ Web site.
________________________________
Miscellaneous notes (5 messages)
_____________________________
#1: From: Jeffrey Meredith
Date: Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 9:20 AM
Subject: Response to Darrell
To: ronaldmay@aol.com, d5547k@yahoo.com

Darrell:

Regarding your last letter, I really can’t understand the quibbling. My father essentially said that unemployment was currently around 10 percent (true — 9.6% the last time I checked, if we want to be nitpickers) and that we’re accustomed to a rate around 5 percent in good times (I suppose that’s debatable but certainly in the right ballpark). What’s so hard to understand about that?

We can talk about the flaws in how we measure unemployment (not accounting for part-time workers who want to work more hours, discouraged workers), but there wasn’t much wrong with what my father said. I doubt he was writing me that e-mail with the plans that someone would publish it — if he had known that nitpicking a**holes like you were in the audience, I’m sure he would’ve changed his phrasing ever so slightly.

I also find it comical that you would attack the math skills of an electric engineer who graduated from RPI. He earned a perfect SAT score in math — we can send you a copy if you’re interested. I’m guessing you wouldn’t be saying such things about my father if I was right across the table from you. You’re a coward who refuses to address me directly.

Go fu** yourself,

Jeff
++++++++++++++++++++++++
#2: From: MGlotz@aol.com
Subject: Re: The May Report: 11/19/2010: Evanston Incubator draws more than 100 people…
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 08:39:46 EST
To: ron@themayreport.com

Martin Glotzer offices at 2900 w. Peterson in the same building is Patriot Taxi Co after the Ron May ride home I walked into the office of Patriot and asked how do I JOIN for future rides???

In a message dated 11/19/2010 8:15:01 P.M. Central Standard Time, ron@themayreport.com writes:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#3: Subject: Web Censorship Bill Sails Through Senate Committee
Date: 11/20/2010 12:26:06 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: bconnolly@furthermore.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Web Censorship Bill Sails Through Senate Committee

www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/11/coica-web-censorship-bill/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#4: Subject: doctor pay
Date: 11/20/2010 6:49:59 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: rlynch1966@yahoo.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Ron:

Haven’t read your report in quite some time, but the doctor you refer to in Grand Rapids, the Electrophysiologist Dr. Andre Gauri, is certainly one of the highest paid specialties out there. He was probably making over a million as a private practitioner, but since becoming a hospital employee in January, his income will be reduced over time but come with a higher level of income security. Either way, you are correct that less “competitive” markets allow these specialties to demand higher incomes. Chicago is heavily saturated with EP’s and hospitals, and thus won’t pay nearly as much.

Keep up the good work!

Rob
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#5: Subject: Social Katy is big Tech News
Date: 11/22/2010 1:13:53 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: kathryn71@gmail.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com, melanie_adcock@msn.com

Ron and Melanie,

If you had any fears about Flyover Geeks taking over the world… then you will find this … (maybe it’s just late and I’m just tired), but this interview is clearly about some nerdy guys needing an excuse to get some pretty girl’s phone number. I mean… 6 clients! That is a success story! And look at the guy!

www.flyovergeeks.com/2010/11/signing-a-new-client-every-two-weeks-with-katy-lynch-of-socialkaty-com/

Sorry, just found this funny.

K
–
Chicago Art Magazine – ChicagoArtMagazine.com/
__________________________________
Ron May here. I can’t view the video on Social Katy, since it must be in Flash. But Melzinie Babylon Butt-in-sky says it is hilarious. So watch it if you can.
____________________________
Pud’s newsletter: You su** at your job

Subject: You su** at your job
Time: 11/20/2010 4:51:57 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: pud@tinyletter.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Hi,

You su** at your job.

Everyone su**s at their job a little. But usually it doesn’t matter because nobody notices all the little mistakes you make — not even you.

But what if, instead of working in a cubicle, your desk were on stage in front of 20,000 people. And everyone analyzed your every keystroke, every phone call, every meeting.

Some people have jobs like that. A cashier at McDonalds probably serves 5,000 people a month, every one of them evaluating her performance. A CEO interviewed on TV suddenly has thousands of people watching him work.

I’m writing this on an airplane, coming back home to San Francisco from Atlanta. The stewardess (err, flight attendant) just spilled someone’s drink on my leg. She handed me a napkin, but didn’t say anything, not even “sorry.”

I wasn’t pissed about the spill, though I could have been. But I was a little annoyed she didn’t apologize.

Then I thought about serving drinks all day on cramped, bumpy airplanes. I calculate she serves 10,000 to 15,000 people per month — every one with an opinion of her job performance.

If you had that job, you’d screw up sometimes too. Spill a drink, get an order wrong, step on someone’s foot, forgot to apologize…

For all I know, I’m 1 of 100,000. Or maybe I’m not. But I don’t have enough data to know if I should be mad at her.

Let’s consider this the next time we criticize cashiers, sales people, flight attendants, celebrities, and politicians for doing something stupid in public. Entrepreneurs too sometimes. Gaffes are probable, screw ups are inevitable.

And in other news, I’ve become a total pussy since the F-dcompany days.

Rock on,
Pud
——————————————————————————–
Your friends can join this newsletter by going to tinyletter.com/pud

You can reply to this newsletter and the sender will see it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: Important update to my previous newsletter
Date: 11/20/2010 6:29:51 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: pud@tinyletter.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Speaking of airports, they didn’t pat me down but I saw a TSA guy put his side-hand up a dude’s crack.

If you were wondering.

- pud
——————————————————————————–
Your friends can join this newsletter by going to tinyletter.com/pud

You can reply to this newsletter and the sender will see it.
___________________________________
National Technology survey finds much greater optimism over next six month in hiring and company outlook than peers

From: “Vita, John”
Subject: National Technology survey finds much greater optimism over next six month in hiring and company outlook than peers
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:43:04 -0600
To: “ron@themayreport.com”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kristi Grgeta 312/602-8955

Kristi.Grgeta@GT.com

National Technology survey finds much greater optimism over next six month in hiring and company outlook than peers

Majority say best way to create jobs is to cut corporate and personal tax rates

CHICAGO, November 15, 2010 — In a national survey of U.S. Technology Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and senior comptrollers conducted by Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, 46% plan to increase hiring in the next six months (versus 29% for all industries surveyed), and 63% are optimistic on the prospects for their own firm during that time period (versus 46% for all industries).

“The technology industry was among the first to emerge from the economic downturn as business leaders began to invest in new technology to drive cost savings, improved performance and operational efficiency,” said Cal Hackeman, National Managing Partner of the Grant Thornton LLP Technology Industry Practice. “As businesses continue to generate significant profits this provides the funding for investments in new and improved technology which in turn is fueling the optimism expressed by technology industry executives. We believe 2010 and 2011 will be a time of continued expansion in the technology sector.”

Grant Thornton LLP conducted the biannual national survey from Oct. 5 through Oct. 15, 2010, with 516 U.S. CFOs and senior comptrollers participating, of which 46 were from Technology companies.

Over the next six months, do you expect the U.S. economy to:

Technology All CFOs

Improve 35% 30%

Remain the same 52% 56%

Get worse 13% 14%

Over the next six months, do you expect your company’s financial prospects to:

Technology All CFOs

Improve 63% 46%

Remain the same 33% 45%

Get worse 4% 9%

Over the next six months, do you expect prices or fees charged by your company to:

Technology All CFOs

Remain the same 64% 62%

Increase 24% 31%

Decrease 11% 7%

Over the next six months, do you expect your headcount to:

Technology All CFOs

Remain the same 37% 51%

Increase 46% 29%

Decrease 17% 21%

Are you concerned about a double-dip recession?

Technology All CFOs

Yes 59% 59%

No 41% 41%

When do you believe the U.S. economy will recover?

Technology All CFOs

Later than 2011 39% 42%

Second half of 2011 39% 37%

First half of 2011 15% 18%

Second half of 2010 7% 3%

The best way to create jobs is:

Technology All CFOs

Cut corporate tax rate 37% 35%
Cut personal income tax rates 22% 29%
Tax credit for new hires 11% 22%
Government stimulus programs 15% 9%
R&D credits 15% 5%

About which type(s) of pricing pressure are you most concerned? (You may select more than one.)
Technology All CFOs
Employee benefits 87% 84%
Raw materials (e.g., food, metals) 10% 27%
Energy 21% 21%
Company Insurance
(not including healthcare) 10% 11%
Other 13% 13%

***
About Grant Thornton LLP

The people in the independent firms of Grant Thornton International Ltd provide personalized attention and the highest quality service to public and private clients in more than 100 countries. Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the six global audit, tax and advisory organizations. Grant Thornton International Ltd and its member firms are not a worldwide partnership, as each member firm is a separate and distinct legal entity.

In the U.S., visit Grant Thornton LLP at www.GrantThornton.com.
______________________________________
Gerald L. Murphy: Not at all happy with Ron’s broadside attack on the “elder statesman” Jerry R. Mitchell and Ron’s response

From: Gerald Murphy
Subject: Re: The May Report: 11/19/2010: Evanston Incubator draws more than 100 people for 24th anniversary party; Mayor’s Council on Tech Advisors hears from Chief Scientist at Accenture who says that there is greater penetration by mobile devices today worldwide (65%) than there are people with running water or refrigerators and by 2013 the penetration will be 80% — greater than the number of people worldwide who own shoes; Evanston incubator to announce $1MM fund in about 30 days; Major tech park being planned for the Michael Reese acreage?
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 18:26:46 -0800 (PST)
To: The May Report

Dear Ron:

I hope you are doing well and appreciate your constructive coverage of my comments to the editor of the May Report over the years. The huge number and fine quality of your newsletters is an awesome tribute your prolific work and to the unique way that you brought news of the Tech community and its doings.

Your Company’s recent releases continue to be informative and, occasionally among the best of your company’s reports, or anyone’s reports to the Chicago tech community.

I was aghast, though when I read your company’s latest release, with its broadside attack on Jerry Mitchell, whom I consider a friend. I have not yet discussed the demeaning remarks about Jerry in the latest May Report. It is hard to imagine that commentary like this would be well received in California, the leading state in innovative technology businesses.

They are beyond the pale.

In addition to an apology, Jerry deserves recognition for the substantial contributions he has made to the Chicago Tech community and to business growth in the ventures that he created and caused to grow and prosper and other positive outcomes by people he inspired.

In case it matters to some,I have and had no conflicting interests in Jerry’s or your positions, interests and reputations in the Tech communities.

Please give serious consideration to helping to restore good relationships between all those who are working to, in their own ways, make the Chicago region a global leader in the growth of technology and the contributing businesses and individuals.

We don’t build the Chicago tech community by tearing down one of its elder statesmen.

Respectfully submitted,

Gerald L. Murphy
Oak Brook, IL

BSME, MIT; MBA, U of Chicago, PE , IN (inactive-structural ), IN; Co-Founding member, MIT Enterprise Forum (1983), Former, member, of MIT Education Council, (Interviewing applicants in three states (IL, IN, ID) over 25 consecutive years.

.— On Fri, 11/19/10, The May Report wrote:
_________________________________
Ron May here.

November 22, 2010

Gerald,

I too have been a friend of Jerry Mitchell’s, in my case since 1992 when I first joined what was then the MIT-EF of Chicago which was run by Jerry.

There will be no apologies.

In fact, I’m just getting warmed up. There is plenty more to come.

You can’t expect that Fred Hoch and Terry Howerton should be excoriated but Jerry R. Mitchell gets a pass. There is no immunity in TMR, for friend, relative, foe, or me. And guys like A. J. Singh and Mike Hettwer have no room to talk when they don’t even show at the MEF monthly meetings downtown.

You call Jerry an elder statesman. I think not. Elder yes – but a statesman? No. Populations of movers and shakers are in a constant state of flux. The people who make up today’s technology community don’t even know who Jerry is. His impression has been made on a shrinking pool of people who need Ginko, at this point, to remember the name of Jerry Mitchell. His legacy, in terms of technology in Chicago, is the same as a sand castle on the beach, waiting for the tide to rise. Warren Buffett (or locally some like Michael Birck) is an elder statesman, please get your terms straight and don’t sully the meaning of a description reserved for someone who has actually earned it. Another example of an elder statesman who has earned it is Tom Burrell of Burrell & Associates who opened the first “black run” agency in Chicago.

Nonetheless, he has violated rule #1: If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

I wrote two, two mind you, award nominations for Jerry, one for the ITA’s City Lights awards in 2009 and one for The Business Ledger in Oakbrook in the fall of 2009.

I have included them at the bottom of this note.

Gerry, the fact is that Jerry is a great example of someone who does not listen to his own attendees and they ARE his customers when it comes to the MEF. He could be a case study for the Harvard Business Review on what not to do and how the free market speaks. Adam Smith called it the invisible hand.

Attendance at the downtown meetings has been declining steadily for several years now and Jerry has just ignored it. I recall when it went from 75 to 45, then to 35, then to 25, then to under 20 and now to 5!

I’m a paid member of MEF for as long as they have been charging for membership. I just re-upped my membership last month. Do you think I will get my money’s worth??

Gerry, I’m a stakeholder here like any other member who has been in the group for years.

I hope more people have your reaction to my criticism. Maybe then they’ll show up not only at his party on December 6th, but also at his regular monthly meeting in January.

Don’t count me, don’t count Jerry’s wife, and don’t count Bill Price (and he missed the September and October meetings) who has been a member longer than I have — i.e., before 1992. That left Dave Culver and Jim Eiden who attended.

People like Mike Hettwer and A. J. Singh won’t tell Jerry the truth. They’re afraid of him. Jerry does not want to hear it. It threatens is already too fragile ego.

Gerry, Mitchell is a bonehead, pure and simple. He does not listen to what people and the market are telling him. I can give you dozens of people to confirm this. I can’t even count the number of downtown meetings I’ve attended with less than 20 people, and even less than 10!

There were five people in the audience on November 8th. Three of them were Bill Price, Jerry’s wife and I. There were 181 empty seats out of 186 seats! That was clearly a new low.

Jerry is like an alcoholic or drug addict who needs an intervention – but no one cares to do it and what would you be left with when it was through? An angry old man who has squandered the last – and probably last vital – decade of his life?

If that situation had occurred under my tutelage, I would have apologized to the three panelists for the lousy attendance; I would have suggested that we move the meeting out in the lobby where we could have a more intimate conversation and I would have left my ego at the door as we moved to the lobby.

Jerry could not bring himself to do anything like that. He sat on the stage with the microphones overlooking an empty room and continued to pretend that nothing of note was happening. How silly was that??

Gerald, there is no question that Jerry has made great contributions to the entrepreneurial community.

But he takes any and all criticism highly personally and if it is made in private as I have tried to do many times, he will tell me that I am “destroying my organization.”

No Jerry Mitchell, you have destroyed your organization downtown and I am trying to help save it — if at this late date it is even worth saving.

I hope people feel sorry for Mitchell. They might get off their duffs and show up and they might tell Jerry what he needs to do to keep their attendance. It is not, contrary to what he believes, his own personal fiefdom.

Case in point Gerry – what is Jerry doing to make a living today? He’s selling nutraceuticals door-to-door. No companies or organizations have sought out his”expertise” – he doesn’t have anything of value to add. The facts and the market speak for themselves. Jerry Mitchell is a well past his prime salesman – a character who is more at home on “The Iceman Cometh” than in Chicago’s technology community. My best advise to Jerry Mitchell is to put down the mask, look in the mirror and fold up the brochures. The market just isn’t buying what you have to sell anymore.

Ron May
773-525-3944

Here are the two nominations I submitted for Jerry.
___________________________
The nomination I submitted for The Business Ledger in the fall of 2009. Jerry did receive an award.

Outstanding Service to Entrepreneurs-Through
both personal and professional service, the
recipient of the Outstanding Service Award
exhibits a strong commitment to helping
entrepreneurs. Knowing what is needed to make
a difference is important. Doing what it takes to
provide entrepreneurs with the resources they
need gives our community its competitive edge.

Nomination for Jerry R. Mitchell
30W265 Argyll Lane
Naperville, IL 60563

President, Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum
Also, instructor and writer, Bootstrappingjrm
630-305-0005
jerry@jerryrmitchellandassoc.com

For the Outstanding Service to Entrepreneurs Award

Submitted by Ron May
541 W. Briar Place, #402
Chicago, IL 60657
773-525-3944
ronaldmay@aol.com
________________________________________
Jerry R. Mitchell

Biographical sketch

Jerry Mitchell is what you might call a serial entrepreneur. In 1997 Fortune Magazine named Jerry and three others as Serial Entrepreneurs. This was long before “Serial” was so casually used. He has been involved with numerous firms dating back to the 1960s when he was active in the formation of the CAD industry. Jerry worked for about a dozen firms that went public and he was a participant in that process. All of this experience has made him a good teacher for start-up and experienced entrepreneurs alike.

More specifically, from his website:

Jerry is CEO of Asian Business Company, Inc. an importer and exporter of products from Asia. Jerry is also president of Jerry R. Mitchell and Associates Inc. The firm incorporated in 1989 and is designed to specifically assist managers of technology- based companies in the planning and exploitation of existing and new business opportunities. Several of the firm’s clients have become public companies. Its unique experience in start-ups is especially important for new firms and new product endeavors.
Jerry has been in the high tech industry since 1961 where he has held positions of: Salesman, Sales Manager, Vice- president Sales, Vice-president Marketing, Executive Vice president Sales and Marketing, President/CEO. Jerry has been a partner/founder with 12 companies that received over 50% international revenue, 8 of which successfully went public or were sold/merged. In November 1997 he and three other entrepreneurs were described in Fortune Magazine as serial entrepreneurs because of their accomplishments starting multiple successful companies.

He is President/Founder of The Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum since its formation. He is the publisher of Bootstrapping newsletter. With his partner he holds monthly seminars called Bootstrapping sharing his knowledge with up and coming entrepreneurs.He served on the Advisory Board of DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center. Jerry enjoys mentoring other entrepreneurs. Jerry has been appointed North American Representative for the city of Qingdao, China by the Mayor of Qingdao.

He is a proven leader in taking new technology to market. Listed below are some of the ideas he helped bring to the international market.

First read only memory (emulated other computers including IBM 360)
First Computer Output Microfilm
First Non IBM Optical Scanning System
First Key To Disk Input Devices
First Computer Aided Design Systems
First Computer Aided Manufacturing Systems
First Digital Telemetry Systems Used to Monitor the Astronauts and taken to the market to monitor hospital patients including fetal monitoring
First automated pay Telephone Company
First high-resolution graphic display (2500 squared) system
First integrated logic design simulation system
First independent DSL Company
_______________________________________
How he fits the criteria for the Award

At age 71, Jerry has taught generations of entrepreneurs. Outside of his own business, his entire life is dedicated to helping, educating and mentoring entrepreneurs. He has mentored many start-ups entrepreneurs: A. J. Singh, Alan Warms, Neil Kane, Anup Manchanda, Karan Goel, Patrick Hughes, Irv Jarett, Barbara Rapchak, Michael Hettwer, David Naylor, Ray Genellie, Michele M. Honomichl, Gary Shorter, Lloyd Epstein and the list goes on. There are literally too many to list here.

Not only has he helped entrepreneurs, he has assisted many people in what we might call the infrastructure or the economic development engine in Illinois high tech. Investors such as Ellen Carnahan, Wally Cornett, Dan O’Connell, and Mark Achler count Jerry as a friend.

Economic development people such as Mary Spaeth, Jim Charney, Lanny Feder, David Gulley, Tim Lavengood, Jack Curley, and many more have routinely worked with Jerry over the years.

Jerry’s efforts to help entrepreneurs have shifted from downtown to the Western suburbs over the last ten years. The meetings are held in Wheaton, Illinois at the IIT-Wheaton campus. The Western suburban meetings for MEF have grown steadily over the last five to seven years, so much so that now the suburban meetings get greater attendance than the downtown meetings. No other organization is focused on entrepreneurship in the Western burbs as consistently as MEF and Bootstrappingjrm under Mitchell.

Bill Wentz does some things with the University of Chicago in Wheaton at the IIT campus but he’s not centered on entrepreneurship per se. Raman Chadha of the DePaul Coleman Entrepreneurship Center attempted to offer a class for entrepreneurs in Naperville, but had to cancel it for lack of sign-ups. Once a year, the ITDA holds Monday Morning Meetings in Naperville at the NIU campus.

But Jerry is there all the time and the meetings I have attended get plenty of Motorola engineers who want to start their own firms. Many of his attendees at suburban meetings are middle-aged guys who want to start their own businesses, not the 20 something crowd that one gets downtown. On average, he has held about 20 plus meetings per year in the Western suburbs.

He has regularly been consulted behind the scenes by people like Tom Thornton and Mark Glennon on putting together venture conferences and Adarsh Arora and Anjali Gurnani when they ran TiE-Midwest. Back in 1997, after the first venture conference run by Mark Glennon, Tom Thornton revealed to me that Jerry Mitchell was the person who made the venture conference happen.

I was stunned because I never even knew that Jerry was involved in it. That goes to a key point about Jerry. He works quietly behind the scenes and is not out pounding his chest.

Jerry is truly the unsung hero of Chicago high tech facilitators and teachers. He does not seek the limelight and he does not do it for his own ego. He does it to help the entrepreneurs and that gives him great satisfaction. Ask numerous people: Sean Murdock, Linda Darragh, Nik Rokop, Bart Carlson, Dick Pilcher, Penny Edecker, Bill Price, Bill Miller, Cate Brady, Jim Charney, folks at the ITECs and Battelle, and the list goes on. These people were all helped out by Jerry in their endeavors.

Jerry has helped so many people, I have a hard time keeping track. And they pop up when you least expect it. Alan Warms was on a panel at TiE in August 2007. Jerry was in the audience and Warms acknowledged Jerry and his help when he started out. I did not even know they knew each other. While many an experienced entrepreneur has come to Jerry for help, he is best known for his assistance to rookies.

When it involves tech transfer, tech commercialization, SBIRs, STTRs, and seed capital, Jerry is considered to be an expert and he’s very generous with his time. In September 2002, Jerry put the first SBIR/STTR conference together here in conjunction with DCCA and he continued that process over several years.

Chicago is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Jerry’s work and influence. He went to China last year and spoke through translators to thousands of people at a conference on tech transfer in Nanjing. Several Israeli entrepreneurs came up to Jerry to say that they remembered him from years ago when he was involved in introducing the Sci-tech scanner to the United States.

Another arena that Jerry has championed is the importance of sales and marketing. Sales is the source of revenue for a firm and everything else is a cost center, Mitchell believes. Jerry’s mantra is get a customer first. Use that customer to help build your business. Marketing can be important in these times, Jerry believes, especially since advertising can be much cheaper than usual. Jerry also understands marketing channels as few others do. But never forget sales, sales before marketing and fundraising.

Jerry has also been an advocate for reform in business education and he has championed the cause of engineers in business. The Chinese really understand his point. There are quite simply too many MBAs running and starting firms while Mitchell points out that the most successful firms have engineers as founders.

Don’t misunderstand. Jerry Mitchell is not an angel. Like most entrepreneurs, he can be difficult and contentious but no one can deny that his heart is in the right place. He will not backstab you. He will tell you directly to your face what he thinks. And he also really believes in old school values like loyalty, and honesty in business. Jerry is really like the Rock of Gibraltar. He is very consistent in his beliefs even when fashions change in ethics and moral standards. Jerry sticks to the eternal verities and he does not buy into situational ethics which is so popular these days. If you cheat on your wife, forget about having a business partnership with Jerry. He feels that if you are willing to violate that solemn vow, what is there to prevent you from stealing from your business partner? We need more people like Jerry, especially in these trying times.

Additional considerations:

Let me be very specific:

1. Jerry challenges entrepreneurs consistently to be the best they can be.

1a. At his meetings, everyone introduces themselves and Jerry insists that they give their contact info, a phone number, and not just an email. Few organizations do introductions to facilitate networking. Jerry has always highlighted it. And he makes new people feel welcome and comfortable.

1c. Jerry is one of the few people who stresses sales, not marketing or fundraising and he insists that start-ups need to get customers before doing anything else. You will hear similar things from folks like David Weinstein, but David only says that after he blew $30MM in venture capital at BlueMeteor. Jerry has been saying it and living by the ethos of sales and customers for close to 50 years.

2. Jerry has fought for entrepreneurs even when that pitted him against the VCs and the bloated bureaucracy. When the bubble burst in 2001, everyone was looking to point fingers and often those fingers conveniently pointed to entrepreneurs. Jerry Mitchell said, “Wait a minute! What responsibility do the VCs and the board have?” Jerry has always stood up for the entrepreneurs when no one else would.

Sometimes his views have not made him popular with lawyers, accountants, fundraisers, brokers and others who prey on the entrepreneur. That did not sit well with service providers many times. Jerry has often suggested that the entrepreneurs can get necessary things done without mortgaging their houses for legal fees. Someone like Terry Howerton may agree with this, but Jerry Mitchell was saying these things for more than forty years.

3. SBIRs and the Patent Reform Act. When the issue is protecting the entrepreneurs, Jerry is right at the front lines. He is quoted outside Chicago much more than inside Chicago. When there was an issue last year centering on the Patent Reform Act and where entrepreneurs stood, Jerry was active in bringing the protection of the entrepreneurs to the forefront.

4. Bootstrappingjrm, both a class and a regular newsletter. In addition to the Midwest Entrepreneurs’ Forum, Jerry regularly runs a class called Bootstrappingjrm. He has more than 40 people who attend the class at the IIT Wheaton campus. Unlike the ITDA and DePaul’s Coleman Center, he does not charge for this class. Jerry developed the course materials and he has been teaching the class for years now.

5. China. Jerry has been one of the few people in Chicago to forge real relationships for doing business in China. He and his business partner Helen Yang have traveled there numerous times and they have brought the Chinese officials here. Jerry has been asked to speak in China and last year he went on a big speaking tour during which he spoke at about ten major Chinese universities. One talk was three hours in front of 600 people. This June, Jerry moved the MEF semi-annual networking party to a Chinese restaurant in Naperville and more than 100 people attended, including myself.

6. The Bootstrappingjrm newsletter and course material. Jerry gives away what others charge for. He publishes a bootstrapping newsletter that is widely read. Many of his readers are in China where the newsletter is translated from English by Jerry’s followers. His bootstrapping course material is also used at universities from UIC to Zulu University in South Africa. Need I go on?

He is clearly one of a kind and it is time that an organization like The Business Ledger give him the recognition he justly deserves. They know first hand now many entrepreneurs Jerry has helped. At core, Jerry Mitchell is a teacher and educator to entrepreneurs and he deserves recognition by the often bloated and self-important powers-that-be in Chicago.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Gerry, and here is the nomination I submitted for Jerry for the ITA CityLights Award in 2009.

Jerry was one of the finalists but he did not win. Linda Darragh did.

Bio:

More specifically, from his website:

He is President/Founder of The Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum since its formation. He is the publisher of Bootstrapping newsletter. With his partner he holds monthly seminars called Bootstrapping sharing his knowledge with up and coming entrepreneurs.He serves on the Advisory Board of DePaul Universities Coleman Entrepreneurship Center. Jerry enjoys mentoring other entrepreneurs. Jerry has been appointed North American Representative for the city of Qingdao, China by the Mayor of Qingdao.

He is a proven leader in taking new technology to market. Listed below are some of the ideas he helped bring to the international market.

At age 71, Jerry has taught generations of entrepreneurs. He has mentored many start-ups entrepreneurs: A. J. Singh, Alan Warms, Neil Kane, Anup Manchanda, Karan Goel, Patrick Hughes, Irv Jarett, Barbara Rapchak, Michael Hettwer, David Naylor, Ray Genellie, Michele M. Honomichl, Gary Shorter, Lloyd Epstein and the list goes on. There are literally too many to list here.

Economic development people such as Mary Spaeth, Jim Charney, Lanny Feder, David Gulley, Tim Lavengood, Jack Curley, and many more have routinely worked with Jerry over the years.

I was stunned because I never even knew that Jerry was involved in it. That goes to a key point about Jerry. He works quietly behind the scenes and is not out pounding his chest.

Additional considerations:

Let me be very specific:

1. Jerry challenges entrepreneurs consistently to be the best they can be.

1b. I have seen Jerry take on the students at UIUC for not being at the conference we attended but rather at a ball game. I have seen Jerry challenge the members of the Harvard Club for not networking with each other. Boy, did they get it! Jerry lays it on the table and will not accept laziness or stupidity. Jerry rarely misses a chance to educate people on the fundamental principles of business and life. Jerry can be hard to deal with and you may find yourself on the defensive with him or in a good old fashioned “fight.” But for Jerry it is always about making us as people and as a community better and not resting on our laurels.

4. The Western suburbs. The Western suburban meetings for MEF have grown steadily over the last five years. No other organization is focused on entrepreneurship in the Western burbs as consistently as MEF and Bootstrappingjrm under Mitchell. Bill Wentz does some things with the University of Chicago out there but he’s not centered on entrepreneurship per se. Once in a blue moon, the ITDA holds Monday Morning Meetings out in the burbs. But Jerry is there all the time and the meetings I have attended get plenty of Motorola engineers who want to start their own firms.

5. Bootstrappingjrm, both a class and a regular newsletter. In addition to the Midwest Entrepreneurs’ Forum, Jerry regularly runs a class called Bootstrappingjrm. He has more than 40 people who attend the class at the IIT Wheaton campus. Unlike the ITDA and DePaul’s Coleman Center, he does not charge for this class. Jerry developed the course materials and he has been teaching the class for years now.

6. China. Jerry has been one of the few people in Chicago to forge real relationships for doing business in China. He and his business partner Helen Yang have traveled there numerous times and they have brought the Chinese officials here. Jerry has been asked to speak in China and last year he went on a big speaking tour during which he spoke at about ten major Chinese universities. One talk was three hours in front of 600 people.

7. The Bootstrappingjrm newsletter and course material. Jerry gives away what others charge for. He publishes a bootstrapping newsletter that is widely read. Many of his readers are in China where the newsletter is translated from English by Jerry’s followers. His bootstrapping course material is also used at universities from UIC to Zulu University in South Africa. Need I go on?

He is clearly one of a kind and it is time that an organization like the ITA give him the recognition he justly deserves. Ask Dick Reck and Scott Glickson. They know first hand now many entrepreneurs Jerry has helped.

At core, Jerry Mitchell is a teacher and educator to entrepreneurs and he deserves recognition by the often bloated and self-important powers-that-be in Chicago.
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END OF REPORT

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