The May Report: 3/18/2011: Some very disconcerting news: Jim Tyree did not die of stomach cancer but rather from an “accident” involving a dialysis catheter and an air embolism!; Wake and funeral Monday; If Groupon is #1 in Chicago high tech with its new question “Are you hungry?” or “Are you bored?,” GrubHub is certainly #2 with a Series D this week for $20MM from DAG Ventures and Benchmark Capital which also funded OpenTable, Yelp and Zillow; Matt Maloney claims they will have 80,000 restaurants in 3 months up from the current 13,000; They’re now in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., San Diego, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Denver and Boulder; For ignoring Japan and for promoting his own party instead, Frank Gruber proves he’s the ultimate SXSW dou**bag

The May Report March 18th, 2011

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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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– Jim Tyree wake on Monday, the 21st from 12pm to 7pm followed by the funeral mass
– Mesirow chief James Tyree’s death accidental, caused by air embolism: report
– Mesirow names Richard Price chairman & CEO to replace late Jim Tyree
– The Japan America Society of Chicago is currently accepting donations for the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund
– Wednesday, March 23: Chicago’s Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair
– Thursday, March 31: Tech Cocktail at John Barleycorn’s
– Frank Gruber: His presentation at SXSW
– And while Frank was busy with his party, his Facebook page “forgot” about the tragedy in Japan
– SpotHero is looking for people who would like to make extra money from their parking spots
– Dave McMurray comments on the Jim Tyree story
– Grubhub secures $20MM in venture funding from DAG Ventures and Benchmark Capital, meanwhile Groupon plans to launch app for Restaurant Deals
– Virgil Mathis: Technologies to help disabled veterans
– Grant Thornton LLP offers technology companies a health care reform compliance checklist
– Madison, WI: National SBIR Conference April 10-13, 2011
– Wednesday, April 6: Stimulus Social Club – Two Year Anniversary
– Foley Hoag comparison of recent East Coast/West Coast venture deals
– The Latest from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing Start-ups? We need more finish-ups
– Facebook Will Introduce New Service That Sells Discount Deals
– Tuesday, March 22: CHICAGO HIGH SPEED NETWORKING
– Thursday, April 7 and Monday, April 11: Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour at Chicago State Universityand at DePaul University respectively
– Saturday, April 9: WindyCityGo Chicago’s Mobile Developer Conference
– All day Wednesday, March 30: Bricks + Mobile 2011
______________________________
The Scoop section:
______________________
Jim Tyree wake on Monday, the 21st from 12pm to 7pm followed by the funeral mass

Subject: Jim Tyree: Wake/Funeral
Date: 3/18/2011 8:06:23 A.M. Central Daylight Time
From: tomrbennett@yahoo.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Monday from 12p-to-7p is wake, followed by funeral Mass.
_________________________________
Mesirow chief James Tyree’s death accidental, caused by air embolism: report

www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20110318/NEWS05/110319843/mesirow-chi

ef-james-tyrees-death-accidental-caused-by-air-embolism-report

Mesirow chief James Tyree’s death accidental, caused by air embolism: report

(Crain’s) – The death of James Tyree, chairman and CEO of Mesirow Financial
Inc., has been ruled an accident, according to a report.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office said an autopsy showed Mr. Tyree
died from an air embolism and dialysis catheter removal, according to a
Chicago Sun-Times report.

Mr. Tyree had been treated at the University of Chicago Hospitals, the
newspaper reported.

Mr. Tyree, 53 – who was also chairman of the Sun-Times Media Holdings LLC,
owner of the Chicago Sun-Times – died Wednesday. He had been hospitalized
earlier in the month with pneumonia, a complication of aggressive
chemotherapy to treat his stomach cancer. Mr. Tyree had been diagnosed with
cancer five months ago.

The medical examiner’s report listed pneumonia and stomach cancer as a
secondary cause of death, the Sun-Times reported.
__________________________________
Ron May here. I know a bit about this topic and I would like to know more. Did the “accident” happen during dialysis or was it in the IR department (Interventional Radiology) where they were removing Jim’s catheter? It sounds like it was during the procedure. That is definitely not good. We’ll know more by next week, I am sure.
__________________________________
Mesirow names Richard Price chairman & CEO to replace late Jim Tyree

Mesirow names Richard Price chairman & CEO to replace late Jim Tyree
By: Lynne Marek March 18, 2011

bit.ly/gX0XXq

(Crain’s) — Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc. has named Richard Price its new chairman and CEO following the death of Jim Tyree, who had held the roles for 17 years.

Mr. Price, 63, who was the president and chief operating officer of Mesirow, worked with Mr. Tyree for 30 years. He took on increasing responsibilities after Mr. Tyree was diagnosed last year with stomach cancer and began chemotherapy. Mr. Price has been on Mesirow’s board since 1987, rising to vice-chairman in 2001.

The Chicago-based company offers financial services, including in private equity, insurance and investment banking.

Mr. Tyree, 53, died Wednesday of complications stemming from his cancer.
____________________________________
The Japan America Society of Chicago is currently accepting donations for the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

Subject: FW: *Japan America Society of Chicago: Japan Earthquake Relief Fund
Date: 3/15/2011 12:07:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time
From: debendevan@hotmail.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Ron,

Just FYI. Please kindly see below.

Best regards,

Dave

David Baeckelandt
debendevan@hotmail.com

David Baeckelandt
Director, Sales & Marketing
Segall Bryant & Hamill
10 South Wacker Drive
Suite 3500
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 596-0216 (direct)
(312) 543-7221 (cell)
(312) 596-0217 (fax)

____________
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:04:59 -0400
To: debendevan@hotmail.com
From: kono@jaschicago.org
Subject: *Japan America Society of Chicago: Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

Dear Japan America Society of Chicago Members & Friends:

The Japan America Society of Chicago is currently accepting donations for the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Our Society will work closely with the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago to find the best way to get funds to Japan.

All those affected by these events will remain foremost in our thoughts and prayers.

If you would like to make a donation please click here

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Mitsukuni Baba
Executive Director
Email:baba@jaschicago.org

Japan America Society of Chicago
20 N. Clark Street, Suite 750

Chicago, IL 60602
Tel (312) 263-3049
Fax (312) 263-6120
www.jaschicago.org
__________________________________
Wednesday, March 23: Chicago’s Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair

Subject: Attn: Ron – Chicago’s Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair – March 23, 2011
Date: 3/18/2011 1:40:02 P.M. Central Daylight Time
From: gregg@citycareerfair.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Hello Ron,

It was a pleasure speaking with you earlier! Please find our information below to be submitted to The May Report. We truly appreciate your support!

11th Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair for the Chicago Area

CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 23, 2011 – City Career Fair announced today the 11th Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair for the Greater Chicago Area being held on March 23, 2011 at the Illinois Institute of Technology – McCloska Ballroom 3201 South State Street Chicago, IL 60616 11am – 3pm

This is where you want to be on Diversity Employment Day!

There are hundreds of Jobs and Careers available in Chicago. This huge annual event attracts over 900 top candidates from the Chicago Area. Although with a focus on candidates from the multicultural and diverse communities the event encourage all qualified candidates to attend. This year’s theme is “Getting America Back to Work in 2011″.

Traditionally the City, County and State proclaim the date “Diversity Employment Day”. The Chicago Area’s top corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations eagerly participate to seek out the most qualified candidates from the Multicultural and Diverse communities of the Chicago Area. A Diversity Roundtable group discussion among employers, community, government and professional organizations takes place earlier in the morning before the career fair.

• Major Employers have 100′s of Jobs and Career Positions Available!

• Interview with Verizon Wireless, Amtrak, True Value, Chiquita, Chicago Zoological Society, Transolutions Inc, Wilton Brands Inc, Mayer Brown LLP, Aramark Uniform Services, Metro Water Reclamation District, The Chicago Defender, Underwirters Laboratories, Intercall, RCN, Belt Railway Co., Chicago’s Progressive Talk Radio, WGN TV, Crawford Broadcasting, The Chicago Citizen, Art Institutes, Employment Source, CBS Radio, and Many More!

• This event is Open to the Public and Admission is FREE! Business attire is required, and be sure to bring Plenty of Resumes!

City Career Fair specializes in professional level recruiting events targeting the Multicultural and Diverse communities. For more information, visit www.citycareerfair.com

About Our Company

City Career Fair strives to be the world’s best career fair producer, offering the highest value, most efficient means for recruiting quality candidates and the most passionate customer satisfaction guaranteed. For additional information please visit their website at www.citycareerfair.com.

Sincerely,

Greggory White
Marketing Manager
Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair(s)
City Career Fair
“Getting America Back to Work”
Gregg@citycareerfair.com
P: (562) 863-9042
____________________________________
Thursday, March 31: Tech Cocktail at John Barleycorn’s

techcocktail.com/join-us-for-tech-cocktail-chicago-march-31st-2011-03

It’s that time again! Tech Cocktail is returning to Chicago to shine a light on all the amazing things happening in the tech community. Tech Cocktail events focus on connecting, educating and amplifying the tech community while offering a place to showcase some of the latest tech innovations. Join us for a very exciting and entertaining evening, mingling with fellow technology enthusiasts, innovators, entrepreneurs, developers, designers and social media folks. And as always, we will be showcasing several emerging technology companies and taking a closer look at their latest achievements.
Event Details

When: Thursday, March 31st, 2011 – 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT
Where: John Barleycorn Wrigleyville
What: A cocktail of tech enthusiasts
Price: $10 earlybird / $15 online / $20 door (Must be 21+ to attend)

Helping Startups Get Exposure

If you’re a startup looking to get noticed, this is an excellent opportunity. Tech Cocktail mixer events give startups the chance to showcase their product in an expo-style to the rest of the Chicago tech community for free. So if you have a startup that you would like to show off at the Tech Cocktail Chicago mixer, please fill out this Tech Cocktail Application form. We’ll circle back with the startups that are selected to present.
Connecting The Technology Community

In today’s world, the more connections you have, the better off you are. Tech Cocktail events are the perfect venue to meet and connect with potential new employees, developers, designers or even get a date. If you are a company looking to hire, you can also leverage the Tech Cocktail Job Board to get the message out early – or you could sponsor the event and use it as your own personal job fair. Click here to contact us by email for sponsorship information.
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* An Inside Look At The SXSW Accelerator With Chris Valentine
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* Tech Cocktail NYC Photos
____________________________________
Frank Gruber: His presentation at SXSW

Subject: Re: Frank, I’m trying to be fair, but you didn’t respond. Are you speaking at SXSW?
Date: 3/18/2011 12:44:24 P.M. Central Daylight Time
From: frank@techcocktail.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Hey Ron,

Hope you are doing well. I thought you might be interested in details on the session I participated in at SXSW along with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and moderated by Fast Company senior writer Anya Kamenetz. The videos and highlights were just published on Fast Company here: www.fastcompany.com/article/post-groupon-panel

Hope to see you in Chicago in a few weeks!

Cheers,
Frank

On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 4:04 PM, Frank Gruber wrote:

Hi Ron,

Sorry I missed this earlier. I hope you are doing well. My email has been a little out of control with all the SXSW stuff we are doing.

To answer your question, I am interviewing Andrew Mason, CEO of Groupon and Travis Kalanick CEO of Uber at SXSW, details can be found here: plancast.com/p/48wb

But that’s not all. Tech Cocktail has officially partnered with SXSW to kickoff their SXSW Accelerator program (a launchpad for 50 start-ups at SXSW) by showcasing the start-ups that will be participating in the 3 day launchpad event at our mixer event Sunday, March 13th. Our event, Tech Cocktail SXSW presented by LiveShare from Cooliris, currently has 3000+ attendees signed up and will include entrepreneurs, innovators, media and investors. We will be showcasing 30 of the latest innovations and start-ups. Last year, one of the showcased start-ups got an angel investment check on the spot at our event. Details here: techcocktail.com/tech-cocktail-sxsw-presented-by-liveshare-from-cooliris-2011-02

We have also partnered with Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and his Delivering Happiness crew to produce a special video series as we will be talking to the tech thought leaders, creatives and innovators from across the country during our time down in Austin. We’ll be producing the video series from the Delivering Happiness tour bus (a former Dave Matthews Band tour bus) so we’ll be circling Austin talking tech and reporting back via TechCocktail.com. It should be a fun week. To follow the action just stay tuned to our Twitter: twitter.com/techcocktail or Facebook: facebook.com/techcocktail

We’ll be hosting our next Chicago mixer on March 31st, so we’ll see you soon!

techcocktail.com/join-us-for-tech-cocktail-chicago-march-31st-2011-03

Best,
Frank

On Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 11:39 AM, wrote:
–

Frank Gruber

-
CEO & Co-Founder | Tech Cocktail | techcocktail.com
twitter.com/frankgruber | frankgruber.me
-
Connect with us…
twitter.com/techcocktail | facebook.com/techcocktail

…
Upcoming Events
March 31st – Chicago
April 14th – New York
April 20th – Boise
____________________________________
And while Frank was busy with his party, his Facebook page “forgot” about the tragedy in Japan
++++++++++++++++++++++++
TECH cocktail Tim O’Reilly on The Future of Technology at SXSW

Tim O’Reilly on The Future of Technology at SXSW
Tim O’Reilly, the founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, the creators of books, magazines, conferences and events focused on sharing the knowledge of innovators, has been watching the bleeding edge of technology since the beginning of the Internet and open source software. We were able to talk with Tim this past week in Austin, Texas at South by Southwest as part of the Tech Cocktail Delivering Happiness at SXSW interview series….
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-17 02:49:24 GMT

26 minutes ago via RSS Graffiti ·LikeUnlike · · View Feedback (2)Hide Feedback (2) · Share

Steve Lundin While you’re having fun celebrating startups – let’s not forget about Japan:

www.sxsw4japan.org/

SXSW Japan Tsunami & Earthquake Relief
www.sxsw4japan.org

TECH cocktail Put Personal Safety in the Palm of Your Hand with Guardly

Put Personal Safety in the Palm of Your Hand with Guardly
As the 9.0 earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan remind us, communicating during an emergency can be difficult, to say the least. By allowing you to communicate with your safety network instantly, Guardly turns your smart phone into an emergency response device to get you the help you need, faster. With just the touch of a button, Guardly connects with your personal safety network and alerts family, friends, and authorities via voice…
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-16 20:30:10 GMT

6 hours ago via RSS Graffiti ·LikeUnlike · · Share

TECH cocktail Get Personalized Recommendations with Facebook App rFave

Get Personalized Recommendations with Facebook App rFave
Finally, a Facebook app that analyses your likes and interests to generate the best possible recommendations for you. Whether you’re looking for the best burger in Seattle or the best dentist in Baltimore, rFave has you covered. rFave analyzes users’ Facebook profiles to determine their tastes, then compares it to others with similar tastes to generate the best possible recommendation for them….
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-16 19:00:55 GMT

8 hours ago via RSS Graffiti ·LikeUnlike · · Share

TECH cocktail Make Your Loyalty Programs Social with SNAP

Make Your Loyalty Programs Social with SNAP
Bring your loyalty program into the 21st Century with New York-based startup SNAP. Their service enables brands to integrate gift and loyalty programs with social networks and reward customers for their in-store purchase activity and social network sharing. SNAP, which stands for the Social Network Appreciate Platform, has some really cool, social-media integrated features that are perfect for B2C companies like retail stores and restaurants. SNAP can be configured to reward customers…
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-16 16:30:43 GMT

10 hours ago via RSS Graffiti ·LikeUnlike · · Share

Frank Gruber Check out the LiveShare from Cooliris photos from our huge TECH cocktail event on Sunday night in Austin Texas at SXSW. Thank you for everyone that joined and supported the event to make it a success!

Tech Cocktail SXSW presented by Liveshare from Cooliris Photos
www.liveshare.com
This photostream of Tech Cocktail SXSW presented by Liveshare from Cooliris was captured at Republic Live Austin with LiveShare, the mobile app that lets you and your friends take pics and see them all in place.

Yesterday at 12:43pm · View Post

TECH cocktail Excelerate-Backed EduLender Closes $1M in Funding
Excelerate-Backed EduLender Closes $1M in Funding
EduLender just closed on $1 million in angel and venture funding from notable Silicon Valley and Chicago investors. They’ll be using the funds to continue their work to change the college financial aid process and develop and introduce a number of disruptive products. A summer 2010 graduate of Excelerate Labs, Chicago’s new tech startup incubator, this round of funding comes courtesy of Hyde Park Angels, Kapor Capital, Sandbox Ventures, New World Ventures, Excelerate, and…
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-16 14:30:06 GMT

12 hours ago via RSS Graffiti ·LikeUnlike · · View Feedback (2)Hide Feedback (2) · Share

TECH cocktail Elegant Digital Publishing with Issuu

Elegant Digital Publishing with Issuu
If you are looking for an elegant way to publish presentations, white papers, press releases, eBooks, catalogues, brochures, or, well, anything online, check out Issuu. They are the leading digital publishing platform with offices in Stockholm and New York, and though they’ve been around a while, I only just learned about them. I was so impressed by their platform and website, I just had to share. Individuals, companies, and organizations can create…
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-15 21:15:49 GMT

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TECH cocktail Keep Your Daily Deal Vouchers Organized with CityPockets

Keep Your Daily Deal Vouchers Organized with CityPockets
As much fun as it is to score deals from online coupon sites at restaurants, retail stores, spas, salons, and the occasional hot air balloon ride, it’s pretty easy to go a little overboard. New York-based CityPockets will keep you organized. CityPockets will help you store and manage all your daily deal vouchers with a single login, and you can take advantage of their marketplace to buy and re-sell vouchers….
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-15 18:35:34 GMT

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Create Mobile Business Apps and Forms at Canvas
Want to reduce paper consumption (Earth Day is coming up!) and increase productivity for your mobile employees? Reston, VA-based startup Canvas is to paper forms what Kindle is to books. They make easy to publish data collection apps on smart phones and other mobile devices such as laptops, tablets, bar code scanning devices, and Netbooks. The Canvas software service enables mobile professionals to collect information using their mobile devices, analyze that data…
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-15 16:30:04 GMT

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TECH cocktail Help Create Laws at LexPop

Help Create Laws at LexPop
LexPop is setting out to make “governing by the people” a literal term. Their tool provides a space for the collaborative development of public policy, a sort of Wikipedia for making law (but with more structure). Its first legislation project is courtesy of Massachusetts Representative Tom Sannicandro, who is expected to introduce a net neutrality bill created on the site….
Source: Tech Cocktail
Published: 2011-03-15 14:30:41 GMT

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Kapil Infotech Delhi kapilinfotech.yolasite.com/

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Sunday at 10:23pm ·LikeUnlike ·
________________________________
Ron May here. The above entry is from the Tech Cocktail Facebook page with lots of references to the party Frank held on Sunday, March 13th. There is only one problem. The historic earthquake and tsunami in Japan took place on Friday, March 11th, just one week ago. On Saturday and Sunday, there was a fundraiser for Japan and all the — no, scratch that — most of the people at SXSW were focused on that tragedy of epic proportions. BUT NOT FRANK! He was busy promoting his party with this:
+++++++++++++++++
10 hours ago via RSS Graffiti ·LikeUnlike · · Share
Frank Gruber Check out the LiveShare from Cooliris photos from our huge TECH cocktail event on Sunday night in Austin Texas at SXSW. Thank you for everyone that joined and supported the event to make it a success!
+++++++++++++++++
My info. is that the big mantra at SXSW this year was not being a dou***bag. Well, Frank, that is exactly what you proved you are. They actually had panels on “Don’t be a SXSW dou***bag” and “Don’t be a marketing dou***bag”, etc.
Frank, my hat would be off to you if you had written that you had a great party and raised money for Japan but Frank, there is no mention of Japan.
Frank, saying that you’re an empty suit is too kind to you. Your mug is in the dictionary under the word “narcissism” and .”self-involvement.”
Now, on the matter of his presentation at SXSW referenced in the letter above, where Frank writes that he presented with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, and it was moderated by Fast Company senior writer Anya Kamenetz. That was not based on something Frank earned! It is not based on his application being voted in. In fact, Frank, you threw your hat into the ring for a panel and the ring threw it back. Frank, don’t brag about something you did not earn. I don’t know if Willinger is doing that about his presentation, but I would not bet against the idea that he is.
__________________________________
SpotHero is looking for people who would like to make extra money from their parking spots

Inbox
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Reply
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Mark Lawrence
to me

show details 3:21 PM (8 hours ago)

from Mark Lawrence
reply-to mark@spothero.com
to The May Report
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 3:21 PM
subject Re: The May Report: 3/17/2011: The CEC grows up!; Now, will the ITA wake-up?; Google’s Kevin Willer to head CEC, replacing the departed les enfants terribles David Weinstein — coming from the private sector with a business background and an angel in
mailed-by gmail.com
signed-by gmail.com

hide details 3:21 PM (8 hours ago)

Hi Ron,

SpotHero, a local Chicago startup which let’s you rent out your parking spot when you’re not using it, is nearing launch. Right now we are looking for people who would like to make extra money from their parking spots. If you live near a sporting or concert venue like Wrigley Field, Soldiers Field, Aragon Ballroom, or hard to find parking areas like River North, Loop, Streeterville, or Downtown Chicago and have a parking spot available, SpotHero please contact us. Via email: mark@spothero.com or via phone: 312-566-SPOT (7768).

Mark
–
Mark Lawrence
Co-Founder SpotHero Inc.

spothero.com

___________________________________
Dave McMurray comments on the Jim Tyree story

re: your column today

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dave mcmurray
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show details 7:29 AM (16 hours ago)

from dave mcmurray
to ron@themayreport.com
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 7:29 AM
subject re: your column today
mailed-by yahoo.com
signed-by yahoo.com

hide details 7:29 AM (16 hours ago)

Hi Ron -

Cancer really sucks.

Best,

David McMurray
_________________________________
Grubhub secures $20MM in venture funding from DAG Ventures and Benchmark Capital, meanwhile Groupon plans to launch app for Restaurant Deals

Grubhub secures funding, meanwhile Groupon plans to launch app for Restaurant Deals

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show details 1:17 AM (6 hours ago)

from Melanie Adcock
to ron@themayreport.com,
ronaldmay@aol.com
date Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 1:17 AM
subject Grubhub secures funding, meanwhile Groupon plans to launch app for Restaurant Deals
mailed-by msn.com

hide details 1:17 AM (6 hours ago)

Grubhub secures funding, meanwhile Groupon plans to launch app for Restaurant Deals

A few months ago I heard Mike Evans from Grubhub speak at the Lean Start Up Circle and someone asked him a question along the lines of if they are planning to be like Groupon. I think someone should have asked Groupon if they were planning to be more like GrubHub! -Melanie

Groupon’s Ambitious Plan to Change How & When We Eat
March, 17, 2011, by Ben Parr

mashable.com/2011/03/17/groupon-now/

Groupon is fervently preparing for its most ambitious venture yet: the launch of a new mobile application that the company hopes will change when and how society chooses to eat, shop and play.

The application, known as Groupon Now, is remarkably and elegantly simple, yet it’s a radical departure from Groupon’s current deal-a-day business model. When a user opens up the smartphone app, he or she will be presented with just two buttons: “I’m hungry” and “I’m bored.” Clicking either button will open up a list of time-specific daily deals, based on his or her location.

The familiar $10 coupons for $20 worth of food are still there, but they’re not one-time offers. Instead, businesses can choose when they want these deals to be available. Say a restaurant is incredibly busy on Saturdays but could use more business on Wednesdays. With Groupon Now, that business can fill its seats during slow business days using time-specific deals.

That’s the beauty of Groupon Now: local businesses have never really had a simple way to manage their perishable inventory, especially labor and food. Why waste those resources during slow periods when you can bring savings-savvy consumers through the doors with a highly targeted Groupon deal?

“For merchants, the daily deal is like teeth whitening, and Groupon Now is like brushing your teeth. It can be an everyday thing to keep your business going,” Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason told Bloomberg Businessweek in an extensive interview on the new product.

The daily deals company has been on a tear recently — in fact it is the fastest growing company in history — but it faces stiff competition from companies with increasing muscle. Groupon is reportedly preparing for a $25 billion IPO just months after famously rejecting a $6 billion acquisition offer from Google, but its biggest competitor, LivingSocial, is preparing to raise half a billion dollars in funding. Not only that, but the #2 daily deals service has an app similar to Groupon Now already on the market.

Groupon clearly believes Groupon Now is the future, so much so that its employees call the current iteration of its daily deals service “Groupon 1.0.” While the market has made it clear that the group-buying business model is easily replicable, the coupon giant believes that its new offering will provide it with a unique technology and value proposition that will keep it ahead of the pack. With 70+ million subscribers and growing, Groupon will also have a big head start.

It won’t be long until we find out if Groupon Now is the future of local commerce; the mobile app launches in April.

Image courtesy of Flickr, GmanViz

GrubHub Secures $20 Million from DAG Ventures and Benchmark Capital
March 10, 2011 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110310005240/en/GrubHub-Secures-20-Million-DAG-Ventures-Benchmark

Company to Focus on R&D, Acquisitions and Mobile Apps

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GrubHub, a web and mobile service that connects diners to restaurants and simplifies online ordering for delivery and carry-out, has raised $20 million in Series D funding led by DAG Ventures with Benchmark Capital participating. The new round comes after preemptive interest and just four months after the company’s $11 million funding led by Benchmark in November 2010. The Series D funding will enable GrubHub to expand its investment in R&D, acquisitions and mobile applications while increasing its reach to more new markets. The company has raised $34 million to date.

“There are more than 300,000 delivery and takeout restaurants in the country. On average, GrubHub users order out more than 10 times a month”
“GrubHub is the market leader in the restaurant online ordering space,” said John Cadeddu, Managing Director at DAG Ventures. “GrubHub has clearly demonstrated its ability to double its growth year over year by successfully launching new markets and driving more orders through its mobile platform. This is a scenario where both the business model and leadership is top in its class, and our investment can be put to immediate use to fuel growth and reinforce market dominance.”

Frustrated by the lack of restaurant delivery information available on the Internet, founders Matt Maloney and Mike Evans created GrubHub in 2004 to organize and simplify restaurant information available to consumers. Visitors to the site or mobile users enter their address to see every local restaurant that delivers to them. Diners can view menus and coupons, read reviews and order for free online, by phone or through the GrubHub iPhone and Android apps.

“Right now, with over 13,000 restaurant menus on our site, we have one of the largest networks of independent restaurants,” said Matt Maloney, CEO of GrubHub. “Within the next three months, we’ll list over 80,000 restaurants. By connecting hungry diners to all their neighborhood restaurants, we are providing a valuable service to consumers and restaurants.”

GrubHub sent $85 million in orders to restaurants in 2010 and is projected to send $200 million in orders by the end of this year.

“Since closing its last round, GrubHub has aggressively scaled its business and is rapidly becoming the category defining company in this space,” said Bill Gurley, general partner of Benchmark Capital. “This additional funding will further support GrubHub’s momentum and enable it to follow in the footsteps of Benchmark’s other on-line portfolio companies such as OpenTable, Yelp and Zillow, which all share a template of local, social and mobile components.”

Since launching a beta Android app and an updated iPhone app in September, GrubHub has experienced a 300 percent increase in mobile food orders. The company projects mobile orders to make up 20 percent of its total food sales by the end of 2011–compared to less than two percent in 2009. The service is currently available in the top 13 metro markets, and will be in over 26 cities by the end of this year.

GrubHub is free for diners who order and pay for their meals with cash, credit or PayPal™. Restaurants pay commissions on each order processed through the site in order to receive online orders that are supported by GrubHub’s 24/7 customer service. Restaurants that do not currently partner with GrubHub can still list their telephone numbers and menus for free – a service that GrubHub’s competitors don’t offer.

“There are more than 300,000 delivery and takeout restaurants in the country. On average, GrubHub users order out more than 10 times a month,” said Maloney. “Pickup and delivery are the fastest growing segments in restaurants and one of the largest sectors of the U.S. economy. With more people searching for restaurants and ordering food on-line and through smartphones, the opportunity for continued growth is substantial.”

About GrubHub

GrubHub is a ventured-backed company founded in 2004 by Chicago-based software engineers Matt Maloney and Mike Evans. The website shows consumers all of the local restaurants that deliver to them and allows diners to order directly online, by phone or through the GrubHub iPhone and Android app. Both apps are free from their respective app markets, and it is also free for users to order online at GrubHub.com.

A year after winning the University of Chicago New Venture Challenge, GrubHub secured Series A funding in 2007 through Amicus Capital, Origin Ventures and several angel investors, allowing the company to rapidly expand into the top three delivery markets – New York City, San Francisco and Boston. GrubHub secured $2 million in Series B funding in March 2009. The deal was co-led by Origin Ventures and Leo Capital, with earlier investor, Amicus Capital, participating. In November 2010, the company raised $11 million in Series C funding led by Benchmark Capital.

The rapidly growing company currently services Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., San Diego, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, Denver and Boulder and has plans to double its footprint in 2011. For more information visit www.GrubHub.com.

About DAG Ventures

DAG Ventures, headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, is a venture capital partnership investing in and helping outstanding entrepreneurs create leading, long-term companies across a range of markets. With roots from the 1980′s in cable TV, infrastructure, media, and wireless industries, the partnership today is privileged to work with world-class entrepreneurs as they build tomorrow’s leaders in the information technology, energy, and life science sectors. For more information on DAG Ventures, visit www.dagventures.com.

About Benchmark Capital

Benchmark Capital, a leading venture capital firm, was founded in 1995 to help talented entrepreneurs with original ideas build successful technology companies. Benchmark’s general partners take a team-oriented, labor-intensive approach to venture investing to deliver a superior level of service to the firm’s portfolio companies. Benchmark’s portfolio includes high-profile companies such as MySQL, OpenTable, Twitter, Yelp and Zillow, and franchise companies such as eBay, Juniper Networks and Red Hat. The firm manages more than USD 2.4 billion in committed venture capital. For more information on Benchmark Capital, visit www.Benchmark.com.

Melanie Adcock
Assistant Editor of The May Report
312-259-0610 melanie_adcock@msn.com
LinkedIn: linkd.in/MelanieAdcock
The May Report Facebook Page: on.fb.me/TheMayReport
Visit The May Report Archives: bit.ly/TheMayReportArchives
Subscribe to The May Report: bit.ly/TheMayReportSubscribe
_____________________________________
Virgil Mathis: Technologies to help disabled veterans

Breaking Veterans – Technology News

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date Mon, Mar 14, 2011 at 3:51 PM
subject Breaking Veterans – Technology News
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Hello, Ron

Message from Virgil Mathis, just in case you missed it .

Northwestern University Segal Engineering in Evanston Illinois they had a very nice program for assistive technology devices where the new products were engineered for people of various abilities and disabilities

More that 62 projects were judged and many products can benefit Disabled Veterans and also create jobs for Disabled veterans as well, one of the most interesting projects that won an Award it was in the Television Industry of Service and where the 16 Engineering members of the project for Disabled Veterans – It is important to note that thanks to the Technology Incubator center in Evanston and the ford motor company Segal Design center that it is possible that a New TV Industry is on the horizon -

That may be called the MEGA-STAND AMERICA CORPORATION !

Where Face Box EL-TV systems may be contract manufactured in a new tv industry that serve people with disabilities where we have the World First ADA TV Systems as the American Disabilities ACT Television that Nilsen Research may be needed to Measure the way people watch Television who have certain medical conditions under care in Hospitals or where patients are suppose to be resting in comfort ways in their homes.

Idea is that watching television the wrong way it can Kill You and the way people watch television can affect who or who not will purchase a product Advertised on a flat-screen LCD TV set.

The New potential TV Industry of tv tele-work may create 900 Jobs for Revitalized homeless and Disabled Veterans across the country via www.vetsuccess.gov

President Obama has Received the Federal Express package of this huge project for Veterans across America he want Innovation for Jobs well the good news in we now have 4 working prototypes of Face Box Television that could blow the minds of those in house R&D Centers.

Tech America could help take the technology of Face Box Television World Wide Quickly
but for me as the Inventor Ilike for Tech America Officials to meet my Engineering team in person before we Roll out more details of this project I want you Ron and Governor Pat Quinn by Invitation to hear and see the excutive summary of the Research and other things over looked by current manufacturers ..

Stay tuned to Northwestern, and the Technology Innovation Incubator Center on Davis street and with Inventor of the project for Veterans and Veterans business network at www.navoba.com where TechAmerica and the State of Illinois need to register to be a Veteran Friendly State and Lose out with Technology created in our Great State which can be transferred to the Sunny Valley in California..please pass the Word.

Simper Fi Virgil Mathis
______________________________________
Grant Thornton LLP offers technology companies a health care reform compliance checklist

Grant Thornton LLP offers technology companies a health care reform compliance checklist

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from Grgeta, Kristi
to “ron@themayreport.com”
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 10:37 AM
subject Grant Thornton LLP offers technology companies a health care reform compliance checklist

hide details 10:37 AM (13 hours ago)

Ronald,

I just wanted to make sure that you saw that Grant Thornton had created a fabulous new health care checklist for technology companies to help them comply with the new federal regulations. If you have any questions, want a copy of the checklist or would like to speak to Eddie, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks,

Kristi

For Immediate Release

For more information, please contact:

Kristi Grgeta

T 312.602.8720

E Kristi.Grgeta@gt.com

Grant Thornton LLP offers technology companies a health care reform compliance checklist

CHICAGO, March 17, 2011 – To help ensure compliance with the new requirements under health care reform, technology companies may wish to use a compliance checklist-based approach. Grant Thornton LLP’s technology industry group in conjunction with the firm’s compensation and benefits consulting practice created a checklist of the requirements that are already in effect or that will go into effect very shortly for all plans, including grandfathered plans. The checklist appears in the March 2011 issue of TechDashboard, a quarterly publication that provides industry executives with information and insights into the many sectors of technology.

“Given its many new requirements, health care reform presents a challenge for technology companies,” said Eddie Adkins, Grant Thornton’s national Compensation and Benefits Consulting technical partner. “By using the compliance checklist for new requirements or requirements that will go into effect shortly, employers can identify areas of noncompliance, if any, in order to avoid ongoing signiﬁcant penalties that arise for noncompliance.”

The checklist identifies the requirement/implementation step and the implementation deadline, and has companies note whether it was completed and who is responsible for implementation. In addition to reviewing compliance with the requirements set forth in the checklist, technology companies should be sure to consider the following:

* Monitor whether plans in existence on March 23, 2010, will maintain their grandfathered status so that certain requirements of health care reform do not apply to the plans.
* If benefits are provided to early retirees, seek reimbursement for claims from the federal government under a temporary program established under health care reform.
* Stay abreast of any legislative changes that are proposed and enacted.
* Stay abreast of ongoing litigation regarding health care reform.

To learn more about what technology companies need to be doing right now to comply with health care reform rules that are already in effect and to see the full checklist, read “Health care reform rules currently in effect: A compliance checklist for technology companies” in the most recent issue of TechDashboard at www.GrantThornton.com/technology.

Other articles in this issue of TechDashboard include: “Strategies for success in today’s competitive life sciences market” and “Does VSOE still exist after relative selling price allocation?”

- ends -

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.
______________________________
Madison, WI: National SBIR Conference April 10-13, 2011

The Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum

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subject The Midwest Entrepreneurs Forum
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National SBIR Conference April 10-13, 2011

Ok so here we go again. We in Illinois talk about how great we are doing
Right?

Many times I hear there is little funding for small start ups Right?

So here we in Chicago need to travel to that large City Madison Wisconsin
to learn how to get FREE money from our government.

Why one might ask? Because no one in Illinois wants to fill out a 25 page
form.

Look if one would take the time to compare the SBIR funding to the VC
investments you would find that they match pretty well.

Why? Because most VCs come from MBA financial educations. They
look at how SBIR phase 2 winners have been judged by their technical
peers to have a viable business opportunity.

Years ago Illinois under Jim Charney and later Deb Webb understood
the importance of the SBIR program was for economic development.

Now we praise our selves when we sponsor events where an entrepreneur
can get from $5,000 to $25,000 if she wins a presentation.

Now I say if one can receive $100,000 from the SBIR and if her idea is
vented by a group of her peers get a phase 2 grant of
$1,000,000 why are we behind Alabama and Arkansas in getting
pour share.

Well I would like to hear from all the people who think Illinois is
that much smarter than Madison in finding programs that foster
economic growth by excluding the SBIR programs.

So here is an opportunity for all of Illinois entrepreneur supporters
either private or government to travel to Madison and see what
we are missing by not using SBIR funding.

Oh entrepreneurs you might also ask your self why shouldn’t
I go to Madison to learn about funding my dream.

Jerry R Mitchell
President

Here is information for those who really want to learn.

Hello colleagues -

As you are aware, the National SBIR Conference is coming to Madison WI on
April 10 – 13, 2011. See www.wisconsinsbir.org for more information. This
conference is a great opportunity to learn about procuring federal funding,
to network with entrepreneurs and those who fund early stage technology.

We are pleased to report that we have our final speaker list confirmed. We
have also secured an opportunity to showcase the Wisconsin Institute for
Discovery/Morgridge Institute for Research, a model public-private
partnership designed to facilitate successful commercialization efforts
between scientists and the business community.

Our most recent email blast information can be found at this link:
sbir.makin-hey.com/email/.

Would you please support this effort by sending this blast to your members
and constituents?

We sincerely thank you for your kind assistance.

Cheryl

Cheryl Vickroy, MBA

Southwest Regional Business Development and Technology Transfer Director

Wisconsin Entrepreneur’s Network

3260 Grainger Hall

975 University Ave.

Madison WI 53706

Office: 608 262-8082

Mobile: 608 235-6950

www.wenportal.org

National SBIR/STTR Conference, Madison, April 11-13, 2011

www.wisconsinsbir.org
______________________________
Wednesday, April 6: Stimulus Social Club – Two Year Anniversary

Stimulus Social Club – Two Year Anniversary, Wednesday, April 6 · 5:30pm – 9:00pm

Melanie Adcock
to me, ronaldmay

show details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

from Melanie Adcock
to ron@themayreport.com,
ronaldmay@aol.com
date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 10:11 AM
subject Stimulus Social Club – Two Year Anniversary, Wednesday, April 6 · 5:30pm – 9:00pm
mailed-by msn.com

hide details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

Time
Wednesday, April 6 · 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Location
English Bar & Restaurant
444 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL
Created By
Stim Soc
More Info
Stimulus Social Club is a network of socially conscious professionals in the Chicago area who choose to give back while throwing down! SSC realizes that in these trying times, people need to redefine how they spend their “entertainment” budget. It’s time to turn “G”reed into “G”iving and inject their hard earned money back into the city’s economy. The goal of Stimulus Social Club is to help turn up the volume on the needs of bot…………h local charitable organizations and Chicago’s restaurant and nightlife venues. Stimulus Social Club takes place at a different hip venue with a different charitable beneficiary each time. The event will be from 5:30 to 9 PM on the first Wednesday of every month. Let the drinks flow and the cash will follow!

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

Guest Hosts: Lou Canellis (FOX Chicago), Ryan Chiaverini (ABC Chicago), Anna Devlantes (FOX Chicago), Eric Ferguson (Eric & Kathy Show), Cameron Croft, Sarah Vargo, Dan Ulbricht, Megan Taylor, Rose Moore, Sarah Kay, Joran Thompson and Joe Cutaia

- Complimentary appetizers from 6-7PM and TWO drinks
- $20 Cash donation at the door – ($10 for Charity & $10 for SSC)
- This month’s beneficiary: Girls On The Run
_______________________________
Foley Hoag comparison of recent East Coast/West Coast venture deals
Foley Hoag comparison of recent East Coast/West Coast venture deals

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date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 9:27 AM
subject Foley Hoag comparison of recent East Coast/West Coast venture deals

hide details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

Images are not displayed.
Display images below – Always display images from arippnyc@aol.com

Foley Hoag’s latest venture funding analysis suggests East Coast beating Silicon Valley in new deals, especially for Internet and digital media companies.

Ronald-

With venture-backed companies once again drawing dizzying valuations, this is a good time to check on the East Coast-West Coast funding divide, courtesy law firm Foley Hoag LLP.

Dave Broadwin, who heads Foley Hoag’s Emerging Enterprise Center in Waltham, Mass., introduces the firm’s latest Venture Perspectives report below, which reports on quarterly VC fundings in New England and compares those with financings in Silicon Valley and now, New York.

For the fourth quarter of 2010, Venture Perspectives notes that New England’s 46 deals were about half of those reported in the Valley (95), consistent with historic norms. However, New York is showing a real comeback – with 51 Q4 deals reported by Crain’s NY Business, spread across software, media and IT companies.

“On the one hand, this might suggest that New England is losing ground to NYC,” Broadway notes, but quickly adds, “It suggests that the northeast is now as big a market as the Valley and is probably growing faster.”

More striking, Broadwin argues that based on funding stats, the prime destination for Internet and digital media deals is not Silicon Valley but rather the East Coast markets. “The advertising industry is headquartered in New York and there are lots of digital and data infrastructure companies in New England, and lots of money in these two markets to fund these businesses.”

More specifics follow comparing the East Coast/West Coast venture deals. Let us know if you’d like to hear more from Dave Broadwin about his views on why the East is more than holding its own, which is why he entitles his latest post, “Don’t Move to the Valley Yet.”

Just last week, Foley Hoag closed an $8.3 million investment round for Boston-based digital advertising credit card discounter Clovr Media.

Allan Ripp 212-262-7477 arippnyc@aol.com
Robin Brassner 212-262-7472 rbrassnernyc@aol.com

Don’t Move to the Valley Yet – Quarterly Review of Venture Deals in New England and Silicon Valley

Posted by Dave Broadwin, Foley Hoag LLP

As I have done each quarter for some time, this blog presents a comparison of the published statistics relating to venture deals from my firm, Foley Hoag LLP, and the west coast firm, Fenwick & West LLP.

Here are some general thoughts:

Foley Hoag, in our publication Venture Perspectives, reported on a total of 46 deals in New England. Fenwick reported on 95 deals in the Valley. This puts the New England market at about half the size of the Silicon Valley market — entirely consistent with historical norms (at least for so long as I have been observing the scene). The new comer, of course, is New York, where, according to Crain’s New York business.com, there were 51 financings in Q4 in New York in the following industries 20 in software, 17 in media and 14 in IT (for sure there were other in other industries).

On the one hand, this might suggest that New England is losing ground to NYC. On the other hand, it suggests that the north east (New England plus New York) is now as big a market as the Valley and is probably growing faster given the velocity in NYC. (I can hear the Valley folks saying you’ve gotta include Seattle and San Diego – whatever. If that is where they take it, they have in effect conceded the point.)

Even more interesting, is that most of the New York deals are software, digital media and IT related. Based on anecdotal evidence there were a significant number of digital media deals in New England (unfortunately, our survey lumps media in with software so I don’t have precise number). According to Fenwick, the most active sectors in the Valley were software followed by cleantech and hardware then came internet and media followed last by biotech.

If I had to pick something hot today, it would be internet and digital media – and the epicenter is not in the Valley! The reasons for this are almost certainly that the advertising industry is headquartered in New York, there are lots of digital and data infrastructure companies in New England, and there is lots of money in New England and New York to fund these businesses. It is efficient to be near the relevant infrastructure (the advertising world). Apologies to Nivi and all the other “you have to move to the Valley” proponents, but if you are working on a digital media company – don’t relo to the Valley quite yet.

So, with that as a background, below is my usual table comparing actual deal terms.

Comparison of Terms for Q4 2010 Venture Deals from Foley Hoag and Fenwick & West

(some percentages are approximate)
Term

Foley Hoag
New England Series A

Foley Hoag
New England Series B and Later

Fenwick
Silicon Valley All Series

Cumulative Dividends

70%

60%

5%
Preference with Participation

45%

60%

45%
Redemption

67%

75%

19%
Pay to Play

19%

7%
Weighted Average Antidilution

95%
Ratchet Antidilution

It pains me every time I write this, but there is a persistent and consistent difference in terms between New England and Valley deals. Look at cumulative dividends and redemption. The numbers are consistent quarter after quarter. At least as to these terms (and painful as it is to admit, I suspect as to others), entrepreneurs get a better deal in the Valley than they do in New England.
____________________________________
The Latest from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing Start-ups? We need more finish-ups
FW: The Latest from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing Start-ups? We need more finish-ups

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Melanie Adcock
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from Melanie Adcock
to ron@themayreport.com,
ronaldmay@aol.com
date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 4:31 AM
subject FW: The Latest from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing Start-ups? We need more finish-ups
mailed-by msn.com

hide details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

Ron, I received this e-mail from the Technology Innovation Center e-mail list I’m on. Judging from the subject line I think Don Dodge wrote the contents of the e-mail. I like what it says about goal setting. -Melanie
From: cxmailer@collectivex.com
To: melanie_adcock@msn.com
Subject: The Latest from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing Start-ups? We need more finish-ups
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:15:25 -0400
The Latest from Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing

Over the past 3 weeks I have seen over 300 start-ups at Stanford Startup Labs, Launch Conference, DEMO, and SXSW. StartupAmerica is a great new program to encourage more entrepreneurship in America. There are startup incubators sprouting up everywhere, and venture capital is plentiful. Is the problem not enough startups, or not enough “finish-ups”?

Venture Capital firms invested $21.8 Billion in 3,277 companies in 2010. Angel Investors invested another $16B to $20B in 50,000 more early stage startups. Many other companies startup with no funding from VCs or Angels. In fact, there are over 500,000 new companies started EVERY year according the the US Small Business Administration (SBA).

Most startups don’t finish. Thirty percent of new companies fail in the first year, and 50% fail within 5 years. Second time entrepreneurs have a higher success rate than first timers. Programs like Ycombinator, TechStars, Stanford Startup Labs, and other incubators greatly increase the chances of success.

Failure is Experience – When I travel the world speaking to entrepreneurs I tell them that in America we don’t use the word “failure”, we call it experience. At Google we believe that “achieving 60% of the impossible is better than 100% of the ordinary”. We set impossible goals and shoot for them because it creates a whole different mind set. Think about the trajectory required to hit a target at 1,000 feet versus a target at 100 feet. That difference in trajectory, and thinking, will create a much better result than aiming for 100 feet. That is a fundemental difference in philosophy that drives us towards success. Failure is not viewed as shameful, and will not prevent you from achieving future success.

Mentorship matters – Maybe Startup America should devote some of their program to mentorship programs and incubators that convert more start-ups to “finish-ups”. Just increasing the success rate of existing startups by 10% would create millions of jobs and stimulate local economies. We should encourage experienced entrepreneurs to help new startups through programs likeSCORE (Service Corp Of Retired Executives) and programs like Ycombinator and TechStars. We should celebrate and honor people who take the time to mentor startups and help them succeed.

Why isn’t there the equivalent of The Oscars or Emmys for entreprenuers and mentors? The closest thing we have is The Crunchies. Great, but lets take it to the national stage, and even international stage and celebrate entrepreneurship everywhere. Aim high! Hey, Steve Case and Scott Case, are you in?
_________________________________
Facebook Will Introduce New Service That Sells Discount Deals

Facebook Will Introduce New Service That Sells Discount Deals

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Melanie Adcock
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from Melanie Adcock
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ronaldmay@aol.com
date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 4:24 AM
subject Facebook Will Introduce New Service That Sells Discount Deals
mailed-by msn.com

hide details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

Facebook Will Introduce New Service That Sells Discount Deals
Bloomberg bloom.bg/egWXtD

Facebook Inc. is planning to test a service that will let consumers buy discounted one-time offers as it looks for new ways to boost sales and attract local business customers.

The service will let people share discounted offers with their friends, Facebook said in an e-mailed statement. Part of the company’s Deals program, the service will be introduced first in five cities, including Atlanta, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas and Austin, Texas.

“Local businesses will be able to sign up to use this feature soon, and people will be able to find Deals in the coming weeks,” the Palo Alto, California-based company said in the statement.

With the service, Facebook is seeking to expand in the fast-growing U.S. market for daily online coupons made popular by sites such as Groupon Inc. and LivingSocial. That industry will grow to $3.93 billion in 2015 from $873 million last year, according to a projection from BIA/Kelsey, a Chantilly, Virginia-based consulting firm.

Facebook’s discount offers will be sold to businesses by its own staff. Users also will be able to buy discount deals through the service from partners including ReachLocal, Gilt City, Tippr, HomeRun.com, PopSugar City, KGB Deals, Plum District and Zozi.

With more than 500 million users, Facebook seeks to attract more companies that want to do business with its growing user base. Recent advertisers include Starbucks Corp. and JetBlue Airways Corp.

The company said in January that it raised $1.5 billion from investors led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., placing a $50 billion valuation on the entire company. Facebook may have reached $2 billion in sales last year, three people familiar with the matter said in December.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Womack in San Francisco at bwomack1@bloomberg.net;

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net.
___________________________________
Tuesday, March 22: CHICAGO HIGH SPEED NETWORKING

FW: CHICAGO HIGH SPEED NETWORKING – Tuesday 22nd March!

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Melanie Adcock
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date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 4:17 AM
subject FW: CHICAGO HIGH SPEED NETWORKING – Tuesday 22nd March!
mailed-by msn.com

hide details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

Networking For Professionals presents
CHICAGO HIGH SPEED NETWORKING
BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT

TUESDAY 22nd MARCH 2011

Place: Sullivan’s Steakhouse

Address: 415 North Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 60654

Cost: Online in advance: Members $20, Non-members $30.
At the door: $35 everyone. Cash only at the door.

Time: 6.00pm – 8.00pm

MORE INFO AT: www.networkingforprofessionals.com/eventlistings.php?event=HSNCH
FORWARD THIS EMAIL ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND CONTACTS SO THEY CAN GET A DISCOUNT BY SIGNING UP ONLINE! BY SIGNING UP ONLINE THEY’LL ALSO RECEIVE THE LIST OF ATTENDEES THE NEXT DAY!

Event Description:

* With HIGH SPEED NETWORKING you can make more new business contacts in one evening than most people will make in 6 months!

* Network with other professionals, one on one, a few minutes at a time.

* Leave with a pocket full of business cards and a ton of new business connections!

* Chances are you’ll meet lots of people you wish you had more time with. Sign up online in advance and after the event we will email you the list of attendees and what they’re looking for so that you can follow up with your new contacts.

*Only those who sign up in advance receive the list, so BOOK NOW!

Includes: Complimentary nibbles and drink specials. Cash bar.

Don’t forget your business cards!

ADVANCED BOOKING RECOMMENDED Attendance is capped, so don’t miss out!

FIND OUT MORE AT: www.networkingforprofessionals.com/eventlistings.php?event=HSNCH

BOOK NOW AT: www.networkingforprofessionals.com/basket.php?event=HSNCH

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AT: www.networkingforprofessionals.com/eventlistings.php?invite=HSNCH
__________________________________
Thursday, April 7 and Monday, April 11: Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour at Chicago State University and at DePaul University respectively

Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour- Two Chicago Event Dates

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Melanie Adcock
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show details Mar 15 (2 days ago)

from Melanie Adcock
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ronaldmay@aol.com
date Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 3:28 AM
subject Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour- Two Chicago Event Dates
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Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour at Chicago State University

Chicago State University April 7, 2011 Chicago, IL Register extremetourcsu.eventbrite.com/

Thursday, April 07, 2011 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (CT)

Chicago State University Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center
9501 S. King Drive
Chicago, IL 60628

It has never been easier or more important for students to start a business and think entrepreneurially! In a world of rapidly evolving technology and globalization, being able to leverage the entrepreneurial mindset regardless of career path is critical to success. The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (www.extremetour.org) puts on events that can be customized to your campus’s wants and needs in order to introduce all students to this new life framework and inspire them to plan, prioritize, and pursue their own vision.

Do you want to take your career to the next level faster?

Do you want to learn more about entrepreneurship and turn your idea into a reality?

If so, then attending the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (www.extremetour.org)
is a MUST. It is the first-ever national entrepreneurship tour and features the country’s top young entrepreneurs and successful local entrepreneurs. This high-energy event has lots of music, movement, opportunities to receive over $300 in prizes, and light refreshments.
Why Come:
Get your burning questions answered during the interactive panel
Receive feedback and support with other like-minded students and community members during networking breaks
Receive access to nuts & bolts startup articles in the event magazine

Who Should Come:

If you’re interested in starting a business or setting yourself apart in your career now, this event is for you! Existing entrepreneurs who want to recharge their batteries are also welcome.

Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour at DePaul University

DePaul University April 11, 2011 Chicago, IL Register extremetourdepaul.eventbrite.com/

Monday, April 11, 2011 from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (CT)

DePaul University Conference Center
Room 8005
1 E. Jackson
Chicago, IL 60604

Do you want to take your career to the next level faster?

Do you want to learn more about entrepreneurship and turn your idea into a reality?

Who Should Come:

If you’re interested in starting a business or setting yourself apart in your career now, this event is for you! Existing entrepreneurs who want to recharge their batteries are also welcome.

Chicago State University April 7, 2011 Chicago, IL Register extremetourcsu.eventbrite.com/
University of Chicago April 8, 2011 Chicago, IL
Roosevelt University April 9, 2011 Chicago, IL
DePaul University April 11, 2011 Chicago, IL Register extremetourdepaul.eventbrite.com/
Spoon River College April 13, 2011 Macomb, IL
Parkland College April 14, 2011 Champaign, IL
________________________________
Saturday, April 9: WindyCityGo Chicago’s Mobile Developer Conference

WindyCityGo Chicago’s Mobile Developer Conference, Saturday April 9

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Melanie Adcock
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from Melanie Adcock
to ron@themayreport.com,
ronaldmay@aol.com
date Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 1:22 AM
subject WindyCityGo Chicago’s Mobile Developer Conference, Saturday April 9
mailed-by msn.com

hide details 1:22 AM (3 hours ago)

WindyCityGo
Chicago’s Mobile Developer Conference

Saturday, April 9, 2011
The Westin Chicago River North

Sessions
WindyCityGo is a one-day mobile conference covering Android, iOS, and mobile web apps. The day will be packed with six regular sessions, lightning talks, and the Groupon Octagon. View the schedule to see how things will come together.

Groupon Octagon: Hands-On Mobile UX
Groupon has teamed up with WindyCityGo to deliver a workshop on mobile UX and development. Developing for mobile requires expertise in designing for small screens, UX that follows platform-specific interface guidelines, and implementation across many devices.

The all-day Groupon Octagon will challenge your mobile senses and go through the entire mobile development process. You’ll team up with Groupon’s world-class mobile development team to design and implement a kick-ass mobile product from scratch.

Lightning Talks
Get quick bursts of knowledge in our lightning talks. We’ll cover a variety of topics in a short amount of time. We’re planning for up to seven 5-minute lightning talks. Interested in giving a lightning talk? We’ll be opening up the call for lightning talk proposals about one week before the conference. Stay up to speed on Twitter for the latest news.

Regular Sessions
Each regular session will run 45-minutes in length, with breaks in between to allow for plenty of networking opportunities.

Keynote: Great Apps Need Customers
Brett Keintz, Groupon
Your team has built a great app. Now, how do you get customers to install it, come back to it, and pay you money for it?

Brett Keintz has experience with the “good problem to have” of scaling a web app from zero to 20 million users in just 60 days. Whether it’s on the web or on mobile the lessons learned are the same. Hear how to quickly get users, figure out what’s not working, and optimize your product to the top.

About the Speaker
Brett Keintz is a product manager at Groupon with the official title of “Director of Social”. Prior to Groupon, Brett was CEO and co-founder of Sharethrough, a startup providing viral media distribution for major brand advertisers. Brett received an MBA from Stanford Business School in 2008 and holds a BS in Finance from Boston College. He’s originally from Madison, WI and is a huge fan of the Superbowl champion Packers.

iOS Development: How to Keep Going After You Got Started
Ben Gottlieb, Stand Alone, Inc
You’ve read the introductory books. You’ve experimented with the iOS SDK. You may even have an app or two in Apple’s App store. Clearly, you are no longer a beginner. Now what?

Ben Gottlieb will share observations, tips, suggestions, and hints on how to advance as an iOS developer. Take your iOS skills to the next level.

About the Speaker
Ben Gottlieb founded Stand Alone, Inc. in 1995, and has been in the mobile space for 15 years, starting with Newton, then Palm, and now iPhone. Ben wrote the most popular Crosswords app for iPhone, which lets you download and solve fresh puzzles every day. With over a million downloads of the free version, it’s one of the most popular apps on the AppStore. It’s been in the store since Day 1, and the iPad version launched day-and-date with the iPad itself.

Designing for iPad
Pek Pongpaet, SpotOn Inc
Your goal is to design exceptional user experiences for mobile devices. That’s a lot harder than it sounds! Fortunately, one of the most creative, talented and entrepreneurial designers in Chicago will be joining us to talk about his most recent project, BizTome. Pek Ponpaet will discuss lessons learned while designing this upcoming iPad app which won the 2010 iPadDevCamp Hackathon Best Entertainment App. Whether you’re working on apps for the iPad, the slew of upcoming Android tablets, or any other mobile device, you won’t want to miss this talk!

About the Speaker
Pek Pongpaet is the VP of Product for SpotOn Inc. Pongpaet’s expertise ranges from product design to development. Prior to SpotOn, Pongpaet worked at Accenture Technology Labs in the research department coming up with next generation user interfaces. At Roundarch, a technology and strategy consulting firm, Pongpaet’s work included envisioning and designing the dashboard of the future for the Tesla Model S electric car.

Mobile is Not Just for Phones
Uki Dominique Lucas
Google’s Android operating system has proven to be a viable platform for mobile developers and manufacturers. And it doesn’t stop there. Uki Dominque Lucas will show you how to leverage your Android mobile development skills to build apps for other Android-based devices including HDTVs, tablets, and various household hardware.

About the Speaker
Uki Dominque Lucas is an entrepreneur and Android technology evangelist with over 14 years of experience in Agile management, during which time he’s held positions of director of technology, founder and principal in consulting and technology start-ups. Currently, he is an architect at Sears Mobile Innovation team focusing on a holistic mobile experience from TV and social media, thru mobile software to household hardware. Uki is an Android developer himself and an avid public speaker and a proud mentor to many successful software engineers. For his recent mobile portfolio please visit: www.dominiquelucas.com.

.NET on Android? MonoDroid Does.
Kevin McMahon
With the recent announcement of the MonoDroid project by Novell, .Net developers now have the ability to target the fastest growing mobile platform on the market using C# and the core .Net APIs. This presentation is intended to introduce developers to the Android platform and show how MonoDroid enables .Net developers to develop for the platform. Topics covered will include: What is MonoDroid, How MonoDroid works with Android, MonoDroid vs. Native Android SDK, and Android App Basics and Sample Apps.

About the Speaker
Kevin McMahon is a software developer based in Chicago who spends his days writing code for a financial services company and his nights writing code for mobile devices. He blogs at blog.kevfoo.com and can be found on Twitter at @klmcmahon.

Order Up – Customized Content for the Mobile Web
Jason VanLue, Envy Labs
It’s estimated over 50% of internet users access the web through their mobile device. This begs the question, what content are they viewing and how is it being served? In order to create a rich user experience, it’s not enough to rely on how your website renders in desktop browsers.

In this session we’ll take a closer look at CSS Media Queries and best practices in design and content strategy to discover how to optimize experience on mobile platforms. Through this session, you’ll be equipped to start serving up customized content to your users and create experiences unlike you ever have before.

About the Speaker
Jason is a designer, husband, and father. He’s Design Lead at Envy Labs, a leading web development firm in Orlando, FL, edits Branding Matters a popular blog on branding and design, and is Chief Brewmeister at Brewwd combining great design with great beer. He’s also a self-proclaimed craft beer snob and a borderline crazy UNC Tarheel fan.

General Attendee Information
Are tickets refundable?
Tickets are not refundable, but they are transferrable. If you’re unable to attend WindyCityGo and would like to transfer your ticket to someone else, please contact us with the name and email address of the person you’d like the ticket transfered to.

Who should attend WindyCityGo?
Anyone who wants to create great apps for mobile devices. Developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and investors will all find value in WindyCityGo.

Developers will enjoy the opportunity to interact with their peers, share ideas, and stimulate creativity through friendly competition.
Designers will have mingle in an environment teeming with developers who are hungry for their services.
Idea-driven entrepreneurs will find the experts they need to build an outstanding team.
Investors will meet individuals and teams capable of delivering attractive returns on invested capital.
Why is it called “WindyCityGo”?
Because mobile apps are used on-the-go!

How should I prepare for WindyCityGo?
Your preparation depends on your goals for the conference. WindyCityGo is not intended for a “Mobile 101″ audience. You’ll get more out of the conference if you do a little bit of up-front prep depending on your role. You don’t have to read the entire HIG, but you should at least appreciate its value.

If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, prepare yourself to meet a passionate group of mobile designers & developers. WindyCityGo will be full of highly talented people who can help you build a great team.

If you’re a developer or designer, your preparation depends on your platform(s) of choice:

For Android, download & install the Android SDK.
For iPhone/iPad, visit Apple’s iOS Dev Center to become a Registered Apple Developer and download the SDK.
Peepcode offers screencasts on iOS and HTML5.
Railscasts produced a series of screencasts on HTML5.
If you would like to suggest additional resources, you’re welcome to do so through the contact form.

What equipment should I bring?
Laptops and mobile devices are welcome and encouraged, but they aren’t required.

Will Wi-Fi be available?
Limited Wi-Fi will be available. Note: Please be considerate of your fellow attendees! Don’t download the 4GB Xcode file at the conference. Try to limit Wi-Fi usage to email, Twitter, web browsing, and (of course) GitHub!

Does the hotel offer a discounted rate?
Unfortunately, the hotel is not giving a discount for overnight rooms. The good news: We secured discounts on other conference services, and we were able to pass the savings along to all attendees. That’s one reason why we can offer the early-bird discount.

Please let the organizers know via the contact form if you’re from outside the Chicago area. Depending on interest level, we might plan a pre-conference activity for travelers. We want our out-of-town guests to feel welcome!

Will there be parking?
Valet parking is available for $42.00 per day. Garages in the area might have lower self-park rates. Note that The Westin sits within walking distance of several CTA bus & train lines. Why park when you can ride!

Conference Background
Who is ChicagoRuby?
ChicagoRuby is a group of Chicago area Ruby and Ruby on Rails enthusiasts. When smart people challenge each other to grow, great things happen. That’s what’s exciting about this group! Join ChicagoRuby on Meetup.com for information on upcoming events.

In addition to WindyCityGo, ChicagoRuby will host two more conferences in 2011:

WindyCityDB. Focus on databases, especially the NoSQL variety where “No” means “not only”. SQL is proven, but some data challenges require a different approach.
WindyCityRails. A gathering for all who are passionate about Ruby on Rails. Sharpen your technical skills, network with other professionals, and meet some of the top minds in the Ruby on Rails community.
_______________________________
All day Wednesday, March 30: Bricks + Mobile 2011

Subject: Bricks + Mobile 2011, March 30, 2011
Date: 3/18/2011 1:33:54 A.M. Central Daylight Time
From: melanie_adcock@msn.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Bricks + Mobile 2011
A Day Focused on Retail and Mobile Commerce – March 30, 2011
Taking place at Spertus 610 S. Michigan Ave.

When a group focuses on one thing simultaneously, thinking through the demands and complexities of a topic, that’s when collaboration exists. And it’s what Bricks + Mobile 2011 is all about.

Early Bird Tickets are $99. Tickets increase to $150 on 3/20 so NOW is the time to act!

Agenda

8:00-8:15 Welcome

8:15-8:45 The Mobile Consumer – A Behavioral Shift

Jim Crawford, Executive Direct of GREC (Global Retail Executive Council)

8:45-9:45 The In Store Mobile Opportunities

Patrick Collins, CEO, 5th Finger, Andrew Koven, President of E-Commerce and Customer Experience, Steve Madden, Ltd., Pete Zophy, DVP of Ecommerce, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc., Dan Lowden, VP of Marketing, Digby, and Evan Nuefeld, VP of Marketing, GroundTRUTH

Opportunity Lost: Walkout Revenue – Every day, consumers with purchase intent walk out of your store empty-handed. This session will cover the latest in strategies that can help you knock down the barriers that stop the shopper from becoming a buyer – bridging “I want” and “I bought”. From social-network developed hot ensembles to shopping advice to individualized promotional messages and VIP access, your brand can develop powerful new relationship with your best consumers. Learn about the latest thinking an strategies being employed.

The most progressive retailers are driving traffic to their m-commerce stores through their mobile loyalty programs, their in-store apps and mobile sites. Learn all the things you can do to drive sales on your mobile store.

15-Minute Break

10:00-11:00 Mobile Loyalty – CRM

Tim Hayden, CMO 44Doors, and Partner, Blue Clover, Adam Beaugh, Director of Social Media, Jackson Family Wines, David Javitch, VP of Marketing, Scanlife, Aaron Strout, Head of Location Based Marketing, WCG, and currently Co Authoring the book, Location Based Marketing for Dummies (Wiley), Jessica Rotnicki, Vice President Ecommerce North America, Estee Lauder Companies

Building Loyalty Momentum with Mobile – Many brands are finding that their most loyal customers prefer to hear from them via text and other mobile tools. We will discuss acquisition, retention and engagement tactics on mobile loyalty programs. Mobile is a proven tool for driving consumer behavior. Be it driving to web with an offer code, into store with a mobile coupon/offer, or some other call to action, mobile offers some of the highest action rates and ROI of all mediums. Learn how to execute the latest and greatest techniques to drive revenue.

11:00-12:30 Buffet Style Lunch, Sponsorship Tables, and Networking – 9th Floor

12:30-1:30 BREAK OUT SESSIONS – Pick One

15-Minute Break

1:45-2:45 Mobile Payment

Tom Nawara, Vice President, Digital Strategy and Design, Acquity Group, Troy Bernard, Director – Head of Global Chip Technology, Discover, Jim Stapleton, Head of Sales and Account Management, Isis, Conrad Sheehan, CEO, mPayy

How will mobile payment transform your company’s revenue cycle? This session will delve into analysis of revenue infrastructural initiatives ranging from the Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T joint venture Isis, to solutions by PayPal and MPayy. Through exploring the mobile payment platform including integration strategies, blue prints from best practice retailers, and how to choose the best mobile payment platform for your business.

15-Minute Break

3:00-4:00 Security and Privacy Issues

Gary Schwartz, President and CEO, Impact Mobile Inc., and Mobile Chair, MEF, Erik Vlugt, Vice President, Product Marketing – Integrated Systems, VeriFone, Venkat Sreenivasan, World Wide Mobile Commerce Lead, Motorola Solutions, Tammi Franke, Partner, Fitzgerald & Hewes, LLP, Larry Glenn, Senior Director Application Development, Saks Direct, Saks Fifth Avenue

Earlier in 2010, MEF published its authoritative M-Commerce Guide, which showed that more than half of global consumers use their mobiles to pay for goods, services or content. We will discuss the second phase of the initiative will see the formation of a MEF working group dedicated to setting standards for the most pressing issues facing broad adoption of mobile commerce today.

Examples are ensuring clear and consistent rules for privacy and security that are easily accessible to consumers. Promoting transparency in all transactions. Reducing compliance costs and complications while enabling retailers to keep pace with change, and guarding against fraud.

4:00-5:00 Why She Buys: The New Strategy for Reaching the World’s Most Powerful Consumers

Bridget Brennan, CEO of Female Factor and Author of the Acclaimed book, Why She Buys

Women are the engine of the global economy and buy nearly 80% of all consumer products. They hold the purse strings, and when they’ve got a tight grip on them as they do now, companies must be shrewder than ever to win them over. Whether they’re shopping in stores, online or on mobile devices, understanding women consumers has become a critical skill set. In a lively presentation based on her acclaimed book (called “essential reading” by The Wall Street Journal), Brennan educates audiences on the fundamentals of gender psychology, and the global trends driving women’s purchasing decisions. Topics include:

How women grow up within a culture of their own gender that impacts how they perceive the world and everything in it
How women’s brains differ from men’s, and why they may notice aspects of your business that you may have overlooked
The six most important trends driving the global female population that are key to determining their wants and needs
How to see the world through a female lens – no matter what screen she’s using
5:15-6:30 Networking – Mercat a la Planxa – 638 S Michigan Ave

Reservations if you would like to stay for dinner! Great food, warm atmosphere, and awesome service…just steps from the event!

Early Bird Tickets are $99. Tickets increase to $150 on 3/20 so NOW is the time to act!

List of Speakers with Bios

CLOSING KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Bridget Brennan, CEO of Female Factor, and Author of the Acclaimed book, Why She Buys

Bridget Brennan is a pioneer in developing business strategies that appeal to women, the world’s most powerful consumers. She is the CEO of business strategy firm Female Factor, and author of the acclaimed book Why She Buys: The New Strategy for Reaching the World’s Most Powerful Consumers (Crown Business, July 2009). Her book was called “essential reading” by The Wall Street Journal and “required reading for anyone burdened with a Y chromosome” by Fortune Small Business. It was named a “Top 10 Marketing Book of 2009″ by MediaTrust. A recipient of numerous industry awards, Brennan was named U.S. Public Relations Agency Practitioner of the Year by PR NEWS for her work in applying gender psychology to communications.

She has served as an instructor at Northwestern University’s Graduate Program in Marketing Communications in the Medill School, and has guest lectured at the Kellogg School of Management, the top-ranked business school in the U.S., and at industry conferences worldwide. She is a member of the Forbes Executive Women’s Advisory Board.

Brennan developed her expertise as an agency executive, creating programs for major clients such as Whirlpool Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Pizza Hut, Colgate-Palmolive, United Airlines and AT&T, among others. Previous to founding Female Factor, Brennan ran the consumer marketing practice of Edelman’s Zeno Group, and founded that agency’s Speaking Female division. She is a founder of the Marketing to Moms Coalition, a member of the Network of Executive Women and the National Speakers Association. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Brennan is based in Chicago.

PRESENTERS AND PANELISTS

Adam Beaugh, Director of Social Media, Jackson Family Wines

Adam Beaugh is the Director of Social Media for Jackson Family Wines. He currently oversees the social, digital media, and mobile efforts for their 30+ wine brands, including: Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Cambria , Murphy-Goode, Stonestreet, Freemark Abbey and others.

Adam joined Jackson Family Wines in October 2009 as a result of being a finalist in the highly successful ‘A Really Goode Job’ social media job search campaign by Murphy-Goode Winery.

Prior to moving to Sonoma County and joining Jackson Family, he lived in Austin, Texas and was the Web/Digital Media Director for the Governor of Texas and co-owner of a digital consultancy.

He has Business degrees in Marketing and Management Information System from Texas A&M University. When not in front of a glowing screen he enjoys exploring the beautiful California outdoors, capturing life through a camera lens.

Troy Bernard, Director–Head of Global Chip Technology, Discover®

Troy Bernard, Director–Head of Global Chip Technology, Discover®. Troy is a 12-year veteran of Discover, and for the past 5 years, has worked in Chip Technology for Discover Network, the company’s payment services division. He has responsibility for chip payment products and strategy which includes the Discover Zip® (U.S. contactless) and D-PAS (EMV) products. He has also been heavily involved in Discover’s partnership with the AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon mobile payments joint venture, Isis.

Troy is one of the founding team members that created and launched the Zip contactless payment application. During his tenure, Zip acceptance has grown to over 125,000 U.S. merchant locations, an NFC mobile pilot in partnership with Motorola was completed, and most recently, he helped Discover Card launch its Zip mobile sticker and Zip credit card in November 2010.

Troy has served on the Smart Card Alliance’s Payments Steering Committee for the past three years and was elected Vice Chair of the Payments Council for 2011.

Patrick Collins, CEO, 5th Finger

Patrick Collins has cemented 5th Finger’s reputation as a leader in mobility planning and results-oriented mobile communications. Under his leadership, Collins’s team of mobile experts and campaign strategists develop programs for premium brands such as Coca Cola, Microsoft, LG and the U.S. Army, among others.

Collins has been a part of the 5th Finger executive team since early 2005 and has played a critical role in the company’s growth over the last five years. He was previously the chief operating officer for 5th Finger Australia. Prior to joining 5th Finger, Collins served as a leader at Fairfax Digital for six years where he developed the highest-volume and most respected web properties in Australia.

Jim Crawford, Executive Director, GREC (Global Retail Executive Council)

Retail industry veteran Jim Crawford serves as executive director of GREC. In Jim’s unique history as an industry analyst and technology executive, he has worked with hundreds of retailers all around the globe. Widely respected as an industry expert and speaker, Jim has authored reports on topics ranging from next-generation store design to the use of RFID in the retail supply chain and spoken at virtually every major industry event. Prior to joining GREC as executive director, Jim has held positions at SAP, Intel, Retail Forward and Forrester Research.

Having worked in the retail industry as an analyst, consultant, strategist and technology company executive, Jim has a unique perspective on the retail industry, bringing together divergent points of view – the consumer, the retailer, CPG supplier, and technology vendor – into a compelling storyline that addresses all sides of the issue.

As a retail analyst at Forrester Research, Jim authored research reports on topics ranging from next-generation store design to the use of RFID in the retail supply chain.

At Retail Forward, Jim served as vice president and CTO, leading strategy projects for retailers including Home Depot, Metro, REI and Limited Brands and developing custom research for technology vendors including IBM, Oracle, and Intel.

Managing an annual marketing budget of $1.3 million at Intel Corporation during his tenure as global industry manager of retail/CPG, Jim increased vertical revenue by 32% in one year and led strategic proof of concept deployments at Wal-Mart, Metro, Tesco, and Circuit City.

As the director of industry solution marketing for SAP Retail, Jim created the go-to-market strategy for food, fashion, and hard lines as well as retooling SAP’s trade show presence to tell a convincing story using HD video for the first time.

Tammi Franke, Partner, Fitzgerald & Hewes LLP

Tammi Franke is a partner in the law firm of Fitzgerald & Hewes LLP. Her practice focuses on counseling clients in the areas of new media, technology, advertising and communication law.

Tammi is an adjunct professor at DePaul University and teaches communication law to graduate students in the Public Relations and Advertising program. Previously, she taught Legal Aspects of Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts at Columbia College and was the Executive Director of Lawyers for the Creative Arts. She received a BA from Indiana University and a JD from Loyola University of Chicago. She blogs about technology and digital media law at tammifranke.blogspot.com.

Tammi lives in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago with her husband, a commercial photographer and talent agent, and her son, who creates electronic music under the pen name “Button”.

Tim Hayden, CMO, 44Doors, and Partner, Blue Clover Studios

Tim Hayden is a competent speaker and marketing advisor to brands in both the B2C and B2B marketplaces. He is a marketing scientist that studies communications behavior and the technologies that reshape it every day. With more than 15 years of experience in interactive marketing, entertainment and media consulting, Tim brings innovative strategies to life through the integration of mainstream media, events, mobile and social media. He is the CMO at 44Doors, a technology services firm that provides brands such as Fujitsu, Coca-Cola and AT&T with insights and gateways to impactful mobile and social engagement across countless consumer touchpoints, online and offline. Tim is also a partner at Blue Clover Studios, where he leads client strategy for national and international marketing efforts for brands such as Hyatt, IBM and Rackspace.

From 2003 to 2009, Tim was CEO of GamePlan, where he coined the term “Live-Mobile-Online.” In 2004, he produced a guerilla marketing campaign for the Bluetooth SIG heralded as “The Greatest Tradeshow Marketing Stunt Ever” by the editors of MarketingSherpa. In the years since, Tim has overseen production of Bacardi’s first social media/event marketing campaign, Dell’s first social media widget, and AMD’s most-viewed online video, while achieving other innovative accomplishments for clients such as IBM and Nintendo.

Tim holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas State University, and lives in Austin with his wife, Halea.

David Javitch,VP Marketing, Scanbuy

David Javitch is the VP of Marketing at Scanbuy which is the developer of the ScanLife mobile barcode system. The platform is being used by retailers like Target, Gap, Banana Republic, Neiman Marcus, and others to connect their shoppers to a world of content through QR and UPC barcodes. The ScanLife app is being used by millions of people around the world to deliver relevant product information from prices to coupons. David comes from the agency world where he spent nine years managing integrated campaigns for Fortune 500 companies like P&G, General Mills, and Hasbro. He brings a deep understanding of the industry’s latest digital trends in an evolving media landscape.

Andrew Koven, President of E-Commerce and Customer Experience, Steve Madden, Ltd.

A serial entrepreneur, mobile and marketing visionary, Andrew “Drew” Koven has been an e-commerce guru for over 15 years, literally since people started buying things on the web.

As president of e-commerce and customer experience for fashion-forward footwear and apparel icon Steve Madden, Koven is the force behind double digit growth for the online business. He has built the mobile, marketing, technology, service and fulfillment foundations that solve the 5 prong go-to-market strategy a multi-channel retailing manufacturer faces and leverages all the hottest new technologies and analytics, including social media, mobile and viral recommendations and retargeting techniques that engage audiences of all ages throughout the entire enterprise.

Andrew is also co-founder of Geoff and Drew’s, an online food gifting site and previously was head of e-commerce and CMO at Fresh Direct, an online grocer. Koven’s acumen and accomplishments were recently recognized when he was featured and subsequently named as an Advisory Board Member to Apparel Magazine. He was inducted into the Boston business hall of fame in 2008, named entrepreneur of the year by Virgin Atlantic and was a recipient of the 40 under 40 award.

Dan Lowden, VP of Marketing, Digby

Dan Lowden joins Digby as Vice President of Marketing, responsible for all aspects of the company’s brand strategy and marketing. He brings 15 years of experience in mobile services and mobile devices through his roles at top technology companies including AT&T Wi-Fi Services where he was Vice President of Marketing, Wayport (acquired by AT&T) where he was Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, and IBM where he was North American ThinkPad Brand Manager and World-Wide ThinkPad Segment Manager. Dan holds an MBA in International Business from Rutgers University and a B.S. in Finance from Rider University.

Tom Nawara, Vice President, Digital Strategy and Design, Acquity Group

Tom Nawara is the Vice President of Digital Strategy & Design for Acquity Group’s East Region. He oversees the strategic direction and tactical execution of key client initiatives in content, commerce, collaboration, social media and mobile. Before joining Acquity Group, Tom was Director of Project Management & Business Analysis at the management-consulting firm Synetro Group and Director of E-Business for Nicor Gas. His 17 years of experience, spanning work in both line of business as well as agency/consulting, allows him to drive new thought leadership in all facets of online strategy, user experience and technology implementation.

Evan Neufeld, Vice President, Marketing, Ground Truth

A well-respected analyst in the fields of mobile, new media, advertising and interactive marketing, Neufeld’s experience includes senior-level roles at comScore, M:Metrics, NPD Techworld and Jupiter Research, where he was a founding analyst of Jupiter’s well-known digital advertising research practice.

Neufeld was most recently Vice President + Senior Analyst, at comScore Mobile (formerly m:metrics), where he oversaw obscure’s products and services focused on mobile advertising and marketing, including the areas of effectiveness, placement, and planning Previous to that he was a principal at Storyline Development, an independent consultancy helping companies to develop, evolve and market products and services involving digital media and consumer interactivity.

Earlier, he was vice president of industry analysis at NPDTechworld. There he focused on developing advisory services analyzing technological convergence and its impact on key consumer and business sectors for clients such as AOL, SONY and HP.

Beginning in 1996, Neufeld was part of the research and management team at Jupiter Research, most recently as senior vice president of global research. In that role he managed Jupiter’s research charter for marketing and media, industries, international research, as well as overseeing all research operations. Neufeld was a founding analyst of Jupiter’s well-known digital advertising research practice, where he was both a senior analyst and practice director. In this capacity, he developed the first online advertising forecasts and analysis anywhere.

Before Jupiter, Neufeld was a principal analyst at WebTrack, covering the first developments in interactive advertising and marketing, as well as holding a variety of marketing positions in the publishing industry. He has been quoted in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, Media Week and CNET, and has appeared on CNBC, Wall Street Week and ABC News. Evan is an active participant in industry associations such as the MMA and IAB, as well as being an Adjunct Lecturer in internet marketing at Baruch College ‘s Zicklin School Of Business.

Gary Schwartz, President and CEO, Impact Mobile Inc., and Mobile Chair, MEF

Over the past nine years, Gary has played a leadership role in the mobile industry, running the first cross-carrier short code campaign in North America, and founding the CWTA Mobile Content Committee to establish policies and increase awareness to promote standards and adoption. Gary is the founder and co-chair of the Mobile Marketing Committee for the US Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and is Americas Vice-Chair of the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF).

Schwartz founded Impact Mobile in 2002 and has molded the company into an industry leader in North America promoting mobile as a media channel. Impact Mobile provides carriers, global agencies and brands managed and self-service marketing platforms for any aspect of their mobile marketing needs.

Conrad Sheehan, CEO, mPayy

Prior to mPayy, Conrad was a Senior Vice President at JPMorganChase and head of its Consumer Payments business where he was responsible for the bank’s retail payment products that serviced the bank’s extensive corporate and public sector clients. Prior to heading the Consumer Payments business, Conrad held National Sales Management, Product Management and Strategy roles at the bank. Prior to joining JPMorganChase, he was a Partner at Accenture, a global management and technology consulting firm. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in economics from Holy Cross College.

Venkat Sreenivasan, World Wide Mobile Commerce Lead, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS) business

Venkat Sreenivasan is the World Wide Mobile Commerce Lead for Motorola’s Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS) business, with diverse experience in engineering, product management, marketing, venture investments, and mergers & acquisitions within the telecommunications industry. In this role, Venkat oversees the development and execution of the Mobile Commerce Strategy for EMS, including the construction and management of a solution partner ecosystem. Venkat has been with Motorola since June 2000 and was one of the few select worldwide participants in the Business Leadership Development Program. He has since worked in multiple divisions including Cellular Infrastructure, Mobile Devices, Corporate and Enterprise Mobility.

Venkat holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University, South Carolina and a Master of Business Administration with honors from University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Jim Stapleton, Head of Sales and Account Management, Isis™

Jim Stapleton leads sales for Isis™, a joint venture between AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless chartered with building a nationwide mobile commerce network that will transform the way consumers shop, pay and save. As head of sales, Jim is responsible for developing relationships with merchants, acquirers, issuers and other enterprise customers of Isis.

Before he joined Isis, Jim spent more than 22 years with AT&T, where he was a key player in the development of the mobile commerce joint venture that became Isis. While at AT&T, Jim designed, implemented and operated direct sales organizations and indirect distribution channels and was responsible for the launch of several flagship products. In his most recent role as Executive Director of Business Development, he led the development of AT&T’s mobile payments market entry strategy, representing a key growth opportunity for the company.

Prior to that role, Jim was Regional Sales Vice President where he managed new sales, customer service and retention and pricing among mid-size business clients. He has also served as Segment Marketing Vice President for AT&T where he managed channel strategy and design, direct marketing, product and pricing strategy, customer service and business planning for business customers. Over the course of his many years at AT&T, he has led a variety of sales organizations supporting customers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses.

Jim is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where he received his Bachelors and Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is also a graduate of the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. Outside of work, Jim has led several charity fundraising events and is very active in both the children’s and marriage preparation ministries at his church.

Aaron Strout, Head of Location Based Marekting, WCG, and currently Co Authoring the book, Location Based Marketing for Dummies (Wiley)

Aaron is the head of location based marketing at integrated marketing agency, WCG. At WCG, Aaron not only focuses on helping customers with mobile marketing and location based marketing but also helps provide social voice for the company. In this role, Aaron continues with his speaking, blogging (recently syndicated on socialmediainformer.com), podcasting and social networking activities with an eye toward creating awareness and lead generation for WCG. Prior to joining WCG, Aaron spent time as the CMO of social media agency, Powered Inc., VP of social media at Mzinga and director of interactive at Fidelity Investments. In addition to his knowledge of the interactive and social media landscape, Aaron has more than 17 years of online marketing and advertising experience, with a strong background in integrated and online marketing.

Aaron is a founding member and former president of (BIMA) and a member and former board member of the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX). Aaron was also recently elected an interim board member for the prestigious Social Media Club. He will be part of a team responsible for creating standards around social media and community. Aaron is also in the process of co-authoring the book, Location Based Marketing for Dummies (Wiley). The book is due out in July but is available for pre-order on Amazon. amzn.to/lbm4d.

Erik Vlugt, VP Product Marketing, Integrated Systems, VeriFone

Mr. Vlugt joined VeriFone in 2004, serving as Sr. Product Manager for Customer Facing Devices. In this capacity he helped define and drive the development of the MX line of products. In 2006, Mr. Vlugt was promoted to Director of Product Management for Integrated Solutions to help drive and execute the global product strategy for integrated products. In 2009, Mr. Vlugt accepted his current Vice-President of Product Marketing position. He is currently responsible for product marketing for VeriFone’s Integrated Systems group, and acts as spokesperson on topics including mobile payments and NFC.

Prior to joining VeriFone, Mr. Vlugt managed TDK’s Product Management group and worked on a variety of consumer electronics, mobile computing, and wireless products.

Mr. Vlugt obtained his degree in Computer Science and Business in The Netherlands, and he is fluent in English and Dutch.

Follow his mobile payments twitter feed: @verifone_erik

Peter Zophy, DVP of Ecommerce, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc.

Pete joined the Jos. A. Bank Executive Management Team in January 2000. He was tasked with re-platforming the website and bringing it in-house to aggressively grow online sales. Since then the Company’s Online Channel has enjoyed significant growth and profitability. Today, the web channel accounts for over 10% of the Company’s total sales. JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc., established in 1905, is one of the nation’s leading designers, manufacturers and retailers of men’s classically-styled tailored and casual clothing, sportswear, footwear and accessories. The Company sells its full product line through 505 stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia, a nationwide catalog and an e-commerce website that can be accessed at www.josbank.com. The Company is headquartered in Hampstead, Md., and its common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “JOSB.”

BREAKOUT SESSION SPEAKERS

Lauren Freedman, President, the e-tailing group

Lauren Freedman is a seasoned 15–year e-commerce veteran as well as a recognized and respected figure in the online retail industry. She has a passion for merchandising that she has parlayed as president of the e-tailing group, evangelists for merchandising and customer service best practices.

She founded the e-tailing group in 1993 after an extensive career as a department/specialty store buyer and under her guidance the e-tailing group has evolved to be one of the premier ecommerce consultancies. They advise retailers on merchandising, strategy and customer experience best practices while simultaneously developing thought leadership and go-to-market strategies for top technology companies. Client projects cover all retail sectors from brick and mortar to catalogers and range from start ups to retail stalwarts as well as best-in-class technology companies. Her company’s annual mystery shopping and merchant surveys provide a comprehensive overview of the state of e-commerce, setting industry standards while simultaneously highlighting best practices.

Lauren authored her first book, It’s Just Shopping in 2001. Her knowledge of e-commerce coupled with her candid and charismatic style make her a sought after speaker at e-retail conferences and a go-to-resource for the press.

Jay Highly, CEO and Founder, Pangea Partners

Jay’s role as a change agent and visionary in the technology marketplace spans over two decades and his views are often sought by leading industry analysts and technology forums. He has been a guest speaker at some of the largest wireless and technology conferences around the world and has been quoted in business and technology publications such as Business Week, Fortune, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Wireless Week, Mobile Enterprise Magazine and Network World. Jay has helped develop mobile commerce strategies for a number of national brands including McDonald’s, Dairy Queen, Coca-Cola, California Pizza Kitchen, Anheuser-Busch and Qdoba Mexican Grill.

Mobile Marketer named Jay one of the top 15 industry expert columnists in 2009. Jay held a number of executive positions at Sprint including Corporate VP of Marketing and President of Business Sales. Most recently, Jay led a number of successful start-up ventures in the areas of wireless managed services, mobile search and mobile commerce. As the President and Founder of Pangea Partners, Jay continues to work with brands, agencies and wireless start-up companies to help create integrated and measurable mobile programs.

Aubrie LaMar, Senior Account Manager, iProspect

An expert in paid search, media, and mobile, Aubrie LaMar is a Senior Account Manager at iProspect’s Fort Worth office. She has advised numerous clients on search campaigns and several forms of emerging media. Given her strong passion for media and mobile, LaMar is a member of the agency’s mobile task force team, and works to educate clients about this quickly growing channel. A digital media evangelist, LaMar always finds innovative ways to drive incremental revenue for her clients while stewarding their well-established brands. Her clients include The Container Store, Dillard’s, cosmetic brands, and retail brands.

LaMar holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from Baylor University in Texas.

Dave Lawson, Director of Mobile Engagement, Knotice

A noted mobile marketing expert, Lawson has over a decade of experience working with top global brands to transform the way they communicate with their customers while working at leading marketing, media, proximity marketing, and mobile companies. Lawson creates and executes effective mobile strategies for an array of Fortune 2000 brands. A sought after mobile professional, Dave has been featured in several leading industry publications and is a frequent contributor to Knotice’s highly regarded blog, “The Lunch Pail.”

Todd Shingler, Mobile Technologist and Founder, Mobile Perspectives LLC

Todd Shingler founded Mobile Perspectives to help companies improve their bottom line by leveraging mobile technologies. Mobile Perspectives works with clients to develop and execute mobile strategies to most effectively engage their customers and improve employee productivity.

Todd brings to Mobile Perspectives 20 years of experience working in wireless technologies, most recently as CEO of MobileAware Ltd. He has successfully enabled companies to develop, sell, and profit from Mobile Internet, Wireless Applications, and their underlying platforms and infrastructure. Todd has lived and worked in four countries with a customer and partner base that has spanned the globe, including some of the world’s largest mobile operators, retailers, airlines, banks and technology companies. His global experience brings a valuable dimension to understanding end user experience and the diverse needs of varying business models and cultures.

Todd leverages his experienced perspective to aid companies wanting to identify, understand, and embrace the most appropriate mobile technologies for their business. He also shares his knowledge with others by developing technology training, and participating in trade shows, industry forums, and wireless standards bodies.

Kathleen Skerry, Social Media Innovation Lead, iProspect

As Social Media Innovation Lead for iProspect, Kathleen Skerry works with many of the agency’s Fortune 500 clients to develop social media strategies and solutions. Skerry is responsible for devising enterprise social media strategies and value-added services for clients such as Pogos and Lids. An interactive veteran with 13 years rooted in social media, Skerry leads a team dedicated to leveraging new media to generate revenue. From mashups to mobile, social media and consumer-generated content, Skerry’s unique perspective on social media keeps iProspect’s clients ahead of the curve.

Prior to joining iProspect, Skerry led client accounts at Digitas, and most recently oversaw marketing for Boston.com website. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Fairfield University in Connecticut.

The Team behind Bricks + Mobile 2011

Kelly Stickel – Founder of Remodista and Director of Bricks + Mobile 2011

For the past 5 years, Kelly has managed Acquity Group’s service vendors while researching new and emerging technology. She has also successfully organized mobile-related educational events including the first Start Up Showcase for Mobile Monday – Chicago in 2009 and the first Mobile University event for the Heartland Mobile Council in 2010.

Kelly has 12 years of experience helping support agency and consulting projects, and most recently has been focused on Business Transformation, onDemand Commerce, eCommerce, mCommerce, Content Management, Digital Strategy and Design, Digital Marketing, and Mobile Strategy. She has a B.A in Political Science from the University of Missouri.

Robert Childress – Sponsorship Account Manager

Robert Childress is a Corporate Sales Team Lead at Chicago-based digital consulting firm Acquity Group. Aside from developing sales team members and identifying new business opportunities, Robert has immersed himself in all things mobile—especially device technology (with an Android bias) and emerging capabilities.

Robert graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a B.A. in Marketing and Economics.

Keith Doherty – Designer

Keith is an Art Director and UX Design consultant. He’s been immersed in web design since the “early days” of the web, though the past two years have seen him focused almost entirely on mobile interfaces. He currently works with 5th Finger, a San Francisco-based, m-Commerce agency. Keith’s recent projects include usability testing for StubHub, and iPhone App development for various clients.

Keith holds a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from California College of The Arts.

Kristie Heins Fox – Public Relations

Kristie is the Senior Vice President and Director of Ruder Finn Chicago’s Technology Practice. In this role, she oversees, and is responsible for, the development and execution of strategic communications programs for the office’s technology clients.

Kristie’s passion is mobile and she has been representing mobile and wireless companies for 10 years. Kristie graduated with honors from Wake Forest University, where she earned a B.A. in Politics with a concentration in Communications.

Amanda Melo – Accounting

Amanda Melo works for 5th Finger, a San Francisco-based, m-Commerce agency. She is responsible for the day-to-day financial happenings at Remodista where she also brings years of advertising agency experience and a passion for all things mobile.

Amanda holds a B.S. in Accounting from San Francisco State University.

Katie Morrissey – Sponsorship Account Manager

Through her work at Acquity Group, a Chicago-based digital consulting agency, Katie keeps herself immersed in digital and mobile trends. She is currently working with the Corporate Recruiting team and has had previous experience on the Business Development team focusing on retailers at Acquity Group.

Katie holds a B.A. from Loras College in Dubuque, IA in Politics and International Studies.

Kat Rayes – Interactive Marketing

Kat Rayes is a Chicago-based, freelance web copywriter and content strategist. She helps companies identify and improve their desktop and mobile web presences. Her most recent mobile project included defining content placement for, and writing, Allstate’s mobile website.

Kat holds a B.S. in Marketing from Northern Illinois University and an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Loyola University Chicago.

Kyla Robinson – Interactive Marketing

Kyla Robinson is a Marketing Associate at the Advisory Board Company—a health care research and analytics company based in Washington, DC. Beyond interests in the health care arena, she enjoys researching consumer mobile trends and mobile technology solutions.

Kyla graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Communication Studies and actively supported the execution of Mobile University in 2010.

Debra Wells – Branding

Debra Wells continues to be actively involved in the rapidly expanding mobile segment in her role as an Account Manager at Artisan. She works with the firm’s clients to align their creative, production and strategy staffing needs for mobile, online and multimedia talent.

Starting her career as a graphic designer, Debra is responsible for new business development and account leadership at Artisan—a background uniquely appropriate for spearheading the branding program. Debra holds a B.F.A from the American Academy of Art in Design
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END OF REPORT

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