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

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Scoop section:
– An anonymous letter received by Ron May and postmarked January 30, 2012 which has not been vetted, either on a factual or an analytical level, but it is a good start in understanding what is really going on with one of the supposed jewels in the crown of Chicago start-ups, Sittercity, beginning with how the VCs truly view the firm, why they have a CEO living in Boston who was tied to a competitor, and did Genevieve get the boot?
– Wednesday, Feb. 22: BNC StartUp, and the second presenter is Access My Doc (www.accessmydoc.com/)
– Thursday, Feb. 23: Julian Pretto and Chicago Micro host a networking gig in the northwest burbs
– Tuesday, February 21: MoMo is on Tuesday this time: iTest my Code: OCDSpec and ocslim for the iPhone
– Miscellaneous notes (4 messages)
[Editor's note: May here. Sittercity today, GrubHub tomorrow. Econ 101: If there's a middleman, the product or service costs more. GrubHub has cleverly denied that ordering through them costs more. Saturday night, I ordered from Masala at 1002 W. Argyle Street, a Thai/Indian restaurant. They told me on the phone and the delivery guy told me that if you order from GrubHub, the restaurant charges more and the delivery guy said that's because the restaurant must pay GrubHub for each order. The price difference is not on menu items, but rather in the delivery charges. GrubHub has repeatedly and vociferously claimed that there is no price difference as a result of using their site to order. I now question whether that is true. How does GrubHub, which can bellow all it wants, police the restaurants so that they do comply with any agreement they may have?
That differential could be $5 per order. I paid $6, but that's because I'm more than 2 miles away from the restaurant. If I had been in a location under 2 miles away, the charge would have been $3, but if the order had gone through GrubHub, the delivery charge would have been $8, a $5 difference.
I'm going to start systematically checking on it, and if you have any info. on paying more for GrubHub, let me know, ronaldmay@aol.com.]
_____________________________
The Scoop section:
___________________
An anonymous letter received by Ron May and postmarked January 30, 2012 which has not been vetted, either on a factual or an analytical level, but it is a good start in understanding what is really going on with one of the supposed jewels in the crown of Chicago start-ups, Sittercity, beginning with how the VCs truly view the firm, why they have a CEO living in Boston who was tied to a competitor, and did Genevieve get the boot?
[Editor's note: Ron May here. I received an anonymous letter through snail mail postmarked January 30th with no name or return address. The return address had the caption "Tip for you."
Much of the information I did not know, however, while the analysis of how venture capital works is right on a fairly high level, but it fails on a more granular level. It certainly does not apply to every firm. My question is: Was Genevieve Thiers given the boot? If so, why?
What was she doing or not doing that the VCs had an issue with?
There are a bunch of VCs invested in Sittercity other than Point Judith Capital, although the board did pull the new CEO from Point Judith Capital. New World Ventures is there, and so is i2A, but pardon moi for not taking i2A seriously.
i2A is a Series A tag along investment operation run by what we might call professional Economic Development people (a polite term for bureaucrats). If you doubt that, just try getting a straight, no varnish answer from Kapil Chaudhary.
Maybe Stu Larkins will be better for the i2A Fund #2 since he has real biz experience and he was not schooled by Thornton and Weinstein. Larkins is a Kevin Willer connection (see my article on Kevin, tinyurl.com/7j5ksa3 ) and you'll note few references to KapiI, and besides, if they really thought Kapil was doing such a great job with the first fund, why wouldn't they have given him the i2A Fund #2 to run?
I still wonder if that i2A Fund #2 will actually be raised since i2A does not do its own thinking or even due diligence and valuations. It is just a modified version of the TDB and we all know what a success that was, even though they did invest in some 40 companies.
Lightbank, New World Ventures, Sandbox, OCA Ventures, HPA, and other angel investment individuals and groups have rendered the i2A Fund feckless and duplicative. We could kiss it goodbye and no one would notice, especially with the new funds being created and with New World and OCA also doing seed investing at the $100K level, and with a plethora of angels like Lon Chow, Matt McCall, and others who are far more sophisticated than a Kapil running around putting money into start-ups..
But I digress. I don't consider the fact that Sittercity was around a long time before it took an infusion of venture money to be a prima facie en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_facie indictment of its success or business model.
Dan Ratner (Mr. Genevieve Thiers) and his family had invested money early on. I don't know if she's had the babies yet, but Genevieve was pregnant with twins -- at least that's what I found out last August when talking to Kevin Willer.
What I get out of the letter that follows is that it is time stop looking at Sittercity through rose colored glasses.
Let's stop gilding the lily.
It is a cult of personality firm -- some call it a lifestyle firm -- both for the people running it and for the customers -- Genevieve has been on the Today Show, etc., and she also runs her own opera company.
It is not clear to me that the local media have, and I am to blame as much as anyone else here, given Sittercity a pass and we've got our homework to do.
What is truly going on, and how successful is this firm, really?
I am going to withhold judgment until I know more, and I'll start with trying to have a heart to heart with Martin Clifford, 617-755-4088, who may be candid and forthcoming since he not from Chicago.
In light of the fact that the facts and the analysis in the following letter have not been vetted yet, but they will be.]
The six page typewritten letter starts here:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ron,

This inside scoop is all for you- please sleuth to go deeper and take it as your own. Much for entrepreneurs to learn here.

Sittercity received a lot of local attention because i2A invested it in and because there was nothing else going on during the .bomb years. Sittercity’s one founder had a huge family trust fund so they could journey on during this time. Sittercity is an excellent example of how reality is different from the spin and is what most entrepreneurs would not want to do.

1) Sittercty’s founder’s “backs were up against the wall” so they took money from the only VC who would invest in them – they say in interviews that all their other investors dropped out and it was a stressful time – you never want to be in that situation – but they had shared their company info with an entrepreneur-in-residence who came out of the gates strong with care.com (had money to do it and had experience in the space) and took away their market share and then the recession hit:

www.boston.com/business/technology/innoeco/2009/11/thebackstoryoncare
comsitte.html
[Editor's note: May here. I could not get this link to work. It says "Page not found."]

2) 80% of VC investments do not deliver a high return. VC’s look for 3 to 7 year horizon for their exit. Sittercity has been around for 12 years (?). VC involved for 3 years. But the VC they took money from plugged in their entrepreneur (operating partner) from day one (they just forgot to do a press announcement):
www.linkedin.com/profile/….
(This is Martin Clifford Linkedin Profile, CEO of sittercity 2009 to present)
[Editor's note: May here. I looked up Martin Clifford's profile on LinkedIn and here is what I found and the link was so unbearably long that I converted it to Tiny URL: tinyurl.com/72y4xom
Martin Clifford
Entrepreneur and Investor
Greater Boston AreaInternet
Current Chief Executive Officer at Sittercity
Operating Partner at Point Judith Capital
Founder at wis.dm
see all
Past Executive Vice President and COO at uDate.com Inc
Business Development Manager at Williams PLC
Group Environment Manager at Williams Holdings Plc
see all
Education The Open University
University of Portsmouth
Connections
192 connections
Websites Company Website
Company Website
Personal Website
Twitter
Public Profile
www.linkedin.com/in/martinrclifford ]
3) VC Rule: find VC’s who have been successful and invested in your business sector – this was not the case for Sittercity – they took money from the only VC they could get money from.

4) Don’t spend too much money to get a business going – - if an entrepreneur truly boot-straps with their own money, that is a different entrepreneur from the one who has easier access to money and angel investors from the beginning. Sittercity founders were young and had no track record of launching and profiting from a high-growth business. What would have happened if they had brought in an experienced CEO in the digital space earlier? Perhaps they could have owned a market share before a competitor came along?

5) I2A promotes Illinois businesses in the seed or early stage but Sittercity was well beyond the seed stage (8 years?) but now has a CEO of Sittercity who lives in Boston and the last business this CEO launched, according to the current VC he is the operating partner for, failed: wis.dm

6) The lead VC investor of Sittercity, Point Judith, lost their General Partner who was formerly board observer of sittercity and was founding member of linkedin – it is never a good sign when a VC has a GP leave, no matter what they might say, because if investments are delivering a high-return, a GP will not want to leave.

7) Sittercity says it is a woman-owned business but Genevieve’s husband, Dan, says he is the co-founder. This is just one example of the marketing spin vs. reality which companies will do.

VC’s play the game – they will pretend to be interested in investing in a company when perhaps they are just looking to learn all about the business. Sittercity’s now top competitor, Care.com, which forced them into the situation to need more money, was funded by a VC who had their entrepreneur-in-residence meet with Sittercity.
Entrepreneurs should know that an entrepreneur-in-residence at a VC is just an entrepreneur looking for a job…..they will be plugged in to run the business that the VC invests in. If you don’t want this, don’t meet with them. Would sittercity have profited more if they had worked with this VC and turned the keys over to this VC’s entrepreneur-in-residence? Would they not have then needed to take money from the only VC available after their business was suffering from this new competitor? This is worth thinking about just from the case study sample. Do not know if it was or wasn’t an opportunity. But clearly this entrepreneur-in-residence at the VC wanted to run a babysitting site as she is now the CEO of Care.com. Their website enjoys a much higher rank then sittercity.com now.

9) Even if you think you still own 51%, an entrepreneur will never have control when they take the VC money as triggers with controls and veto rights are always built in. It is, after all, the VC’s money. One day Sittercity’s founder is saying in interviews that the right VC allows you to be a Career CEO and then later she says they just forgot to announce she was replaced. The next spin was that the sittercity founders are now serial entrepreneurs, except one of them now has a job and most entrepreneurs can never work for anyone else as that is part of the curse of being a true entrepreneur. Again, this is fine, but a good example of spin and why you can’t believe all of the P.R.

10) The 80% of VC investments that don’t generate top returns (and some say it is closer to 90% that don’t pan out with a high ROI) ride off into the sunset and don’t get the P.R. of the winners which means entrepreneurs must look under the covers of VC’s, too, and do the research. Do they have a track record of exits in your space? Were they the lead in the early stage and responsible perhaps for some of the guidance for growth (and also able to identify new concepts that will be successful) or did they always jump in later?

11) Is your business even appropriate for VC money? Most aren’t. VC’s are looking for a better than average return. This is their job. They look to invest in new, growing or troubled businesses which they can easily flip within a few years for a very high return of 10 times their investment or actually 50 times their investment or higher ir preferred (3 years and out is the dream). This is fine. But this is not a fit for the majority of start-up companies – can you really grow 10 times revenue in 3 years in your industry should be the first question a company asks themselves. Do you have a business that can succeed for the long-term? If so, angel investors are available. Because many entrepreneurs don’t understand all aspects of VC investments (it is very complicated), angels may be a better source of funding. VC’s are looking for the 1 or 2 good investments that can have phenomenal returns to cover for the rest of their investments. They also will not have tons of time to spend with an entrepreneur and this is often misunderstood by entrepreneurs. But perhaps their time and skills will not even be very valuable if they have never grown a business in your space.

12) Sittercity: Now that the VC is there and the focus is on profits and the clock is ticking, have quality standards slipped for the sake of profits? BBB complaints are high – sittercity claims to give one-month free and then will keep charging the credit card and bombards Moms with affiliate offers that were not requested. They also had a babysitter found on the site arrested for child molestation – The Mom blogs and forums are filled with complaints that perhaps did not exist when the passionate Sittercity founder was still there, which allows for another case study – at what time in the company’s growth is it safe for the founder to exit?

ourmomspot.net/community/index.php?topic=7259.0

www.bbb.org/chicago/business-reviews/nanny-service/sittercitycom-in-chicago-il-1004689/complaints

Ron, you can also start looking behind the curtains of any VC investment that isn’t performing well after 3 to 7 years. No matter what the spin is on any VC investment, you can know the heat is on once the 3-year mark hits and entrepreneurs should be aware of this reality. Many folks who know the inside story about a company are the employees or investors or board members and they are legally bound to not talk and to not have conflicts of interest.

There are non-disclosures signed and massive egos but you can watch the timeline and listen to the whispers and usually find out.

There are more Angel Investors forming in Chicago from recent media reports and this should be welcomed. However, with all the incubators also existing, it is good for busy entrepreneurs to learn that the reality is often far different from te VC spin and much can be learned from reading about the care.com back-story and studying how the funding of Sittercity unfolded.

Shark Tank: do you ever watch this TV show? Great lessons here, too, for entrepreneurs. The Sharks (angel investors) all have their fortunes because they created businesses which were highly profitable and this allows them to now be great investors. They really have been to the trenches.

They are not hired B-school guys working for a VC or a guy investing money he inherited, not that there is anything wrong with that, but these types may not have much entrepreneurial business expertise to offer when they are always on the other side of the window.

The Shark Tank investors also only invest in businesses where they have an area of knowledge and contacts. Entrepreneurs should look for these elements when tking an investor. This is why the old saying goes…………don’t take money from just anyone. As an investor in start-ups, I just thought that you would be someone who could help educate people to not believe all the spin and wanted Sittercity to stop being an example of a success when those who know about the real deal know that it is not necessarily and example for others to follow.

After all, separate from everything else, how many times does a Mom really need to hire a babysitter? It may never have been something that was highly scalable for a VC investment, which may have also been why so many other VC’s declined. Grubhub is scalable, you can always order another meal, but hiring a new babysitter every day will never be a need.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
End of Letter
__________________________________
Wednesday, Feb. 22: BNC StartUp, and the second presenter is Access My Doc (www.accessmydoc.com/)
Subject: Re: BNC StartUp/Feb 22
Date: 2/20/2012 2:09:22 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: davidcarman@sbcglobal.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Ron–Here’s the final blurb for the BNC Startup event this Wednesday evening, Feb. 22
David
BNC StartUp is a training ground for entrepreneurs to practice their pitch, receive high-level feedback, and make valuable business connections. Two startups pitch to an audience of entrepreneurs, senior-level executives, angel investors, and venture capitalists. Presentations are followed by an interview with a local entrepreneur or investor who has been very successful. If you are a startup and want to pitch, contact David Carman at: 312-943-6376 or dcarman@BNChicago.com.
Presenters:
1. General System Dynamic (gsysd.com) has developed two data storage management technologies that can potentially save companies tens of millions of dollars in just their first use of the technology. The company has already received inquiries from two large storage vendors (market caps between 650MM & 13BB) with an interest in either licensing the technology or acquisition. The founder/CEO, Brian Greenberg, has 20 years of experience in IT Operations and Management including stints at Motorola, Microsoft, Bloomberg & Citadel.
2. Access My Doc (www.accessmydoc.com/) solves a major problem by providing online mental health care to patients living in rural and underserved areas. The platform is an easy-to-use live video, audio and web-based system that locates psychiatrists based upon select criteria and allows patients to receive psychiatric care from a remote location. The company is in launch mode and has already signed up 5 clinics.
Interview:
Mark Achler is one of the most influential and successful serial entrepreneurs in Chicago. In 1981, he participated in the original launch of the IBM PC. In 1983, he was hired by Apple and served as their worldwide introduction manager. Upon leaving Apple, Mark co-founded the Whitewater Group and later Kinesoft Development. Afterwards, he became a founding general partner in Kettle Partners which was the lead investor in local Chicago companies SurePayroll (sold to Paychex for 115MM in cash) and Novarra (sold to Nokia). Currently, Mark is Senior Vice-President of New Business, Strategy, and Innovation at Redbox (www.redbox.com/) which specializes in the rental of DVD’s and video games via automated retail kiosks.
Details:
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Time: 5:30 – 8 p.m.
Location: Perkins Coie, 131 S. Dearborn, Suite 1600
Admission price: $20 online, $30 at the door. (Price includes appetizers & drinks.)
Registration link: feb2012bncstartup.eventbrite.com
(Online registration ends at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Price does not include registration fee.)
Parking: spothero.com/perkins-coie/bnc-startup-02-22-2012
Evening Agenda:
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Registration & Open Networking
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. 2 companies pitch their ideas
6:30 – 7:00 p.m. Interview
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Open Networking
BNC StartUp is hosted by the law firm of Perkins Coie (www.perkinscoie.com). Perkins Coie represents great companies across a wide range of industries and stages of growth from startups to Fortune 100 corporations.
For more information about BNC, visit our website at: www.BNChicago.com
To learn about the BNC Venture Capital Group, go to: www.BNChicago.com/VC
Become one of our Fans at: www.Facebook.com/BusinessNetworkChicago
Join our LinkedIn Group: www.BNChicago.com/BNC-group
________________________
Thursday, Feb. 23: Julian Pretto and Chicago Micro host a networking gig in the northwest burbs
Subject: RE: Julian, your event notice for this Thursday? Send it now or it’s TMR stockade.
Date: 2/20/2012 3:29:15 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: julian@chicagomicro.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Already over 300 RSVP’s- This has become one of the Premier Business Networking Events in Chicago – Join over 350 biz owners, entrepreneurs, service providers, and technologists – ChicagoMicro invites you to our next business networking event Thursday February 23rd at our state of the art corporate headquarters located in downtown Arlington Heights.
Dude – our business networking events ROCK!
Register here: suburbantech2.eventbrite.com/
Enjoy the opportunity to explore new and emerging products and technologies and network with fellow business owners, service providers, and entrepreneurs! Like every other event we do, we’ll have great food, cool adult refreshments, and excellent giveaways! Bring lots of business cards. There will be multiple drawings for prizes. Business owners are encouraged to bring their employees that handle IT or their outside IT consultants. Experts from companies such as Microsoft, HP, Hitachi, Eaton, Netgear, Adtran, Wyse, Barracuda, Ruckus, Eset, Lexmark, Lifesize and many others will be on hand.
Reserve your spot today! If you have additional questions, contact us at 877.832.4312 or by e-mail at social@chicagomicro.com
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 3:16 PM
To: Julian Pretto
Cc: ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: Julian, your event notice for this Thursday? Send it now or it’s TMR stockade.
____________________________
Tuesday, February 21: MoMo is on Tuesday this time: iTest my Code: OCDSpec and ocslim for the iPhone
Subject: Tomorrow: Join 26 Members at “iTest my Code: OCDSpec and ocslim for the iPhone ”
Date: 2/20/2012 11:55:10 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: info@meetup.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
tomorrow
iTest my Code: OCDSpec and ocslim for the iPhone
www.meetup.com/momo-chicago/events/51835802/?a=md1p_grp&rv=md1p
momo-chicago
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
5:30 PM
Morningstar
22 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Will you attend?
Yes
No

26 Members going, including:
Dave Brace
Nicholas
Bart X. Tubalinal
Eran Miller
Kevin McMahon
YarnUiPhoneApp
This month we are brining you a preview of CocoaConf with Eric’s talk on testing iOS applications. We will also be giving a lucky person a FREE CONFERENCE PASS.
Please note the meetup is on Tuesday instead of Monday.
Topic:
Testing your applicati…
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29 attending
Event Host

Vivek Vaid
Organizer

Ach Ak

Kathleen Virginia Page

Brandon Passley

Nicholas
+1 guest

Bart X. Tubalinal

Dave Brace

Joe Nedumgottil

Jay Krall

Kousha Nejad

YarnUiPhoneApp

Lisa Brown

Jack Holloway

Ray Hightower

varun goel

David Allen

Chad Lilly

Zhaoxia Zhang

william romanchek
+2 guests

Wee Witthawaskul

Kim Egbert

Kevin McMahon

Mike Metz
Timely, I’m in initial testing on 2 iPhone apps to be released soon

James Warren

Eran Miller

Mark Kinsella
4 not attending (see all)
_________________________________
Miscellaneous notes (4 messages)
_______________________
#1: Subject: Re: Anyone else you can think of who belongs on this list?
Date: 2/19/2012 5:06:34 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: slundin@bigfrontier.org
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Drug dead celebs?
Lenny Bruce – you people from the South probably never heard of him
River Phoenix
David Carradine
William Holden – drank himself to death
F Scott Fitzgerald (he was a writer, southern boy)
Here – pick as many as you want: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_drug-related_deaths

On February 19, 2012 at 5:57 PM RONALDMAY@aol.com wrote:

Sid Vicious

Charlie Parker

Ike Turner

Mamma Cass

Jim Morrison

Jimmy Hendrix

Janice Joplin

Kurt Cobain

Amy Whitehouse

Elvis Presley

Michael Jackson
_____________________________
May here. Steve, how does my having lived in Austin, TX and St. Louis, MO make me a Southern boy?
________________________
#2: Subject: Re: Ken, today is a special day.
Date: 2/15/2012 9:45:10 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: kwasch@SIIA.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Thanks Ron….Patrick Spain and I were taking about you a few days ago!

Hope you are well!

Ken
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 15, 2012, at 9:15 PM, “RONALDMAY@aol.com” <RONALDMAY@aol.com> wrote:

February 15, 2012
Ken,

On this day sixty years ago, you came into the world!

Congrats on reaching such an important milestone.

I wish I’d thought of it, but it was your Aunt Harriet who reminded me that this is your very special day.

You’re only as old as you think you are, to use a hackneyed cliche, but you are young at heart and full of energy and enthusiasm for life.

L’Chaim!

Fondly,

Your cousin Ron
_____________________________
May here. For those of you who don’t know, Ken Wasch is one of my first cousins on my mother’s side, and in 1984, he went from being a lawyer for the Energy Department to starting the Software Publishers’ Association, later renamed the SIIA, the Software Information Industry Association, and for six years, Fred Hoch — you may have heard of him — worked at the SIIA under Ken. Ken turned 60 last Wednesday, Feb. 15th, and I got my good wishes in before the clock struck midnight. BTW, Joel Berez was present at the meeting here on Michigan Ave. which formed the SPA, which started out as the software piracy police. Bob Ingersoll has played tennis with Ken, Dick Reck has known him for many years, the same for Candy Renwall, and many others locally. At one time, when the CSA was in drift, Ken was considering taking it over.
______________________________
#3: Subject: Re: Jason, Dan Ehrmann told me about the Founders’ Inst. & told me to contact you.
Date: 2/15/2012 6:01:13 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jason@jacobsohn.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Hi Ron,

Yes, I am facilitating the Chicago chapter of the Founder Institute. Call me tomorrow or Friday to learn more.

thanks,

Jason

Jason Jacobsohn
773-368-0229
jason@jacobsohn.com
www.jacobsohn.com
Follow Me: LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog
—————————————
From: “RONALDMAY@aol.com” <RONALDMAY@aol.com>
To: jason@jacobsohn.com
Cc: ronaldmay@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:44 AM
Subject: Jason, Dan Ehrmann told me about the Founders’ Inst. & told me to contact you.
_______________________________
#4: Subject: Re: Joe, you made the headline of TMR today.
Date: 2/18/2012 8:34:12 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jbbrzoska@aol.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Many years ago while Scott [Upp] still ran DBC and I was working for Jarosz at ASA, I went to lunch with Klegman (who was working for Talman by then). We gossiped about rumors regarding Scott’s adulterous affair with what’s her name. Klegman called someone regarding the rumors that afternoon and Scott hit the ceiling. He called Jarosz demanding I be fired, then he called Rynearson. Gerry gave me a heads up call that Scott was pissed and was going to call me with accusations. He also told me to tell Scott to ‘go to hell’. Scott called and told me that if he ever saw me on the street he would beat the crap out of me. I told him that he knew where ASA had its office and he should come right over. A short time later, Kleinow was running DBC. Ah, memories!
___________________________
May here. Brzoska, you have such talent for story telling. Ask Mike O’Brien about Scott being belligerent and a bit of a bully. Mike actually got pushed around. I never had any issues like that with Scott.
____________________________
END OF REPORT

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

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

(ALL
REPORTS HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED ON THE TMRONLINE.COM SITE AND THANKS TO PROMINIC
FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM)
Otherwise, just go to www.themayreport.com where all
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Louis Brandeis: “Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for
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disinfectants.”
_____________________________
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Join
us for one of our more popular events, our annual Economic Forecast. Our event
manager Tim Curley has put together top notch panelists on this
topic:

Bill Testa, Chicago Federal Reserve Vice President & Director
Regional Economic Research
Priscilla Hancock , JP Morgan Chase Executive
Director
Seema Ackerman, Goldman Sachs Chicago Regional Director within the
broker dealer channels
Heidi Richardson, Director, is a member BlackRock’s
Global Client Group and a Portfolio Consultant for iShares.

Time: 5:30 -
8:00 p.m.
Cocktails and appetizers from 5:30-6:30 program begins at
6:30
Location IBM Innovation Center – 71 S Wacker, Chicago, IL 60606
Fee:
$10 in advance for members (day of event: $20)
$35 in advance for non-members
(day of event: $40)

Register
www.mitefchicago.org
*****************************************
_________________________
TABLE
OF CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– Katy Lynch on the
Edelman Trust Barometer meeting on Monday February 5th — thanks Katy and
readers may also want to check out trust.edelman.com/
– Notice of
hearing in Efoora Chapter 7 case on March 7, 2012 before the Hon. A. Benjamin
Goldgar
– Letter received by Ron May from Laurence Gonzales re: a book he’s
writing on the Survivors of the Crash of United Flight 232, July 19, 1989
[Editor's note: Ron May here. There was a survivor from Chicago named Ron May on
that flight. I am not that Ron May, but for years after the crash I would get
calls from TV and radio stations in Iowa, newspapers too, for the purpose of
interviewing me about the experience. I talked to the Ron May on the flight. He
was a lawyer at Winston & Strawn and he was also at the U. S. Attorney's
office, I believe under Dan Webb. He was also tied to the Moody Bible Institute,
and he told me that the experience changed his life.]
– MoMo: New Meetup:
Near Field Communications (NFC) and don’t forget Tuesday, Feb. 21, iTest my
Code: OCDSpec and ocslim for the iPhone
– Wednesday, Feb. 22: BNC startup
(fka Tech Pitch): General System Dynamic gsysd.com and one other TBA firm, plus Mark
Achler is the interview
– Thursday, Feb. 23: SMCC (at Google): The Future of
Community Management
– Monday, Feb. 27: Technori Pitch: Keynote: Troy
Henikoff (Excelerate); and presenters are Viewpoints – Re-Launch beta.viewpoints.com/, Mole
Detective – Launch www.moledetective.com/, It’s
Agreed – Launch itsagreed.com/,Shortlist -
Re-Launch getshortlist.com/, (and
Jason Goodrich and his team including his wife have now gone from A Space Apart
to Get Short List to just ShortList), 5Degrees – Re-Launch www.5degrees.us/ — and one has to
wonder why a firm as successful as Viewpoints — and it has to be successful,
given how much time Matt Moog (that’s M-oh-g as in the big Mo or just plain no,
not M-oo-g as in noon or moon) spends on doing things other than running his
firm — is doing a re-launch
– Tuesday, Feb. 21: VentureSHOT: Legal Aspects
for Entrepreneurs
– Wednesday, Feb. 29: ACG adds new panelists and company
presentations on Middle Market Investment in Manufacturing & The Midwest
Energy Connection
– Wednesday, Feb. 29: Same event as above but from the
point of view of Midwest Energy Connection, and Clean Energy Trust announces
fireside chat with GE’s Vic Abate at Clean Energy Challenge
– Notice of DCEO
Grant Opportunity – Eliminate the Digital Divide — Outreach events Feb. 23 and
24
– A first look at the battle royale between PR newsletter publisher,
iconoclast and dare I say teller of truth Jack O’Dwyer and the national PRSA
which is run by “deep Southerners” who are trying to goad Jack (80 years’ old)
into a lawsuit and how Jack has now been banned from their meetings — hmm,
sound familiar?, and it’s not even in Chicago!
– Cards Ron collected at the
Illinois Science Council charity fundraiser on 2/4/12 and there are not many
since Monica Metzler made me agree not to ask for cards
– Cards Ron
collected at Built in Chicago on 2/7/2012 at Rocket
– Cards Ron collected at
MoMo on 8/29/2011
– It’s the Smartest Computer In the Room. Beware.
‘The
Fear Index,’ by Robert Harris
__________________________
The Scoop
section:
______________________
Katy Lynch on the Edelman Trust Barometer
meeting on Monday February 5th — thanks Katy and readers may also want to check
out trust.edelman.com/

Subject:
Edelman Trust Barometer Chicago!
Date: 2/15/2012 11:28:33 P.M. Central
Standard Time
From: katy@socialkaty.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Hey Ron,
Apologies for my lack of contact. I was in Connecticut
visiting my dad for four days. (Needed a wee break from work!
Anyway, I’m
happy to share with you my brief notes from the Edelman Trust Barometer!

David Armano and Richard Edelman hosted the event on Feb 6. It took place on
the 66th floor of the Aon Center (the space was huge and pretty impressive!) I
can’t say how many people were there… maybe 75-100?
The central topic
discussed was the shift of trust from government and CEOs/biz leaders to the
employee or sources we trust. There were some interesting stats that Richard
gave about international countries (in Europe, Brazil) that have also seen a
decline in trust in government leaders recently – due to corruption, lack of
action, etc. Richard states government leaders are the least trusted people,
followed by Chief Executives.
David and Richard then discussed why people
trust employees (as well as experts, bloggers) more than biz leaders.
Experts/employees/bloggers utilize social media outlets such as Twitter and
Facebook to communicate with the masses. They spread accurate, credible
information, build up loyalty with their followers, and generally stay on top of
breaking news. Therefore, they are viewed as trusted individuals. Many biz, gov
leaders/CEOs do not utilize social media channels and therefore, due to their
lack of their communication and transparency, are not trusted by the masses.

Richard and David conclude that trust needs to come from the top down.
Employees are already talking about the companies they work for on social media.
CEO’s should be encouraging this behaviour. (Richard and David use Edelman as an
example. Edelman employees utilize social media to communicate with other
employees as well as the masses – it is fully encouraged, which is
great!!)
Happy to share more info with you if you wish, Ron, though I highly
recommend that you check out the video footage that David posted here. darmano.typepad.com (There’s a
great Q&A section at the end.)
Enjoy your evening,
Ron!
Cheers!
Katy
–
President | Founder
SocialKaty, LLC
www.socialkaty.com
203-216-7366
________________________________
Notice
of hearing in Efoora Chapter 7 case on March 7, 2012 before the Hon. A. Benjamin
Goldgar

++++++++++++++++++++++
IN THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY
COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION

In re:
Chapter 7
Efoora, Inc., Case No. 09-20591
Debtor. Hon. A. Benjamin
Goldgar

NOTICE OF HEARING ON FIRST AMENDMENT TO ASSET
PURCHASE AGREEMENT

1. On February 13, 2012, Catherine Steege not
individually but as chapter 7 Trustee for the bankruptcy

estate of
Efoora, Inc. (“Trustee”) filed a Motion to Approve First Amendment to Asset
Purchase

Agreement. This Motion is scheduled for hearing on
Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at 9:30 a.m. before the

Honorable A.
Benjamin Goldgar, in Courtroom 613, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois. A
copy of

the Motion is available for review by contacting the Trustee
at the address set forth below or by going to

the Court’s website at
www.ilnb.uscourts.gov.

2. In the Motion, the Trustee proposes to
enter into an amendment to the Asset Purchase Agreement

between
Applied Biomedical, LLC and Ira Bodenstein, as Receiver for Efoora, Inc. dated
April 4, 2008

(“Original APA”). Under the Original APA, Applied
Biomedical, LLC was obligated to make certain earn

out payments to
the Receiver. The Receiver subsequently filed a chapter 7 petition for Effora,
Inc. and the

Trustee succeeded to his interests under the Original
APA. Applied Biomedical, LLC has been unable to

make any of the earn
out payments and is not likely to be able to make any earn out payments in the

forseeable future. Applied Biomedical, LLC proposes to pay $50,000
to the estate in full and complete

satisfactions of the earn out
provisions of the Original APA. The Court will consider whether to approve

the Trustee’s request to enter into this amendment to the Original
Asset Purchase Agreement.

3. Your attendance is welcome but not
required at the hearing on the Motion. If you have an objection to

the relief sought by the Trustee in this Motion, you must appear at
the hearing.

Catherine Steege (06183529)
JENNER &
BLOCK LLP
353 N. Clark Street
Chicago, Illinois 60654-3456
PH:
312/923-2952
F: 312/840-7352

Dated: February 13,
2012

_____________________________

Letter received by Ron May from
Laurence Gonzales re: a book he’s writing on the Survivors of the Crash of
United Flight 232, July 19, 1989

[Editor's note: Ron May here. There
was a survivor from Chicago named Ron May on that flight. I am not that Ron May,
but for years after the crash I would get calls from TV and radio stations in
Iowa, newspapers too, for the purpose of interviewing me about the experience. I
talked to the Ron May on the flight. He was a lawyer at Winston & Strawn and
he was also at the U. S. Attorney's office, I believe under Dan Webb. He was
also tied to the Moody Bible Institute, and he told me that the experience
changed his life.]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Laurence
Gonzales
3216 Otto Lane
Evanston, Illinois

12 February,
2011

To the Survivors of the Crash of United Flight 232, July 19,
1989

Note: If you were not on this flight, please excuse this letter.
I’m trying to track down as many survivors as possible, and you happen to have
the same as one of them.

Dear Survivors,

I am the
author of numerous books, including the best-seller Deep Survival: Who Lives,
Who Dies, and Why. (For more information, see my web site at
www.laurencegonzales.com)

I am writing to you because I am working on
a book that will include stories from United Flight 232. I am interested in
talking to any survivors who are willing to share their experiences and
thoughts. I am especially interested in how you have done in the years since the
accident.

If you are willing to discuss this, please contact me. My
home address is above, my e-mail address and phone numbers are
below.

Sincerely,

Laurence Gonzales

e:
laurencegonzales@comcast.net
h: 847-866-8323
m:
847-275-7877

______________________________

MoMo: New Meetup: Near
Field Communications (NFC) and don’t forget Tuesday, Feb. 21, iTest my Code:
OCDSpec and ocslim for the iPhone

New Meetup: Near Field
Communications (NFC)
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

momo-chicago
info@meetup.com
Feb 15 (1 day ago)

to ronaldmay

Images are not
displayed. Display images below – Always display images from
info@meetup.com
Title: Near Field Communications (NFC)
When: Mon Apr 23
10:30pm – Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:30am (UTC)
Who: info@meetup.com*
Add to
calendar »
Your Agenda for Mon Apr 23, 2012
No earlier events
10:30pm
Near Field Communications (NFC)
No later events
view my calendar
»
Announcing a new Meetup!
momo-chicago

Near Field Communications
(NFC)
Added by Vivek Vaid
When: Where: RSVP:
Monday, April 23,
2012
5:30 PM
Morningstar
22 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL
60602
Yes
No
In our planning meeting last December, NFC was the number
#1 requested topic. So by popular demand, here it is!
In case you are
wondering, here is the WikiPedia definition “Near field communication (NFC) is a
set of standards for smartphones and …
Learn more
More Meetups from this
group
FEB
21
5:30 PM
iTest my Code: OCDSpec and ocslim for the
iPhone
Morningstar
22 West Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602
19
attending
This month we are brining you a preview of CocoaConf with Eric’s
talk on testing iOS applications. We will also be giving a lucky person a FREE
CONFERENCE PASS. Please note the meetup is on Tuesday instead of Monday. Topic:
Testing your applicati…… MORE
RSVP →
MAR
19
6:00 PM
Nokia
CES Redux
No location yet
32 attending
For those that didn’t get to CES
this year, MoMo Chi is bringing the best of CES directly to you. Nokia – winner
of the Best Smartphone of CES with its Lumia 900 – sponsors this month’s event.
Get hands-on time with Nokia’s newest Win……
MORE

___________________________

Wednesday, Feb. 22: BNC startup
(fka Tech Pitch): General System Dynamic gsysd.com and one other TBA firm, plus Mark
Achler is the interview

Subject: Re: David, is your “Tech Pitch”
event tonight or if not, when is it?
Date: 2/15/2012 7:55:19 P.M. Central
Standard Time
From: davidcarman@sbcglobal.net
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent:
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:37 PM
To: dcarman@bnchicago.org
Cc:
ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: David, is your “Tech Pitch” event tonight or if
not, when is it?
Ron–This is an updated version. Mark Achler of Redbox will
be our special guest for the interview. Hopefully, we’ll have the 2nd company
lined up by tomorrow.
David
BNC StartUp is a training ground for
entrepreneurs to practice their pitch, receive high-level feedback, and make
valuable business connections. Two startups pitch to an audience of
entrepreneurs, senior-level executives, angel investors, and venture
capitalists. Presentations are followed by an interview with a local
entrepreneur or investor who has been very successful.
If you are a startup
and want to pitch, contact David Carman at: 312-943-6376 or
dcarman@BNChicago.com
Presenters:
1. General System Dynamic (gsysd.com) has developed two data storage
management technologies that can potentially save companies tens of millions of
dollars in just their first use of the technology. The company has already
received inquiries from two large storage vendors (market caps between 650MM
& 13BB) with an interest in either licensing the technology or acquisition.
The founder/CEO, Brian Greenberg, has 20 years of experience in IT Operations
and Management including stints at Motorola, Microsoft, Bloomberg & Citadel.

2. TBA
Interview:
Mark Achler is one of the most influential and
successful serial entrepreneurs in Chicago. In 1981, he participated in the
original launch of the IBM PC. In 1983, he was hired by Apple and served as
their worldwide introduction manager. Upon leaving Apple, Mark co-founded the
Whitewater Group and later Kinesoft Development. Afterwards, he became a
founding general partner in Kettle Partners which was the lead investor in local
Chicago companies SurePayroll (sold to Paychex for 115MM in cash) and Novarra
(sold to Nokia). Currently, Mark is Senior VP of Strategy, Innovation &
Business Development at Redbox (www.redbox.com/) which specializes in
the rental of DVD’s and video games via automated retail kiosks.

Details:
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Time: 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Location: Perkins Coie, 131 S. Dearborn, Suite 1600
Admission price: $20
online, $30 at the door. (Price includes appetizers &
drinks.)
Registration link: feb2012bncstartup.eventbrite.com

(Online registration ends at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Price
does not include registration fee.)
Parking: spothero.com/perkins-coie/bnc-startup-02-22-2012

Evening Agenda:
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Registration & Open
Networking
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. 2 companies pitch their ideas
6:30 – 7:00
p.m. Interview
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Open Networking
BNC StartUp is hosted by
the law firm of Perkins Coie (www.perkinscoie.com). Perkins Coie represents
great companies across a wide range of industries and stages of growth from
startups to Fortune 100 corporations.
For more information about BNC, visit
our website at: www.BNChicago.com
To learn about the BNC Venture Capital
Group, go to: www.BNChicago.com/VC
Become one of our Fans at:
www.Facebook.com/BusinessNetworkChicago
Join our LinkedIn Group:
www.BNChicago.com/BNC-group
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent:
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:37 PM
To: dcarman@bnchicago.org
Cc:
ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: David, is your “Tech Pitch” event tonight or if
not, when is it?
Ron–This is an updated version. Mark Achler of Redbox will
be our special guest for the interview. Hopefully, we’ll have the 2nd company
lined up by tomorrow.
David
BNC StartUp is a training ground for
entrepreneurs to practice their pitch, receive high-level feedback, and make
valuable business connections. Two startups pitch to an audience of
entrepreneurs, senior-level executives, angel investors, and venture
capitalists. Presentations are followed by an interview with a local
entrepreneur or investor who has been very successful.
If you are a startup
and want to pitch, contact David Carman at: 312-943-6376 or
dcarman@BNChicago.com
Presenters:
1. General System Dynamic (gsysd.com) has developed two data storage
management technologies that can potentially save companies tens of millions of
dollars in just their first use of the technology. The company has already
received inquiries from two large storage vendors (market caps between 650MM
& 13BB) with an interest in either licensing the technology or acquisition.
The founder/CEO, Brian Greenberg, has 20 years of experience in IT Operations
and Management including stints at Motorola, Microsoft, Bloomberg & Citadel.

2. TBA
Interview:
Mark Achler is one of the most influential and
successful serial entrepreneurs in Chicago. In 1981, he participated in the
original launch of the IBM PC. In 1983, he was hired by Apple and served as
their worldwide introduction manager. Upon leaving Apple, Mark co-founded the
Whitewater Group and later Kinesoft Development. Afterwards, he became a
founding general partner in Kettle Partners which was the lead investor in local
Chicago companies SurePayroll (sold to Paychex for 115MM in cash) and Novarra
(sold to Nokia). Currently, Mark is Senior VP of Strategy, Innovation &
Business Development at Redbox (www.redbox.com/) which specializes in
the rental of DVD’s and video games via automated retail kiosks.

Details:
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Time: 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Location: Perkins Coie, 131 S. Dearborn, Suite 1600
Admission price: $20
online, $30 at the door. (Price includes appetizers &
drinks.)
Registration link: feb2012bncstartup.eventbrite.com

(Online registration ends at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Price
does not include registration fee.)
Parking: spothero.com/perkins-coie/bnc-startup-02-22-2012

Evening Agenda:
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Registration & Open
Networking
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. 2 companies pitch their ideas
6:30 – 7:00
p.m. Interview
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Open Networking
BNC StartUp is hosted by
the law firm of Perkins Coie (www.perkinscoie.com). Perkins Coie represents
great companies across a wide range of industries and stages of growth from
startups to Fortune 100 corporations.
For more information about BNC, visit
our website at: www.BNChicago.com
To learn about the BNC Venture Capital
Group, go to: www.BNChicago.com/VC
Become one of our Fans at:
www.Facebook.com/BusinessNetworkChicago
Join our LinkedIn Group:
www.BNChicago.com/BNC-group
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent:
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:37 PM
To: dcarman@bnchicago.org
Cc:
ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: David, is your “Tech Pitch” event tonight or if
not, when is it?
________________________________
Thursday, Feb. 23: SMCC
(at Google): The Future of Community Management

Subject: SMC Chicago
February 23 event info
Date: 2/17/2012 3:22:22 P.M. Central Standard Time

From: jwillinger@rightpoint.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
The Future of
Community Management register here: smccmgr.eventbrite.com/

What exactly is a community manager? What does it take to become one? Join
Social Media Club Chicago at Google Chicago on Thursday, Feb. 23 to learn
community building techniques from the pros.
Event will feature a lively
discussion of all aspects of community management featuring:
Moderator: Tim
McDonald, Astek senior community manager
Amy Ravit Korin, Google Chicago
community manager
Jessica Murray, Social Media Club community managerSara
Altier, EventBrite event evangelist
Sam Ogborn, Walgreen’s community
manager

To help make managing your community a little bit easier, Google
Chicago will be giving away a Samsung Galaxy Tab! Contest is open to Social
Media Club Chicago and Community Manager UNconference participants who write
Google Places reviews between Feb 8 – 24!
Date: Thursday, February 23,
2012
Time: 5:30 pm- 8:00pm
Location: Google
20 W. Kinzie
St.
Chicago, IL
Best regards,
Jeff
……
Jeffrey S.
Willinger
312.622.2300 cell
jwillinger@rightpoint.com
rightpoint
626
W. Jackson Street Suite 100
Chicago, Illinois 60661
(312) 920-8390 office

(312) 920-8384 fax
www.rightpoint.com
www.linkedin.com/in/jeffwillinger
twitter.com/jwillie
www.facebook.com/jeffwillinger

www.meetup.com/sharepoint
___________________________
Monday, Feb. 27:
Technori Pitch: Keynote: Troy Henikoff (Excelerate); and presenters are
Viewpoints – Re-Launch beta.viewpoints.com/, Mole
Detective – Launch www.moledetective.com/, It’s
Agreed – Launch itsagreed.com/,
Shortlist – Re-Launch getshortlist.com/, (and Jason
Goodrich and his team including his wife have now gone from A Space Apart to Get
Short List to just ShortList), 5Degrees – Re-Launch www.5degrees.us/ — and one has to
wonder why a firm as successful as Viewpoints — and it has to be successful,
given how much time Matt Moog (that’s M-oh-g as in the big Mo or just plain no,
not M-oo-g as in noon or moon) spends on doing things other than running his
firm — is doing a re-launch

Announcing Keynote Troy Henikoff of
Excelerate Labs
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

Technori stories@technori.com
via madmimi.com
12:12 PM (3 hours ago)
to ronaldmay
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displayed. Display images below – Always display images from
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Forward to a Friend Received this from a friend?
Subscribe. View Online
Technori Pitch, February 2012
Get your Regular
Price Tickets in advance–day of event, the price increases to $20.
Tickets
have sold out every single month. Do not wait!
Monday, February 27th,
Technori will host Chicago’s premier monthly showcase of the latest and greatest
in innovative start-ups. Entrepreneurs, developers, designers, tech companies,
investors, and enthusiasts alike will come together to bear witness to the most
innovative Chicago companies presenting their newest products. Read The Next
Web’s recap of the January event.
Announcing Keynote: Troy Henikoff
(Excelerate)
We’re excited to announce Troy Henikoff, CEO and Co-founder of
Excelerate Labs, as our opening keynote this month at Technori Pitch. Troy lives
and breathes Chicago entrepreneurship, so we can’t wait to hear more from him
about this year’s Excelerate program.
Excelerate is a 13-week intensive
accelerator for startups in which 10 companies are selected to build their
business and work with world class mentors, culminating in a demo day where
they’ll show progress and plans to more than 500 investors and mentors from
around the country.
Come hear Troy share the story behind Excelerate and
their aspirations for the Summer 2012 program!
Startups Pitching in February
2012:
Viewpoints – Re-Launch beta.viewpoints.com/
Mole
Detective – Launch www.moledetective.com/
It’s
Agreed – Launch itsagreed.com/
Shortlist – Re-Launch
getshortlist.com/
5Degrees -
Re-Launch www.5degrees.us/

Afterparty at
Rosebud Theatre District
70 W Madison St
Chicago, IL 60602-4252
(312)
332-9500
$5 Domestic Beer
$7 Wine
$12 Pizza
What people are saying
about Technori Pitch:
“A fantastic event full of quality entrepreneurs, great
presentations from the demoing companies, and delicious food/drink. Highly
recommend coming to a future Pitch!” – Tim Jahn,
EntrepreneursUnpluggd.com
“Great presenters, well run and awesome community
of Chicago tech. Must attend for anyone looking to get more involved in Chicago
Tech!” – Brittany Laughlin
“Great networking, very intriguing
presentations…overall, well worth the time. See you at the next one!” – Jim
Snediker
“This is a great way to expose companies to Chicago and be around
thought leaders in the area.” – Pascale Dargis
“Fantastic event! Well
organized and great presentations. Can’t wait until the next one.” – Dave
Chang
“Great crowd, great conversation – Thank you!” – Ludmila
Baklanova
“I loved it” – Marcy Capron
All 500 Tickets Sell Out Every
Month. Do Not Wait. Get Your Ticket!
technoripitchfeb-email.eventbrite.com/
__________________________
Tuesday,
Feb. 21: VentureSHOT: Legal Aspects for Entrepreneurs

TUESDAY FEBRUARY
21ST – Legal Aspects for Entrepreneurs
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

Funding
Feeding Frenzy bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com via icontact.com
4:13 PM (3
hours ago)
to ronaldmay
Images are not displayed. Display images below -
Always display images from bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com

Join Us at
VentureSHOT™ for
Legal Aspects for Entrepreneurs
Crucial Legal Issues of
the Business Lifecycle

Tuesday February 21st from 6:30pm to
9:30pm

VentureSHOT™ Headquarters
744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL
60654

Located on Wells St. / River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block
from the Chicago Brown Line Stop.

We have created a Meetup Group to
make
it easy to RSVP or you can Register Here!

Ron,

This is
an interactive workshop hosted by EFactor that covers crucial tax and legal
issues facing entrepreneurs and their companies during the business lifecycle
from start-up, expansion and exit.

A key part of the workshop will be an
open discussion with fellow entrepreneurs about tax and legal issues they are
facing and what solutions they found to be the most beneficial. You will be able
to learn from others as to how to avoid legal mistakes and solve the problems
you are facing now without spending large amount of money on legal
help.

This event also includes guest speakers, Greg Grove, Principal at
Much Shelist and Alexandra Dowling, Associate at Jenner & Block, among other
legal experts who will give your professional advice on getting the initial
structure right, research tax credits, equity or debt financing from investors,
exit routes as well as the chance to ask your own questions.

Agenda:

6:30pm – 7:00pm Pre-Event Networking Hour

7:00pm -
7:30pm Keynote Speaker
7:30pm – 8:30pm Panel Discussion
8:30pm – 9:00pm
Audience Q&A
9:00pm – 9:30pm Post-Event Networking Hour
9:30pm – Event
ends
$15 for Regular and $20 at the Door
This event will sell out due to
space. Register Now!
Email david@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com or
call David
Culver @ 312-953-9919 for more information.
Also plan on attending other
outstanding VentureSHOT Events!
Chicago’s High Energy Entrepreneur
Center

744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Located on Wells St.
/ River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line
Stop.

What are some of the great things that happen at
VentureSHOTTM?
· VentureSHOTTM Super-Ultra Collaborative Entrepreneurial
Group meetings
· “Meet the Money” Angel Investor and Venture Capital “Meet
& Greet” sessions
· Coaching for Funding Presentations and other
important strategic presentations
· Participation in many valuable Mastermind
Sessions including:

- Founder / CEO “Top Challenges”
- Funding
Challenges and Solutions
- Revenue Growth Strategies
- Strategic Marketing
and Brand Development
- Developing a Powerful Company Culture
· Access to
“Flex-Space” or Private Offices in a fun, highly collaborative and entrepreneur
friendly working environment
Come experience the awesome collaboration
opportunities at Chicago’s newest Entrepreneur Center &
Incubator!

Cheers!
The VentueSHOT
Team.
www.VentureShot.com
___________________________________
Wednesday,
Feb. 29: ACG adds new panelists and company presentations on Middle Market
Investment in Manufacturing & The Midwest Energy Connection

New
Panelists and Company Presentations 2/29
Inbox
x

ACG Chicago
Networking@acgchicago.com
3:55 PM (19 hours ago)
to me
Images are not
displayed. Display images below – Always display images from
Networking@acgchicago.com

Middle Market Investment in Manufacturing
& More
The Midwest Energy Connection brings together ACG’s Middle Market
expertise and the influence of cleantech in manufacturing growth.
February
29, 2012, 8:30 am – 8:00 pm
Venue SIX10, 610 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago,
IL
Don’t Miss this Great Line-up
Register Now

A Premier Conference
for:
Corporate Executives
Lenders
Private Equity
Venture
Capital
Investment Banking
Technology Experts
Targeted Conference
Sponsorships
Available Through Friday
Midwestern Manufacturing Companies
present how stimulus monies are driving their growth. Join us as we develop a
report card on this program.
BLEY, LLC
Bourn & Koch (NEW)
Brad
Foote Gear Works (NEW)
Heidtman Steel Products
Ingersoll Machine Tools,
Inc.
A. Lucas & Sons
MicroLink Devices
PPG Industries,
Inc.
S&C Electric Company
Titan Tool Works
Volt Star (NEW)
More
To Be Announced
“The State of Green Growth” Opening Keynote
Vice Admiral
Dennis McGinn, President of ACORE (American Council on Renewable
Energy)

Panels on Investment, Demand Drivers & Critical Variables of
Green Growth featuring:
Shez Bandukwala, Managing Director, Stifel Nicolaus
Weisel
Kevin Borgia, Executive Director, Illinois Wind Energy
Association
Colleen Chambers (NEW), Business Development Manager, Toronto
Stock Exchange & TSX Venture Exchange
Michael DeRosa, Managing Director,
Element Partners
Michael Gruber (NEW), Partner, Independence Equity
Pete
Kadens, CEO, Socor
Josh Milberg, Vice President, Willdan Energy
Solutions
Paul Neilan, Paul G. Neilan PC
Matt Summy, President/CEO,
Illinois Science & Technology Solution
More To Be Announced
Illinois’
Investment in Green Manufacturing Programs Jonathan Feipel, Deputy Director of
DCEO (Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development)

Evening
Networking Reception with Presenters, Attendees and Investors, Board Members,
and Special Guests from the 3/1 Clean Energy Challenge and the Polsky Center for
Entrepreneurship.
Register Now

www.acgchicago.com/2012energyconnection.aspx
www.ACGChicago.com
| (877) 224-6389
_____________________________
Wednesday, Feb. 29: Same
event as above but from the point of view of Midwest Energy Connection, and
Clean Energy Trust announces fireside chat with GE’s Vic Abate at Clean Energy
Challenge

Fw: Clean Energy Trust announces fireside chat with GE’s
Vic Abate at Clean Energy Challenge
Inbox
x
from: Bruce Montgomery
tatvshow@yahoo.com
reply-to: Bruce Montgomery
<tatvshow@yahoo.com>
to: Ron May <ron@themayreport.com>
cc:
Ron May <RONALDMAY@aol.com>
date: Thu, Feb 16, 2012 at 6:02
PM
subject: Fw: Clean Energy Trust announces fireside chat with GE’s Vic
Abate at Clean Energy Challenge
mailed-by: yahoo.com
signed-by:
yahoo.com
: Important mainly because it was sent directly to
you.

Bruce Montgomery tatvshow@yahoo.com
6:02 PM (17 hours ago)
to
me, Ron
Images are not displayed. Display images below – Always display
images from tatvshow@yahoo.com
Bruce Eric Montgomery
Executive Producer
& Host
Technology Access Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th
Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312)
725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.tatv.org
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
www.facebook.com/brucemontgomery
—–
Forwarded Message —–
From: Clean Energy Trust
<info@cleanenergytrust.org>
To: tatvshow@yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday,
February 16, 2012 2:06 PM
Subject: Clean Energy Trust announces fireside chat
with GE’s Vic Abate at Clean Energy Challenge
Having trouble viewing this
email? Click here
Vice President of Renewables for GE Energy will talk about
the future of new energy
CET Executive Director Amy Francetic will conduct a
fascinating discussion with Vic Abate on the future of renewables, new energy
and energy efficiency at the 2012 Clean Energy Challenge. Mr. Abate runs GE
Energy’s $7 billion global renewable business. Since joining GE in 1990, he has
held leadership positions in generator technology, power generations and
steam-turbine technology. He became an officer of GE in 2003.
Mr. Abate holds
a B.A. in mechanical engineering and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, as well as an MA in mechanical engineering from Union
College.
Highlight: Transportation & Energy Management
The
fundamental goal of any energy management system is to produce goods and provide
services with the least cost and the least environmental impact. Several
companies in both the Student Challenge and the Early-Stage competition are
focused on energy management, including transportation applications.
Student
Challenge:
ATS Motors, Purdue University, ATS is developing six electric
vehicle technologies for motorcycle applications that will create more efficient
and more customizable vehicles.
Design Flux Technologies, University of
Akron, Design Flux provides an all-in-one solution to energy management that
integrates the energy source, the battery’s control system and the application
at a lower cost and higher efficiency than existing products.
SiNode,
Northwestern University, SiNode is commercializing a silicon-based anode for
lithium-ion batteries that achieves high power and large capacity, allowing the
battery to charge quickly and hold charge up to 10 times longer than current
technology.
Early-Stage:
Dioxide Materials, Illinois, Dioxide Materials
develops products for carbon dioxide sensing and remediation, allowing CO2 to be
converted to other products with high efficiency and selectivity. Dioxide’s
first product will be an inexpensive CO2 sensor for demand control ventilation
HVAC systems.
HEVT, Illinois, HEVT developed switched reluctance motor
technologies that provide for high performance, lower cost alternatives to
induction and permanent magnet motors, due to the use of zero rare earth
materials.
Only two weeks left to secure your place at Venue SIX10 for the
2012 Clean Energy Challenge! Don’t forget to use your special “FRIENDOFCET”
discount code to save $100 off your full priced ticket!

Energy Week
Events
Midwest Energy Connection
February 29, 2012
Venue
SIX10
Hosted by ACG Chicago
A Premier Conference for Corporate Executives,
Lenders, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Investment Banking, & Technology
Experts for Investment in Energy Related Firms
Opening Keynote by
Vice
Admiral Dennis McGinn, ACORE
Speakers from
DCEO, IWEA, SoCore, ISTC and
Willdan Energy Solutions
Presentations by
12 Illinois manufacturing
companies on their successes and use of Green Manufacturing Grants
Booth
Energy Forward 2012
March 2, 2012
Gleacher Center
Hosted by The Chicago
Booth Energy Group and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
This annual
event provides a unique opportunity for today’s energy business leaders,
entrepreneurs, and innovators to interact with graduate students with the goal
of shaping insightful, structured strategies for challenges that lie
ahead.
Highlights:
Three keynote presentations from energy industry
leaders and four diverse panels: Energy Entrepreneurship; Future of Fossil
Fuels; Renewable Energy Revolution; Power Generation and the Future of Nuclear
Power.

200 South Wacker Drive
Suite 1500
Chicago | Ilinios |
60606
Have an inquiry?
_____________________________
Notice of DCEO
Grant Opportunity – Eliminate the Digital Divide — Outreach events Feb. 23 and
24

Subject: Notice of DCEO Grant Opportunity – Eliminate the Digital
Divide — Outreach events Feb. 23 and 24
Date: 2/17/2012 4:23:30 P.M.
Central Standard Time
From: leo@howehutton.com
To: leo@howehutton.com

CC: barbara.webster@broadbandillinois.org

Colleagues,

See the posting the Thursday Feb 23 in person
briefing session in Chicago and the Feb. 24 webinar statewide,

which was
distributed to DCEO Eliminate the Digital Divide Grant Program Master List by
DCEO’s Joey Mak,

assistant deputy director of Office of Enterprise,
Innovation and Technology.

Partnership for a Connected Illinois is
assisting DCEO in spreading the word about this $4 million digital literacy

instruction grant program ($75,000 top grant $40 average grant) in all
10 DCEO opportunity returns regions.

Applications are due March
16.

Layton Olson

Consultant to Partnership for a Connected
Illinois

Chicago

312-263-3001

www.broadbandillinois.org

————————————————-

From: Mak,
Joey [mailto:Joey.Mak@Illinois.gov]

Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 9:36 AM
To: Mak, Joey
Subject: Notice
of DCEO Grant Opportunity – Eliminate the Digital Divide

NOTICE OF
GRANT OPPORTUNITY

ELIMINATE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

FY’12 GRANT
PROGRAM

SUMMARY: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity is announcing the release of the Fiscal Year 2012 Request for
Application (RFA) for the Eliminate the Digital Divide Grant Program (EDD). Full
details on the program and eligibility requirements, along with a downloadable
copy of the application, can be found here.

PROGRAM GOAL: The goals
of the Eliminate the Digital Divide Grant Program are to increase access to
computers and telecommunications technology and provide training to residents of
low-income communities through the establishment of Community Technology Centers
(CTCs).

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS INCLUDE:

· Public
Libraries

· Not-for-Profit Organizations

· Park Districts

·
Schools (K-12 & institutions of higher education)

·
Hospitals

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: The period of performance will be from
June 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. The approved budget will cover expenses for
the same period of time.

DUE DATE: Proposals must be received by the
Department by no later than close of business on March 16, 2011. Respondents
much submit an original and three copies along with an electronic submission of
the completed format provided to:

Illinois Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity

Eliminate the Digital Divide Grant
Program

100 W. Randolph St., Suite 3-400

Chicago, IL
60601

Ceo.DigitalDivide@illinois.gov

UPCOMING
INFORMATION SESSIONS:

DCEO will provide prospective applicants with
two information sessions. If you would like to participate in either, please
RSVP to Joey.Mak@illinois.gov.

In-Person Information
Session

Thursday, February 23, 2012

9:00 am-12:00 pm

Michael A. Bilandic Building

160 N. LaSalle Street
5th
Floor Auditorium
(Room C500)

Chicago, IL

Online
Webinar

Friday, February 24, 2012

10:30 am-12:00 pm

On
the morning of the webinar, go to illinoisworknet.na5.acrobat.com/dceotraining/.
Select the “Enter as a guest” option and type in your name to log into the
webinar. No password is required. For full details, visit
WWW.ILDCEO.NET/DIGITALDIVIDE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please visit
the Eliminate the Digital Divide webpage or contact Joey Mak at
Joey.Mak@illinois.gov or by calling (312) 814-2384.

Thank
you,

Joey Mak

Assistant Deputy Director

Office of
Entrepreneurship, Innovation &
Technology

___________________________________

A first look at the
battle royale between PR newsletter publisher, iconoclast and dare I say teller
of truth Jack O’Dwyer and the national PRSA which is run by “deep Southerners”
who are trying to goad Jack (80 years’ old) into a lawsuit and how Jack has now
been banned from their meetings — hmm, sound familiar?, and it’s not even in
Chicago!

[Editor's note: May here. I talked for about 30
minutes to Jack O'Dwyer and I have a lot of notes. The short version is that the
PRSA is a bloated, self-serving, arrogant organization which has been trying to
bait Jack int a lawsuit for years. Meanwhile, Jack says they've robbed him
blind. From my point of view, whatever their differences, no organization should
be banning a journalist or reporter. Not only is it unethical, it is conduct
unbecoming for a professional organization. It's a black mark on the PRSA and
I'll have more details for you.

Check out the
following:

www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2011/08/31/the-case-of-jack-odwyer-vs-prsa/

beheardaustin.com/3048/the-rift-between-prsa-jack-odwyer/

And watch this video!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPOPJSz4fA

This is great - look at this response from the PRSA - they created a
policy surrounding him!

media.prsa.org/article_display.cfm?article_id=2318

More to come.]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: PR
Society busts on O’Dwyer
Date: 2/10/2012 3:02:22 P.M. Central Standard Time

From: jack@odwyerpr.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com, ron@themayreport.com

Hi Ron:
Thanks so much for your interest. I need all the friends I
can get. So
far friends like the National Press Club and PR Watch (which

criticizes biz and gov. PR) are not enough.
Here is a link to one of my
PRS stories (I don’t use the “A” for
America with them any more because of
their anti-press, anti-member
and anti-democratic policies).
www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/3432-PRSA-Blocked-Coverage-of-Exhibitor-Story.html
It
has links to the four-pager on the massive illegal copying that PRS
engaged
in from 1980-94 (reaching 3,800 info packets a year in the
early 1990s) and
the 23-page of charges against me (not one word of
which is true–it’a all
distorted and hyped up).
I started to reply to their false charges on PRS’s
own website but
VP-PR Art Yann shut down the dialogue after four days
(although most
web dialogues stay up indefinitely).
PRS, while making
lots of money from our articles (we were by far the
most copied) denounced
me to members and anyone who would listen. It’s
currently accusing me of
telling “flat-out-lies” on various blogs
without ever naming one such lie.
The powerful h.q. staff had payroll
of $5.6M in 2010 for about 50 people. It
loves to go to distant cities
for the annual four-day conference and live
high on the hog for a week
to ten days. That’s why there has only been one
New York conference in
28 years although NY costs the least (no travel for
35 staffers
needed) and draws the biggest crowd (4,000 in 2004).
Please
study some of this stuff and we can talk further. They are
winning so far
because they don’t listen to anyone, members included.
Rosanna Fiske, 2011
chair, visited two of the 110 chapters last year.
She and the other leaders
are staff are in hiding from the members
(and me!).
Cordially,
Jack
(212/725-0254 is home and office is
646/843-2090)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: O’Dwyer blog on
PRS/NY
Date: 2/11/2012 10:53:10 A.M. Central Standard Time
From:
jack@odwyerpr.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com

Hi
Ron:
Thanks for your interest in this. Another new ally is John Doyle who

wrote about PRS’s folly in trying to redefine PR (“Hold the Bernays”).

It’s on our site.
Lots of voices are springing up now to challenge the
dictatorship at
PRS which is run lock, stock and barrel by the overpaid
staff (about
50 people share the payroll of $5.6 million which is well over
half of
income when payroll should be 35%).–Jack

Blog:
PRS NY
Chapter Is Strangely Passive. Why??O?Dwyer
Monday, Feb. 13, 2012
One PRS
Conference in NYC in 28 Years!
The New York chapter of the PR Society is the
biggest single
city-based chapter with 600+ members but is strangely passive
when it
comes to relations with national.
National Capital is No. 1 but
it draws members from Virginia and
Maryland as well as D.C. Georgia, No. 2,
draws members from the
entire state.
Although former NYC president and
former national treasurer Art
Stevens said in 2009 that–from a financial
standpoint–the national
conference should be in New York every third year,
the current
schedule has it in New York once in 28 years and still
counting.
There was a NY conference in 1990 and one in 2004 which drew a
record
turnout of 4,000.
San Francisco is the site this year and
Philadelphia next year. Cities
have been picked for at least the next three
years but what they are
is a secret.
No one from PRS/NY will even ask
national staff or leaders. Normally
the cities would be in the board minutes
but PRS stopped publishing
board minutes in 2011. It has yet to publish the
minutes of the 2011
Assembly.
Not Aware of Selection Process
Stevens
said current chapter leaders are not aware of how national
picks conference
sites.
We are. National leaders have told us that chapters pitch hard to have

the conference in their cities. Philadelphia bested the NY chapter

several years ago and won the 2013 conference even though the 2007

conference was in that city.
A key argument was that Philadelphia hotels
are cheaper than New
York?s and this allows members from throughout the U.S.
to attend.
That argument is pretty silly because very few members attend the

conference?less than 4% said 2005 chair Judith Phair. The annual

attendance list supports that?the 1,600 registrants last year were
7.6%
of the 21,000 membership total but that figure included hundreds
of
non-members.
A sizable proportion are forced to go?the 270 Assembly delegates
and
the 150+ speakers.
Vast time, effort and money are spent on the
conference which benefits
a small minority of the members. It is beloved of
the staff. Up to 35
spend a week to ten days at the conference city on the
PRS exchequer
(not to mention advance trips).
NY Is Only Choice for Many
Groups
Fifty-three groups currently hold their annual conferences at New

York?s Javits Center and nine hold more than one event there each
year.
They wouldn?t dream of going to some other city.
The complete list is at the
end of this blog but one of them is the
Manhattan Accessories show (MODA)

www.baolink.com/shows/moda_manhattan_accessories_the_show_fame/

that attracts 8,000 buyers and is held five times a year at Javits.
It?s
in New York because New York is the fashion capital of the U.S.
The PRS
conference should be in New York every year because it has
about 20 times
the concentration of PR, media, advertising and related
communications
people–a built-in audience that does not need to take
hotel
rooms.
Plenty of attendees at the other shows take hotel rooms in the city

and the extra cost is deemed to be well worth it.
Harry Zlokower of
Zlokower Co. PR www.facebook.com/zlokower is

president of the chapter and Lea-Ann Germinder of Germinder & Assocs.

www.facebook.com/leaann.germinder
is president-elect. Sandra
Fathi www.affect.com/company/management
of Affect is immediate
past president. Stevens is a director.
Corbett in
Town but Ducks NY Chapter
PRS chair Gerry Corbett was in town in recent days
as evidenced by the
interview conducted with him by Scott Van Camp of PR
News.
?PR News sat down with Corbett to discuss the Society?s goals, the

challenges of being a PR pro, and the latest hot PR topics,? wrote Van

Camp Feb. 8.
Why didn?t Corbett present himself to rank-and-file New York
members
or the rest of the PR press? Since the chapter is so distanced from

national, we doubt it even knew Corbett was in town.
No national
chair/president has addressed the chapter in more than 20
years although
this was a requirement of that post until the 1980s.
A ?hot PR topic? no
doubt is Dave Carr?s New York Times column Jan. 29
bit.ly/xjjvuB in which he said
hard-to-find PR pros deliver
?slop? that is ?meant to obscure rather than
reveal.?
Van Camp: ?What about PR?s reputation with the general
public??
Corbett: ?I believe these cases of poor management are in the

minority. We tend to hear more about the bad cases, and not about the

good work being done out there by PR. I?d say it?s an anomaly. I
believe
PR pros continue to elevate in stature within their
organizations??
Click
here for the full text. bit.ly/ybpcwC
We don?t know what he?s
talking about, either but it?s about time
someone at the Society faced the
reality of PR?s standing with the
public.
PRS and the Rockefeller
Foundation spent $150K on a survey published
in 1999 that showed ?PR
specialist? ranked 43rd on a list of 45 public
figures. We doubt it has
improved. A Gallup poll last summer showed
ad/PR had dipped five points
lower in the past five years.
bit.ly/q2Tl3v Only 32% have a positive
view while 37% have a
negative view.
15 Questions for Corbett
1. When
will members get the minutes of the four board meetings last
year and the
minutes of the Assembly that was held Oct. 15, 2011?
2. Will there be an
in-person meeting of the board later this month or
will it be by telephone
which it was last year?
3. Will you reveal the terms of the new three-year
contract of COO
Bill Murray which starts this month? Federal law says
members must be
told the salaries of the top eight executives of an
association but a
loophole allows an association to delay filing IRS Form
990, which has
this data, until Nov. 15 of the following year.
4. Will
you provide the 2012 Assembly with the 990 after three years
of it being
withheld from that body?
5. Will you correct Society membership materials to
warn new members
that they will be unable to hold national office or serve
on the
Ethics Board until they pay another $410 and become Accredited?
6.
Will you stop the false financial reporting to members that books
dues as
cash when the Financial Accounting Standards Board requires
dues to be
booked month-by-month?
7. Will you remove from the Society newsroom the
?media policy? that
requires you and all officers and members to check with
VP-PR Arthur
Yann or his staff before responding to a press inquiry?
8.
Will you continue the Society boycott of O?Dwyer staffers although
this has
been condemned by the National Press Club and PR Watch?
9. Do you agree with
Yann?s statement that the Society has every right
to block any reporter from
covering the Assembly?
10. Will you let members see the national list of
Assembly delegates,
something that has been denied them since 2005? Will you
again make a
transcript of the Assembly available members and press?
11.
Will you reveal your speaking schedule to chapters or elsewhere or
will it
be a closely guarded secret as it was for Fiske last year?
12. Do you favor
allowing reporters to join the Society and thus have
access to PRS financial
reports?
13. Can you come up with any reasons why the membership list should

not be available on a PDF?
14. Will you restore the complete list of h.q.
staffers so members can
see who is working for them and check staff
turnover? Only seven of
the 50+ staffers are now listed on the site.
15.
Will you again publish the list of 110 chapter presidents as a
single
document, saving chapter presidents and others the job of
visiting 110
chapter websites to get this information?
Annual Events at Javits
Center
The Center?s Special Events Hall can seat up to 3,200 for

theater-style meetings and receptions and 1,700 for banquets. Its

newly-renovated 75 meeting rooms have flexible walls that allow for

expansion. The Center has nine self-contained halls and hosts 80 major

trade shows and 70 special events yearly.
MODA
(Manhattan/AccessoriesTheShow/Fame, five times
Children?s Club, three
times
TexWorld USA, twice
MRKET/Vanguard, twice
New York Int?l Gift
Fair, twice
Jewelry Assn., twice
Fashion Coterie/Sole Commerce,
twice
Curve Expo New York, twice
PriMed, twice
New York Boat
Show
Value Merchandise Expo
National Retail Federation
IT Roadmap
Conference & Expo
American Int?l Toy Fair
New York Times Travel
Show
New York Wine Show
New York Int?l Restaurants & Food
Show
Trade Tech East
Gay/Lesbian/Bi-Sexual Transgender
Int?l Vision
Expo
New York Int?l Automobile Show
Int?l Beauty Show
Int?l Esthetics
Cosmetics Spa
ASIS New York Chapter Show
Interphex
Buildings New
York
ASI Show
Robin Hood Dinner Dance
Int?l Contemporary Furniture
Fair
National Stationery Show/Supply Side/Surtex
Book Expo
America
Cloud Computing Expo
Int?l Franchise Expo
HBA Global
Expo
The Bar & Restaurant Show
Accessories/Circuit/Intermezzo
Collections
ASD New York
Interop
SMX East
Circle of Sisters
New
York Comic Con/Anime Festival
Meet the Breeds
Biz Bash
Photo Plus
JA
Special Delivery
Int?l Security Conference
NYC Marathon Expo
AD Tech
Expo
Customer Engagement Tech World
Int?l Hotel/Motel/Restaurant
Show
Boutique Design
Content & Communications
Greater NY Dental
Meeting
______________________________
Cards Ron collected at the Illinois
Science Council charity fundraiser on 2/4/12 and there are not many since Monica
Metzler made me agree not to ask for cards

Eric
Crabtree
imperialzinc.com
tree11@hotmail.com
Laura Gladfelter
School
psychologist who
Chris [no last
name]
developer
www.spoton.com
chris@spoton.com
Maurice
Ball
Mechanical Engineer
Fermi National Accelerator
Laboratory
reese@fnal.gov
Lisa
Oldson
www.SexualHealth.com
www.analytehealth.com
lisaoldson@analytehealth.com
Tom
Ruginis
Science
Promoter
LetUbeU
www.letubeu.com
letubeu@gmail.com
Frank
Valadez
Executive Director
History Education
Center
www.chicagohistoryfair.org
fvaladez@chicagohistoryfair.org
Michael
Askew
Director
Clever Angle
askew@cleverangle.com
Dean
Marano
Groupon
Developer 9of tools for finding more clients in Ruby on
Rails)
dean.marano@gmail.com
Marc V. Richards
Intellectual Property
Attorney
Brinks Hofer Gilson &
Lione
www.usebrinks.com
mrichards@brinkshofer.com
Samuel
Crider
Senior
Artist/Animator
NetherRealm
www.netherrealm.com
scrider@netherrealm.com
Joanna
Mandecki
jmandecki@uchicago.edu
Ph.D. student under Paul Sereno at the
Univ. of Chicago
www.paulsereno.org/
Organismal biology
Dissertation is
on fish
______________________________
Cards Ron collected at Built in
Chicago on 2/7/2012 at Rocket

Jonathan R. Pasky
CEO/
President
TechWeek
www.techweek.com
jon@techweek.com

Megan
Kashner
Founder/CEO
Benevolent
www.benevolent.net
megan@benevolent.net

Lauren
Wolf
Sales
Specialist
Inxpo
www.inxpo.com
lwolf@inxpo.com

Vanessa Kentris
Smith
Director, Agency
Relations
EdoInteractive
www.edointeractive.com
vanessa.smith@edointeractive.com

Drew
Brennan
Senior Account
Executive
EdoInteractive
www.edointeractive.com
drew.brennan@edointeractive.com

Lauren
Tarasewicz
Social Media & Marketing
Coordinator
Sittercity
www.sittercity.com/corporate
ltarasewicz@sittercity.com

Jen
Kraska
Client Manager, Corporate
Division
Sittercity
www.sittercity.com/corporate
jkraska@sittercity.com

Scott
Roberts
Favo.rs
favo.rs
scottroberts@favo.rs

Leda
Woods
Principal
Gensler
leda_woods@gensler.com

Danica
Tiu
Social Media & IT
Manager
www.belgianexperts.com
danica.tiu@gmail.com

Todd Edward
Jones
Every.Last.Morsel.
everylastmorsel@gmail.com

Kurt
Hanson
Founder/CEO
AccuRadio
kurt@accuradio.com

Chris
Parker
Developer
Peters &
Associates
www.peters.com
chris.parker@peters.com

Steve Omans

CEO
Deal Me Health
steve@dealmehealth.com

Anastacia
Morhayeva
Senior Technology
Recruiter
ForteGroup
am@4tegroup.com

David
Almario
CEO
Delivered
Innovation
www.deliveredinnovation.com
dalmario@deliveredinnovation.com

Jeff
Cohn
CIO
RootAxcess
www.rootaxcess.com
jcohn@rootaxcess.com

Praveen
Gupta
Accelper
Consulting
www.accelper.com
praveen@accelper.com

Jeffrey
Canty
Co-Founder
www.bromance.me
jeffrey@bromance.me

Golli
ghashemian@gmail.com

Lauren
Haynes
Information Technology Manager
Ounce of Prevention
Fund
www.ounceofprevention.org
lhayne@ounceofprevention.org

Shirlee
Berman
Product
Manager
HomeFinder
www.homefinder.com
sberman@homefinder.com

Tracy
S. Schmidt
Manager
Tribune Media
Group
www.tribunemediagroup.com
tsschmidt@tribune.com

Adam
Howitt
adam@walkjogrun.net

Steven J. Thayer
Partner
Handler
Thayer
www.handlerthayer.com
sthayer@handlerthayer.com

Michael
Weishuhn
WyzAnt
www.wyzant.com
michael.weishuhn@wyzant.com

Bruce
Montgomery
Mentor
www.scorechicago.org
tatvshow@yahoo.com

Daniel
C. Cole
Partner
Handler
Thayer
www.handlerthayer.com
dcole@handlerthayer.com

Andrew
Geant
CEO
WyzAnt
www.wyzant.com
andrew.geant@wyzant.com

Michael
Sallander
President
ChicagoDigital
mikes@chicagodigital.com

Brandon
Robins
Co-Founder
OurLabel
www.ourlabe.com
brandon@ourlabel.com

Jeff
Kenny
jeff@walkjogrun.net

Kison
Patel
President
Fiexe
www.fiexe.com
kison@fiexe.com

Jon
Kovar-Tooke
Systes & Business
Analyst
Navteq
www.nn4d.com
jon.kovar-tooke@navteq.com

Joy
Turnes
Product
Manager
HomeFinder
www.homefinder.com
jturnes@homefinder.com

Daniel
F. Verkis
Founder/CEO
Safety
Book
www.safetybook.org
dan@safetybook.org

Kristina
Winters
Marketing
Specialist
Navteq
kristina.winters@navteq.com

Craig
Darlow
Embellishable
www.embellishable.com
craig@embellishable.com

Michael
Topalovich
CTO
Delivered
Innovations
www.deliveredinnovations.com
mtopalovich@deliveredinnovations.com

Brian
K. Langham
Partner
Blackman
Kallick
blangham@blackmankallick.com

Michael J. Furr
Glencoe
Capital
mfurr@glencap.com

Scott Sipiora

ssipiora@gmail.com

Patrick Foley
ISV Architect
Evangelist
Microsoft
patrickfoley.com
patrick.foley@microsoft.com

John
D. Klisch
Partner
Blackman
Kallick
jklisch@blackmankallick.com

Michael B. Gray

Attorney
Neal Gerber
Eisenberg
www.ngelaw.com
mgray@ngelaw.com

Nicole Van
Haverbeke
Technical Sales Consultant
Merrill
Corp.
nicole.vanhaverbeke@merrillcorp.com

Zach Haller
Found in
Town
www.found-in-town.com
zach@found-in-town.com

Ella
Life
Venue
Cricket
www.venuecricket.com
ella@venuecricket.com

Jason
Silver
We Just Match
jason@wejustmatch.com

Matthew
Kornblatt
Right Fit
Chicago
www.rightfitchicago.com
matthew@rightfitchicago.com

Dave
Chung
President/CEO
Weatherist.com
dave@weatherist.com

Andrea
Moran
Managing Director
Marengo Hampshire
Partners
www.marengohampshire.com
andrea@marengohampshire.com

Kevin
Willer
President/CEO
Chicagoland Entrepreneurial
Center
www.chicagolandec.org
kevin@chicagolanded.org

Adam
Mark
adam.w.mark@gmail.com

Josh Cole
Business Development
Lever
Interactive
www.leverinteractive.com
jcole@leverinteractive.com

Aya
Catalina Ibarra
Chicago Booth
aibarra@chicagobooth.edu

Steve
Greenberg
Environmental Advocate
School of the
Soil
www.localplanet.org

Zoe Blackwell
Sales and Marketing
Manager
DLS Software
Studios
www.dlsstudios.com
zblackwell@dlsstudios.com

Alex
Lumley
Associate Consultant
Bain &
Co.
alex.lumley@bain.com
Jeremiah
Wilson
linkt.me
jmatwilson@gmail.com

Tom
Brown
Livebytransit.com
tbrown@livebytransit.com

Frank
Muscerella
CEO
Markitx

Mark
Lawrence
Co-Founder
Spothero
mark@spothero.com

Jeremy
Smith
Co-Founder
Spothero
jeremy@spothero.com

Dan
Hess
CEO
Local Offer Network
dhess@localoffernetwork.com

Jason
Geater
Chairman/CEO
Solvusoft Corp.
levrige@gmail.com
Brad
Desent
Kapil Chaudhary
Seth Kravitz
Robert Jordan
Matt Moog
Sam
Yagan
_________________________________
Cards Ron collected at MoMo on
8/29/2011

Philip F. Garofalo
Software
Engineer/Principal
Vavatini
Software
philg@vavatini.com

Tim
october67@hotmail.com

Amit
Jesani
CTO
Safety Book
amit@safetybook.org

David
Allen
Founder/President
Quantum
www.qmobilesolutions.com
dallen@qmobilesolutions.com

Brian
Moran
Marketin Manager
brian_moran@mindspring.com

Andrew
Davidson
Maker of Intuitive
Things
www.userbridge.com
andrew@userbridge.com

Dave
Bost
Developer Evangelist
Micrososft Visual
Studio
dave.boost@microsoft.com

Timothy E. Curley
Financial
Advisor
UBS
www.ubs.com
timothy.curley@ubs.com

Andy
LaFond
Critical Mass
alafond@criticalmass.com

Todor
Krecu

Sheena Chandok
Co-Founder
Mobile (Dev)
Sync
www.mobiledevsync.com
schandok@mobiledevsync.com

Scott
Cotter
Operator Web
Services
Nokia
www.nokia.com
scott.cotter@nokia.com

Luke
Hogan
luke@lukehogan.com

Simon
Hunt
simon.fe.hunt@nokia.com

Kathleen Virginia Page
Events
Coordinator
Apple
www.apple.com/northmichiganavenue
page@apple.com

Dan
Novaes
Co-Founder
College Media
Group
daniel@collegemediagroupllc.com

Josh Holden
Executive
Producer
TapTrend
www.taptrend.com
josh@taptrend.com

Phil
Thompson
Export Radet
Swedish Trade
Council
www.swedishtrade.se
phillip.thompson@swedishtrade.se

Robert
Strube
Nansen, Inc.
robert.strube@nansendigital.com

Mark
Ferry
Consultant
Romdarch
mferry@romdarch.com

Eric
Bingen
eric.c.bingen@gmail.com

Greg Ortega
Business
Advisor
gregoryortega7@gmail.com

Paul Simmons
Strategic Account
Director
Yahoo
www.mobile.yahoo.com
simmons@yahoo-inc.com

Jimmy
Bremner
Slalom Consulting
www.slalom.com
jimmyb@slalom.com

Ryan
Flynn
Assistant
VP
Chase
www.chase.com
ryan.t.flynn@chase.com

Kylim
Daz
Developer
MorningStar
kylim.daz@morningstar.com

Akiwumi R.
Attawia
Roadway Planning

akie@redradius.com
_____________________________
It’s the Smartest
Computer In the Room. Beware.
‘The Fear Index,’ by Robert
Harris

www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/books/the-fear-index-by-robert-harris.html
Books
of The Times

It’s the Smartest Computer In the Room. Beware.
‘The Fear
Index,’ by Robert Harris

By MICHIKO KAKUTANI

Published: January
26, 2012
The title of Robert Harris’s new thriller, “The Fear Index,” comes
from the volatility index, or VIX – also known as the “fear index” – which
measures expectations of violent swings in the market, as Wall Street watchers
know from the harrowing meltdown of 2008. This fleet-footed, if sometimes hokey,
novel takes place in the rarefied world of hedge funds, featuring one that has
achieved huge returns by short-selling and using trading algorithms that “thrive
on panic.”

Enlarge This Image

The Times/in
Syndication

Robert Harris
THE FEAR INDEX

By Robert
Harris

286 pages. Alfred A. Knopf. $25.95.
.
It’s an energetically
researched tale based on one of the back stories to the crash of 2008: bankers’
hiring of physicists to devise hugely complex trading programs that few really
understand, and those new strategies running dangerously amok. It’s also a
familiar story of hubris and its fallout.
In fact, “The Fear Index” – like
such recent novels as Kevin Guilfoile’s “Cast of Shadows” (2005) and Laurence
Gonzales’s “Lucy” (2010) – is a variation on that ever-popular template, Mary
Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Once again, we’re introduced to a scientist who dares
to play God by creating a new form of life (in this case, a computer program
named VIXAL that evolves into a form of artificial intelligence). Once again,
that new being leaves a spiral of havoc in its wake.
To underscore the
Frankenstein parallels, Mr. Harris sets his novel in Geneva, where Mary Shelley
conceived the idea for the original, and uses as an epigraph to his opening
chapter a quotation from that earlier novel: “Learn from me, if not by my
precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge,
and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world,
than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.”
Weaving
copious research into a breathless narrative, much as he did in his historical
best sellers, “Fatherland” and “Pompeii,” Mr. Harris in the opening chapters
does an agile job of limning the elite world inhabited by Dr. Alexander
Hoffmann. He is a brilliant scientist who helped create computer systems used to
analyze data generated by the giant particle accelerator known as the Large
Hadron Collider near Geneva and who is now the brains behind a wildly successful
hedge fund that uses secret algorithms, based on his earlier work on “emergent
machine reasoning.”
Once given a task, Hoffmann’s program can, in theory,
“operate independently and teach itself at a rate far beyond the capacity of
human beings.” One incarnation correlates “recent market fluctuations with the
frequency rate of fear-related words in the media – terror, alarm, panic,
horror, dismay, dread, scare, anthrax, nuclear.”
Along the way Mr. Harris
introduces us to the quantitative analysts, or “quants,” at Hoffmann Investment
Technologies, who have helped their boss’s machine deliver the fund’s
astonishing 83 percent returns: geeks who are a far cry from the macho masters
of the universe depicted in so many Wall Street novels and movies. He also
introduces us to the phenomenally rich investors, who have allowed the company’s
slick frontman, Hugo Quarry, to talk them into handing over their millions to a
computer program.
Expounding upon themes that will be familiar to his loyal
readers, Mr. Harris explores both the promises and perils of technology, and, as
in his first novel, “Fatherland” – which imagined what might have happened if
Nazi Germany had won World War II – he expertly conjures a paranoid world where
everyone seems to be watching everyone else.
Hoffmann, who bears more than a
passing resemblance to Tom Jericho, the gifted and high-strung World War II code
breaker in Mr. Harris’s “Enigma,” suffers a head injury when he surprises an
intruder in his house. After this harrowing encounter, he begins to suspect that
someone is not only stalking him, but also perhaps impersonating him. His e-mail
and bank account may have been hacked and used to make mysterious purchases; the
security codes at his home appear to have been stolen; and his office, too,
seems to be under surveillance.
Mr. Harris intermittently manages the
delicate balancing act of making the reader wonder whether the VIXAL algorithm,
like HAL in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” has in fact gone rogue, or whether Hoffmann
is losing his grip – perhaps his head injury has affected his thinking; perhaps
he’s having a nervous breakdown, as he did years ago.
At one point Hoffman
muses that “VIXAL was purely mechanical and possessed no emotion or conscience”
- that it “had no purpose other than the self-interested pursuit of survival
through the accumulation of money,” but if “left to itself, in accordance with
Darwinian logic,” it would “seek to expand until it dominated the entire earth.”
One could “no more pass moral judgment on it,” he thinks, “than one could on a
shark. It was simply behaving like a hedge fund.”
Oddly enough, Mr. Harris
turns out to be considerably more adept at making the complicated fiscal
strategies employed by hedge funds comprehensible to the reader than he is at
persuading us that VIXAL could have actually made the leap to artificial
intelligence. There is a series of scenes that cleverly dovetail events in the
story with the “flash crash” of May 6, 2010 (when the Dow fell more than 600
points in a matter of minutes), but the later sections of the novel feel
increasingly silly and contrived, like excerpts from a bad Michael Crichton
novel.
In the end, VIXAL seems less like a plausible villain than like a
metaphor for the greed and heedlessness that overtook Wall Street around the
turn of the millennium and that resulted in the calamities of 2008 and their
continuing reverberations.

A version of this review appeared in print on
January 27, 2012, on page C35 of the New York edition with the headline: It’s
the Smartest Computer In the Room. Beware..
__________________________
END
OF
REPORT

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

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

(ALL REPORTS HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED ON THE TMRONLINE.COM SITE AND THANKS TO PROMINIC FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM)
Otherwise, just go to www.themayreport.com where all the articles are archived and the search function on the new site is now working

Louis Brandeis: “Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.”
_____________________________
**************************************
Join us for one of our more popular events, our annual Economic Forecast. Our event manager Tim Curley has put together top notch panelists on this topic:

Bill Testa, Chicago Federal Reserve Vice President & Director Regional Economic Research
Patricia Klawitter , PIMCO Vice President in New York Office and Sr. Product Specialist in PIMCO’s Global Wealth Management Group.
Seema Ackerman, Goldman Sachs Chicago Regional Director within the broker dealer channel C
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Cocktails and appetizers from 5:30-6:30 program begins at 6:30
Location IBM Innovation Center – 71 S Wacker, Chicago, IL 60606
Fee: $10 in advance for members (day of event: $20)
$35 in advance for non-members (day of event: $40)

Click here to register
mitefchicago.org/
*******************************
___________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– Briefly noted, by Ron May
– Jon Pasky on the current status of Techweek 2012
– Groupon to Present at Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference – Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:50 AM (PT)
– Groupon Hires Paul Taaffe to Improve Public Image [Editor's note: May here. Preetam Kaushik writes that "Prior to Groupon’s IPO, Co-founder and Chairman Eric Lefkofsky told Bloomberg News that he expected the company to become “wildly profitable.’’ That is a big SEC bozo – no no. Groupon had to amend its filing, which may have delayed the IPO, and also tell investors to disregard the comments."
Preetam, while I don't doubt that your facts are correct, the 'wildly profitable' comment originally dates back a number of years and was cited in both a lawsuit filed several years ago against Eric Lefkofsky, et. al., tinyurl.com/86favac which I republished. And we re-ran the Barron's article which ran on Jan. 15, 2007. That article contained the full quote. tinyurl.com/82kb6pk
My point is just that Eric's comments were not just restricted to Groupon, but had been made with respect to Inner Workings.
The more important issue is that Andrew Mason has an independent mind and he can adhere to his views stubbornly. So Preetam, my question is why you think he'll follow Paul Taafle's advice when he clearly did not follow the advice of his predecessor Brad Williams. I know a bit about the strain in the Williams/Mason relationship from the reporter I talked to months ago at USA Today. USA Today had Brad Williams ready to talk and tattle, but at the end he chickened out.]
– Scott Roberts: Whatever happened to ReTel Technologies?
– Jason Rexilius on what happened to his time with Brad Flora at NowSpots and to his old phone #
– Chris Hill: PerkSpot Announces Launch of Spotlite, Benefits Enrollment Application
– Jess Loren: Update on what happened Since Leaving the Sync
– Jeremy Smith: Likes Technori — and we talked for quite a while as he was in line for a haircut so I have the much more to add to this note
– Dan Ehrmann: His number and we also talked quite a while which I’ll cover later today
– Layton Olson: Internet Extension in 2012 & 150th Anniversary of the Morrill Act: Connecting Residents and Businesses to Fiber and Wireless – Broadband Illinois and Layton has sent several other notes
– Groupon (Kind of) Arrives in Thailand
– Groupon Plans a Revamping of Website
– THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16TH – VentureSHOT: Brown Baggin’ Bootstrappers Collaboration Sessions
– MoMo Chicago: New Meetup: Nokia CES Redux
– Thursday, February 23, 2012 Milwaukee event for Inventors/Entrepreneurs
– The Lightbank portfolio page as of 2/13/12: Is Where I’ve been run by Craig Ulliott (Katy Lynch’s www.socialkaty.comboyfriend) and sold to Boston-based TripAdvisor in 2011 the only exit out of the roughly 30 investments thus far?
– New World Ventures Invests in BeachMint [Editor's note: May here. Here's where things get interesting. Note that Lightbank (see above) invested in this San Diego company too, but evidently in an earlier round. What's up? Is New World copycatting Lightbank, and why did Lightbank not participate in this round?]
– Monday, Feb. 27: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable – “Content Marketing – What and How to Write for the Web,” speaker Andy Crestodina
– Phil Tadros: Article: The mad dash to remove something before the deadline, and this article by Jason fried about removing features before the deadline remind me of the talk given by Marianna Swallow – mariannaswallow.com – “Why You Should Do Something Poorly on Purpose” at Ignite Chicago last Monday, Feb. 6th
– People With Easy-To-Pronounce Names More Likely To Succeed, Study Says
______________________________
The Scoop section:
_____________________
Briefly noted, by Ron May

* I haven’t been goofing off, but it may seem that way since the last report was last Wednesday morning at 7am. I had meetings on Feb. 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th.
I still have not forgotten SMCC/CFA (Jan. 25, 2012), MIT-EF (Jan. 17, 2012), the IL Sci. Council party (Feb. 4th), CCEA (Jan. 19, 2012), Built In Chicago (Feb. 7, 2012), Ignite Chicago (Feb. 6th) and even going back to the CEC in December.
The amount of material that has accumulated in the last week or so has me snowed under.
It will take four more reports to clear the deck.
1. Jack O’Dwyer and his experience being banned from attending the PRSA after years as a thorn in their side. It makes Jack, who is an icon at 80 years of age, a comrade in arms. By comparison to Jack’s struggles, my battles with Hoch and Howerton, TiE-Midwest, The Chicago Innovation Awards, iBIO, Tim Courtney and Social Dev Camp, BNC Tech Pitch and VC Group (Len Bland and David Carman) and others look like a minor border skirmish.
2. Dan Ehrmann, Club Express and the Founders’ Institute represented by Jason Jacobsohn.
3. Chris Tomes, ICTV, Ben Blake, Jenna L., Kendra, ecstasy, cocaine, scams and hookers. To quote one woman — and about four have contacted me in recent months — “Chris is such an awkward strange man that any woman in her right mind would not want to go to bed with him” adding that this is why he pays women for s**. But I don’t care about that. I care that he’s still scamming investors and screwing over employees which he continues to do since the days of Veritel in Chicago before he and brother Ed fled to Michigan and then on to Toronto.
4. Venkata Majeti, a founding member of TiE, called me out of the blue and had some interesting things to say.
5. Sitter City. I have a long and detailed anonymous letter about the firm and I’m trying to check it out.
6. Chris Sweis and JunoWallet. They have 51 employees, including part-time and contractors; they did $150K in revenue in December 2011, $600K in January 2012, and they’re on track to do $3MM in February 2012. In 54 days, they’ve had 500,000 installation with no money spent on advertising or promotion. That is in contrast to Groupon, Sweis told me Tuesday morning at 1am while he’s out in California. He said that Groupon has spent $50MM on mobile in the last two years and JunoWallet has the same number of installations as Groupon.
BTW, Todor Krecu does own stock.
7. What happened to the folks at www.thepoint.com? The people were dumped. I need to check out a guy named Sean (Shawn).
8. SpotHero’s business model pivot.
9. Technori and Phaxio, Moosejaw, and the general structure of the meeting, according to Jeremy Smith.
10. The Michael Kurgan lawsuit, and I was served the papers about 9pm last Wednesday night.
11. Jason Rexilius and Brad Flora, Techweek, the current Lightbank portfolio, etc., some of which are covered in this report.
12. Sam Yagan on CNBC’s program Love @ First Byte and my question for Sam.
13. Local social media power couples and more…
14. No, Nancy, we have not forgotten you as Gulley goes off to Latin America.
15. Bill Lederer.
* A few words to know:
Apiphobia
fear of bees
Xanthophobia
fear of the color yellow
Nihilophobia
fear of nothing
Gephyrophobia
fear of bridges
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
fear of long words
Hylophobia
fear of wood, forests and trees
Turophobia
fear of cheese
Ichthyophobia
fear of fish
Trichophobia
fear of loose hair
* Factoid of the day: The average length that a share is held in the U. S. is now 22 seconds. There is a new book ‘The Fear Index,’ by Robert Harris which is based on this fact.
____________________________
Jon Pasky on the current status of Techweek 2012

Subject: Re: Jon, you were giving me the current #s last night, but I didn’t write them down
Date: 2/13/2012 10:26:27 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: jon@techweek.com
Reply To:
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

What numbers are you looking for, Ron?

Let me know and I’ll get them to you.

As to the deadline: We have our SessionCast voting which ends at 11:59pm CST on Feb. 16 for the over 500 sessions that were submitted for Techweek 2012. Go to sessioncast.techweek.com to vote. We will be announcing our first slate of speakers and sessions on Feb. 22.

-Jon

Jonathan R. Pasky | CEO
Techweek | o 312.624.9214 | m 219.331.1794

Chicago 222 W Hubbard St, Suite 200 | Chicago, IL 60654
San Francisco 972 Mission Street, Fifth Floor | San Francisco, CA 94103
techweek.com | Twitter | Facebook
Techweek 2012 Conference & Expo — June 22-26, 2012 | Chicago
On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 3:17 PM, <RONALDMAY@aol.com> wrote:
___________________________
May here. I just got off the phone with Jon Pasky at about 3:15pm Monday. We had talked briefly at Rocket last Monday night (2/6/12) at the built in Chicago
Last year they had just 45 submissions for speakers. This year they had 500!
They had 200 speakers last year and will have the same this year, but last year they had to do their own sourcing.
This year, the speakers are coming to them.
Last year they gad 35 start-ups competing. This year they are picking from a pool of 1,000 start-ups versus last year — and don’t hold me to this — I think the pool was about 200.
The result is that they can get better start-ups and be more picky.
They will also have many more demo tables, he said.
Jon said that they expect attendance of 5,000 people this year. Man, that’s a lot of business cards.
I asked him about one major complaint I got last year from which was the lack of national media like Tech Crunch and Wired Magazine.
Jon said that they have a person dedicated to national media partnerships and relationships this year.
Translation: Techweek is growing up and the word is out now.
________________________________
Groupon to Present at Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference – Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:50 AM (PT)

Subject: Groupon to Present at Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference – Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:50 AM (PT)
Date: 2/12/2012 4:04:22 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: tatvshow@yahoo.com
To: ron@themayreport.com
CC: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Groupon to Present at Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference
CHICAGO — (www.twitter.com/techaccesstv) –Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRPN) today announced that Andrew Mason, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, will present at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:50 AM (PT) at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
A live webcast of the presentation will be available at cc.talkpoint.com/gold006/021412a_lr/?entity=29_LGO326S.
The recorded webcast will be available within 24 hours at investor.groupon.com/events.cfm.
Please contact Goldman Sachs for additional details regarding the conference.
About Groupon:
Groupon, launched in November 2008 in Chicago, features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, eat, see and buy in 47 countries around the world. Groupon uses collective buying power to offer huge discounts and provide a win-win for business and consumers, delivering more than 1,000 daily deals globally. To subscribe for the best deals in your city, visit www.groupon.com. To learn how to become a featured business, visit www.grouponworks.com.
Press Contacts
Groupon, Inc.
Kartik Ramachandran, 312-999-3098
ir@groupon.com

Bruce Eric Montgomery
Executive Producer & Host
Technology Access Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312) 725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
www.facebook.com/brucemontgomery
__________________________________
Groupon Hires Paul Taaffe to Improve Public Image [Editor's note: May here. Preetam Kaushik writes that "Prior to Groupon’s IPO, Co-founder and Chairman Eric Lefkofsky told Bloomberg News that he expected the company to become “wildly profitable.’’ That is a big SEC bozo – no no. Groupon had to amend its filing, which may have delayed the IPO, and also tell investors to disregard the comments."
Preetam, while I don't doubt that your facts are correct, the 'wildly profitable' comment originally dates back a number of years and was cited in both a lawsuit filed several years ago against Eric Lefkofsky, et. al., tinyurl.com/86favac which I republished. And we re-ran the Barron's article which ran on Jan. 15, 2007. That article contained the full quote. tinyurl.com/82kb6pk
My point is just that Eric's comments were not just restricted to Groupon, but had been made with respect to Inner Workings.
The more important issue is that Andrew Mason has an independent mind and he can adhere to his views stubbornly. So Preetam, my question is why you think he'll follow Paul Taafle's advice when he clearly did not follow the advice of his predecessor Brad Williams. I know a bit about the strain in the Williams/Mason relationship from the reporter I talked to months ago at USA Today. USA Today had Brad Williams ready to talk and tattle, but at the end he chickened out.]

Groupon Hires Paul Taaffe to Improve Public Image
Inbox
x

from: Bruce Montgomery tatvshow@yahoo.com
reply-to: Bruce Montgomery <tatvshow@yahoo.com>
to: Ron May <ron@themayreport.com>
cc: Ron May <RONALDMAY@aol.com>
date: Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 12:33 PM
subject: Groupon Hires Paul Taaffe to Improve Public Image
mailed-by: yahoo.com
signed-by: yahoo.com

Bruce Montgomery tatvshow@yahoo.com
12:33 PM (3 hours ago)
to me, Ron
Images are not displayed. Display images below – Always display images from tatvshow@yahoo.com
Groupon Hires Paul Taaffe to Improve Public Image
By Preetam Kaushik – Daily Deal Media February 12, 2012

www.dailydealmedia.com/546kindling-a-publishing-revolution/

Timing is everything. In a recent post, I featured Bradford Williams the exGroupon VP that joined Weber Shandwick. I had pondered with whom and when Groupon would announce a replacement. Lo and behold, my queries have been answered. Groupon has hired public-relations expert and executive Paul Taaffe to handle its communications. Personally, I believe this is extremely positive considering the numerous publicity mishaps that have transpired over the past 14 months.

Groupon has been pounded by the media every chance it gets. The company has found itself in hot water for accounting practices, controversial Super Bowl commercials (notice there was NO ad this year) and SEC violations during it’s pre – IPO quiet period. Granted, Groupon is young (as are the majority of its employees) and according to Mr. Taaffe, during a recent phone interview, is still learning how to communicate with the public.
Enter Paul Taaffe, age 50, who had been Chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton, a unit of WPP Plc. Lucky for Groupon Mr. Taaffe was available. He had resigned as CEO in January 2011, yet still acted as Senior Advisor. On being hired by Groupon, Paul had this to say; “It’s a disruptive company and it’s one of the fastest- growing companies on the planet. I saw the opportunity to help manage that growth and tell Groupon’s story better.”

Paul’s 20-plus years in the public-relations industry will be certainly be tested. He has already begun working with the 31 year old Groupon Co-founder and CEO, Andrew Mason. If Paul isn’t aware of the quirkiness, office pranks and off beat sense of humor that Groupon has become branded with, then it’s just a matter of time.

Scolded in public
During Super Bowl 45, Groupon aired an ad that critics said made light of repression in Tibet. It’s true that Andrew Mason apologized and then puill the ads, however the damage had been done.

Prior to Groupon’s IPO, Co-founder and Chairman Eric Lefkofsky told Bloomberg News that he expected the company to become “wildly profitable.’’ That is a big SEC bozo – no no. Groupon had to amend its filing, which may have delayed the IPO, and also tell investors to disregard the comments. As if that really works. Unless Groupon has learned some secret Vulcan mind melding technique or is able use mass hypnosis via Clicky the wheel, the public and certainly the media won’t forget or disregard comments like that.

It’s a good thing that Paul believes in Groupon and Andrew Mason. The two of them will be working together as the young CEO gains experience running a multi billion dollar and publicly traded company. Paul goes on to say that”I think he (Andrew Mason) is incredibly talented and despite his still- young age I think he has matured quickly.”

Groupon has agreed to let Mr. Taaffe remain in New York while planning frequent visits to the company’s headquarters in Chicago and technology operations in Palo Alto, California.

Hey Paul, perhaps while you are in New York you can do something to reverse the direction of Groupon’s (GRPN). The stock dropped over $3 on the week or 13% of its value. Granted GRPN is still trading above its IPO pricing of $20, however, there remains a high possibility of a secondary offering within the next six to nine months. Ideally for those already invested, the share price should be above $22.25 as that announcement is made. Any secondary offering will be dilutive to earnings that are already negative.

I wonder if the old “Blue Horseshoe Loves Groupon” would work?

Bruce Eric Montgomery
Executive Producer & Host
Technology Access Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312) 725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
www.facebook.com/brucemontgomery
_______________________________
Scott Roberts: Whatever happened to ReTel Technologies?

Subject: RE: Scott, whatever happened to ReTel Technologies? You saw me last night at Rocket.
Date: 2/8/2012 3:25:22 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: scott@reteltechnologies.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

We are still running it right now. We were in TechStars as part of the 2009 class with it. It actually changed a bit since last time we presented to you. ReTel became a crowdsourced video analytics engine for restaurants and retailers. We were able to successfully raise money www.crunchbase.com/company/retel-technologies and were a finalist in the AWS startup challenge aws.amazon.com/startupchallenge/2009/. The business has become more consulting focused based on how our customers ended up using our product and our technology is rather mature at this point. Since we had a mature product, our investors wanted us to try and build a more scalable and less consulting intensive product, so we built Favo.rs to try and achieve that goal.
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com [mailto:RONALDMAY@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 3:15 PM
To: scott@favo.rs
Cc: ronaldmay@aol.com
Subject: Scott, whatever happened to ReTel Technologies? You saw me last night at Rocket.
_____________________________
Jason Rexilius on what happened to his time with Brad Flora at NowSpots and to his old phone #

Subject: Re: Jason, I ran into Chris from SpotOn. What happened w/ you and NowSpots?
Date: 2/8/2012 8:51:51 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jason@hostedlabs.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
Hey Ron,
Hmm.. that’s quite old news, almost a year ago now? Nothing big, it
was early on and Brad and I weren’t seeing eye to eye. Nothing
disastrous and we’re on fine terms. That’s the start-up game.
Tried given ya a call earlier but went to voice mail. Hows things
been with you?
-jason

On 2/8/12 9:43 AM, RONALDMAY@aol.com wrote:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Re: Jason, I ran into Chris from SpotOn. What happened w/ you and NowSpots?
Date: 2/11/2012 10:22:19 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: jason@hostedlabs.com
Reply To: contact@jasonrexilius.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
Not much fanfare but there was obviously a little tension although
nothing newsworthy. Those things are rarely a cozy chat over tea but I
personally didn’t think it was some big blow up, but maybe I’m just not
as excitable as other people. It was primarily personality but that
also manifested itself in disagreements on strategy. I think we were
actually pretty well aligned on business philosophy though.
My old phone number (847.208.1000) was on ATT and I dropped that at the
end of 2010 (I kept the ATT until its contract ran out but stopped using
it basically so for a while had 2 phones), long before Brad and I parted
ways. I switched to Sprint as ATT service was such crap and decided I
wanted a personal phone instead of a business/personal so got a new
number rather than porting the old.
Long before partnering with Brad I had started doing consulting work in
the defense space, freelance, part time. For a while that became full
time and involved _a lot_ of travel. So I had very little time here in
Chicago to keep up with the tech scene, which is probably why we haven’t
bumped into each other or had the opportunity to give you my new #.
I did get a public personal number which is on my website if you had
googled me looking for one 847.868.3536.
So that’s the dope on that. How’s things going with you? You ever get
a new website up?

On 2/10/12 9:56 PM, RONALDMAY@aol.com wrote:
> Feb. 10, 2011
> Jason . sounds good but don’t feed me bs. We’ve known each other too
> long. I heard that you left with “fanfare.”
> So, what was the issue(s) between you and Brad?
> Was it biz philosophy, personality clash, what, and try to be specific?
> What is your current phone #?
> The 847-288-1000 has been disconnected. What happened there?
> I was embarrassed for you when I tried your # while I was at the IL
> Science Council party last Saturday night.
> The fact that it was disconnected only added to the perception that
> you’re a little different. Now ain’t that like the pot calling the
> kettle black?
> Ron
> In a message dated 2/8/2012 8:51:51 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> jason@hostedlabs.com writes:
>
> Hey Ron,
>
> Hmm.. that’s quite old news, almost a year ago now? Nothing big, it
> was early on and Brad and I weren’t seeing eye to eye. Nothing
> disastrous and we’re on fine terms. That’s the start-up game.
>
> Tried given ya a call earlier but went to voice mail. Hows things
> been with you?
>
> -jason
>
>
> On 2/8/12 9:43 AM, RONALDMAY@aol.com wrote:
_______________________________
Chris Hill: PerkSpot Announces Launch of Spotlite, Benefits Enrollment Application

PerkSpot Announces Launch of Spotlite, Benefits Enrollment Application
Inbox
x
from: Chris Hill chill@perkspot.com
to: The May Report <ron@themayreport.com>
date: Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 10:59 AM
subject: PerkSpot Announces Launch of Spotlite, Benefits Enrollment Application
mailed-by: perkspot.com

Chris Hill chill@perkspot.com
10:59 AM (8 hours ago)
to me
Ron,
Please see our announcement below …
Best,
Chris
PerkSpot Announces Launch of Spotlite, Benefits Enrollment Application
New Business Unit Delivers Easy Solution for Enrolling Voluntary Benefits
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 14, 2012
PerkSpot, a leading provider of corporate perks and benefits programs, today announced the launch of Spotlite, its new brand and business arm that delivers premier benefits enrollment technology.
Spotlite is a web-based enrollment application that was built to provide the level of engagement and education necessary to help employees make benefits decisions during open enrollment. With the corporate benefits environment evolving toward a consumer-centric model, employers and employees have not been armed with the requisite tools to keep pace with the shift.
Spotlite uses its SaaS technology to fill this growing need for a contemporary communication and enrollment platform. As employees are transitioned into consumer-directed health plans, voluntary benefits, and health insurance exchanges, they take on more of the cost and choice responsibilities. Meanwhile, employers are forced to rely on antiquated enterprise software, paper applications, or a disjointed multi-carrier system model to enroll their benefits.
Leveraging the company’s roots in consumer web and marketing, Spotlite built its application to improve employee education about their benefits. Unlike benefits administration or enterprise resource planning systems, Spotlite was designed with users in mind and offers an intuitive application that taps video and layman’s terms to educate employees vs. simply taking orders.
The Spotlite online enrollment application was also built to improve employer efficiency. Spotlite’s communication services, self-service technology and robust data integration capabilities can help simplify HR processes and minimize workplace disruption.
Spotlite’s system also has the industry’s premier voluntary benefits enrollment module, dramatically simplifying the delivery of voluntary benefits. It can be easily deployed with minimal financial or time investment, allowing employers and brokers to turn on voluntary benefits cases quickly and easily.
To learn more or request a demonstration of the Spotlite application, please go www.spotlite.com.
About Spotlite & PerkSpot
Spotlite and PerkSpot will operate as sister brands, both serving to simplify the delivery of employee benefits and perks. While Spotlite will be utilized for the one-time, annual enrollment of benefits, PerkSpot will continue to deliver employee perks and specialty benefits through the year via a private, customized employee portal. Each service can be leveraged independently or in conjunction, depending on employers’ needs.
In just over five years, Spotlite and PerkSpot (collectively “Spotlite”) have attracted a premier client list representing over 4.0 million corporate employees and members. Clients include Fortune 500 corporations, state and local governments, school districts, and other affinity groups.
Additional information on the brands can be found at www.spotlite.com www.perkspot.com.
____________________________
Jess Loren: Update on what happened Since Leaving the Sync

Subject: Since Leaving the Sync…
Date: 2/13/2012 2:59:13 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jloren@kambiogroup.com
To: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com
CC: eswiderski@kambiogroup.com

Hi Ron-
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to update you on things since my company left the SYNC. We recently went through a merger and the release below explains what were are up to.

Thanks!
Jess
Chicago Companies Synchronize Social Media & Cloud Computing
Mix Media Solutions LLC and GreenCanyon LLC merge strategy and delivery to form Kambio Group LLC.
Two leading Chicago creative & consulting agencies, Mix Media Solutions LLC and GreenCanyon LLC, have merged to form Kambio Group LLC: a modern combination of social media expertise and business technology solutions. Kambio Group specializes in brand and social media unification, technology strategy, streamlining business architecture and lowering costs of technology infrastructure through cloud computing.
Edward Swiderski, founder of GreenCanyon and former winner of ABC’s reality show “The Bachelorette,” says that the merger fuses traditional technology with disruptive innovation. “We have the business infrastructure to support enterprise customers, while still operating with a culture of entrepreneurialism,” says Swiderski, “Kambio focuses on agility and flexibility rather than pushing paper and red tape—our customers deploy in weeks, not months.”
The merger unites the business accomplishments of two experienced entrepreneurs: Jess Loren, founder of Mix Media Solutions and co-founder of ChiTown Deals and Swiderski, who was also Services Executive at Microsoft Enterprise Services. The group also includes M. Jay Farrand, who has over 25 years of business executive leadership. Kambio Group aims to assist growing and established businesses with progressive changes in the technological and social media landscapes.
“Even going into 2012, many executives are still confused about what social media can bring to their organization,” says Loren, “At Kambio, we bring social media back to reality. Corporations often try to connect with groups rather than individuals. It’s also about finding and resonating with influential group leaders.”
Kambio Group unifies a business’s web presence by both connecting with their target audience and reducing the costs of next-generation web technologies. “I see Kambio Group’s potential and we intend to jointly create market-leading products and services,” says Ron Gabaldon, Managing Director of InnerWorkings, Inc. This strategic partnership will strengthen our core offering. New-wave technology will be critical to the future of print management, and Kambio Group is at the forefront.”
Kambio Group officially launches on February 6, 2012. Its official website can be found here: kambiogroup.com. You can also follow Kambio Group on Twitter (@KambioGroup).
ABOUT: Kambio Group LLC specializes in brand unification and social media presence with next-generation cloud platforms and frameworks. With sophistication in CRM, content management, e-commerce and custom web development, Kambio Group counters today’s business challenges with innovative and successful solutions–while preventing vendor lock-in.
###
–
Jess Loren
Kambio Group | Cloud. Social. Web.
312-480-1085
700 N. Carpenter | Suite 102 | Chicago | IL | 60642
_____________________________
Jeremy Smith: Likes Technori — and we talked for quite a while as he was in line for a haircut so I have the much more to add to this note

Subject: Re: Jeremy, give me your off the top of your head summary of the Technori meeting.
Date: 2/8/2012 8:05:34 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jeremy@spothero.com
Reply To:
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Ron,
Not sure which Technori meeting you’re talking about, but here’s what I think about Technori
-awesome group
-great pitch events, showcasing some really promising companies
-fantastic connectors
-Seth and Val are good friends and I’m really supportive of them
All in all, they are probably one of the closest group of friends I have in this community (true story)… sorry there wasn’t anything juicer for you
Hope all is well
Jeremy

On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 4:39 PM, <RONALDMAY@aol.com> wrote:
Jeremy Smith
Co-Founder SpotHero Inc.
spothero.com
c 847.997.5916
__________________________
Dan Ehrmann: His number and we also talked quite a while which I’ll cover later today

Subject: Re: Dan, the calls are coming in about your goof. What’s your number? I’ll call you.
Date: 2/8/2012 5:03:19 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: dan@clubexpress.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

It’s on the business cards you’ve been collecting from me for years: 847–255-0210
Also on our website – www.clubexpress.com.

From: <RONALDMAY@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 18:00:50 -0500
To: Dan Ehrmann <dan@clubexpress.com>
Cc: <ronaldmay@aol.com>
Subject: Dan, the calls are coming in about your goof. What’s your number? I’ll call you.
___________________________
Layton Olson: Internet Extension in 2012 & 150th Anniversary of the Morrill Act: Connecting Residents and Businesses to Fiber and Wireless – Broadband Illinois and Layton has sent several other notes

Subject: Internet Extension in 2012 & 150th Anniversary of the Morrill Act: Connecting Residents and Businesses to Fiber and Wireless – Broadband Illinois
Date: 2/14/2012 11:57:43 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: leo@howehutton.com
To: leo@howehutton.com
Colleagues,
Land-grant universities and community colleges in Illinois and in every state are America’s economic development engines since the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1880. Today, Internet Extension networks for business, residents, government and community institutions are critical to a competitive networked America of 95 to 100 perecent connectivity in the next few years. See: broadbandillinois.org/news/101
In 2012, Partnership for a Connected Illniois will be encouraging Gigabit Communities under Illinois Gov. Quinn’s recently announced $6 million competition. What’s happending in your state? What kind of exhibition will your state university be showcasing June 27-July 8 on the National Mall during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s Morrill Act celebration?
Layton Olson
Consultant to Partnership for a Connected Illinois
Chicago
312-263-3001
www.broadbandillinois.org
_____________________________
Groupon (Kind of) Arrives in Thailand

www.dailydealmedia.com/127groupon-arrives-in-thailand-kind-of/
Groupon (Kind of) Arrives in Thailand
By Stephanie Taylor, Daily Deal Media February 13, 2012

inShare
7
Thailand is prepared to welcome Groupon with open arms and Groupon has finally declared (quietly) that it’s there.
ThumbsUp, a Thai tech blog has discovered that Groupon’s Thai website has gone live, but has yet to offer any deals. It’s more of an introductory site, which allows customers to register emails to receive a notice for when the service is launched.
It was speculated that the launch would come early in 2012, and that appears to be correct, although the domain name is slightly different than one would expect. Thai consumers would expect to see “groupon.com.th”, but instead, they’ll be visiting Groupon.biz, as the logical domain was attacked by ‘cyber squatters’.
Groupon hired its Thai management team and hiring for sales consultants is ongoing. Groupon.bix is advertising on the Thai Visa forum for the positions, stating the site “is looking to build our founding team and develop Groupon Thailand into a regional power”.
Groupon Thailans is being led by Trip Wagoner, President and Managing Director, who ran CrazyZeal in India. Detsche Telecom consultant Damian Kemner is serving as managing director and CEO. Other positions include: Surawat Promyotin (sales director) and Bela Gupta (COO), and Jay Neesanant, national sales and strategic partnerships.
It’s not yet clear if Groupon is launching with the partnership of an already-established group buying site in the region, like LivingSocial did with Ensogo. A partnership with Sanook, a Thai internet firm makes the most sense, as it runs a coupon service and has a relationship with Tencent, Groupon’s Chinese partner.
Groupon’s corporate team and Thai reps haven’t commented yet, but we’ll keep you updated with any incoming news.
Source: TheNextWeb
Short URL: www.dailydealmedia.com/?p=27439
___________________________
Groupon Plans a Revamping of Website

www.dailydealmedia.com/642groupon-plans-a-revamping-of-website/
Groupon Plans a Revamping of Website
By Don Young Jr – Daily Deal Media February 13, 2012

inShare
2
It’s not all about image
Chicago based Groupon has a new look in the works for its website. The shares of the daily dealing gorilla continue their spiral downward, dropping another $1.58 (7.5%) today. GRPN shares closed at $19.45 down $5.13 (20.8%) in just three trading sessions.
Groupon went public in November, 2011 and even though the company posted a massive 194% increase in revenues (%506.5 million), it appears from outside the picture as though the company is struggling. Groupon is planning to reformat its website to include “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” buttons. Hummm, sounds similar to Facebook’s ‘Like’ or Pandora’s ‘thumbs up / thumbs down’ buttons.
According to Andrew Mason, Groupon CEO, “our goal is six months from now, when you go to Groupon, it’s going to look and feel very different. It’s going to be a much more robust and refined service that immediately jumps off the page.” In my opinion, while having a site that jumps off the page may be a good thing, as a shareholder I’d rather see earnings jump onto the bottom line.
The new and improved website will also incorporate more prominent links to the Groupon Now service. This platform offers deals that are only valid for a limited amount of time. Bloomberg reported that Groupon has also hired photographers to take original images of local businesses that offer deals. Go figure. That was a suggestion that we, at Daily Deal Media, made on numerous occasions last summer.
What is the real point?
While I believe that creating more interaction between members and deals or adventures (depending on how the thumbs are used) is a step in the positive direction, I don’t think a site revision will change perceptions. Groupon is anticipating a 1% to 9% increase in revenues next quarter verses the one just stated. Even if you assume the high side of that equation, say $550 million in revenues, if the company doesn’t show a profit of at least 3 to 5 cents a share, a revamped website won’t help anything.
As a matter of fact, it’s my assumption that adversaries to the daily deal industry and to Groupon will use this as ammunition against the company citing arguments along the line of ‘why waste money into a site revision that adds absolutely nothing to the bottom line?’ After all, that would have meant two quarters in which over a billion dollars in revenues were booked with zero earnings.
With the shares trending below the IPO price of $20 and considering that Groupon most likely will want or need to place a secondary offering in the next six to nine months, I’d think it would be more important to tighten the belt and get that share price above the $22 level. Any dilution in shares (ie, a secondary offering) will most likely knock the price of GRPN shares down.
If the website revision is able to enhance merchant or user retention that becomes a different animal altogether.
Feel free to drop me a line on any thoughts or comments.
Source: Fox Business
Short URL: www.dailydealmedia.com/?p=27458
_____________________________
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16TH – VentureSHOT: Brown Baggin’ Bootstrappers Collaboration Sessions

Subject: THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16TH – Brown Baggin’ Bootstrappers Collaboration Sessions
Date: 2/13/2012 3:19:43 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
Join Us at VentureSHOTTM for
Brown Baggin’ Bootstrappers
Collaboration Sessions
Thursday February 16th from 11:30am to 1pm
VentureSHOTTM Headquarters
744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Located on Wells St. / River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line Stop.
We have created a Meetup Group to make
it easy to RSVP or you can Register Here!
Ron,
This special series of collaboration sessions is for Entrepreneurs, Bootstrappers and Business Owners who are building their business without major amounts of investor capital…so far.
Each Entrepreneur or Business Owner will get to go through their business and experienced entrepreneurs will facilitate the discussion and collaboration. Bring Your Lunch and eat while you are collaborating. Get there early for Networking before the event at 11:30am and we’ll start the program at NOON!
Topics:
*Entrepreneurs individually discuss their own business!
*How can you make a MAJOR impact in the next 30-60-90 days?
*Improving your processes and getting them started quickly!
*How to implement time leverage into your business.
*Eliminating low-value activities from your schedule and how to produce high-impact results.
There will be a good amount of time at the end for open “mastermind” discussion, networking and collaboration, plus Q&A.
Register today to take advantage of the early bird price!
Only $10 early bird, $15 regular and $20 at the door
These events will sell out due to space. Register Now!
Email david@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com or
call David Culver @ 312-953-9919 for more information.
Also plan on attending other outstanding VentureSHOT Events!
Chicago’s High Energy Entrepreneur Center
744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Located on Wells St. / River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line Stop.
What are some of the great things that happen at VentureSHOTTM?
· VentureSHOTTM Super-Ultra Collaborative Entrepreneurial Group meetings
· “Meet the Money” Angel Investor and Venture Capital “Meet & Greet” sessions
· Coaching for Funding Presentations and other important strategic presentations
· Participation in many valuable Mastermind Sessions including:
- Founder / CEO “Top Challenges”

- Funding Challenges and Solutions
- Revenue Growth Strategies
- Strategic Marketing and Brand Development
- Developing a Powerful Company Culture

· Access to “Flex-Space” or Private Offices in a fun, highly collaborative and entrepreneur friendly working environment
Come experience the awesome collaboration opportunities at Chicago’s newest Entrepreneur Center & Incubator!
Cheers!
The VentueSHOT Team.
www.VentureShot.com
For more information about The Funding Feeding Frenzy, please be sure to contact:
Bob Bock,
708.646.9047
Bob@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com
______________________________
MoMo Chicago: New Meetup: Nokia CES Redux

New Meetup: Nokia CES Redux
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

momo-chicago info@meetup.com
2:00 PM (6 hours ago)
to ronaldmay
Images are not displayed. Display images below – Always display images from info@meetup.com
Title: Nokia CES Redux
When: Mon Mar 19 11pm – Tue Mar 20, 2012 1am (UTC)
Who: info@meetup.com*
Add to calendar »
Your Agenda for Mon Mar 19, 2012
No earlier events
11pm Nokia CES Redux
No later events
view my calendar »
Announcing a new Meetup!
momo-chicago
Nokia CES Redux
Added by Vivek Vaid
When: Where: RSVP:
Monday, March 19, 2012
6:00 PM
Needs a location
Coming soon!
Yes
No
For those that didn’t get to CES this year, MoMo Chi is bringing the best of CES directly to you. Nokia – winner of the Best Smartphone of CES with its Lumia 900 – sponsors this month’s event. Get hands-on time with Nokia’s newest Win…
Learn more
_____________________________
Thursday, February 23, 2012 Milwaukee event for Inventors/Entrepreneurs

Subject: Thursday, February 23, 2012 Milwaukee event for Inventors/Entrepreneurs
Date: 2/14/2012 11:54:16 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: tfigel@lake-effect.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
February 14, 2012
Ron,
Jill Welytok, who is a little tornado of an advocate for her law firm’s patent clients, started a good event called the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Forum in Milwaukee. She would like Chicagoans to know about the next meeting, a free one taking place on Thursday, February 23, 2012. The get-togethers started when Jill’s clients, people making application for patent protection, started asking about marketing, funding and other subjects that strayed from Jill’s core. She decided to bring experienced and inexperienced people together.
The meetings give a good sense of Milwaukee’s startup activity and resources. In the way that law, marketing and finance permeate Chicago programs, engineering is the ubiquitous credential in Milwaukee. Even a CPA rising for a quick introduction usually mentions an undergraduate engineering degree. As a result, the flavor of the venture ideas is physical, whereas Chicago’s ventures seem to be social media sites and app services colored by our area’s depth in finance and consumer products marketing.
Jill sent these details:
Technology Entrepreneurs Networking Event
You are invited to attend the Technology Entrepreneurs Networking Event:
When: February 23, 2012 5:30-7:30 pm
Where: 3306 W. Michigan St. Milwaukee, WI (Room 127)
For More Information: Contact Brandon Dube at 414.223.1670 or Visit the Event Website
Registration: Please register at the door; all attendees must sign in for security purposes.
Topics:
Patent, Trademark and Trade Secret Law Strategies – 2012 and Beyond
Manufacturing Assistance
Manufacturing Sourcing Update – Domestic and South East Asian
Funding Strategies and Capital Procurement Trends
Mass Retail – Product Representation and Design for “Big Box” Venues
FDA Approval, UL Certification Q&A
State and Federal Contracting Resources/Assistance
Inventor Presentations and Panel Critique

Supported by: BizStarts Milwaukee, Absolute Technology Law Group, LLC, Maranda Enterprises, LLC, Marquette University High School, Merrill Park, Ontech Associated Group, Plitt International LLC, Prairie Business Credit, StartupAccelerator, TAPCO, Veritas Forge, Versilite Products, LLC, Visualize Inc., Wisconsin Economic Department Corporation, Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
Rotating Panelist and Experts:
Dan Steininger (Angel Investor/Capital Procurement) – Dan is President/Co-founder of BizStarts Milwaukee and Director of the Successful Entrepreneur Investors (SEI), an angel investment network.
Tim Keane (Funding and Capital Procurement Strategies) – Tim is the director of the Marquette Golden Angels Network and hosts a blog for startups and angles.
Dylan Morgan (Business Capital Strategies/Procurement) – Dylan is Manager of Prairie Business Credit, a financing and credit evaluation service.
Jeff Plitt (Domestic/South East Asian Manufacturing) – Jeff is owner of Plitt International, LLC. and is the author of Sourcing from China: a Guide for Small and Mid-sized Businesses written to assist those venturing into the world of international sourcing from China.
Pradeep Nedungadi (Sourcing Services) – Pradeep is the founder of Visthar LLC providing business process improvment and sourcing from India.
Anthony Yelich (Mass Retail/ Big Box Store Marketing) – Anthony is the Principal of Ontech Associated Group specializing in analysis and retail product placement for over 20 years.
Eric Paulsen (Entrepreneur/Capital Procurement) – Eric is the Executive Director of BizStarts Milwaukee.
Gary Krause (Medical Marketing/Entrepreneur) – Gary is the owner and product developer of EKG Concepts. He designs and markets a wide-range of EKG interpretation products used by the military, major hospitals, emergency responders and universities nation-wide.
Jeff Flaningam (Prototype Design/Fabrication) – Jeff is the President and Founder of Veritas Forge in Bristol WI. Jeff has over 22 years experience in metals and plastics fabrication.
Mark Fuchs (Integrated Retail Product Marketing) – Mark is the president and founder of Maranda Enterprises, LLC, a custom and consumer product development company in Mequon, WI.
Brandon Dube (Registered Patent Attorney/Mechanical Engineer) – Brandon Is a registered patent attorney with Absolute Technology Law Group, LLC with experience in aerospace and mechanical engineering.
Dave Linz (Southeastern Regional Director) – Dave is the Southeastern Regional Director for Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network since its inception in 2005. He is especially skillful at evaluating market opportunities and assessing technical and commercial viability of new technologies and products.
Laura Grebe (Registered Patent Attorney/Biochemistry) – Laura is a senior attorney at Absolute Technology Law Group, LLC where whe concentrates her practice on patent, trademark and copyright prosecution.
Mark Huber (Medical Innovation/Serial Entrepreneur) – Mark is the Director of Channel Distribution at IVDiagnostics, Inc. and the CEO of Startup Accelerator.
Milton Dallas (Manufacturing Consultant) – Milton is the Owner of C2R Global manufacturing which specializes in developing, manufacturing, and marketing products for small to medium size businesses.
Aina Vilumsons (Federal Contracting) – Aina is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI), a non-profit organization, helping Wisconsin businesses win several billion dollars in federal funds which translated to over 4,500 new jobs across the state.
Robin Lehnert (International Toy Manufacturing/ Marketing) – Robin is a toy consultant at Hape Toys, a multifaceted company selling toys in over 50 countries.
Jill Welytok (Registered Patent Attorney/CPA/Electronics and Computer Software) – Jill is the Managing Attorney of Absolute Technology Law Group, LLC where she counsels a wide range of clients including NASA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
–
Thomas Figel
Managing Partner
Lake Effect Communications, LLC
________________________________
The Lightbank portfolio page as of 2/13/12: Is Where I’ve been run by Craig Ulliott (Katy Lynch’s www.socialkaty.comboyfriend) and sold to Boston-based TripAdvisor in 2011 the only exit out of the roughly 30 investments thus far?

lightbank.com/portfolio
we invest money, but we do it our way
It’s really an investment vehicle. we’re just putting a formal name behind what we’ve been doing for years now — predominately investing our own money in companies that we start or behind people who have ideas that we’ve actively helped to realize. It’s not a traditional fund. We’re just doing what we do best, helping kick-ass companies that change industries.
Groupon
Groupon was started to make it easier for people to enjoy the great things in their community. Each day, Groupon features something cool to do at an unbeatable price. It offers these daily deals through the power of collective buying. The deals are localized by city—there’s a different Groupon site in different major markets around the country. They do everything they can to offer a “too good to be true” experience from the moment you buy a Groupon to the day you use it.
Echo
Echo Global Logistics is a leading provider of technology-enabled business process outsourcing, serving the transportation and logistics needs of its clients. Echo’s proprietary web-based technology, dedicated service teams and robust procurement power enables its clients to see significant transportation savings while receiving best-in-class service.
MediaBank
MediaBank was founded on a single principle – data should be easy to use. Valuable information was once locked in a complex system only able to be extracted through hours of laborious manual input, but MediaBank knows there must be a better way to buy and understand advertising. MediaBank is an industry leader committed to combining the latest technologies and media applications for enhanced functionality. MediaBank has been and remains at the forefront of the move to electronic media procurement and management, offering leading-edge industry tools that streamline purchasing and allow for advanced analytics.
InnerWorkings
InnerWorkings is a leading global provider of managed print and promotional solutions. With proprietary technology, an extensive supplier network and domain expertise, InnerWorkings procures, manages and delivers print and promotional products to companies across a wide range of industries. The more than 8,000 suppliers in InnerWorkings’ network have been selected among thousands more potential suppliers worldwide – based on their ability to effectively serve InnerWorkings’ clients on the criteria of price, service and overall quality. Drawing on the expertise of this certified supplier network makes InnerWorkings’ solutions far more effective than traditional methods and enables them to fulfill up to 100% of the print and promotional procurement needs of their clients.
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60mo
60mo is a simple and flexible tool for tracking and forecasting a business’s finances, managing HR, organizing corporate finance and shareholder data, and analyzing income and expenses. 60mo allows companies to import financials from a number of accounting software programs including QuickBooks and FreshBooks, as well as directly from financial institutions, including Bank of America, Chase and American Express. The Company asks new users a set of questions regarding their industry, business model, office location(s), staff, shareholders, and accounting system and will then create an optimal account structure with built in projection trends, reports, and more for each company.
BabbaCo
BabbaCo, Inc. is a premier baby products company that creates innovative parenting solutions that are “simple, functional, and super cute.” Founded by a mother of two and serial entrepreneur, Jessica Kim, BabbaCo represents the latest know-how, trends, and innovation. The company has received national and regional notoriety on The TODAY show, ABC, Fox Business News, The Rachael Ray Show, Babble’s Top 50 Mompreneur, and People’s baby blog. BabbaCo’s latest product, the BabbaBox, was created to address the overwhelming demand for new products by existing customers. BabbaBox is a monthly subscription box that combines all the physical materials with the know-how content to really engage kids. It helps parents create, explore, story-tell and teach in an interactive and enriching way.
BeachMint
BeachMint, Inc. is a celebrity-curated social commerce company located in Santa Monica, CA. Through different vertical websites, BeachMint recommends items for customers based on a personal style profile quiz. After their initial purchase, customers are enrolled in a monthly subscription where they receive one item each month. BeachMint was founded in June 2010 and launched its first vertical, JewelMint, in October 2010. JewelMint offers unique jewelry pieces designed by Kate Bosworth and Cher Coulter. In July 2011, BeachMint launched StyleMint, an apparel site, with designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. StyleMint offers its customers a monthly selection of tee shirts ranging in color, fabric, and style.
Belly
Belly is a customizable loyalty platform for small and medium sized business. Customers simply present their Belly Rewards card or mobile app at participating businesses and earn points, redeem rewards, or win prizes instantly. Belly provides all of the necessary tools for businesses to easily scan loyalty cards, collect customer data, and promote special offers.
BenchPrep
BenchPrep was launched in January of 2009 to offer study preparations tools for the GMAT and has since expanded to nine titles. BenchPrep apps are now available for subject areas ranging from K-12 to test prep to professional certifications and focus on social learning, data analytics, and cross-device synchronization to make the overall learning experience convenient, engaging and fun. The Company works with best-in-class education publishers including McGraw Hill Professional, Law School Admission Council and American Council on Education. The Company is in the process of building the world’s first cross-platform educational apps publishing platform that focuses on the social and analytical aspects of learning. Watermelon’s content-agnostic solution delivers interactive apps on smart phones (iPhone, Android), tablets (iPad, Kindle), desktop (Windows, Mac) and the Web.
Benzinga
Benzinga is a news and analysis service that focuses on global markets. Benzinga provides original, accurate and timely global financial content every day. The service features content from industry experts and experienced analysts while also covering the news of the day.
Betterfly
Launched in May 2010, Betterfly is a website that matches people who want to learn, look and feel better with the people, not companies, who offer these services. To make it easier to find those tutors, coaches, stylists, trainers, etc., called Betterists, Betterfly is the website of its kind to exclude companies, and focus on people instead. In addition to its search features, the Company provides a robust platform for Betterists to create a highly-customizable profile page, which promotes their qualifications, services, special offers and payment policies, provides real-time availability, offers online appointment booking, and allows them to upload multimedia files, such as instructional videos and lesson plans.
Body Shop Bids
Body Shop Bids is an online and mobile platform that connects consumers who need auto body repair with body shops. The Company’s proprietary technology allows users to upload photos of their damaged vehicle and receive custom quotes from local body shops, all for free.
Cloudbot
Cloudbot is a mobile and web app that pulls each user’s online presence into one simple user interface. Cloudbot helps manage the profiles, contacts and activities users maintain across multiple applications by bringing all of their social activity together into a single hub. Cloudbot eliminates the scattered, segmented data silos that naturally form as apps explode in popularity. In addition, Cloudbot’s universal address book and integrated social connections make it easy to call, email, send a Facebook or LinkedIn message, post a tweet, share a document via DropBox or GoogleDocs, schedule a meeting, and more.
Contently
Contently is an open marketplace for writers and publishers. Contently provides a platform where real journalists can manage their freelance careers and where brands-turned-publishers can create and manage editorial operations. We like to think of ourselves as the “anti-content-farm.”
Crowdrise
Crowdrise is a crowd-sourcing community of volunteers and fundraisers that are answering the call to service and online fundraising for charity. Charities can use Crowdrise to raise money in new ways by turning their grassroots supporters into grassroots fundraisers.
DealsGoRound
Launched in March 2010 in Chicago, DealsGoRound was the first secondary marketplace in the world to allow consumers to re-sell and buy past daily deals from companies like Groupon, LivingSocial, BuyWithMe and the like. The company currently operates in 128 cities across the United States and Canada.
Double Dutch
Double Dutch helps companies connect their employees and customers via mobile, geosocial applications. From events, to field teams, to local communities of interest, DoubleDutch is the only geolocation platform built from the ground up for the enterprise. DoubleDutch launched its social business tools in March, 2010 at the SXSW Interactive Festival.Some of the Company’s clients include Cisco, HP, GQ, TED, Universal Music Group, and Arizona State University.
E la Carte
E la Carte deploys Prestos, custom touchscreen tablets, on restaurant tables so guests can order food, play games, and pay. Now you can scroll through mouth-watering pictures of every dish, customize your meal, order another round of drinks, and split the bill easily among friends – all at the touch of a button and without having to wait. With offices in Chicago, Boston, New York, and Silicon Valley, E la Carte is revolutionizing the restaurant experience across the nation. Coming soon to a restaurant table near you!
Fooda
Chicago-based Fooda is America’s premier provider of services to captive audiences. Fooda has a large network of top local businesses and provides its services to groups such as schools, corporations, organizations, and residential communities. Fooda provides its services via on-site locations as well as mobile and web-based technology.
gtrot
gtrot makes travel more social by helping users share travel plans and experiences with friends. Users can see where friends are going for the holidays, who’s been to a destination they’re visiting, and which friends will be nearby. We also make it easy for travelers to discover things to do based on recommendations gathered in real-time from friends and daily deals available in their destination.
Hipster
Hipster is a location-based question and answer service. It uncovers information about real world locations that is not yet available online by asking “experts” who are knowledgeable about that particular location, based on social media check-ins.
Lightswitch
Lightswitch is a web video production company that specializes in the creation of affordable content for small and medium-sized businesses. Lightswitch is the easiest way for a business to improve its online marketing through video; its objective is to increase customer engagement, web traffic and conversion rates without breaking the budget. The production professionals at Lightswitch will shoot, edit and deliver a low-cost, state-of-the-art, High Definition video that innovatively showcases your business and captivates your online audience.
Needle
Needle, Inc. is a sales chat platform for web, social, and mobile commerce powered by crowd-sourced product experts and brand advocates. Needle manages a cloud-based sales force of part-time individuals who are passionate about the products they support. Through live chat with brand experts, Needle gives companies an opportunity to give their online customers an an in-store shopping experience.
oBaz
oBaz, short for online bazaar, connects buyers and sellers through an intent based social platform where users can create and join groups for things they want to buy. Once a group reaches a certain size (~25 people), oBaz’s hagglers negotiate awesome deals for the group. Groups are completely free to join and users are given social tools and incentives to help build the group; as the group grows, everyone benefits.
OnSwipe
OnSwipe is a platform that makes it insanely easy for publishers of all sizes to make their content and advertising a beautiful experience on touch-enabled devices via Web browser.
OpenChime
OpenChime, Inc. OpenChime is a consumer-facing platform that hunts down unlisted prices and custom quotes from top local businesses on any service anywhere. OpenChime finds local businesses relevant to users’ requests, sends user requests to businesses, appends their replies with rating data, and delivers the results back to users’ email. OpenChime’s seamless integration into small and medium businesses’ existing customer acquisition processes has allowed it to procure quotes for nearly every user request, no matter the vertical.
Pawngo
Pawngo offers loans online to customers secured against valuables. It is the first established, dedicated, on-line pawn lender in the United States.
Poggled
Poggled is a hyperlocal ecommerce platform for nightlife marketing. Poggled works with leading nightlife venues and beverage brands to market discount offers to their customers via email, web, social media and mobile platforms. Poggled’s flagship iPhone application allows users to browse, purchase and redeem vouchers while on the go (including at the local bar).

Qwiki
Qwiki co-founded by entrepreneur Doug Imbruce and Internet industry pioneer Dr. Louis Monier (founder of AltaVista). The company’s technology transforms data into interactive, rich media narratives, delivering an “information experience.” Qwiki debuted in September 2010 at the TechCrunch Disrupt Conference, where it won the TechCrunch Disrupt Cup.
Sprout Social
Sprout Social allows businesses to efficiently and effectively manage & grow their social presence across multiple channels and turn social connections into loyal customers. The web application integrates with Twitter, Facebook Fan Pages, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Gowalla and other networks where consumers are engaging with businesses and brands. In addition to communication tools, Sprout Social offers contact management, competitive insight, lead generation, reporting, analytics and more – all in a package that’s intuitive and easy to use.
Udemy
Udemy is a website that empowers anyone to teach and learn online. On Udemy, there are thousands of online courses from the best instructors in the world. Furthermore, if you’re an expert you can share your knowledge by creating an online course on Udemy. Udemy’s platform makes it easy for experts to build an online course. Instructors can use video, PowerPoint, PDFs, audio, zip files and live classes to quickly build a course and share their expertise with anyone in the world.
WhosHere
WhosHere is the world’s only mobile meet-up application with “total freedom,” a cost-free, worry-free, label-free approach to location-based dating and networking. It’s fast to join, easy to use, and free to send texts, pictures, or VOIP calls without disclosing your phone number or email address. Founded in 2008, WhosHere has over 4 million users.
Zaarly
Zaarly is a proximity based, real-time buyer powered market. Buyers make an offer for an immediate need and sellers cash in on an infinite marketplace for items and services they never knew were for sale.
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New World Ventures Invests in BeachMint [Editor's note: May here. Here's where things get interesting. Note that Lightbank (see above) invested in this San Diego company too, but evidently in an earlier round. What's up? Is New World copycatting Lightbank, and why did Lightbank not participate in this round?]
Subject: New World Ventures Invests in BeachMint
Date: 2/3/2012 10:45:27 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: info@newworldvc.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
February 3, 2012
Follow New World Ventures:
——————————————
New World Ventures
at a Glance: • More than 75 years combined venture capital and entrepreneurial experience
• Backed more than 70 entrepreneurs
• Founded in 1996
• $3 billion of enterprise value realized in the last four years
• A member of The Pritzker Group, led by J.B. and Tony Pritzker
——————————————————————————–
Contact Us: Chris Girgenti
chris@newworldvc.com
Matt McCall
matt@newworldvc.com
Adam Koopersmith
adam@newworldvc.com
Kevin Willer
kevin@newworldvc.com
Jeff Maters
jeff@newworldvc.com
Rishi Roongta
rishi@newworldvc.com 111 S. Wacker Dr.
Suite 4000
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 447-6000
www.newworldvc.com
BeachMint Closes $35 Million Round From Accel Partners, New World Ventures, Goldman Sachs
This new funding round, which brings BeachMint’s total financing to over $75 million, will be used to further BeachMint’s global expansion, bolster its existing brands, and launch several new brands planned for 2012.
“E-commerce is the next logical segment for social engagement,” said Matt McCall. “We are excited to invest in BeachMint as it is a pioneer in this space, leveraging the intersection of social (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) with celebrity-curated commerce.”
Launched in late 2010, BeachMint now boasts four, member-only sites: JewelMint.com, with actress and fashion icon Kate Bosworth and celebrity stylist Cher Coulter; StyleMint.com, with designers Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen; BeautyMint.com, with Jessica Simpson and celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy; and ShoeMint.com, with style icon Rachel Bilson and stylist Nicole Chavez, in collaboration with shoemaker Steve Madden. BeachMint plans to announce two more celebrity partners in the coming months.
BeachMint is the latest of New World Ventures’ investments in the commerce mosaic ‒ the proliferation of next-generation commerce technologies and platforms providing a broad, interconnected array of options to educate, connect with and sell to consumers and businesses. Two of the firms’ other recent investments fall into this category as well: Sittercity, America’s largest and most trusted Web site connecting families with child care, pet care, eldercare, home care and tutoring solutions; and SinglePlatform, a one-stop portal for local businesses to manage their Web presence and get discovered. New World Ventures’ prior investments in this area have included Active Network (NASDAQ: ACTV), Playdom and TicketsNow.
About New World Ventures
New World Ventures, a member of The Pritzker Group, is a multi-stage venture capital firm helping entrepreneurs build market-leading information technology companies. Since its founding in 1996, the firm has worked side-by-side with entrepreneurs at over 70 companies by providing a broad network of strategic relationships, advice based on several decades of experience and capital with tremendous flexibility. Recent successes include Playdom (acquired by Disney), LeftHand Networks (acquired by Hewlett-Packard) and TicketsNow (acquired by Ticketmaster).
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Monday, Feb. 27: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable – “Content Marketing – What and How to Write for the Web,”speaker Andy Crestodina

Subject: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable – “Content Marketing – What and How to Write for the Web” – MONDAY, February 27, 2012, 6:00 p.m.
Date: 2/14/2012 5:41:49 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: smcg@am3inc.net
Reply To: smcg@chicagobooth.edu
To: marketing-roundtable@lists.chicagobooth.edu

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Alumni Marketing Roundtable

Topic: Content Marketing – What and How to Write for the Web

Speaker: Andy Crestodina, Strategic Director, Orbit Media Studios

Date: MONDAY, February 27, 2012
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 Networking and Hors d’ouevres (Cash Bar)
7:00 – 8:30 Panel Discussion
8:30 – 9:00 Networking (Cash Bar)

Location: Gleacher Center – Room 600

Price: $15.00
Price includes passed Hors D’oeuvres. There will be a cash bar as well.
To RSVP: Register Online
Questions? Please contact Kyle Akerman at kyle.akerman@gmail.com.

Session Overview

Content marketing encompasses a wide range of marketing strategies. In web marketing, it is frequently blended with search engine optimization, social media, blogging, email marketing and online PR. Content marketing is extremely versatile and works for a huge range of businesses. It is perhaps the most powerful form of modern marketing. But content marketing is, of course, based on content.
In this Roundtable, Andy Crestodina will engage us with the fine art of writing for web. He will share the Orbit Media template for writing articles, which forces the writer to think about multiple channels. Participants will learn:
What to write about
How to research keyphrases before writing (search marketing)
How to find people to share the article with (social media)
How to prep your article for publishing (email marketing)
Those who have a website with a content management system, a blog, an email marketing tool and Google Analytics will get the most value out of this discussion. You will learn the practical, straightforward techniques that will make the difference between winners and losers in online marketing in 2012. Andy will teach practical techniques that are immediately applicable for anyone in a marketing role, using an interactive format to address the toughest questions directly with simple explanations.
About Our Speaker

Andy Crestodina is the Strategic Director and co-founder of Orbit Media Studios, an award-winning 30-person web design firm in Chicago. Over the past 12 years, Andy has provided web strategy and advice to more than 1000 businesses. Andy enjoys teaching the practical approaches to search engine optimization, social media, conversion design and Google Analytics.

* * * * *
Special Note
Once again, we’ll set up a Literature Table in the front registration area before the meeting. You may use the table to distribute copies of anything (within reason) that communicates your business, your capabilities, and/or career interests. This would include a brochure, a fact sheet, a resume, or other items of interest. This will give us all an opportunity to share our interests and find ways to help each other achieve goals.

* * *

Discounted Parking

Chicago Booth has arranged with the AMC Theater-River East Self parking Garage to provide discounted parking:

300 East Illinois Street (AMC Theater-River East Self Park Garage)
$6.00 after 3:00pm
Garage: Self Park Facility
Payment: Automated; at pay-stations by cash or credit card or upon exit pay by credit card only.
To receive discounted rate: There is a card validator at the first floor security desk of the Gleacher Center. The new system for the AMC Theater- River East Self Park Garage is automated. You will only need to insert your parking card in the validator and the new price will be automatically applied. You can validate your parking ticket at any time between your arrival at and departure from the Gleacher Center. When you leave the lot you will be charged for the lower $6.00 fee.

Detailed Directions :
Garage is located next to PJ Clarks and below the AMC Theater.
a) When traveling east on Illinois cross over Columbus and enter the Garage on the left (north) side of the street.
b) If driving west on Grand (north of Theater), you can enter the garage ½ block before Columbus on the left (south) side of the street.

* * *

CHECK YOUR CHICAGO WEEKLY FOR OTHER CHICAGO BOOTH ALUMNI EVENTS OF INTEREST:

For information on other coming Chicago Booth Roundtable meetings, Chicago Booth Alumni Club events, and other alumni events of interest, visit www.chicagobooth.edu/chicagoweekly/. The Chicago Weekly is updated every Thursday.

* * * * *
ABOUT THE MARKETING ROUNDTABLE
Our mission: The mission of the Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable is to help Chicago alumni and a broader community of marketing professionals learn more, meet other colleagues, and solve marketing issues. Our vision is to be the first choice for learning and sharing new marketing ideas.
About our meetings: Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable meetings are typically scheduled at the downtown campus (Gleacher Center), on the last Wednesday of each month (with some variation), from 6:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Room location is posted each month at the front desk. Please note date is subject to change – check calendar listing for details.
Guests: Your guests who have an active interest in marketing are always welcome via your personal invitation. Please RSVP and let us know how many to expect! (But please don’t post this or any Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable announcement in any public forum.)

Got a topic idea? If you have a topic idea, a presenter to recommend, or any questions or suggestions, please contact any Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable Steering Team member:
Kyle Akerman, 847-414-1426, kyle.akerman@gmail.com
Bijoy Chacko, 847 598 7016, chackobe@yahoo.com
Santanu DasGupta, 312.961.4866, sdasgupt@chicagobooth.edu
Dan Drake, 630.212.2314, Ddrake1@chicagobooth.edu
Jordan Katz, 312-288-2422, Jordan_Katz@gallup.com
Scott McGarvey, 312.648.6275, smcg@chicagobooth.edu
Vivek Prabhu, (312) 493 4987, vivek.r.prabhu@gmail.com
Les Stern, 847.205.1936, les@lsternmktg.com
Jim Steuer, 773-935-7208, JSEChicago@aol.com
Galen Williams, 312.810.1300, gwmw@sbcglobal.net
_________________________
Phil Tadros: Article: The mad dash to remove something before the deadline, and this article by Jason fried about removing features before the deadline remind me of the talk given by Marianna Swallow – mariannaswallow.com – “Why You Should Do Something Poorly on Purpose” at Ignite Chicago last Monday, Feb. 6th

Article: The mad dash to remove something before the deadline
Inbox
x

from: Philip Tadros philcoextra@gmail.com
to: The May Report <ron@themayreport.com>
date: Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 10:45 AM
subject: Article: The mad dash to remove something before the deadline
mailed-by: gmail.com
signed-by: gmail.com
: Important mainly because of the people in the conversation.
Philip Tadros philcoextra@gmail.com
10:45 AM (8 hours ago)
to me
The mad dash to remove something before the deadline
37signals.com/svn/posts/3109-the-mad-dash-to-remove-something-before-the-deadline
(Sent from Flipboard)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
37signals.com/svn/posts/3109-the-mad-dash-to-remove-something-before-the-deadline

The mad dash to remove something before the deadlineJason F.Feb 13
19 comments Latest by Des Traynor

Anyone who builds products is familiar with the mad dash at the end of a project to add those last few features. When you’re running out of time it’s usually because you have more to add than your schedule allows.
But the more I learn about designing products, the more excited I get about the mad dash at the end to remove features.
This means killing work that’s been done and is technically ready to ship. It’s hard to do because it’s already done, but done doesn’t mean it’s right.
Killing stuff right before it ships is the sign of a healthy product and development process. It means you’re always questioning, reconsidering, and reevaluating. It never ever hurts to ask why.
What made sense two months ago may not make sense two weeks before launch. Other features may have taken its place. Newer ideas may have replaced earlier ideas. And sometimes it just takes time and use to realize that feature you built just isn’t scratching the itch you thought it would.
We’re just a few weeks out from the Basecamp Next launch. Last week we killed two features we’d already built and were initially pretty excited about. But they just weren’t right, they weren’t doing the job. And they were introducing new problems that we just didn’t feel good about.
Remember that people get used to the way things are. Even things that are broken or complicated become things some customers want to protect from change because they’re familiar with the intricacies of how those things work. That’s why it’s so costly to let bad designs slip into products.
Just like you shouldn’t let sunk cost determine future decisions, don’t let sunk design trick you into keeping something in your product because you already put the work in. If it’s non-essential, take it out, think it over, and invest the time post launch to make it right.
Looking for a job? Got a position to fill? Check out the Job Board.
——————————————————————————–
Got a web design project in mind? Find a web designer on Sortfolio. Browse by visual style, portfolio, budget, and geographic location.
——————————————————————————–
Over 1 million people use 37signals’ simple web-based software to collaborate on projects, track contacts, and organize their business with an intranet.

19 comments so far

Jesse13 Feb 12

Just like you shouldn’t let sunk cost determine future decisions, don’t let sunk design trick you into keeping something in your product because you already put the work in.
Pure gold right there. It’s tough to do. So tough to let go of those sunk costs (or designs/features).
Anonymous Coward13 Feb 12

@37signals
Any thought about renaming “Basecamp Next” to something else?
The name “Next” suggests to customers to migrate off Basecamp (legacy) over to this new product.
Are you afraid Next will cannibalize your legacy Basecamp business … and result in net-zero new sales?
Colin8ch13 Feb 12

Thanks Jason- Interesting timing for this post, we made a few tough feature removals in our public launch last week for merchee.com
Being really excited about building the “coolest” bells and whistles doesn’t trump user feedback- if they don’t use it, don’t understand it or don’t see the value of it in the beta, then take it out.
Turki Fahad13 Feb 12

Totally been there
I was reading “Getting Real” and we were less than a month to launch our startup edintity.com and the book only added to what my gut was telling me “We have to kill some of our already done ready to launch features!”
The development team were like “Your kidding?” Its hard but I knew it was the right decision because the assumption that features are better is totally wrong, what is right is that you need to focus on the core of what your solving and leave the features out of it.
Such a decision for our case made what we are trying to solve pop up more than what the features would have done.
I rather have the cake (the core) any day than the fancy candles (features)
Thanks Turki Fahad Founder of edintity.com
Darcy Fitzpatrick13 Feb 12

This is how the film and television industry works to a tee.
The writer puts a structure in place, full of feature requests.
The director will change some of those features in light of how they play out on the screen, and even add in a few extra features that they were inspired to do in the process.
THEN the editor takes all that hard work, and does the really hard work of cutting. Editing is all about peeling away all the work the writer and director did until you have that exquisitely realized final piece. No doubt, it will be minus several features the writer and director thought they wanted at the time, but will most likely agree at this final stage that the finished product is better off without them.
Justin Reese13 Feb 12

@Darcy: That is so apt, and it can be so hard to do. I remember watching our nearly-completed short film, turning to my partner and saying “okay, what if we lose the narration and couch scenes?” This meant tossing an entire meta-layer of the narrative, scrapping 10-20% of our run time, telling our (volunteer) cast that a whole day of sacrificial shooting was wasted, and putting uncertain faith in the audience. Ended up being a clear win, but it was a hard decision when staring at all the work you were about to throw away.
So: don’t let a short-sighted decision in the past jack up the future.
Alan13 Feb 12

“Killing stuff right before it ships is the sign of a healthy product and development process. “
?
Your process needs to be revamped. How about:
1) Better planning at the beginning. E.g. Underplanning your features…ya know… all that MVP stuff.
2) Have faster feedback loops so you’re not waiting to cut features at the end. Setup communication channels so everyone is always asking…’does this make sense’ instead of waiting till the end.
At the end if you’re figuring out what you product should look like…that is bad, bad news.
JF13 Feb 12

Alan: This isn’t about planning, it’s about using. And it’s not about turning something fat into something lean, it’s about turning something lean into something even trimmer.
As Darcy said above, it’s all about editing. Sometimes you have to cut the things you made to make the things you’re left with much better. It’s why artists often record far more tracks than make it on the album. You just don’t know what’s going to work until you hear/use it all together.
Ryan13 Feb 12

Alan, if you have access to a crystal ball that we don’t know about, let us know. We find it hard to predict the future, so we often have to build things and try them out in order to accurately judge their value.
Darcy Fitzpatrick13 Feb 12

@Justin Reese
Good on you for making the tough but right call. I’ve been faced with the “but we spent half a day and thousands of dollars on that scene” dilemma before where the scene just isn’t working, doesn’t fit.
The first, normal reaction is feeling beholden to everyone who worked on that scene to keep it. But then you realize, they, like you, only want the best possible final product to shine through. They’d be far less happy seeing their hard work ruining the movie than they would seeing its absence contributing to its success.
@Alan Despite the fact that I agree with @JF and @Ryan, it’s true that sometimes a little more forethought can save you a lot of expensive trimming. In the case of the movie scene I mentioned above, if I’d been less precious during the writing stage I would have noticed that scene was all needless exposition and interrupted the flow from the previous scene to what came next. While my ego prevented me from seeing that at the time, the experience of having to pay for it later taught me a valuable lesson, so in a sense it was worth it.
Keep making the same mistake like that again and again and then you know you’ve got a problem.
Tom G13 Feb 12

I have a great name for your new version: Basecamp
Alan13 Feb 12

@ Ryan & JF I appreciate the follow up guys – but I’m still seeing contradictions in what 37Signals has promoted in the past and what is outlined here. I’m still a bit confused.
@JF The ‘lean -> even trimmer’ argument still sounds to me that more was built/planned than was needed… if in the end you found out you could trim your product, then you realized you didn’t build your MVP – right? Which leads to more questions: Was the research, planning or customer engagement done incorrectly?
@Ryan Using UX to determine value seems a bit backwards doesn’t it? I would argue that UX is used as a competitive advantage to enhance a pre-determined value.
My last company used Basecamp so I’ll use it as an example:
Value = Teams always share files. Basecamp MUST have file sharing to compete.
Competitive Advantage (UX) = Our file sharing is very easy, fast and integrates perfect with rest of app. This is the part where the ‘feels right’ comes in.
In this example, no amount of ‘trying it out’ will ever make the pre-determined value (teams share files) change. If in the end 37signals decided…’you know file sharing doesn’t feel right’…then it wasn’t critical to the product.
Perhaps we’re getting into semantics or talking about similar but different things.
JF13 Feb 12

Alan: Yes, more was built than needed. Same with a movie. Same with an album. Same with anything creative. You toss out a lot of work. That’s not wrong, it’s right.
It’s the editing that makes it great, not being perfect on every decision up front or along the way. You have to see it all in the end, and evaluate its performance by using it over an extended period of time, to make the right calls in the end. Calling what’s in/out up front is great for broad strokes and big pictures, but nothing makes better calls than real-world actual use.
I don’t know enough about the details of the MVP movement, but if it ultimately suggests that extensive research and planning up front can substitute for building, using, and evaluating the real thing, then I’m not much a fan.
GeeIWonder14 Feb 12

Same with anything creative. You toss out a lot of work. That’s not wrong, it’s right.
Agree—except with the ‘creative’ qualifier. It follows thus that learning from ‘mistakes’ (if you are honest enough to acknowledge them as such) is not such a bad thing after all.
Richard Newton14 Feb 12

As da Vinci said, “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” or Chanel, who once said “before leaving the house, a lady should look in the mirror and remove one accessory.”
Tim14 Feb 12

@ Alan, JF
Jason you’re not wrong – I think MVP is being misused here. I’m a big advocate of your methodology (getting real, rework, defensive design) and MVP – they co exist. I used them together all the time.
Get a small data set together to test a hypothesis then build. Evaluate. Iterate. Very simple. Add features but make every feature fight to earn its place.
In my last MVP – a coffee of the month subscription service – I got some data from a survey, built the MVP then started removing two products that didn’t feel right (as you describe) – no amount of planning could have seen that (my customers asked for it) – so where does that leave Alan? Sure thrashing early is necessary but so is building.
Ryan15 Feb 12

@Ryan Using UX to determine value seems a bit backwards doesn’t it? I would argue that UX is used as a competitive advantage to enhance a pre-determined value.
We don’t see it that way. I would suggest reframing it. I think of UX as simply consumption—what it’s like to be on the receiving end. All of the value of a product is in the consumption, whether you call it “UX” or not.
So think of it like we have to consume what we made in order to judge whether it is as valuable as we had hoped. Maybe that’s clearer.
JF15 Feb 12

@GIW “It follows thus that learning from ‘mistakes’ (if you are honest enough to acknowledge them as such) is not such a bad thing after all.”
Steps on the way to get to the final design/idea/product aren’t mistakes. Likewise, designs you throw out aren’t mistakes, they help shape the final design. They are the building materials of design.
Des Traynor15 Feb 12

But But, only 9 years ago, in 2003, you said something that vaguely contradicts what you’re saying today in 2012, a mere 9 years later.
How dare you mildly adjust your opinion of software development over the course of a decade. What a disgrace.

I am being facetious, it just irritates me how often people are outraged if a post here on a 20 person blog contradicts anything from the previous 8 years. People change. Perspectives change. How they built BC Next doesn’t have to be an exact replica of how they build BCC .
They’re a different company now, they’re bigger, better known, richer, more to lose, more to gain.
The Project Management space isn’t where it was in 2004 when Basecamp launched. The table stakes are way different. We’re not going to be blown away by AJAX and the yellow fade technique, so unsurprisingly they’ve had to push the boat out a bit to see what works, and now they’re cutting back what doesn’t.
It’s working for them too, it’s a great piece of work.
_________________________________
People With Easy-To-Pronounce Names More Likely To Succeed, Study Says

jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/02/09/people-with-easy-to-pronounce-names-more-likely-to-succeed/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl16%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D135234
People With Easy-To-Pronounce Names More Likely To Succeed, Study Says
By Claire Gordon , Posted Feb 9th 2012 @ 1:45PM
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Many parents are giving their new babies unusually spelled first names, reports The New York Times, so that they can pop up on the first page of a web search, and avoid sharing it with a serial killer who happens to have the same one. But new research shows that if parents really want the best for their kid, they’re better off choosing a simple name that rolls off the tongue, even if it means sharing it with a famous fetish-porn star.

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Researchers Simon Laham of the University of Melbourne, Adam Alter of New York University Stern School of Business, and Peter Koval of the University of Leuven, Belgium, found that people with easy-to-pronounce names were evaluated more positively. Not only did the dozens of participants in their studies like names better when they were easy to pronounce, but of 500 U.S. lawyers, the ones with the easiest-to-pronounce names had advanced faster and held more senior positions.

Past research has found that your name has all kinds of effects on your life: applicants with African American-sounding names are less likely to be called back for a job interview; children with popular names are less likely to get into trouble with the law; girls with more feminine names are less likely to pursue math and science; and boys with names that are also common among girls are more likely to be suspended.
But the discovery of “the name pronunciation effect” is entirely new. The study, which included names from Anglo, Asian, Western and Eastern European backgrounds, was conducted in both lab settings and natural environments, and was published online in December in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

The researchers were careful to distinguish pronunceability from “unusualness” — a quality that is well-known to spark bias. Barack Obama, Alter points out, is certainly an unusual name, but it doesn’t trip the tongue. They also controlled for the nationality or ethnic connotation of a name, as it’s been well-established that this can also provoke subtle, or not-so-subtle, negative feelings.

In the lawyer study, the researchers thought that the relatively recent entry of minorities into the field might skew the results. Of course the Smiths and Johnsons ranked higher than the Pfefferbergs and Borgognones. They’d been there for a lot longer. But even when they looked at the Anglo names alone, seniority correlated strongly with how easy the person’s name was to say.

“Independently of all those other features of the name, the mere ease of pronunciation is enough to drive outcomes,” Alter told AOL Jobs. “There’s sort of a warm glow associated with things that are easy to process.”

We feel good when our minds process something easily and fluently, according to the study, and when it comes to a name, we attribute that good feeling to the name-bearer.

Alter thinks this may be evolutionary; most things that required a lot of effort for our ancestors to process were probably dangerous, or at least cause for concern.

Politicians are also given a boost by an easily-readable name. 35 undergraduates took part in a mock ballot study of 12 names, knowing nothing about the candidates. Those with the simpler-to-say names were more likely to win the race.

To make the situation more realistic, the researchers had 74 college students then read a newspaper article about the background of a candidate running for a local council election, including his family and career history, and one of his policies. In some of the articles the man’s name was Greek and difficult or easy to say, in others it was Polish and difficult or easy to say. Afterwards they rated the man’s eligibility for office. When the same candidate had an easier-to-say name (Lazaridis over Vougiouklakis), he rated much higher.

By this logic, Mitt Romney’s name gives him a serious boot in the Republican primary, while Rick Santorum’s name, for other reasons, is a serious liability.

Next: Does Your Name Spell Success?
_______________________________
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_________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Scoop section:
– Exelon Foundation Contributes $500,000 to STEM Partnership School at Aurora University
– Lucia Adams: New Social opinion blog from Chicago
– Chris Sorensen: Spring Expo Pitch Contest Deadline Extended by popular demand
– NanoProfessor Answers President Obama’s Call for Increased Science Education — hey, Neil Kane, this might be a job for you
– Chicago’s 100 most powerful people, according to Chicago Magazine, with 7 people from the tech world by my count
– Chris Sweis: Provides data on how JunoWallet is doing — in Madagascar and Bulgaria
– ChicagoNow looking for bloggers
– SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18TH – VentureSHOT: Presentation Coaching for Funding
– Wednesday, Feb. 29: EDC luncheon: G8 and NATO Summits in Chicago – Opportunities and Challenges and note that they changed their location!
– Monthly event: Entrepreneur Commons, Third Thursday of every month: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM (CT)
– Bob Bock: Offers summary of a recent brown-bag lunch and learn discussing Alternative Funding Strategies. There were 22 attendees with funding needs ranging from $50,000 to $750,000 and one $5,000,000 funding opportunity. Most were in the $250,000 to $500,000 range
– Chicago Clean Energy Alliance newsletter with some info. on Congress including an extension of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) in the payroll tax bill; also, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is now accepting applications for the 2012 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards
– Phil Tadros: Various Doejo news — what am I, your PR firm?
– Layton Olson: Inspired by the Illinois Rail Splitter: Business forms, Gigabit Communities and Remembering the Land Grant University Economic Engines
– Layton Olson and Tarkus Murphy: Investing In Communities Blog — plus IL benefit corporation legislation introduced & Gov. Quinn’s Gigabit Communities Initiative showcases Land Grant Universities in 150th Morrill Act year
– Tom Bennett: NUCLEAR | CHICAGO: The Marty Nesbitt Pay-to-Play Report: Version 1.1
– Miscellaneous notes (2 messages)
_________________________
The Scoop section:
___________________
Exelon Foundation Contributes $500,000 to STEM Partnership School at Aurora University
Subject: Exelon Foundation Contributes $500,000 to STEM Partnership School at Aurora University
Date: 2/15/2012 3:06:17 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: tatvshow@yahoo.com
To: ron@themayreport.com
CC: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Exelon Foundation Contributes $500,000 to STEM Partnership School at Aurora University
AURORA, IL., Feb. 15, 2012 www.twitter.com/techaccestv — Dunham Fund matching award brings total support for project to $1 million
The Exelon Foundation became the first major corporate foundation to support the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Partnership School at Aurora University today with a $500,000 gift to help create a new national model for mathematics and science education.
A $150,000 matching award from the Aurora-based Dunham Fund, which also provided seed money for the school, brings total financial support for the project to $1 million. The dual gifts build momentum for the school as AU seeks funding for its construction, largely from corporations and foundations with a vested interest in the STEM fields.
The contribution from the Exelon Foundation – a nonprofit organization funded by Chicago-based Exelon Corporation – is the largest single contribution to date to the STEM Partnership School. The foundation is supporting the school because of its potential to transform how science, technology, engineering and mathematics are taught and learned in the United States. The school on the Aurora University campus will prepare young students for 21st century jobs and train teachers to develop best practices that can be shared with other educators.
“We must challenge and encourage talented students who show interest in math, science and engineering, because these will be critical skills for the leaders of tomorrow,” said Frank M. Clark, Exelon Foundation board member and chairman and CEO of Exelon subsidiary ComEd. “As part of our support for innovative approaches to math and science education, the Exelon Foundation is pleased to help bring the STEM Partnership School yet another step closer to opening its doors.”
The STEM Partnership School is the cornerstone of the Mathematics and Science Education Center of Aurora University, which was launched by the AU Institute for Collaboration to improve STEM education in the community and across the country. The project received legislative support in July when Gov. Pat Quinn visited the campus to sign Senate Bill 621, which authorizes AU and the four Aurora school districts to jointly operate the school.
When built, the STEM Partnership School will initially serve approximately 200 third- through eighth-grade students in the Aurora East, Aurora West, Indian Prairie and Oswego school districts who have demonstrated proficiency in mathematics and science. It will be staffed by district teachers who will simultaneously complete AU graduate coursework in STEM fields and eventually return to their home schools as leaders in mathematics and science education.
“The Exelon Foundation grant is a major endorsement of our community-based STEM partnership and its potential to engage a new generation of learners in mathematics and science learning,” said Rebecca L. Sherrick, President of Aurora University.
The Dunham Fund, which primarily gives grants for projects or programs focused on education and community development, previously supported the school with $100,000 in seed money through its Challenge for Change competition and a $250,000 grant. The new matching award brings the private foundation’s total investment to $500,000.
“The Dunham Fund has been a champion of the partnership school from its inception because of its promise to transform STEM education,” said Michael Morcos, vice chairman of the Dunham Fund Board of Advisors. “We’re excited to see other organizations join us in investing in this groundbreaking concept.”
The Exelon Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization funded solely by Exelon through shareholder dollars. The foundation supports nonprofit, tax-exempt groups primarily within Exelon’s service territories, including northern Illinois. The foundation’s mission is to strengthen the social and economic fabric of the community by supporting programs in the areas of innovative math and science education, diversity and tolerance, and environment and conservation.
Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning with approximately 4,000 degree-seeking students enrolled on its Aurora campus at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. The university has a long tradition of preparing students for lives of service and leadership, and using its resources and expertise to meet the needs of the community and create groundbreaking education models that can be replicated across the country.
For more information on the STEM Partnership School, visit aurora.edu/stem.
SOURCE Aurora University

Bruce Eric Montgomery
Executive Producer & Host
Technology Access Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312) 725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
www.facebook.com/brucemontgomery
_______________________________
Lucia Adams: New Social opinion blog from Chicago
New Social opinion blog from Chicago
Inbox
x
from: Lucia Adams lgadams1@gmail.com
to: ron@themayreport.com
date: Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 1:08 PM
subject: New Social opinion blog from Chicago
mailed-by: gmail.com
signed-by: gmail.com
Lucia Adams lgadams1@gmail.com
1:08 PM (47 minutes ago)
to me
Ron,
We went live yesterday, roundabout our 25th anniversary in hard copy print. Check out an unusual new endeavor Lucia’s Symposium at www.TheSymp.com
Thank you.
______________________________
Chris Sorensen: Spring Expo Pitch Contest Deadline Extended by popular demand
Spring Expo Pitch Contest Deadline Extended by popular demand
Inbox
x
from: Chris Sorensen Chris@plugandplaychicago.com
to: ron@themayreport.com
date: Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 12:40 PM
subject: Spring Expo Pitch Contest Deadline Extended by popular demand
: Important mainly because of the people in the conversation.
Chris Sorensen Chris@plugandplaychicago.com
12:40 PM (1 hour ago)
to me

Hi Ron,

We’ve received a number of requests to extend the deadline for the Plug and Play Spring Expo pitch contest so that folks can put the finishing touches on their pitch decks. So we are extending the deadline from Friday February 17th to Monday February 20th.

I have also received a number of questions about how detailed and complete the entry deck for the contest should be such as:

- How accurate do the financial projections need to be?
- How detailed should the market research be?
- What if we don’t have a compete team yet?
- What if the technology is not yet ready to launch?

Let me clarify that the winner of this contest will be chosen based on the quality and potential of the “high concept” vision rather than the specific details in the deck.
Plug and Play mentors will work with the winning company to prepare them for the actual Spring Expo pitch on March 22.

The most powerful pitches are extremely simple and “obvious.”
Here is an example used by Guy Kawasaki at Garage.com as the “ultimate” pitch:

“My name is Dr. John Smith of the Mayo Clinic, I have developed an approved cure for cancer and am looking for $1 million to expand our sales efforts internationally”

This simple one sentence pitch packs a big punch for investors including:

- Simplicity -benefits to customers and the market size is obvious
- Credibility – both the “Doctor” and the “Mayo Clinic” show expertise
- Low risk – the technology is already approved and ready to go to market
- Huge Payoff – it is clear that the company should quickly become extremely valuable.
Obviously not every company has a “cure for cancer” but here is a guideline I use to prepare companies for a fast pitch event:

1. Introduction (Name, Company and Tag Line).
2. The problem you are solving in simple terms
One sentence description without using jargon – assume the audience is not familiar with your space.

3. How you solve this problem
Explain what you’re selling, to whom, why they will buy your solution, and why your solution is different and superior to other solutions (in simple terms).
4. Explain your revenue model,
Describe how the company will make money.

One effective way to address points 2-4 is to include a SHORT example or tell a story of who a typical customer would be, their needs, and how your solution solves their problem.
5. Market size and growth potential.
Sometimes the market size is obvious (a cure for cancer) sometimes it isn’t. Describe the potential market in one sentence.
6. Management Team.
Describe relevant team experience in less than twenty seconds

7. The investment amount you are seeking
Note that there is often a funding gap between $1 million (upper limit of Angel investors), and $5 Million (Lower limit of many VC’s).
Also mention the milestones to be accomplished with the funds, and the exit strategy for investors to realize a profit.
To qualify for the Plug and Play Spring Expo pitch contest a company must be a technology related startup seeking Seed, Round A or Round B venture financing.

To enter send an Executive Summary (or 10 slide Pitch Deck) to Contest@PlugandPlayChicago.com by February 20. (No purchase necessary)

About Plug and Play Tech Center

Plug and Play Tech Center is the largest technology accelerator in Silicon Valley. It supports the leading ecosystem of startups, investors, university, and corporate partners, all working together to accelerate tech startups.

· Home to over 300 global technology startups
· Helped startups raise $370M in 2011
· Over $900 million total funding raised to date
· Partners with over 200 VC’s like Sequoia, KP, Lightspeed, DFJ, etc.
· Over 100 global corporations in Business Partner Network
· Global community of over 3,000 technology companies with focus in Mobile, Internet, Digital Media, and Social Media

For more information about the Plug and Play Spring Expo
www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/expo/spring2012/
Chris Sorensen
Managing Director Plug and Play Chicago

312.399.2101 (m)
Sunnyvale Ca.

Plug and Play Chicago www.PlugandPlayChicago.com
Plug and Play Silicon Valley www.PlugandPlayTechCenter.com

www.linkedin.com/in/chrissorensen
___________________________
NanoProfessor Answers President Obama’s Call for Increased Science Education — hey, Neil Kane, this might be a job for you
NanoProfessor Answers President Obama’s Call for Increased Science Education
Inbox
x

from: Joshua Taustein jtaustein@dresnerco.com
to:
date: Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 2:19 PM
subject: NanoProfessor Answers President Obama’s Call for Increased Science Education
mailed-by: dresnerco.com
: Important mainly because of the people in the conversation.
Joshua Taustein jtaustein@dresnerco.com
Feb 13 (1 day ago)
to undisclosed recipients

This morning, President Obama released his proposed budget for 2013. In it, he included plans to create an $8 billion fund to help community colleges train workers for jobs in fields where employers are having trouble finding skilled labor, such as health care, transportation and advanced manufacturing. President Obama also called for $80 million for a new initiative to train teachers in science, technology, engineering and math.

NanoProfessor recently made the following two announcements regarding community college students and training teachers in nanotechnology.

Two students from City Colleges of Chicago will complete a specially designed Introduction to Nanotechnology course followed by a paid summer internship program working in the Skokie-based NanoProfessor labs.

Wheeling High School faculty took the first step to further advance its stellar science education program by attending a three-day NanoCamp at NanoProfessor’s facilities.

Please see the attached press releases for more information and let me know if you have any questions. Interviews are available upon request.

Regards,

Joshua Taustein
Associate
Dresner Corporate Services
Direct: (312)780-7219
Mobile: (847)308-5168
_______________________________
Chicago’s 100 most powerful people, according to Chicago Magazine, with 7 people from the tech world by my count
www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/March-2012/100-Most-Powerful-Chicagoans/#.TzrcYkg0z_w.facebook
[May here. This is my list of the folks on the Chicago Magazine list of the 100 most powerful people in Chicago who are part of or very closely tied to the tech community.
10. Eric Lefkofsky
Cofounder and chairman, Groupon
11. Andrew Mason
Cofounder and CEO, Groupon
15. Miles White
Chairman and CEO, Abbott Laboratories
17. Joe Mansueto
Founder and CEO, Morningstar
20. J.B. Pritzker
Cofounder and managing partner, The Pritzker Group
21. Bradley Keywell
Investor and tech entrepreneur
49. Craig Donohue
CEO, CME Group]
++++++++++++++++++++++++
•METHODOLOGY »
How we made the list and define power
•EX-CHICAGOANS »
Most powerful expats
•COUPLES »
A $4 billion duo, Obama BFFs, and more
•SIBLINGS »
Joan and John
Cusack, the Melman
bros, and more
•UP-AND-COMERS »
Folks to watch, age
35 and under
•POLL »
Which powerful Chicagoan would you
call back first?
•QUIZ »
Test your knowledge of the city’s power players

The List
Daley’s moved on. Oprah, too. These are the titans of 2012.
Read more about our list-how we define “power” and why we omitted Barack Obama-here. Some choices-and omissions-may be controversial. Good. Tell us who you think we snubbed, who we placed too high or too low, and who we ranked just right in the comments below. We want to know, really. Knowledge, after all, is you-know-what.

1. Rahm Emanuel
Mayor, City of Chicago
2. Patrick Fitzgerald
U.S. attorney, Northern District of Illinois
3. Jim Skinner
CEO, McDonald’s
4. Mike Madigan
Speaker, Illinois House

5. Rocky Wirtz
Chairman, Chicago Blackhawks

6. David Axelrod
Chief strategist, Obama 2012

7. Derrick Rose
Point guard, Chicago Bulls

8. Penny Pritzker
Founder and CEO, Pritzker Realty Group

9. Grant Achatz
Chef and restaurateur

10. Eric Lefkofsky
Cofounder and chairman, Groupon

11. Andrew Mason
Cofounder and CEO, Groupon

12. Irene Rosenfeld
Chairman and CEO, Kraft

13. Toni Preckwinkle
President, Cook County Board of Commissioners

14. Jerry Reinsdorf
Chairman, Chicago Bulls and White Sox

15. Miles White
Chairman and CEO, Abbott Laboratories

16. Garry McCarthy
Superintendent, Chicago Police Department

17. Joe Mansueto
Founder and CEO, Morningstar

18. Cardinal Francis George
Archbishop of Chicago

19. Ed Burke
Alderman, 14th Ward

20. J.B. Pritzker
Cofounder and managing partner, The Pritzker Group

21. Bradley Keywell
Investor and tech entrepreneur

22. Jeff Smisek
CEO, United Continental Holdings

23. Roger Ebert
Film critic, Chicago Sun-Times

24. Robert Zimmer
President, University of Chicago

25. Ann Lurie
Philanthropist

26. Sam Zell
Chairman, Equity Group Investments

27. Jean-Claude Brizard
Superintendent, Chicago Public Schools

28. Lisa Madigan
Attorney general, State of Illinois

29. Otis Moss III
Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ

30. Tom Ricketts
Chairman, Chicago Cubs

31. Greg Wasson
President and CEO, Walgreen
32. Larry Goodman
CEO, Rush University Medical Center

33. Dick Durbin
United States senator

34. Rick Bayless
Chef and restaurateur

35. John Rogers
Founder, chairman, and CEO, Ariel Investments

36. Anita Alvarez
State’s attorney, Cook County

37. Tom Pritzker
Executive chairman, Hyatt

38. John Canning
Chairman, Madison Dearborn Partners

39. Ted Phillips
President and CEO, Chicago Bears

40. Martha Lavey
Artistic director, Steppenwolf Theatre

41. Ken Griffin
Founder and CEO, Citadel

42. Paul Kahan
Chef and restaurateur

43. Jorge Ramirez
President, Chicago Federation of Labor

44. Matt Hynes
Director, Office of Legislative Counsel and Government Affairs, City of Chicago

45. John McDonough
President and CEO, Chicago Blackhawks

46. Sunil Kumar
Dean, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago

47. Karen Lewis
President, Chicago Teachers Union

48. Theo Epstein
President of baseball operations, Chicago Cubs

49. Craig Donohue
CEO, CME Group

50. Patricia Hemingway Hall
President and CEO, Health Care Service Corporation

51. Patrick Ryan
CEO, Ryan Specialty Group
52. Michael Sacks
CEO, Grosvenor Capital Management
53. Jeanne Gang
Founder and principal, Studio Gang Architects
54. Bill Hybels
Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church

55. Mark Angelson
Deputy mayor, City of Chicago

56. Richard Melman
Founder and chairman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

57. Neil Bluhm
Managing principal, Walton Street Capital

58. Thomas Cole
Chair, executive committee, Sidley Austin

59. Richard M. Daley
Former mayor, City of Chicago

60. Robert Falls
Artistic director, Goodman Theatre

61. Mellody Hobson
President, Ariel Investments

62. Francie Comer
Philanthropist

63. James Crown
President, Henry Crown and Company

64. Deborah DeHaas
Vice chairman, Deloitte

65. Dan Webb
Chairman, Winston & Strawn

66. Joan Harris
Philanthropist

67. Richard Posner
Judge, United States Court of Appeals

68. Martin Cabrera Jr.
Founder and CEO, Cabrera Capital Markets

69. Richard Sandor
Founder and CEO, Environmental Financial Products

70. James Reynolds Jr.
Cofounder and CEO, Loop Capital

71. Eboo Patel
Founder, Interfaith Youth Core

72. Deborah Rutter
President, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

73. Desirée Rogers
CEO, Johnson Publishing Company

74. Dick Duchossois
Chairman, Duchossois Group

75. Brendan Sodikoff
Chef and entrepreneur

76. Barbara Gaines
Artistic director, Chicago Shakespeare Theater

77. Danny Sólis
Alderman, 25th Ward

78. Douglas Druick
President, Art Institute of Chicago

79. Linda Johnson Rice
Chairman, Johnson Publishing Company

80. Dan McCaffery
Chairman and CEO, McCaffery Interests

81. Patrick O’Connor
Alderman, 40th Ward

82. Julia Stasch
Vice president, U.S. Programs, MacArthur Foundation

83. Jim Thompson
Senior chairman, Winston & Strawn

84. John Bryan
Chairman, NATO/G8 host committee

85. Joanne C. Smith
President and CEO, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

86. Andrew Alexander
Co-owner and CEO, The Second City

87. Michelle Boone
Commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, City of Chicago

88. Michael Pfleger
Pastor, St. Sabina Catholic Church

89. Scott Harris
Restaurateur

90. Bruce Rauner
Chairman, GTCR Golden Rauner

91. Vince Vaughn
Actor and producer

92. Devin Hester
Wide receiver, Chicago Bears

93. Andrew J. McKenna
Chairman, Schwarz Supply Source

94. Lou Raizin
President, Broadway in Chicago

95. R. Bruce Dold
Editorial page editor, Chicago Tribune

96. Tony Hu
Restaurateur

97. Ikram Goldman
Owner, Ikram

98. Melody Spann-Cooper
President, Midway Broadcasting Corporation

99. Bill Daley
Cochair, Obama 2012

100. Marc Weissbluth
Founder, Sleep Medicine Center at Children’s Memorial Hospital

RELATED: Most Powerful Ex-Chicagoans | Power Couples | Power Siblings | Up-and-Comers | Poll: Which Powerful Chicagoan Would You Call Back First? | Quiz: Do You Know Chicago’s Power Players?

Story by Jeff Bailey, David Bernstein, Cassie Walker Burke, Marcia Froelke Coburn, Claudine Isé, Geoffrey Johnson, Esther Kang, Ted McClelland, Kevin McKeough, Penny Pollack, Dennis Rodkin, Jeff Ruby, Chris Silva, Lena Singer, Bryan Smith, Jennifer Tanaka, Jennifer Wehunt

This article appears in the March 2012 issue of Chicago Magazine.
Did you like what you read here? Subscribe to Chicago Magazine »
Comments are moderated. We review them in an effort to remove offensive language, commercial messages, and irrelevancies.
Reader Comments:

Old to new | New to old
Feb 15, 2012 10:03 am
Posted by mkmChicago
Are you guys serious ? Not a single alderman, ward committeeman, state rep or state senator on the list ? Don’t you have a clue as to how Chicago really works ? Kissing up to Rahm, who is in fact far from the most powerful man in Chicago, along with butt-kissing kudo to Derrick Rose, a great ball player, but who couldn’t get a ticket fixed to save his life ….
What a stupid, popularity contest of a list. Vince Vaughn ? Seriously ? Vince Freaking Vaughn ?
At least it’s hilarious.
Feb 15, 2012 10:19 am
Posted by Peter Blood
The mayor as #1 seems totally appropriate as do most of your choices from the political, business, sports, and entertainment spheres. Two individuals you missed were Pat Quinn and Joe Berrios, the current governor of the our state and the current Cook County assessor.
Not including the governor is a big ommission, partially because as gov he has so much influence on the lives of the residents of Chicago but also because of his good working relationships with President Obama, Mike Madigan and Rahm Emanuel.
As for assessor Berrios, just amount of money he controls in the form of property tax dollars in Cook County, should place him in the top 25 most powerful people. He has a direct influence, directly or indirectly on all of the residents (renters and owners) of everyone in the city. Also consider his power as chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party.
Feb 15, 2012 10:31 am
Posted by Elizabeth Riley (Chicago magazine)
Hi MKMChicago!
Just to clarify, there are aldermen, U.S. senators, and representatives for the Illinois House on our list. If you’d like to read up on them, they’re listed as follows:
- Mike Madigan – #4 (Illinois House)
- Ed Burke – #19 (14th Ward Alderman)
- Dick Durbin – #33 (United States senator)
- Danny Solis – #77 (25th Ward Alderman)
- Patrick O’Connor – #81 (40th Ward Alderman)
And you can read up on our list process here: bit.ly/zTlAPo
Hope this helps and thanks for commenting!
Best,
Elizabeth
Feb 15, 2012 11:15 am
Posted by petegurski
No Tony Weisman? The man who brought a multi-BILLION dollar piece of business (Sprint) to the Chicago Advertising community. Rumored to Generate 400+ jobs in the market. Word on the street is that Rahm personally thanked Tony for winning the business and bringing it to a struggling market. Just saying…
Feb 15, 2012 02:16 pm
Posted by jimmy
I thought Dick Durbin is an “Illinoisan Senator” from Springfield. The article title indicates these are “Chicagoans.
_______________________________
Chris Sweis: Provides data on how JunoWallet is doing — in Madagascar and Bulgaria
Subject: Re: Chris, any thoughts and/or comments on this? In English, please.
Date: 2/14/2012 1:06:49 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: chris@junowallet.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Here are our news points that worth something in the press today…Over the last 51 days…Yes 51 days is a really short time…

Over 424,928 installs of our apps.
Over $547,314.33 in JunoCredits issued worldwide to users who can buy the gift cards of their choice.
Over $209,040.00 iTunes and Starbucks gift cards issued and redeemed by our users.
Our app is in the top ten of apps in 7 countries.
Top 20 in 12 other countries including the USA.
We have two apps in the top 25.
More news you can use…Our ranking on the planet earth today…

Country Finance Top Overall
Italy 2 [5] 395 [626]
Jamaica 2 [27] 517 [0]
Malta 5 [27] 669 [0]
Vietnam 5 [4] 733 [599]
Guyana 6 [4] 953 [784]
Honduras 7 [5] 798 [744]
Ireland 7 [6] 923 [856]
Finland 8 [11]
United States 8 [10] 482 [630]
Madagascar 11 [10]
Netherlands 11 [11] 877 [784]
Slovenia 11 [13]
Suriname 11 [9]
Belize 12 [12]
Slovakia 12 [13] 504 [764]
St. Lucia 12 [10]
Bulgaria 13 [23]
Lebanon 13 [16]
Belgium 14 [18]
Canada 14 [15] 949 [0]
New Zealand 14 [18]
Trinidad and Tobago 15 [12]
Estonia 16 [24] 762 [0]
Bahamas 17 [17]
Algeria 18 [15]
Australia 18 [17]
Montserrat 18 [18]
Bahrain 19 [35]
Belarus 19 [23]
Norway 19 [39]
United Kingdom 19 [22]
Brunei 20 [13]
Pakistan 22 [12]
Luxembourg 23 [20]
Thailand 23 [21]
Croatia 24 [21]
Greece 24 [51]
Iceland 24 [20]
Israel 24 [28]
Venezuela 24 [65]
Macedonia 25 [54]
Philippines 25 [18]
Saudi Arabia 25 [27]
Mauritius 26 [24]
Kuwait 27 [16]
Oman 27 [25]
Russia 27 [26]
Sri Lanka 27 [24]
Austria 28 [48]
Mexico 32 [28]
Barbados 33 [33]
Czech Republic 33 [23]
St. Kitts and Nevis 33 [33]
Sweden 33 [33]
Ecuador 34 [34]
Moldova 34 [24]
Tunisia 34 [30]
Armenia 35 [50]
Jordan 35 [30]
Macau 35 [35]
Dominica 36 [36]
Azerbaijan 37 [29]
Colombia 37 [82]
Angola 39 [30]
Lithuania 39 [32]
Romania 39 [28]
Kazakhstan 41 [15]
Malaysia
…

On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 6:44 PM, <RONALDMAY@aol.com> wrote:
www.dailydealmedia.com/google-declares-its-mobile-commerce-wallet-solution-safe-and-consumer-ready642/

Google Declares Its Mobile Commerce Wallet Solution ‘Safe’ and Consumer Ready
By Michael Essany, Daily Deal Media February 13, 2012

inShare
3
Editor’s note: The following is a guest post by Michael Essany.

In recent days, Internet search giant Google has been doing some dramatic searching of its own. In response to widespread reports and criticisms that the company’s mobile wallet commerce platform is vulnerable to potentially criminal hack attacks, Google has been searching for viable solutions to remedy the concern and calm anxious customers.

As Don Young, Jr. of Daily Deal Media reported February 11th, the newest hack in town enables would-be thieves to use the Google prepaid card already tied to a smartphone in order to gain full access to the owner’s available funds. So troubling was the hack’s simplicity that a Google spokesman released a statement over the weekend to “strongly encourage” anyone who loses or wants to sell their phone to first call Google Wallet support to disable the prepaid card.”

“We are currently working on an automated fix as well that will be available soon,” Google said at the time. “We also advise all Wallet users to set up a screen lock as an additional layer of protection for their phone.”

A Temporary Solution in Place

In the aftermath of understandable jitters resulting from the confirmed vulnerability of Google’s mobile commerce platform, Google has rolled out a temporary solution to the problem.

“To address an issue that could have allowed unauthorized use of an existing prepaid card balance if someone recovered a lost phone without a screen lock,” Vice President of Google Wallet and Payments Osama Bedier writes, “tonight we temporarily disabled provisioning of prepaid cards. We took this step as a precaution until we issue a permanent fix soon.”

Google is going the extra mile this week to reiterate just how “safe” the mobile wallet solution is, particularly when compared to traditional plastic credit cards.

“Over the last few days we’ve received questions and concerns about issues related to the security of Google Wallet,” the company announced on its blog. “People are asking if Google Wallet is safe enough for mobile phone payments. The simple answer to this question is yes. In fact, Google Wallet offers advantages over the plastic cards and folded wallets in use today.”

The Learning Curve is Still Alive

On Monday, independent business analyst Mike Randazzo told Daily Deal Media that Google’s prompt response to the concern was a masterstroke of quality customer service and a clear indication of just how seriously the company takes mobile payment solutions.

“I don’t think Google made any sloppy mistakes here,” Randazzo says. “This is a whole new world when it comes to NFC based technologies and mobile payment solutions. The bugs haven’t all been worked out and the learning curve is still pretty substantial industry-wide.”

Having only been introduced to consumers last year, Google’s Near Field Communications-based Google Wallet program allows consumers to make purchases through the simple act of tapping their Android smartphone on any one of the 300,000 MasterCard PayPass-enabled merchant terminals already deployed.

“New technologies can be messy,” Randazzo goes on to say, “but I think Google handled this situation well and customers shouldn’t fear using the platform. It exists for your security and convenience. And notwithstanding a few minor and now resolved glitches, I think Google Wallet is still meeting its stated objectives.”

Source: Google

Short URL: www.dailydealmedia.com/?p=27447
–
Make it a Great Day!
Chris Sweis

JunoWallet
JunoWallet “Earn Gifts, Get Gifts, Give Gifts, Go Shop…”

Earn Gifts on Facebook. Check out our app today…
Phone: 224-265-0799
Conference Line: Dial-in Number: (218) 862-1000
Access Code: 211832
Skype ID: chris.sweis
JunoWallet in the news…
junobe.com/news.php
___________________________
ChicagoNow looking for bloggers
www.chicagonow.com/pitch??track=chinow-chicagonow-21512

Pitch your blog idea

You have a great blog or blog idea, we have a great blog network. You want to hook up? We’re open to any pitch but right now we’re specifically interested in the following topics:
Any of Chicago’s neighborhoods
Any blog where you have a very strong opinion on local issues.
We are not interested in personal diary blogs. In your pitch, be as specific as you can. Tell us about your topic, potential post ideas, and about yourself. If you’ve got an existing blog, include a URL. You can live outside Chicago but only if your blog is Chicago-centric.
We respond to every proposal but may not get back to your right away. Thanks for your interest and we look forward to reading your proposal.
Cheers,
The ChicagoNow staff
————————————-
* Required

Full Name *
Email Address *
Your ChicagoNow user name * Don’t have one yet? Go to chicagonow.com/register
Twitter user name *
Proposed blog title *

One-line description of your blog *

Proposed blog idea (go into detail) *

List 5 possible blog posts *
_____________________________
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18TH – VentureSHOT: Presentation Coaching for Funding
Subject: SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18TH – Presentation Coaching for Funding
Date: 2/15/2012 8:46:09 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com

Join Us at VentureSHOTTM for
Presentation Coaching for Funding
How to Raise More Money from Angels & VCs!
Saturday February 18th from 11am to 4pm
There will be a light lunch served at 1pm
VentureSHOTTM Headquarters
744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Located on Wells St. / River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line Stop.
We have created a Meetup Group to make
it easy to RSVP or you can Register Here!
Ron,
Six companies will have the opportunity to do a full 8 minute presentation at this event with 10 to 15 minutes of coaching and feedback. There may also be a few 3 minute “mini-presentations” available if you sign up late for a “Full Presentation” however there is NO Guarantee on availability!
The coaching will be done by extremely experienced entrepreneurs who have raised money many times themselves and coached over a 1000+ presentations from entrepreneurs, including Soapbox, the winner of the Chicago Lean Startup Challenge and all of the “Best of Show” winners from the Funding Feeding Frenzy!
Attending entrepreneurs can learn by watching the presentations and hearing all the awesome pointers for presenting to Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists! Furthermore, audience members will be able to provide collaborative suggestions as time permits.Get there early for Power Networking before the event at 10:30am and we’ll start the program at 11am. There will also be a light lunch served at 1pm!
Presentation Guidelines:
*Companies must be approved to present by the VentureSHOT Team.
*Powerpoint slides with solid presentation are required.
*Powerpoint slides are NOT needed for the 3 minute presentation but presenting companies MUST be registered.
There will be a good amount of time at the end for open “mastermind” discussion, networking and collaboration, plus Q&A.
$25 for Attendees, $49 for Presenting Companies
ONLY 6 PRESENTATION SLOTS AVAILABLE
These events will sell out due to space. Register Now!
Email david@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com or
call David Culver @ 312-953-9919 for more information.
Also plan on attending other outstanding VentureSHOT Events!
Chicago’s High Energy Entrepreneur Center
744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Located on Wells St. / River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line Stop.
What are some of the great things that happen at VentureSHOTTM?
· VentureSHOTTM Super-Ultra Collaborative Entrepreneurial Group meetings
· “Meet the Money” Angel Investor and Venture Capital “Meet & Greet” sessions
· Coaching for Funding Presentations and other important strategic presentations
· Participation in many valuable Mastermind Sessions including:

- Founder / CEO “Top Challenges”

- Funding Challenges and Solutions
- Revenue Growth Strategies
- Strategic Marketing and Brand Development
- Developing a Powerful Company Culture

· Access to “Flex-Space” or Private Offices in a fun, highly collaborative and entrepreneur friendly working environment
Come experience the awesome collaboration opportunities at Chicago’s newest Entrepreneur Center & Incubator!
Cheers!
The VentueSHOT Team.
www.VentureShot.com

For more information about The Funding Feeding Frenzy, please be sure to contact:
Bob Bock,
708.646.9047
Bob@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com
______________________________
Wednesday, Feb. 29: EDC luncheon: G8 and NATO Summits in Chicago – Opportunities and Challenges and note that they changed their location!
Upcoming G8 and NATO Summits Luncheon
Inbox
x
from: Economic Development Council edc@edcchicago.org via auth.ccsend.com
reply-to: edc@edcchicago.org
to: ron@themayreport.com
date: Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 8:02 AM
subject: Upcoming G8 and NATO Summits Luncheon
mailed-by: in.constantcontact.com
signed-by: auth.ccsend.com
Economic Development Council edc@edcchicago.org via auth.ccsend.com
8:02 AM (6 hours ago)
to me
Images are not displayed. Display images below – Always display images from edc@edcchicago.org
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here
Economic Development Council
February 29, 2012 Luncheon
G8 and NATO Summits in Chicago -
Opportunities and Challenges

Lori Healey, Executive Director
Chicago Host Committee for G8 and NATO Summits
Wednesday, February 29, 2012, Noon
The University Club, Chicago, Illinois

What are your questions concerning the G8 and NATO summits to be held in Chicago this May? With attention increasing over the magnitude and ramifications of Chicago’s role in playing host to world leaders, the EDC is pleased to provide a forum for your interest surrounding these important events.

What is projected as to the number of visitors including international visitors to Chicago? How much are they anticipated to spend while here?

What is the estimated impact on business in the Chicago area? What steps are being taking to reduce negative effects on existing businesses, especially those located in downtown Chicago? Should workers and shoppers coming to and from the Loop and North Michigan Avenue make other plans? What are the projected costs to Chicago and Illinois compared to the expected economic benefit?

Lori Healey was appointed Executive Director of the Chicago Host Committee for G8 and NATO Summits last fall. At that time she was working as Principal for The John Buck Co. Previously she was Chief of Staff to former Mayor Daley, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, and a Principal in the architecture firm of Perkins & Will. She last spoke to the Economic Development Council in her role as President of the Chicago 2016 effort to bring the Olympics to Chicago.

Reserve your space today!

The luncheon begins at noon at The University Club, Rooms A – B, 76 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603.

The cost of the lunch and program is $48 for EDC members and $65 for non-members. There is no charge for EDC Corporate and Sustaining Members.

Reservations are mandatory and can be made by prepaying online at www.edcchicago.org. If you are an EDC member, click the Member’s button on the left side of the page for the member’s rate ($48) if you are not a member click the non-member’s rate ($65).

You can email the EDC at edc@edcchicago.org or call the EDC at 773-279-8787 to reserve your space as well.
WE HAVE A NEW LUNCHEON LOCATION!
The University Club
Rooms A-B
76 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603
Upcoming Social Media Workshop -
Effective use of LinkedIn and Facebook landing pages

The EDC is announcing its second Social Media Workshop, presented by JMWebtech.com. This series will show you how to leverage social media tools to generate leads and engage clients and targets, as well as how to manage the platforms efficiently and measure results.

When: March 14
Where: DePaul University Loop Campus, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., 7th Floor, Room 7406, Chicago
How Much: $25 for the workshop
Topic: Effective use of Linkedin and Facebook landing pages

SPACE IS LIMITED – SO REGISTER NOW!

First come, first served.
To register, send an email to edc@edcchicago.org, visit www.edcchicago.org to prepay online.Upcoming G8 and NATO Summits Luncheon
Inbox
x

Economic Development Council edc@edcchicago.org via auth.ccsend.com
8:02 AM (6 hours ago)
to me
Images are not displayed. Display images below – Always display images from edc@edcchicago.org
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here
Economic Development Council
February 29, 2012 Luncheon
G8 and NATO Summits in Chicago -
Opportunities and Challenges

Lori Healey, Executive Director
Chicago Host Committee for G8 and NATO Summits
Wednesday, February 29, 2012, Noon
The University Club, Chicago, Illinois

What are your questions concerning the G8 and NATO summits to be held in Chicago this May? With attention increasing over the magnitude and ramifications of Chicago’s role in playing host to world leaders, the EDC is pleased to provide a forum for your interest surrounding these important events.

What is projected as to the number of visitors including international visitors to Chicago? How much are they anticipated to spend while here?

What is the estimated impact on business in the Chicago area? What steps are being taking to reduce negative effects on existing businesses, especially those located in downtown Chicago? Should workers and shoppers coming to and from the Loop and North Michigan Avenue make other plans? What are the projected costs to Chicago and Illinois compared to the expected economic benefit?

Lori Healey was appointed Executive Director of the Chicago Host Committee for G8 and NATO Summits last fall. At that time she was working as Principal for The John Buck Co. Previously she was Chief of Staff to former Mayor Daley, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, and a Principal in the architecture firm of Perkins & Will. She last spoke to the Economic Development Council in her role as President of the Chicago 2016 effort to bring the Olympics to Chicago.

Reserve your space today!

The luncheon begins at noon at The University Club, Rooms A – B, 76 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603.

The cost of the lunch and program is $48 for EDC members and $65 for non-members. There is no charge for EDC Corporate and Sustaining Members.

Reservations are mandatory and can be made by prepaying online at www.edcchicago.org. If you are an EDC member, click the Member’s button on the left side of the page for the member’s rate ($48) if you are not a member click the non-member’s rate ($65).

You can email the EDC at edc@edcchicago.org or call the EDC at 773-279-8787 to reserve your space as well.
WE HAVE A NEW LUNCHEON LOCATION!
The University Club
Rooms A-B
76 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603
Upcoming Social Media Workshop -
Effective use of LinkedIn and Facebook landing pages

The EDC is announcing its second Social Media Workshop, presented by JMWebtech.com. This series will show you how to leverage social media tools to generate leads and engage clients and targets, as well as how to manage the platforms efficiently and measure results.

When: March 14
Where: DePaul University Loop Campus, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., 7th Floor, Room 7406, Chicago
How Much: $25 for the workshop
Topic: Effective use of Linkedin and Facebook landing pages

SPACE IS LIMITED – SO REGISTER NOW!

First come, first served.
To register, send an email to edc@edcchicago.org, visit www.edcchicago.org to prepay online.
__________________________
Monthly event: Entrepreneur Commons, Third Thursday of every month: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM (CT)
Subject: FYI: Entrepreneur Commons invites you to Entrepreneur Commons – Chicago Chapter – Monthly… (Monthly Event)
Date: 2/9/2012 7:09:00 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: tatvshow@yahoo.com
To: ron@themayreport.com
CC: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Bruce Eric Montgomery
Executive Producer & Host
Technology Access Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312) 725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.tatv.org
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
www.facebook.com/brucemontgomery

—– Forwarded Message —–
From: Entrepreneur Commons <invite@eventbrite.com>
To: tatvshow@yahoo.com
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2012 6:54 PM
Subject: Entrepreneur Commons invites you to Entrepreneur Commons – Chicago Chapter – Monthly… (Monthly Event)
tinyurl.com/6vxq5wo

Hello Bruce!
You are invited to the following event:
Entrepreneur Commons – Chicago Chapter – Monthly Meeting
Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:
Monthly Event – Third Thursday of every month: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM (CT)
Foley and Lardner LLP
321 North Clark Street Suite 2800
Chicago, IL 60654
View Map
TIME TO REGISTER IF YOU INTENT ON COMING. ONLY COUPLE OF WEEKS AWAY. FOR ENTREPRENEURS ONLY WITH AN OPEN PROJECT.
Meeting open to ENTREPRENEURS engaged in an active project. What is Entrepreneur Commons:Entrepreneur Commons (www.entreco.org) is a network of entrepreneurs that provides peer-support. Entrepreneurs meet on a regular basis (typically…
Read More
Share this event on Facebook and Twitter
We hope you can make it!
Cheers,
Entrepreneur Commons
______________________________
Bob Bock: Offers summary of a recent brown-bag lunch and learn discussing Alternative Funding Strategies. There were 22 attendees with funding needs ranging from $50,000 to $750,000 and one $5,000,000 funding opportunity. Most were in the $250,000 to $500,000 range
Subject: VentureSHOT – Chicago’s “High Energy” Entrepreneur Collaboration Center
Date: 2/10/2012 4:03:22 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: Bob@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Hello Ron,
Here’s an updated status on VentureSHOT.
Thanks
Bob
VentureSHOT
744 N. Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Chicago’s “High Energy” Entrepreneur Collaboration Center
and Business Incubator
Created by Entrepreneurs…For Entrepreneurs.
We are OPEN NOW and ready to help you grow your company TODAY!
VentureSHOT hosted a brown-bag lunch and learn discussing Alternative Funding Strategies. There were 22 attendees with funding needs ranging from $50,000 to $750,000 and one $5,000,000 funding opportunity. Most were in the $250,000 to $500,000 range.
www.meetup.com/VSHOT-Collaboration-Community/events/47924312/ Shows some of the entrepreneurs who registered. There were several walk-ins and last minute additions, totaling 22 attendees.
The group included serial entrepreneurs, first time entrepreneurs, Investors and even a couple inventors seeking funding.
The Topics discussed included descriptions of alternative funding strategies, including:
· Individual Angel Investors
- Angel Groups
· Venture Capital
· Private Lenders
· Equity Investors
· Self Directed IRAs
- Convertible Debt
· Other Alternative Funding Strategies
o Strategic Partners
o Customer Financing
Supplier Financing
Factoring / A/R Financing
Inventory Financing, Etc.
A significant amount of discussions about the different types of funding options and the specific differences between the funding types / sources.
Then the floor was opened to collaboration, where the group discussed the most appropriate funding strategies for the different business types and business sizes.
Other important topics were the difference between Project Financing and Funding Your Business.
The event was scheduled from 11:30am – 1pm. However, the topic was so popular that even after 1pm, the majority of the attendees stayed till almost 2:30 continuing to collaborate. Overall this was an extremely beneficial and well received event.
To learn about more VentureSHOT events like the Alternative Funding Strategies event, go to the VentureSHOT Meetup Group:
www.meetup.com/VSHOT-Collaboration-Community/
Many more powerful events focused on the individual specific funding types above are on the way!
***Now is the time to join the VentureSHOT Team. Collaboration Program and Entrepreneur MentorShip Program Participants get access to the VentureSHOT Entrepreneur Collaboration Center, Wi-Fi, and get to attend many of these powerful and profitable events at no additional cost. VentureSHOT is Open for Business…Your Business!!
For information about becoming part of the VentureSHOT Collaboration Programs, Shared or Private Offices contact:
David@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com or 312-953-9919
For information about becoming a Sponsor for VentureSHOT Programs please contact Bob Bock
Bob@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com or 708-646-9047
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Chicago Clean Energy Alliance newsletter with some info. on Congress including an extension of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) in the payroll tax bill; also, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is now accepting applications for the 2012 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards
You’re invited to attend GLOBE 2012
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We Need your help! Tell Illinois Representatives: Vote for the Renewable Energy PTC!
We need your help. In the next two weeks, the US House of Representatives will vote on legislation to extend the payroll tax holiday, and it is vital that Congress also include an extension of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) in that bill. But they will only include the PTC if they believe their constituents support it.
That’s where you come in. You know that the loss of the PTC would dramatically slow wind energy installations in Illinois and other states. So help us tell the Illinois Congressional Delegation that the PTC must be included in the pending tax legislation. Specifically, Congressmen Bob Dold (R-Libertyville) and Bobby Schilling (R-Moline) will play a great role in determining whether or not the PTC is extended in the next few weeks, and we need you to let them and the rest of Illinois’ Representatives know how important this economic instrument is to creating certainty in your market.
We’ve made this easy. If you support the PTC, we urge you to sign onto this letter to the entire Illinois delegation.
All you need to do is reply to Kevin Borgia at kborgia@windforillinois with your company’s name and city, and we will make sure every Illinois Representative receives the message that Illinois businesses like yours support renewable energy!
The vote could happen as soon as this week, so reply to us as soon as possible!
GLOBE 2012 – Special CCEA full conference discount
You are invited to GLOBE 2012, one of the most important industry events on energy & environment, March 14-16 in Vancouver, Canada. Cleantech & urban sustainability will also be prominently featured in the conference and trade fair. Take advantage of the thousands of qualified visitors from Asia, Europe, North & South America, and Oceania.
Special rate for the CCEA members: free access to the trade fair & reduced access to the conference ($995). Contact carine@globe.ca for registration procedure.
www.globeseries.com
We will be travling to this show so please let us know if you will be in town as well so we can meet up. Email dstern@theccea.org.
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC)
We am pleased to announce that the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) is now accepting applications for the 2012 Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Awards www.istc.illinois.edu/info/govs_awards.cfm.
The deadline for application submittal will be the close of business on May 25, 2012. Applications will only be accepted electronically. Details can be found on the website.

The case for clustering
There has been an explosion of clean-tech clusters, promising to help accelerate the next generation of sustainable technologies. Peter Adriaens, Shawn Lesser and Ben Taube explain.
Four years after public stimulus funds aimed at greening the economy were committed, a new pattern of economic development, green job creation, green procurement and high growth venturing is emerging. During the past decade, the development of the clean technology sector was driven by private or strategic corporate investments in venture-grade companies, or by investment in projects underpinned by renewable energy targets and carbon markets.
We argue that the low-carbon economy has now gone mainstream. Local, regional and countrywide economic development groups, business organisations, corporate partners, investors and centres of R&D are coalescing into clusters aimed at accelerating the path to market for clean-tech innovations. From Europe to the Asia Pacific, via North America, dozens of clusters have been launched, often in conjunction with major clean-tech investment events.
Read the full article
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To ride on the potential opportunities in Thailand as well as the Asia-Pacific region, Clean Energy Expo Asia (CEEA) 2012 will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 12 – 14 September. CEEA continues to be the premier Trade Fair and Conference in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing together the leading players from the Technology, Services, Finance and Government sectors, in order to address key issues in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable mobility solutions.
Be part of these exciting developments – Join Clean Energy Expo Asia 2012 today!
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Phil Tadros: Various Doejo news — what am I, your PR firm?
Doejo named in Brill Street’s Top 50 Chicago Gen Y Employers | Doejo – We fuel ideas that grow
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Doejo video visits AGC | Doejo – We fuel ideas that grow
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The Leapyear Project and Doejo | Doejo – We fuel ideas that grow
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Layton Olson: Inspired by the Illinois Rail Splitter: Business forms, Gigabit Communities and Remembering the Land Grant University Economic Engines
Subject: Inspired by the Illinois Rail Splitter: Business forms, Gigabit Communities and Remembering the Land Grant University Economic Engines
Date: 2/13/2012 2:10:16 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: leo@howehutton.com
To: leo@howehutton.com

Colleagues,
February 13, 2012 — Inspired by Abraham Lincoln, America’s premier public-private infrastructure partnership president, and the only president to hold a patent (for a device to enable boats and barges to maneuver in low water rivers), and in remembrance of all those born on Abe Lincoln’s birthday, see 3 Illinois Update Notes below:
Layton Olson
Howe & Hutton Ltd.
www.howehutton.com
www.acnconsult.org
www.broadbandillinois.org
______________________
ABE LINCOLN THE RAIL-SPLITTER INSPIRATION TODAY IN GETTING GOODS AND SERVICES TO MARKET: PUTTING THE RIGHT TOOLS TOGETHER FOR SKILLS, JOBS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN DIGITAL AGE:ILLINOIS
INVESTING IN GIGABIT COMMUNITIES FOR GOOD “RETURNS ON INVESTMENT” BY BUSINESSES, PUBLIC SECTOR AND COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES AND FOUNDATIONS
TOOL # 1 USE THE RIGHT BUSINESS FORM FOR THE JOB

Update: Benefit corporation legislation recently introduced in Illinois
On February 6 I posted a guest blog on Chicago-based Investing in Communities website, see www.iiconline.org noting the authorization of public benefit corporations in California and a few other states. After the February 9 meeting of the Chicago Bar Association Div H (of Federal Tax Committee) on Tax Exempt Organizations (primarily public charities and private foundations), it was confirmed that legislation has been introduced in Illinois to authorize Benefit Corporations, including by parties which supported earlier Illinois legislation authorizing so-called L3C (Low Profit Limited Liability Company corporations) to conduct charitable mission community development, including human service services for vulnerable populations and activities to reduce the costs of government through a number of cooperative financing, volunteer activity and data exchange..
On 1, Michael Frerichs (D-52nd District) proposed legislation to create the Benefit Corporation Act. On Feb. 2, Sarah Feigenholtz (D-12th District) proposed similar legislation. Below are links to track progress.
SB2897: tinyurl.com/6oyyjfq
HB4708: tinyurl.com/7ehc6kg
TOOL #2 GET COMMITMENTS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STAKEHOLDER FINANCING

Update” $6 million Illinois Gigabit Communities competition announced at Feb. 1 state of state address by Gov. Pat Quinn, as described in Fiber to the Home newsletter, and with applications expected out soon.
Illinois Governor Outlines Gigabit Communities Initiative in Annual Address
In his State of the Stated Address on February 1, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn unveiled an initiative to bring more superfast connectivity to his state. “Today, I’m also announcing a $6 million dollar statewide competition to build ultra-high speed broadband in neighborhoods across Illinois. Through this challenge, we want our neighborhoods to become Gigabit communities with Internet connections more than 100 times faster than today! Our goal is to build smart communities that will foster the job engines of the future.” Get full text of the speech.
The Gigabit Communities Initiative is based on the Gig-U project for research universities, which in turn was stimulated by the response of over 2000 cities across the nation to participation in Google Fiber Communities, which ended up (only) with Kansas City selected.
TOOL #3 PUT RESEARCH-TEACHING-COMMUNITY SERVICE UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO WORK

Update: The Gigabit Communities Initiative is an important illustration of the Economic Engine role of Land Grant Universities in this 150th anniversary year of Morrill Act, signed into law July 2, 1862. See www.aplu.org including for (your travel schedule planning) at June 26 national commemoration in Washington, D.C. and the last week of June-first week of July University Communities exhibits for National Mall in Smithsonian Folklife Festival. I have drafted a Blog for Partnership for a Connected Illinois on the Sesquicentennial, and look to see it released soon with the “hook” of the Illinois Gigabit Communities example.
An interesting connection with the Benefit corporation legislation is that Sen. Frericks of Champaign/Urbana is the chief Senate sponsor. He is also the sponsor of Senate Morrill Act Resolution now in Higher Education Committee I believe.
See Illinois House Resolution 581 introduced by Reps. Karen May and Constance Howard, www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=581&GAID=11&DocTypeID=HR&LegId=62321&SessionID=84&GA=97 and Senate Resolution 435 introduced by Sen. Michael Frerichs.
www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GA=97&DocTypeID=SR&DocNum=435&GAID=11&SessionID=84&LegID=62528
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Layton Olson and Tarkus Murphy: Investing In Communities Blog — plus IL benefit corporation legislation introduced & Gov. Quinn’s Gigabit Communities Initiative showcases Land Grant Universities in 150th Morrill Act year
Subject: Investing In Communities Blog — plus IL benefit corporation legislation introduced & Gov. Quinn’s Gigabit Communities Initiative showcases Land Grant Universities in 150th Morrill Act year
Date: 2/10/2012 3:08:14 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: leo@howehutton.com
To: tarkus@ripco.com
CC: mp@maprealestate.com, RONALDMAY@aol.com

Tarkus,
Thank you for your thoughts on the potential use of Benefit corporations and Investing in Communties network in Ontario County, NY.
I appreciate your detailed insights on business and nonprofit legal structures and the need for small, medium and large business, nonprofit, public and public-private partnership entities to have the capacities to proceed with best structures to fit needs. This means having trusted networks among Community Anchor Institutions (nonprofit, public, business or partnerships thereof) in Local Areas with the sustainable abilities to use “the right tool for the right job” WITHOUT HAVING TO INVEST A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY in creating new structures. That is, strong local networks have worked with each other enough to know who does what best, and to trust that if they sit down on one or more projects that there will be agreement on “what’s the best entity” to apply for public, charitable or business grants or contracts, to raise money, to manage complex data exchanges, to handle “streamlined ROW cooperation” activities, and the like. Plus, your comments on how broadband connected communities can benefit from these tools and networks.
2 immediate thoughts come to mind, which might be shared through May Report and others shortly. I am copying Michael Pink of IIC, and Ron May, whose readers may have interests.
1. Benefit corporation legislation recently introduced in Illinois
From yesterday’s meeting of November 9 Chicago Bar Association Div H (of Federal Tax Committee) on Tax Exempt Organizations (primarily public charities and private foundations) there was a brief discussion about Benefit Corporations, and “planned” introduction of such legislation (which I had learned about from a Google search last week).
After the session, research by the Legislative liaison of the committee found in an article in February 9 Law360 publication on Benefit Corporations. Note that on Feb. 1, Michael Frerichs (D-52nd District) proposed legislation to create the Benefit Corporation Act. On Feb. 2, Sarah Feigenholtz (D-12th District) proposed similar legislation. Below are links to track progress.
SB2897: www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2897&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=63455&SessionID=84&GA=97&SpecSess=0
HB4708: www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=4708&GAID=11&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=64541&SessionID=84&GA=97&SpecSess=0
2. $6 million Illinois Gigabit Communities competition announced at Feb. 1 state of state address by Gov. Pat Quinn, as described in Fiber to the Home newsletter, and with applications expected out soon.
Illinois Governor Outlines Gigabit Communities Initiative in Annual Address
In his State of the Stated Address on February 1, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn unveiled an initiative to bring more superfast connectivity to his state. “Today, I’m also announcing a $6 million dollar statewide competition to build ultra-high speed broadband in neighborhoods across Illinois. Through this challenge, we want our neighborhoods to become Gigabit communities with Internet connections more than 100 times faster than today! Our goal is to build smart communities that will foster the job engines of the future.” Get full text of the speech.
The Gigabit Communities Initiative is based on the Gig-U project for research universities, which in turn was stimulated by the response of over 2000 cities across the nation to participation in Google Fiber Communities, which ended up (only) with Kansas City selected. The Gigabit Communities Initiative is an important illustration of the Economic Engine role of Land Grant Universities in this 150th anniversary year of Morrill Act, signed into law July 2, 1862. See www.aplu.org including for (your travel schedule planning) at June 26 national commemoration in Washington, D.C. and the last week of June-first week of July University Communities exhibits for National Mall in Smithsonian Folklife Festival. I have drafted a Blog for Partnership for a Connected Illinois on the Sesquicentennial, and look to see it released soon with the “hook” of the Illinois Gigabit Communities example.
One interesting connection with the Benefit corporation legislation is that Sen. Frericks of Champaign/Urbana is the chief Senate sponsor. He is also the sponsor of Senate Morrill Act Resolution now in Higher Education Committee I believe.
See Illinois House Resolution 581 introduced by Reps. Karen May and Constance Howard, www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=581&GAID=11&DocTypeID=HR&LegId=62321&SessionID=84&GA=97 and Senate Resolution 435 introduced by Sen. Michael Frerichs.
www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GA=97&DocTypeID=SR&DocNum=435&GAID=11&SessionID=84&LegID=62528
Let me know when you’ll be in Chicago.
Layton

——————————————————————————–
From: Tarkus [mailto:tarkus@ripco.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 7:40 AM
To: Tarkus
Subject: Investing In Communities Blog
Layton,
I saw in the May Report you had a post on Michael Pink’s Investing In Communities Blog. getgiving.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the insight into corporate types. Too often, the focus is on the tax exempt status 501(c)(x) and not the underlying form of the corporation.
Working with schools, hospitals and other entities, I have to deal with an alphabet soup of organizational forms. Some entities have multiple organizations (foundations, charities, service organizations, volunteer groups, industry clusters, etc.) just to engage in community outreach.
One of the things that I have noticed with the expansion of Community Anchor Institutions is that few have the additional capacity to take on the expense of the broadband resources and then add to it the people who will be needed to act upon the new data.
While this has the long term effect of boosting the use of planning, economic development and workforce expansion, the short term expense means not only investing in capital assets (equipment) but in new personnel with new work skills.
A program like Investing In Communities helps the tax exempts to locate funds (from real estate transactions) to aid in broadband and technology expansions, but many of the other groups that you mention in the article should join with the Community Anchors to articulate the need for newly trained workers. In Ontario County, NY we have a process in place in which hospitals, community colleges, industry clusters and other can communicate with regional planning, economic development and workforce resources. I discovered, to my chagrin, that at the regional and State levels and in many communities with whom I work that this is not the ordinary process.
Over the course of the next year, I foresee some substantial private expansion in the private and Community Anchor sectors due to previous investment in broadband programs. Without the coordination of local and governmental resources in expansion, I am afraid that many communities will find themselves reinventing the wheel. For example, I suspect that EACH hospital on the Axcess Ontario fiber ring will develop plans for their own PACS/DICOM systems as separate networks and I’m not sure where they are positioned with a variety of telemedicine applications (we have early adopters using Vidyo, like my physician and neo-luddites). I have discovered that most of my “Community Anchor Institutions” are aware that their role is to interoperate with one another for the benefit of their patient population. Electronic Health Records and Health Care Information Exchanges are driven under separate directives (usually from the Federal to a State Designated Entity and so on, down to the local level). Other forms of communications go in different directions from the fastest broadband all the way down to a cell or land line phone.
In order to deal with the rapid advances in new technology, the changes will result in significant way in which people will interact with their Community Anchors and a significant social reaction and change is sure to follow. The variety of organizations that you describe will need to be in place to plan, implement and smooth the changes in environment in response to the change in technology.
(I have not copied Ron on this response – you may have some thoughts on this topic that might be better expressed as a future item on Michael’s Blog. Many of these changes will result in the new investment in real estate as we make modifications for people, technology and modern work spaces.
On another now, we will be doing a lot of work with Cornell. With any luck, I’ll have some items to cover on the 150th anniversary events for land grant institutions (in Chicago).
Tarkus
____________________________
Tom Bennett: NUCLEAR | CHICAGO: The Marty Nesbitt Pay-to-Play Report: Version 1.1
Subject: NUCLEAR | CHICAGO: The Marty Nesbitt Pay-to-Play Report: Version 1.1
Date: 2/14/2012 10:37:22 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: tomrbennett@yahoo.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com, ron@themayreport.com

Ron:
Effective at 9:00p (CT) on Valentine’s Day 2012 the Chicago Housing Authority has not updated its omission of the Q-and-A from September 18, 2007 at ‘open CHA public meeting forum’ at Apartamentos Las Americas /1611 South Racine.

Why has the Chicago Housing Authority replaced the September 18, 2007 Q-and-A with the October 16, 2007 Q-and-A? www.thecha.org/filebin/board/Q_A_Oct_16_2007.pdf
How and when will Mayor Emanuel’s Chicago Housing Authority remedy the above that was first reported on Sunday evening – February 12, 2012?

Have my question(s) from the September 18, 2007 been edited or scrubbed? Why aren’t the September 18, 2007 Q-and-A listed?

According to my notes, I specifically asked Marty Nesbitt and the rest of the CHA Board of Commissioners if Marty and the rest of the Board were aware that 626 West Jackson was being subjected to an active Federal Investigation? My very direct, yet simple question was in response to Marty Nesbitt’s attempt to ‘buffalo me’ in advance of same September 18, 2007 meeting. Neither Marty Nesbitt or any of the CHA Board of Commissioners responded to same question.

Stay tuned.

www.nuclearchicago.com/2012/02/the-marty-nesbitt-pay-to-play-report-version-1-1/
TRB

— On Mon, 2/13/12, Thomas Bennett <tomrbennett@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Thomas Bennett <tomrbennett@yahoo.com>
Subject: NUCLEAR | CHICAGO: The Marty Nesbitt Pay-to-Play Report: Version 1.0
To: ronaldmay@aol.com, ron@themayreport.com
Date: Monday, February 13, 2012, 5:02 PM

Ron:
FYI.
TRB
————————–
NUCLEAR | CHICAGO: The Marty Nesbitt Pay-to-Play Report: Version 1.0
www.nuclearchicago.com/2012/02/the-marty-nesbitt-pay-to-play-report-version-1-0/
February 12, 2012 (11:45p CT): Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

By Thomas R. Bennett, Publisher of NuclearChicago.com

“What it all boils down to is this: I want the new closeness to continue. And it will, as long as we make it clear that we will continue to act in a certain way as long as they continue to act in a helpful manner. If and when they don’t, at first pull your punches. If they persist, pull the plug.” President Ronald W. Reagan

While our immediate family has been active in income real estate since the 1970‟s, we disposed of our last multi-family property in Fall 2001. During late Fall 2003, I began the process of rebuilding our family platform from scratch with a focus almost exclusively dedicated to office, retail and healthcare. Since 2004, our platform has generated gross revenues of several hundred thousand dollars until 2007 as while I was conducting business during 2007 – I was subjected to two (2) separate shakedowns on two (2) separate transactions as well as a separate instance of explicit extortion.
The first shakedown took place during Q12007 while actively advising a long-time client on a corporate relocation to 247 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois. At the time of the Q12007 shakedown attempt, I refused to capitulate to shakedown attempt or contact authorities, at that time, as shakedown was from a licensed attorney (and co-principal of long-time client). Further, I had not yet gathered enough information to corroborate other actors that participated in shakedown scheme involving over $200,000 and without first procuring full-body of evidence – irreparable harm to my long-time client could have been incurred as client is an emerging technology company that was viewed as an otherwise reputable technology firm serving our nation’s legal industry. I am now actively seeking remedies to the above-circumstances as subject-transaction involved substantial city, state and federal incentives (National Park Service, Department of The Interior and IRS).
The second shakedown took place during Summer 2007 while actively bidding-upon the former headquarters of the Chicago Housing Authority – funded almost exclusively via The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. While the Summer 2007 shakedown was more of a veiled attempt at a shakedown – subsequent actions, behavior and deeds of involved parties, including, but not limited to the then Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority, Marty Nesbitt – who also served as Treasurer to both the Obama for America and Obama Victory Fund, respectively.

Based upon reported Federal investigations into 626 West Jackson as well as other high-profile real estate deals, I refused to participate in any type of behavior that could be remotely interpreted as Pay-to-Play. To this end, I simply refused to accommodate the disingenuous congeniality of Marty Nesbitt via campaign donation(s) to Obama for America or any other Democratic or Chicago Machine Cause (i.e., Chicago 2016 Olympic Committee) as Marty Nesbitt’s behavior was implicit and, possibly, can be viewed as explicit by some parties. In an attempt to remedy the developing culture of corruption, I also refused to accommodate the overtures of intermediaries acting on behalf of the winning bidder – Sterling Bay – a prolific contributor to various Democratic Candidates – including, but not limited to Obama For America and Obama Victory Fund, respectively.
While the culture of corruption was developing during Q32007 and Q42007, I was ultimately successful in generating a spotlight and justified scrutiny involving the Chicago Housing Authority disposition and the corresponding bidding process. In fact, the Chicago Sun-Times published a September 10, 2007 article – Is CHA selling site for less than highest offer? – during same time period.
Unfortunately, fluent Farsi and Sun-Times Reporter Abdon Pallasch failed to mention the subject-property‟s direct involvement in a corresponding Federal Investigation involving John “Bernard Barton” Thomas, Antoin “Tony” Rezko, U.S. Senator Obama and Governor Blagojevich – among others. Specifically, Sun-Times Reporter Abdon Pallasch fired a total misdirection relating to trying to ensnare a former Daley bureaucrat as opposed to posing legitimate questions related to the relevance of John “Bernard Barton” Thomas and U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald’s interest in the 626 West Jackson disposition and overall-bidding process.
While the same September 2007 Crain‟s article failed to reference the Federal Investigation that was published and widely reported-upon via former Criminal Defense Attorney Tom Corfman‟s Crain’s Chicago Business on May 4, 2007 and Tribune Reporter David Jackson’s May 5, 2007 – John “Bernard Barton” Thomas’ 626 West Jackson bid submissions and John “Bernard Barton” Thomas’ corresponding involvement in a Federal Investigation involving the 626 West Jackson disposition was widely-known to the Downtown Chicago real estate community – including me and Marty Nesbitt – among several others, including Sun-Times Reporter Abdon Pallasch.
www.americanthinker.com/2012/01/patrick_fitzgeralds_rezko_mole_probation_sentence_terminated_early.html
So why did Abdon Pallasch and The Chicago Sun-Times decide to pursue the Daley bureaucrat angle INSTEAD of pursuing the much more relevant and germane John “Bernard Barton” Thomas/U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald angle? Did U.S. Attorney pay a visit to The Chicago Sun-Times in advance of the Chicago Sun-Times publishing its September 10, 2007 article – Is CHA selling site for less than highest offer?
To this end, the well-publicized media reports via Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times collectively publicized the following:
 John Thomas was a high-valued participant to an unprecedented, high-profile Federal Investigation involving pay-to-play allegation surrounding two (2) State of Illinois Public Servants – Governor Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Senator Obama – as well as corresponding downtown Chicago real estate deals.

 John Thomas was bidding-upon the former headquarters of the Chicago Housing Authority – 626 West Jackson – in advance of his outing via former Criminal Defense Attorney Tom Corfman‟s Crain’s Chicago Business May 4, 2007 article.

 626 West Jackson disposition was being conducted via the following process: (1.) An “ambiguous‟ sealed bid process with limited written instruction or direction involving criteria; (2.) a $25,000 deposit returned without a corresponding written explanation; (3.) A bid was accepted that was significantly-below Bennett bid.
The collective reporting and publicity related to the Chicago Housing Authority disposition of 626 West Jackson served as an explicit “buyer beware flag” to the real estate community, which, in turn, makes the 2008 pay-to-play behavior involving Marty Nesbitt, Obama Campaign funds and Sterling Bay principals that much more egregious, inequitable and ridiculously intolerable. Further, precedent had already been established in Chicago via the Chicago Sun-Times reporting of the infamous Hired Truck Scandal that a well-placed “heads-up” in the Chicago Sun-Times will trigger appropriate Federal scrutiny, accountability and remedies – especially given the fact that the subject-organization, Chicago Housing Authority, is funded almost exclusively via funds from The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

So my question for Marty Nesbitt and the rest of Team Obama is:

1). Why wasn’t Marty Nesbitt, the CHA CEO or the CHA General Counsel able to provide an on-the-spot-answer to the following question: What is the status of the 626 West Jackson Disposition?
www.thecha.org/filebin/board/Q_A_August_21_2007.pdf
www.thecha.org/pages/board_meeting_archive/42.php?meetingID=8

2). Why did it take several days for Marty Nesbitt or the CHA to respond to a rather simple question?

3). Did Marty Nesbitt expect me to attend our Summer 2007 meeting/coffee at Lloyd’s Restaurant with a campaign check made-out to the Obama for America or a separate to-be-formed Obama Campaign Fund (i.e., Obama Victory Fund)?

4). Did Marty Nesbitt expect me to follow-up our same Summer 2007 meeting/coffee at Lloyd’s Restaurant with a campaign check for Obama?

5). When I arrived at the September 18, 2007 CHA Board Meeting being hosted at Apartamentos las americas /1611 South Racine – did Marty Nesbitt really think he was going to simply attempt to ‘buffalo me’ in advance of the commencement of the September 18, 2007 CHA Board Meeting in the presence of Mr. Mustache?

6). Did my failure to capitulate to Marty’s various disingenuous acts of intimidation at Lloyd’s Restaurant prompt the textbook buffalo-move that Marty attempted to pull-on-me before the official commencement of the September 18, 2007 CHA Board Meeting in the presence of Mr. Mustache?

7). Why was Marty Nesbitt surprised when I still proceeded to ask my diligent question(s) in the ‘open CHA public meeting forum at Apartamentos las americas /1611 South Racine – despite Marty’s pre-meeting buffalo attempt in the presence of Mr. Mustache?’

8). Why has the Chicago Housing Authority omitted the Q-&-A from the September 18, 2007 CHA Board Meeting?
www.thecha.org/pages/board_meeting_archive/42.php?meetingID=7

9). Why has the Chicago Housing Authority replaced the September 18, 2007 Q-and-A with the October 16, 2007 Q-and-A? www.thecha.org/filebin/board/Q_A_Oct_16_2007.pdf

Have my question(s) from the September 18, 2007 been edited or scrubbed? Why aren’t the September 18, 2007 Q-and-A listed?
According to my notes, I specifically asked Marty Nesbitt and the rest of the CHA Board of Commissioners if Marty and the rest of the Board were aware that 626 West Jackson was being subjected to an active Federal Investigation? My very direct, yet simple question was in response to Marty Nesbitt’s attempt to ‘buffalo me’ in advance of same September 18, 2007 meeting. Neither Marty Nesbitt or any of the CHA Board of Commissioners responded to same question.

10). At the October 16, 2007 meeting, Mr. Nesbitt responded to my written questions by claiming that “Mr. Bennett, you are making a fool of yourself.” Why isn’t same Nesbitt response included in the CHA’s listed response?

www.thecha.org/pages/board_meeting_archive/42.php?meetingID=4
www.thecha.org/filebin/board/Q_A_Oct_16_2007.pdf

Final question….why does U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald & Company permit Marty Nesbitt & Company to ‘get-away’ with their illegal behavior involving 626 West Jackson? Blockbusting behavior involving Evergreen Country Club? Countless acts of other gestapo tactics?
Stay tuned…..

Additional reports coming soon:
The Legacy Bizarre Love Triangle: Team Obama + Chicago Athletic Association + Shefsky Froelich (& Devine)
www.nuclearchicago.com/2012/02/the-legacy-bizarre-love-triangle-team-obama-chicago-athletic-association-shefsky-froelich-devine/
__________________________
Miscellaneous notes (2 messages)
_____________________
#1: Celebrating 12 Years, with your help
Inbox
x

Vicki Starr vstarr@systemtwo.com
11:03 AM (2 hours ago)
to me
Hi, Ron,

Sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you the other day, when you called. I forwarded your voicemail to Tom. I enjoyed it, immensely! Yes, I am a “record” for Tom. We’ve been together for 18-1/2 years, and celebrated 12 years of marriage this past December 31st. He still keeps me laughing. Thought you would appreciate a picture from that fun day. I’m very glad you shared it with us.

Hope you are doing well. I know you are on the transplant list. Keep yourself as healthy as possible, so you will come through with flying colors when your name is Number One!

How is your mother? I enjoyed talking to her at your birthday party. I hope she is doing well, also.

Cheers,

Vicki

Vicki Starr
Vice President
System TWO, Inc.
630 / 717-2710
vstarr@systemtwo.com
www.systemtwo.com
_________________________
#2: RE: The May Report: 2/15/2012: An anonymous caller left me a VM (St. Valentine’s Day) telling me that Bugs Moran (George Clarence Moran) took quite a hit to his liquor biz — yeah, 83 years ago yesterday right here on Clark Street, but while seven of his
Inbox
x

Coffey, Murray M MCoffey@jenner.com
2:19 AM (12 hours ago)
to me
As of February 3, 2012, Murray Coffey is no longer with Jenner & Block LLP. For all marketing, media and business development matters please contact Brent Kidwell at bkidwell@jenner.com<mailto:bkidwell@jenner.com> or 312-923-2794. Thank you.
___________________________
END OF REPORT

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

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

(ALL
REPORTS HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED ON THE TMRONLINE.COM SITE AND THANKS TO PROMINIC
FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM)
Otherwise, just go to www.themayreport.com where all
the articles are archived and the search function on the new site is now
working

Louis Brandeis: “Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for
social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of
disinfectants.”
_____________________________
**************************************
Join
us for one of our more popular events, our annual Economic Forecast. Our event
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Seema Ackerman, Goldman Sachs Chicago Regional Director within the
broker dealer channel C
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Cocktails and appetizers
from 5:30-6:30 program begins at 6:30
Location IBM Innovation Center – 71 S
Wacker, Chicago, IL 60606
Fee: $10 in advance for members (day of event:
$20)
$35 in advance for non-members (day of event: $40)

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_______________________
TABLE
OF CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– Groupon Inc reported a loss on
Wednesday as user growth slowed from the breakneck pace of past quarters,
potentially signaling consumer fatigue with daily deals and wiping 13 percent
off its shares
– Chris Sorensen: Still time to enter the Plug and Play
Spring Expo contest!
– Tuesday, Feb. 21: Association of Strategic Alliance
Professionals: Developing Alliances in China: Due Diligence, Negotiation, and
Sustain — hey, is this a joint event with the LES?
– Josh Taustein: City
Colleges of Chicago Moves Toward Nanotechnology Curriculum with NanoProfessor
Nanoscience Education Program
– Monday, Feb. 13: VentureSHOT: Outsourcing
Strategies to Grow Your Business Brown Bag Luncheon
– Layton Olson: Public
Benefit Corporations: providing a legal framework for investing in our
communities < Investing In Communities
– What’s next for Sima? Tupperware
to her network!
– Brendan Tripp: Was kind enough to give us his “off the top
of his head” summary of the ten presentations at IgniteChicago
– Brendan
Tripp: If only this summary had been available on the night of the event
–
Article from the Harvard Gazette Archives: Creativity tied to mental illness:
Irrelevance can make you mad
– Miscellaneous notes (3 messages)
– Tues.
Feb. 7: BNC VC Group 2/7/11 Hosted by Polsinelli Shughart PC and this time Len
has listed two of the three presenters
[Editor's note: May here. David
Carman wrote to me today that two companies tied for 1st place. That would be
Cookies by Joey www.cookiesbyjoey.com/ and
Genecor Trailers and Manufacturing, LLC (and this is the only website I found www.gobignetwork.com/users/tom-stevenson).
The 3rd company was gigity.com (gigity.tv/home.php). Gigity finished
3rd in the voting but created the most buzz, Carman says.
Genecor Trailer has
contracts to manufacture hydraulic fracturing mining trailers. This fast growing
well drilling process therefore requires a massing of Frac-Tanks which are
hooked in series and contain the frac liquids that are pumped down into the huge
shale formations.]
– Jeff Carter: Let’s Drop A “Bomb” on The Red Tails
–
Cards Ron collected at the Chicago Clean Energy Alliance on 1/19/2012
–
Cards Ron collected at Ignite Chicago on 2/6/2012 at Catalyst Ranch (plus a few
email addresses)
– Cards Ron collected at the SMCC/CFA event on
1/25/2012
– Cards Ron collected at the MIT EF Holiday Party on
12/20/2011
– Cards Ron collected at the VentureShot meet and greet on
1/3/2012
– Is this spam mail?, I can’t
tell
_________________________
The Scoop
section:
____________________
Groupon Inc reported a loss on Wednesday as
user growth slowed from the breakneck pace of past quarters, potentially
signaling consumer fatigue with daily deals and wiping 13 percent off its
shares
www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/08/us-groupon-idUSTRE81727B20120208

By
Alistair Barr
Wed Feb 8, 2012 6:06pm EST

(Reuters) – Groupon Inc
reported a loss on Wednesday as user growth slowed from the breakneck pace of
past quarters, potentially signaling consumer fatigue with daily deals and
wiping 13 percent off its shares.

In its first results report since going
public, the daily deals company founded by Andrew Mason said it recorded higher
taxes overseas that resulted in a net loss, although Wall Street had on average
bet on a small profit.
Groupon paid $35 million in taxes during the quarter,
for an effective tax rate of 1,600 percent. That was driven by income generated
in some countries outside the United States and tax provisions related to
Groupon’s new international headquarters in Switzerland.
“This makes us a
good corporate citizen,” said Chief Financial Officer Jason Child. But he added
that the company’s tax rate in the future will likely be about 33
percent.
Worldwide active users – those who bought a deals coupon, or
groupon, within the past 12 months – rose 20 percent quarter-on-quarter to over
33 million at the end of December, the company said.
That marked a 275
percent jump from the same period a year earlier, but analysts said it was lower
than expected, while others pointed to a lackluster revenue forecast for the
first quarter that suggested flat growth.
“That suggests there are fewer
newer customers, consumer fatigue and the impact from lower marketing spending,”
said Sameet Sinha, an analyst at B Riley. “That means not enough people are
buying groupons.”
Groupon said its fourth-quarter net loss attributable to
common stockholders was $42.7 million, or 8 cents a share. That compares with a
loss of $378.6 million, or $1.08 a share, a year earlier.
On an adjusted
basis, Groupon reported a fourth-quarter loss of 2 cents a share. Revenue was
$506.5 million, up 194 percent from the final quarter of 2010.
Groupon was
expected to make 3 cents a share profit on revenue of $475 million in the fourth
quarter, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The Chicago-based company’s
shares slumped about 13 percent to $21.35 in after-hours trading following the
results.
On Wednesday, Groupon forecast revenue of $510 million to $550
million in the first quarter of 2012, a slight increase from 2011′s fourth
quarter.
There was “some concern that the guidance looks flattish,
sequentially,” said Raymond James’ Aaron Kessler. “Maybe investors are looking
for a little bit more growth on a sequential basis.”
(Reporting by Alistair
Barr and Gerry Shih in San Francisco, Edwin Chan in Los Angeles; editing by
Bernard Orr, Tim Dobbyn Andre Grenon and Matthew Lewis)

Groupon
IncGRPN.O

$24.58
+0.39+1.61%

Groupon
IncGRPN.OQ

$24.58
+0.39+1.61%

We welcome comments that advance
the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a
comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our
editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not
represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
Comments
(7)
AlkalineState wrote:
“Groupon Reports Quarterly Net Loss.”

Gee,
ya’ think? “Save 50% on one night of sit-ups” is not that interesting. Sit-ups
are free. Anyone who bought this stock was a sucker.
Feb 08, 2012 4:24pm EST
– Report as abuse

diluded0000 wrote:
I read something a while back
that characterized doing business with Groupon as a merchant being pretty bad
compared with Living Social. I’m paraphrasing from a vague memory here, but it
sounds like they try to push merchants into money loosing deals to improve
Groupon’s redemption rate. Not a good strategy for winning repeat
customers.

Feb 08, 2012 5:03pm EST — Report as abuse

inverse137
wrote:
This stock seemed like a bad buy from the very start. Groupon is a
scam. It does not help small merchants grow their business.

I’m sticking
by my assessment that if you didn’t get in and then out on the buy you will lose
money.

Feb 08, 2012 5:47pm EST — Report as
abuse
____________________________
May here. I generally run into a
Groupon person about once a week. Recently, a woman who is in customer service
(and who helped me get outside my building) who moved here from Orlando told me
that the most frequent issue raised by customers is that they forgot to use the
Groupon and they still want to get the value.
At Monica Metzler’s Illinois
Science Council party Saturday night, one developer, Dean Marano, works on tools
that will help Groupon get more merchant clients. They use Ruby on Rails, and
Dean says he has not met DHH. Oh, and I know nothing about the tax issue
mentioned above.
____________________________
Chris Sorensen: Still time
to enter the Plug and Play Spring Expo contest!

Still time to enter the
Plug and Play Spring Expo contest!
Inbox
x
from: Chris Sorensen
Chris@plugandplaychicago.com
to: ron@themayreport.com
date: Mon, Feb 6,
2012 at 1:21 PM
subject: Still time to enter the Plug and Play Spring Expo
contest!
: Important mainly because of the people in the
conversation.

Chris Sorensen Chris@plugandplaychicago.com
1:21 PM (39
minutes ago)
to me
Hi Ron,

Thanks for your help getting the word
out about the Plug and Play Spring Expo contest
We have received lots of
great entries from Chicago and Illinois startups interested in pitching to
Silicon Valley VC’s on March 22.

And there is still time for Illinois
startups to enter the contest – the deadline is February 17th.

At our
last Expo TWO companies received term sheets from leading VC firms within a WEEK
of pitching at Plug and Play!
(Results not typical – your mileage may
vary)

About the Plug and Play Expo Contest

Plug and Play
Chicago is conducting a special contest for one of Illinois’ most promising
startups to win a free pass to pitch and demo at Plug and Play Spring Expo in
Sunnyvale (a $1,999 value).

The Plug and Play Spring Expo will features
30 promising startups pitching to over 100 top-tier Silicon Valley VCs, and
corporate partners, live demos and networking in the heart of Silicon
Valley.

To qualify for consideration a company must be a technology
related startup seeking Seed, Round A or Round B venture financing. The winner
will be chosen by Plug and Play Tech Center.

To enter send an Executive
Summary (or 10 slide Pitch Deck) to Contest@PlugandPlayChicago.com by February
17. (No purchase necessary)

About Plug and Play Tech Center

Plug
and Play Tech Center is the largest technology accelerator in Silicon Valley. It
supports the leading ecosystem of startups, investors, university, and corporate
partners, all working together to accelerate tech startups.

· Home to
over 300 global technology startups
· Helped startups raise $370M in
2011
· Over $900 million total funding raised to date
· Partners with over
200 VC’s like Sequoia, KP, Lightspeed, DFJ, etc.
· Over 100 global
corporations in Business Partner Network
· Global community of over 3,000
technology companies with focus in Mobile, Internet, Digital Media, and Social
Media
For more information about the Plug and Play Spring Expo
www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/expo/spring2012/

Best,

Chris
Sorensen
Managing Director Plug and Play Chicago

312.399.2101
(m)
Sunnyvale Ca.

Plug and Play Chicago
www.PlugandPlayChicago.com
Plug and Play Silicon Valley
www.PlugandPlayTechCenter.com

www.linkedin.com/in/chrissorensen
________________________
Tuesday,
Feb. 21: Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals: Developing Alliances
in China: Due Diligence, Negotiation, and Sustain — hey, is this a joint event
with the LES?

2/21 event for May Report
consideration
ronaldmay@aol.com
x
from:
nancy_tubbs@fullcalendar.com
to:
ronaldmay@aol.com,
melanie_adcock@msn.com
date: Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 1:24
PM
subject: 2/21 event for May Report consideration
signed-by:
fullcalendar.com

nancy_tubbs@fullcalendar.com
1:24 PM (3 hours
ago)
to ronaldmay, melanie_adcock
Hi Ron and Melanie,
Here’s an event
for consideration for The May Report.
Thanks very much,
Nancy
Tubbs
==============================================
Association of
Strategic Alliance Professionals presents:
Developing Alliances in China: Due
Diligence, Negotiation, and Sustain
DATE/TIME:
February 21, 2012,
6-8pm
LOCATION:
PF Chang’s Chicago
530 North Wabash Avenue
Chicago,
IL, 60611
COST/REGISTRATION:
$40, ASAP Members; $50, Non-Members;
Registration Required.
tinyurl.com/ASAPMW22012
MORE
INFO:
Website: tinyurl.com/ASAPMW22012
Email:
annpr@hotmail.com
Phone: 781-562-1630
Contact: Ann
Trampas
DESCRIPTION:
China continues to grow and provide opportunities, it
is expected over the next five years the economy will increase 7% annually and
the country’s GDP in 2015 should exceed US$8,270 billion (55 trillion yuan). The
growth in China provides opportunities for growth between established providers
and emerging competitors. It also presents some challenges which need to be
considered when doing business in China from intellectual property, to cost
structure and government policies. The panelists will each share their insights
on working with China and provide best practices for due diligence, negotiation
and sustaining.
Hosted by the ASAP Midwest Chapter in conjunction with the
Chicago Chapters of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the Association
of Strategic Planning (ASP).
About Association of Strategic Alliance
Professionals:
Founded in 1998, the Association of Strategic Alliance
Professionals (ASAP) is a professional association dedicated to the practice of
negotiating, planning, and executing strategic alliances in the business world.
ASAP provides knowledge and support for large corporations, midsized
enterprises, and small businesses that rely on complex partnerships to achieve
core business goals.
_________________________
Josh Taustein: City
Colleges of Chicago Moves Toward Nanotechnology Curriculum with NanoProfessor
Nanoscience Education Program

City Colleges of Chicago Moves Toward
Nanotechnology Curriculum with NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education
Program
Inbox
x
from: Joshua Taustein jtaustein@dresnerco.com
to:

date: Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 8:59 AM
subject: City Colleges of Chicago Moves
Toward Nanotechnology Curriculum with NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education
Program
mailed-by: dresnerco.com
Joshua Taustein
jtaustein@dresnerco.com
Feb 2 (1 day ago)
to undisclosed
recipients
NanoProfessor, a division of NanoInk, Inc. focused on
nanotechnology education, announced today a partnership with City Colleges of
Chicago in which two City Colleges students will complete a specially designed
“Introduction to Nanotechnology” course followed by a paid summer internship
program working in the Skokie-based NanoProfessor labs.

Please see the
attached press release for more information and let me know if you have any
questions. Interviews are available upon
request.

Regards,
____________________________
Monday, Feb. 13:
VentureSHOT: Outsourcing Strategies to Grow Your Business Brown Bag
Luncheon

from: Funding Feeding Frenzy bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com via
icontact.com
to: ronaldmay@aol.com
date: Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 3:00
AM
subject: MONDAY FEBRUARY 13TH – Outsourcing Strategies to Grow Your
Business Brown Bag Luncheon
signed-by: icontact.com

MONDAY FEBRUARY
13TH – Outsourcing Strategies to Grow Your Business Brown Bag
Luncheon
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

Funding Feeding Frenzy
bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com via icontact.com
3:00 am (2 days ago)
to
ronaldmay
Images are not displayed. Display images below – Always display
images from bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com
Join Us at VentureSHOTTM for
Outsourcing
Strategies to Grow Your Business
Brown Bag
Luncheon

Monday February 13th from 11:30am to 1pm

VentureSHOTTM
Headquarters
744 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Located on Wells
St. / River North neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line
Stop.

We have created a Meetup Group to make
it easy to RSVP or you
can Register Here!

Ron,

Learn from Entrepreneurs who have
successfully outsourced a majority of the work in their businesses and find out
how YOU can do the same.

These seasoned entrepreneurs will share their
experiences in using a large number of excellent and powerful outsourcing
strategies that can free you and your team from non-core activities and help you
focus on growing your business. The team will provide insights into how to
consider and implement these strategies for your business.

Bring Your
Lunch and eat while you are collaborating. Get there early for Networking before
the event at 11:30am and we’ll start the program at NOON!

Topics:
*Key
Outsourcing Strategies with real life examples from founders
*WHAT to
Outsource, When and Why also what NOT to Outsource
*Issues with Outsourcing
and Solutions to remedy them in advance
*Outsourcing Scale & Scope – Cost
vs Benefit Analysis
*Open Q&A for Entrepreneurs & Business
Owners
There will be a good amount of time at the end for open “mastermind”
discussion, networking and collaboration, plus Q&A.
Only $20 early bird,
$25 regular and $30 at the door
These events will sell out due to space.
Register Now!
www.eventbrite.com/event/2768339177
Email
david@FundingFeedingFrenzy.com or
call David Culver @ 312-953-9919 for more
information.
Also plan on attending other outstanding VentureSHOT
Events!
Chicago’s High Energy Entrepreneur Center

744 N. Wells Street,
Chicago, IL 60654

Located on Wells St. / River North
neighborhood.
Only 1 Block from the Chicago Brown Line Stop.

What are
some of the great things that happen at VentureSHOTTM?
· VentureSHOTTM
Super-Ultra Collaborative Entrepreneurial Group meetings
· “Meet the Money”
Angel Investor and Venture Capital “Meet & Greet” sessions
· Coaching for
Funding Presentations and other important strategic presentations
·
Participation in many valuable Mastermind Sessions including:

- Founder /
CEO “Top Challenges”
- Funding Challenges and Solutions
- Revenue Growth
Strategies
- Strategic Marketing and Brand Development
- Developing a
Powerful Company Culture
· Access to “Flex-Space” or Private Offices in a
fun, highly collaborative and entrepreneur friendly working environment
Come
experience the awesome collaboration opportunities at Chicago’s newest
Entrepreneur Center & Incubator!

Cheers!
The VentueSHOT
Team.
www.VentureShot.com
___________________________
Layton Olson:
Public Benefit Corporations: providing a legal framework for investing in our
communities < Investing In Communities

Public Benefit Corporations:
providing a legal framework for investing in our communities < Investing In
Communities
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

Layton E. Olson
leo@howehutton.com
Feb 6 (2 days ago)
to Layton
Colleagues,
Thought
you might be interested in new corporate forms for investing in communities,
including those linked with traditional charitable and trade association
economic development tools.
getgiving.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/public-benefit-corporations-providing-a-legal-framework-for-investing-in-our-communities/
Let
me know if you have questions.
Layton Olson
Howe & Hutton LTD
20 N.
Wacker Drive Suite 4200
Chicago, IL
60606
312-263-3001
www.howehutton.com
www.acnconsult.org
_______________________________
What’s
next for Sima? Tupperware to her network!

What’s next for Sima?
Tupperware to her network!
LinkedIn
Sima Dahl has sent you a
message.
Date: 2/07/2012
Subject: Headshot Days Return: Feb 24-25 -
Register now!
I’m pleased to announce the return of Headshot Days this
February 24-25, 2012. Whether you’re a rainmaker, business owner, ladder climber
or job seeker, you need a professional headshot that says “I mean
business!”
I’m so delighted that Chicago’s famed fashion photographer Audia
has once again offered to “shoot my network” for such a deeply discounted price.
Regularly $450 and up, you can have a professionally retouched headshot starting
at just $185. Make-up, change of clothes and additional images are extra.
Prepayment is required to reserve your spot and yes, your friends are welcome!
Learn more and register today at bitly.com/headshot_feb2012.
{While I seldom
send promotional emails of this nature, if you wish to be removed from my
contact list please just let me know.}

Kind regards,

Sima Dahl

President, Parlay Communications, Ltd.
Chief Connector,
MarketingJobWire.com
Co-Founder,
MarketMyCareer.com
_______________________________
Brendan Tripp: Was kind
enough to give us his “off the top of his head” summary of the ten presentations
at IgniteChicago

from: Brendan Tripp btripp@gmail.com
to:
ronaldmay@aol.com
date: Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 12:00 AM
subject: Fwd: Details
for IgniteChicago tonight!
signed-by: gmail.com

Fwd: Details for
IgniteChicago tonight!
ronaldmay@aol.com
x

Brendan Tripp
btripp@gmail.com
12:00 AM (23 hours ago)
to ronaldmay
Images are not
displayed. Display images below – Always display images from
btripp@gmail.com
Ron …
Below is the schedule they sent out. I wasn’t
taking notes, so have only sketchy recall about what each spoke on. Here’s what
I can come up with for each:
Tricia Parker – don’t recall the topic, she
seemed a bit nervous speaking … I think this is her LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/tricia-parker/13/b81/739
Seth
Unger – he’s an actor, his wife’s an actress, and they had “pet names” for
particular behaviors … don’t recall the specifics … his LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/seth-unger/11/558/580
Allie
Harned – spoke about Habitat for Humanity, and about that sort of “vacation” in
general … her site: www.wearehabitat.org/people/allie-harned
Greg
Christian – a former chef, now a “green” consultant … his site: beyondgreenpartners.com
Bess
Gallanis – a meditation instructor (?) talking about “mindfullness” … her web
site: bessgallanis.wordpress.com/
(5
min. intermission)
Mary Cerjan – was advocating MLM, specifically hers …
her web site: www.marycerjan.com/
Michael
Courier – a photographer, spoke about learning to photograph lightning … his
site: www.michaelcourier.com/
Melinda
Russo – she’s a middle-school teacher and talked about helping kids grow up …
I’m pretty sure this is her blog: blogs.skokie68.org/mrusso/about-ms-melinda-russo/
Mare
Swallow – I think she was speaking when you came in … talking about not being
afraid to produce crap … her site: mariannaswallow.com/
Brooke
O’Neill – You were there for this one, which is good, since I don’t recall what
it was about right now … pretty sure this is her LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brookeoneill
-
B.T.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: IgniteChicago
<donotreply@eventbrite.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 6, 2012 at 5:30
AM
Subject: Details for IgniteChicago tonight!
To:
btripp@gmail.com
Hello wonderful people!
Tonight’s the night…and we
could not be more excited! Here’s the scoop on what will be going down at
IgniteChicago tonight. We’re completely sold out – so it’ll be a packed house
full of crazy awesome people and a whole lotta inspiration. Hope you’re ready

See you there!
Claire Lew & Pete Aiello (co-organizers of
IgniteChicago)
Event: IgniteChicago
Date: Monday, February 6, 2012 from
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (CT)
Location:
Catalyst Ranch
656 W Randolph St

# 3W
Chicago, 60661
Agenda:
6:30PM – Registration opens
7:00PM -
The inspiration is ignited!
Speaker line-up:
Tricia Parker
Seth
Unger
Allie Harned
Greg Christian
Bess Gallanis
(5 min.
intermission)
Mary Cerjan
Michael Courier
Melinda Russo
Mare
Swallow
Brooke O’Neill
9:00PM – Post-Ignite Shindig at Haymarket (a block
west on Randolph!)
Parking: Catalyst Ranch has $10 validated parking at the
System Parking lot located on Lake St between Jefferson & Des
Plaines.
Twitter: #ignitechi
For more information click
here:
IgniteChicago
______________________________
Brendan Tripp: If
only this summary had been available on the night of the event

Subject:
Fwd: Thanks for coming to Ignite Chicago!
Date: 2/8/2012 10:36:26 A.M.
Central Standard Time
From: btripp@gmail.com
To:
RONALDMAY@aol.com

Ron …
Gee, this would have been handy had they
sent it right out that evening!
- B.T.
———- Forwarded message
———-
From: IgniteChicago <donotreply@eventbrite.com>
Date:
Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 5:30 AM
Subject: Thanks for coming to Ignite
Chicago!
To: btripp@gmail.com
Hi everyone!
Thank you so much for coming
out to IgniteChicago the other night! The energy was amazing, and we could not
have imagined it going better.
For those of you missed it, here’s the
info/contact of our phenomenal speakers:
Tricia Parker – @garbagechild -
“Surviving Your Saturn Returns”
Seth Unger – @sethunger – “How We Are
Inauthentic WIthout Even Knowing It”
Allie Harned – “Service Vacations”

Greg Christian – beyondgreenpartners.com – “Food and Forgiveness”
Bess
Gallanis – bessgallanis.wordpress.com – “Got Mindfulness?”
Mary Cerjan -
marycerjan.com – “Truth and Lies About Direct Sales”
Michael Courier -
michaelcourier.com – “Bottled Lightning in a Snap”
Melinda Russo – “The Most
Misunderstood Animal”
Marianna Swallow – mariannaswallow.com – “Why You
Should Do Something Poorly on Purpose”
Brooke O’Neill – brookeoneill.com -
“Please Like Me”

A special thanks to our talented videographer Ben
Millstein, and photographer Justin Barbin. Videos & photos will be available
on our website + Facebook in the next few weeks.

Hopefully, you had a
wonderful time at IgniteChicago…and we would love to see you the next time
around! Our next IgniteChicago will be happening in the next few months. Be the
first to hear about it by joining our newsletter (email
clew23@gmail.com).

Help us spread the word about Ignite by liking us on
Facebook and following us on Twitter. You can also sign up to be a speaker
yourself at ignitechi.org and be the
spark of inspiration for others

Lastly, please let us know if you have
any feedback or suggestions on how to improve IgniteChicago. We want to make
Ignite as awesome as possible, and would love to hear from
you.

Thanks so much again, and see you at the next
Ignite!

Claire Lew & Pete Aiello (co-organizers of
IgniteChicago)
___________________________
Article from the Harvard
Gazette Archives: Creativity tied to mental illness: Irrelevance can make you
mad

www.stumbleupon.com/su/19acqe/www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2003/10.23/01-creativity.html/

HARVARD
GAZETTE ARCHIVES

Shelley Carson developed a new test for creativity,
which includes asking people what novel things they could do if they had six
fingers on their hands. (Staff photo Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard News
Office)
Creativity tied to mental illness
Irrelevance can make you
mad

By William J. Cromie
Harvard News Office
Ignoring what seems
irrelevant to your immediate needs may be good for your mental health but bad
for creativity.

Focusing on every sight, sound, and thought that enters
your mind can drive a person crazy. It interferes with an animal’s hunt for
something to eat, or a busy person’s efforts to sleep. As you might guess,
psychologists have a term for ignoring the irrelevant; they call it “latent
inhibition.” A team of them at Harvard has discovered that students who score
low in this seemingly vital trait are much more likely to be creative achievers
than those who excel in putting things out of their minds.

“Scientists
have wondered for a long time why madness and creativity seem linked,
particularly in artists, musicians, and writers,” notes Shelley Carson, a
Harvard psychologist. “Our research results indicate that low levels of latent
inhibition and exceptional flexibility in thought predispose people to mental
illness under some conditions and to creative accomplishments under
others.”

Carson, Jordan Peterson (now at the University of Toronto), and
Daniel Higgins did experiments to find out what these conditions might
be.

They put 182 Harvard graduate and undergraduate students through a
series of tests involving listening to repeated strings of nonsense syllables,
hearing background noise, and watching yellow lights on a video screen. (The
researchers do not want to reveal details of how latent inhibition was scored
because such tests are still going on with other subjects.)

The students
also filled out questionnaires about their creative achievements on a new type
of form developed by Carson, and they took standard intelligence tests. When all
the scores and test results were compared, the most creative students had lower
scores for latent inhibition than the less creative.

Some students who
scored unusually high in creative achievement were seven times more likely to
have low scores for latent inhibition. These low scorers also had high
IQs.

“Getting swamped by new information that you have difficulty
handling may predispose you to a mental disorder,” Carson says. “But if you have
high intelligence and a good working memory, you are more likely to be able to
combine bits of new information in creative ways.”
IQ and
creativity
Whether IQ tests are the best way to measure intelligence is
debatable, but some studies do show a correlation between high IQ and
creativity. Such studies conclude that the two increase together up to a score
of 120. Beyond that level, little increase in creativity has been found. (The
average IQ score of the general population is 100.)

“We didn’t find
this,” Carson notes. “We saw creativity increase as IQs climb to 130 (the
average score of Harvard students), and even up to 150.”

Bothered by the
nebulousness of IQ tests, Carson is seeking to find “more specific functions”
that protect creative people from going nuts. Work already done suggests that a
good working memory, the capacity to keep in mind many things at once, can serve
such a function. “This should help you to better process the increasing
information that goes along with low latent inhibition,” Carson explains. “We’re
doing more experiments to determine if that is so.”

She and her
colleagues also plan to check out ways to reduce the blocking of seeming
irrelevance with drugs. Many creative people have touted the value of alcohol
and other stimulants, such as amphetamines, for this purpose. Carson wants to
find a way to do the same thing without the unwanted side effects of drugs and
alcohol. She is investigating nonaddictive drugs and ways to manipulate
biorhythms, the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, with varying exposures to bright
light.

Another possibility goes to the different stages of paying more
attention to what is around you. First there’s insight, where creative ideas
form and which may be enhanced by a buzz of unrelated stimuli. Then comes
evaluation and editing, which require focus and concentration. Carson and her
colleagues have started testing creative people to see if they can manipulate
their attention filter during these different stages.
Creativity and
madness
How can people lower their inhibition quotient and increase
creativity on their own? There’s really no good answer to that question yet. “We
may have identified one of the biological bases of creativity,” Carson says,
“but it is only one among many. Creativity also is associated with a variety of
personality traits, social and family factors, and direct
training.”

There also remain fundamental biological riddles to solve.
Cats, rats, mice, pigeons, and other animals show latent inhibition. When they
discover something is useless for helping them to survive, ignoring it helps
them survive. Then there’s that mysterious connection between psychosis and
creativity to probe. “Highly creative people in our studies,” Carson notes,
“showed the same latent inhibition patterns found in other studies of
schizophrenics.

“Both madness and creativity must involve many different
genes,” Carson points out. “It’s not impossible that the two share some of these
genes. It’s my hope that future research into this and other areas will help us
progress toward silencing the demons of mental disorders that often coexist with
the muses of creativity.”

Until then, the situation is cogently expressed
by this old joke:
A man is driving past a mental hospital when one of the
wheels falls off his car. He stops and recovers the wheel but can’t find the lug
nuts to secure it back in place. Just then he notices a man sitting on the curb
carefully removing small pebbles from the grass and piling them neatly on the
sidewalk.

“What am I going to do?” the man asks aloud. The fellow piling
the pebbles looks up, and says, “Take one of the lug nuts from each of the other
wheels and use them to put the wheel back on.”

The driver is amazed.
“Wow!” he exclaims. “What a brilliant idea. What are you doing in a place like
this?” he asks, nodding toward the mental institution.

“Well,” the man
answers, “I’m crazy, not stupid.”
“That’s exactly what our research is
about,” Carson comments. “It shows that, to be creative, you can be bright and
crazy, but not stupid.”
________________________
Miscellaneous notes (3
messages)
______________________
#1: re: your recent health
news
Inbox
x

dave mcmurray loslobos416@yahoo.com
Feb 2 (5 days
ago)
to me
Hi Ron -
Sorry to hear about your upcoming kidney
transplant – but it would seem as an inevitable occurrence, so might as well get
it over with when you’re still relatively healthy in other critical areas. But
I’m sure it still sucks donkeys for you just the
same.
Best,
Dave
__________________________
#2: Subject: Re: Phil,
are you involved in Technori and is Seth Kravitz the front man?
Date:
2/8/2012 4:25:53 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: phil@doejo.com
To:
RONALDMAY@aol.com
Seth is Seth, he is Technori, I’m just an entrepreneur he
happened to interview first and we connected, it’s pretty normal
Ron.

Find another hobby.

On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 3:45 PM,
<RONALDMAY@aol.com> wrote:
–
Philip Tadros
708.655.6753
doejo.com
philcoextra.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#3:
Subject: Re: Phil, saw a guy from Nelson Cash Mon. night. Why does Kravitz run
away from me?
Date: 2/8/2012 4:26:24 P.M. Central Standard Time
From:
phil@doejo.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
I can’t speak for others, I’m too
focused on being productive.

On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 3:43 PM,
<RONALDMAY@aol.com> wrote:

–
Philip
Tadros
708.655.6753
doejo.com
philcoextra.com
__________________________
Tues.
Feb. 7: BNC VC Group 2/7/11 Hosted by Polsinelli Shughart PC and this time Len
has listed two of the three presenters

Subject: BNC VC Group 2/7/11
Hosted by Polsinelli Shughart PC
Date: 2/4/2012 10:20:09 P.M. Central
Standard Time
From: len_bland@conceptequity.com
To:
ronaldmay@aol.com

Click here to see web version of this notice conceptequity.com/BNCVCGroup.htm
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__________________________
Jeff Carter: Let’s Drop A “Bomb” on The Red
Tails

Subject: Fwd: Let’s Drop A “Bomb” on The Red Tails | Points and
Figures
Date: 2/5/2012 4:19:27 P.M. Central Standard Time
From:
jrcarter@me.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com

pointsandfigures.com/2012/01/13/the-red-tails-need-your-help/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Let’s
Drop A “Bomb” on The Red Tails
Posted by Jeff Carter
on January 13th,
2012

11
George Lucas is releasing a film soon about the Tuskegee
Airman. I cannot wait to see it. It’s a fabulous American story that is even
more compelling because of the racism that the Tuskegee Airman had to overcome
at home, and in the Army of their country. The National World War Two Museum
started undertaking a project over a year ago to celebrate the contribution of
the Tuskegee Air Corps to World War Two. My fellow board member, Todd Ricketts,
and I are heading up this project. That project needs your help.
They changed
American history. Not only because they helped win a war against a despot, but
because they are the seed that started the Civil Rights movement. After the
success of the Tuskegee Airman, we saw things begin to change in this
country.

The military became integrated. Jackie Robinson played for the
Dodgers in 1947. Rosa Parks sat on a bus. Later, Martin Luther King lead a
movement that changed a nation. Jim Crow was defeated. All of it can be traced
to some really brave pilots that sacrificed a lot for a country that didn’t
necessarily accept them.
The National World War Two Museum in New Orleans,
Louisiana is engaged in a building project right now. Currently, there is a huge
pavilion being built that will talk about the air war over Europe and the
Pacific. Boeing generously donated a lot of the money necessary to build that
building. The museum will have some planes on display. A B-17 bomber is going to
hang from the ceiling. But, the B-17 wouldn’t have made too many trips if it
wasn’t for the P-51 Mustang.
The museum found a P-51 that wasn’t flying, and
is in the process of rehabbing it so that it can be displayed. It will be
painted with the distinctive markings of the Tuskegee Airmen. Their plane will
be on permanent display in the museum, along with all the necessary audio,
digital and visual displays that are essential to telling their remarkable
story. When the last Tuskegee airman passes away, their story will be forever
etched into the memory and conscience of America, and the world, through the
display at the museum.

However, this museum exhibiting stuff doesn’t come
free. Before I was on the museum board, I never realized the amount of fixed
costs it took to simply turn the lights on in a museum. The museum is mostly
supported from donations from people like you. It’s truly an amazing place, and
one that should be on your bucket list of places to see someday.

WW2 was
fought by all Americans. Everyone pitched in on the war front, and the home
front, to make sure we attained a victory. Virtually everyone sacrificed. I’d
love to see each and every American pitch into this worthy cause as well. Let’s
honor our WW2 veterans, our grandparents, parents, uncles, brothers, by donating
$5, $10, $25, $50 bucks, whatever you can give. Just like in WW2, everyone did
their small part. We need to get the same thing going to get this exhibit off
the ground.

Even today, babies that are born have their entire lives
affected by the outcome of World War Two. Borders were drawn after the war that
are still in existence today. Innovations that happened during the war still
benefit society today. It was a war fought on every continent, by every race of
people walking the earth. It was the ultimate test of a free loving society
disposing of a totalitarian axis regime. Fortunately, freedom reigned. One of
the reasons was those hyper quick red tailed planes flown by some really
excellent pilots. They saved a lot of lives, and ensured that a lot of us are
here today.

Please take some time and click the link to give a few bucks
to the World War Two museum so we have the money to display and tell the story
of those awesome warriors. They sacrificed a lot, we only have to sacrifice a
little.

Please tell your friends about this. Email them. Tweet it. Post
it on your Facebook or Google+ wall. Persuade them to take five minutes and
donate. It would be nice to drop a little “money bomb” on this
project.

follow me on twitter

Thanks for the support and link Doug
Ross.

The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and
does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I
or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned
in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.

You
might be interested in:•Amazing Grace (pointsandfigures.com)
•Trading Idea Of
The Week (downtowntrader.com)
•Stocks edge lower amid Greece jitters
(CNNMoney.com)
____________________________
Cards Ron collected at the
Chicago Clean Energy Alliance on 1/19/2012

David W.
Hagen
Eco-Industrial
Development
www.eidsite.com
dhagen@eidsite.com

Hoyt E.
Hudson
Eco-Industrial
Development
www.eidsite.com
hhudson@eidsite.com

Clyde D.
Cady
President
Facility Capital
cdcady@facilitycapital.com

Kevin
G. Desharnais
Mayer
Brown
www.mayerbrown.com
kdesharnais@mayerbrown.com

Tony Boylan

Boylan Media
boylanmedia@gmail.com

Stan Komperda
Project
Development
American Wind Energy Management
Corp.
www.awem.org
stan@awem.org

Kris Martinez
Farrell
President
www.martinezcreativegroup.com
kris@martinezcreativegroup.com

Jason
Eric Krygsheld
needlemansr@gmail.com

Jeff Riley
President
Riley
Public
Affairs
www.rileypublicaffairs.com
jeff@rileypublicaffairs.com

David
Weiner
EcoPrintMail
www.ecoprintmail.com
david@ecoprintmail.com

Vicki
Aleck Gumbiner
Producer/Writer/editor
vicki.gumbiner@gmail.com

Chet
Kolodziej
Executive Director
Freedom
Field
www.freedomfieldenergy.com
ckolodziej1@comcast.net

Paul Van
Rensburg
Houlihan
Capital
www.houlihancapital.com
pvanrensburg@houlihan.com

Edie
Goldstein
Insurance Broken
edie@egoldsteinandassoc.com

Mackinnon
Lawrence
Senior
Analyst
PikeResearch
mackinnon@pikeresearch.com

George P.
Nassos
www.georgepnassos.com
georgepnassos@gmail.com

Laura
Rube
Director of Market Development
RandTech Energy
Solutions
laura@conradad.com

Kees Woodward
ICAP Alternative
Fuels
www.icapenergy.com
kees.woodward@us.icapenergy.com

Dirk E.
Andreas
Senior VP of Business
Development
Enerkem
www.enerkem.com
dandreas@enerkem.com

Steven
R.
Ryzner
Director
Sagin
www.saginllc.com
sryzner@saginllc.com

Ellen
Wesley
Principal
Carbon
Connect
www.carbonconnecttv.com
ewesley@carbonconnecttv.com

Darrin
Stern
Director of Business
Development
Koelnmesse
www.koelnmessenafta.com
d.stern@koelnmessenafta.com

Prabhakar
Nair
VP Business Development Asia
Pacific
LanzaTech
www.lanzatech.com
prabhakar@lanzatech.com

Andreas
Knauer
President & CEO
American Wind Energy Management
Corp.
www.awem.org
andreas@awem.org

David D. Streicker
Attorney

Polsinelli
Shughart
www.polsinelli.com
dstreicker@polsinelli.com

Rebecca R.
Riebe
Director, Global Business Initiatives
Global Midwest
Aliiance
www.globalmidwestalliance.org
rriebe@globalmidwestalliance.org

Vince
Kwasniewski
VP of Business Development
GTL
Resources
www.gtlresources.com
www.illinoisriverenergy.com
vkwasniewski@gtlresources.com

Mark
Burger
Kostov Mavricek

Alan
Matthew
alan@alanmatthew.com

Peter J. Greenbaum
Writer Producer
Director
Tea Lake
Productions
www.tealakeproductions.com
peteportage@me.com

Heidi
Lubin
heidi.lubin@gmail.com
___________________________
Cards Ron
collected at Ignite Chicago on 2/6/2012 at Catalyst Ranch (plus a few email
addresses)

Pete Aiello (no relation to John Aiello, he says)
Team
Pete
www.goteampete.com
pete@goteampete.com

Marc
Fredman
BCG
mfredman@aol.com

Jeff
Scheur
President/Co-Founder
NoRedInk
www.noredink.com
jeff@noredink.com

Tricia
J. Parker
Writer/Journalist/Speaker
tricia.j.parker@gmail.com

Tim
Gronkowski
President
GronkWorks
gronkworks.com
tim@gronkworks.com

Brendan
Tripp
btripp.info
btripp@gmail.com

Andrew
Zapotosky
Partner/President
www.thethinkingoctopus.com
azapotosky@thethinkingoctopus.com

Brett
Myers
Program Director
NextDoor
brett@nextdoorchi.com

Richard D.
Hayes
VP
Risinger
Associates
rhayes@risingerassociates.com

Marianna
Swallow
Author/Speaker
www.mariannaswallow.com
ms@mariannaswallow.com

Janet
Ginsburg
jaginsburg@gmail.com

Bess
Gallanis
Founder
www.bessgallanisinc.com
bess@bessgallanisinc.com

Ryan
Matthews
ryan@nelsoncash.com

Matthew Fox
mail@f-ox.com

Mare
Swallow

Chirag Patel
chirag@gmail.com
Bruce
Montgomery
_____________________________
Cards Ron collected at the
SMCC/CFA event on 1/25/2012

Jeff
Feldman
Director
Knight
www.astorllc.com
jfeldman@astorllc.com

Tim
McDonald
mycmgr.com
tim@mycmgr.com

Althea
Trevor
VP
Kight
www.astorllc.com
atrevor@astorllc.com

Mike
Dwyer

Bill Gail
Trust Co. Il.
wlg@trustcoil.com

Charles
Rotblut
VP
AAII
www.aaii.com
charles@aaii.com

Kerry
Jordan
Managing
Director
Phalanx
www.phalanxcm.com
kerryj@phalanxcom.com

Daniel
F. Farrell
Managing
Director
Phalanx
www.phalanxcm.com
danielf@phalanxcm.com

Lisa
Curran
President
Perspicua Strategic
Parnters
lisa@perspicua.com

Donald H. Yeomans III
Financial
Advisor
Merrill Lynch
donald.yeomans@ml.com

Lynne
Boudreau
Strategic Account
Manager
Ektron
www.ektron.com
lynne.boudreau@ektron.com

Scott
Kleinberg
Social Media Consultant
Chicago
Tribune
skleinberg@tribune.com

Amy Guth
Social Media
Manager
Chicago Tribune
aguth@tribune.com

Carolyn
Martin
President
Social
Media
www.socialmediademand.com
cmartin@socialmediademand.com

Joanna
Belbey
Social Media and Compliance
Specialist
Actiance
www.actiance.com
jbelbey@actiance.com

Vincent
Gatti
Co-Founder
Social
Media
Ajax
vincent@ajaxsocialmedia.com

Nicole V. Rohr
Web
Content
Editor
JJL
www.johnlothian.com
nicolerohr@johnlothian.com

Tara
Giuliano
Senior Marketing & Product
Manager
MorningStar
tara.giuliano@morningstar.com

Ruth Wagner
VP
Corporate Sales
CMP.LY
cmp.ly
ruth@cmp.ly

Barbara
Rozgonyi
www.barbararozgonyi.com
barbararozgonyi@wiredprworks.com

Russell
Campbell
CEO
Your Second Opinion
LLC
www.yoursecondopinionllc.com
campbell@yoursecondopinionllc.com

Linda
M. Wieczorek
Investment Management
Professional
linda.m.wieczorek@gmail.com

Michelle K.
Marsh
mmm1308@hotmail.com

Nicholas Tan
Marketing
Associate
MorningStar
nick.tan@morningstar.com

Rick
Tauber
Securities
Analyst
MorningStar
rick.tauber@morningstar.com

Angela McKay
CEO
& President
CFA Society of
Chicago
www.cfachicago.org
amckay@cfachicago.org

Patrick
Bourbon
CIO
ProManage
www.promanageplan.com
pbourbon@promanageplan.com

Peter
D. Hanson
Managing Partner
Astor Capital
Management
www.astorcm.com
hanson@astorcm.com

Roger
Farley
www.ronin-capital.com
roger.farley@ronin-capital.com
___________________________
Cards
Ron collected at the MIT EF Holiday Party on 12/20/2011

Michael A.
Fekety
Director of Technical
Sales
PT
www.pt.com
mfekety@pt.com
Andrew
Skipur
nanto2001@yahoo.com

B. Terrance Flanagan
Collaboration
Leader
Smart Decision
Services
bflanagan@smartdecisionllc.com

Laszlo
Simovic
laszloarch@mac.com

Steven M. Fisher
Home Remodeling
Portal
stevenmfisher@homeremodelingportal.com

Julia Rybakova
Patent
Agent
University of Chicago
jrybakova@uchicago.edu

Timothy E.
Curley
Financial
Advisor
UBS
www.ubs.com
timothy.curley@ubs.com

Michael J. Melko
Jr.
Senior VP
Morgan Stanley Smith
Barney
www.fa.smithbarney.com/melko
michael.melko@mssb.com

Samuel
M. Kashy
Director of Business Development
Tandem
HR
www.tandemhr.com
skashy@tandemhr.com

Chuck Corush
Colonial
Funding
cmcorush@colonialfundingllc.net

Joshua
London
President
Allitas
josh@allitas.com

Steve
Ghareeb
National Sales
Director
www.kitchens.com
sghareeb@gmail.com

Frank
Lucchese
llucch1353@aol.com

Linda
Frothingham
FrothIdeas
www.frothideas.com
linda@frothideas.com

Scott
A. Fiedler
scottafiedler@gmail.com

Michael
Topalovich
CTO
Delivered
Innovation
www.deliveredinnovation.com
mtopalovich@deliveredinnovation.com

Jon.
F. Paul
President
Value Added Finance
Resources
www.valueaddedfinance.com
jon@valueaddedfinance.com

Robert
Bock
Funding Feeding Frenzy
bob@fundingfeedingfrenzy.com

Norman L.
Lawrence Jr.
Arts
Eventures
www.artseventures.com
norman@artseventures.com

Joel M.
Berez
joel@berez.com

Irv Michaels
Business Performance
Advisor
Insperity
www.insperity.com
irv.michaels@insperity.com

Andy
Kunz
VP Quality & Continuous Improvement
Starro Precision
Products
www.starro.com
akunz@starro.com

Michael
Topalovich
CTO
www.deliveredinnovation.com
mtopalovich@deliveredinnovation.com

Dick
Mulvihill
Managing
Partner
Hexistor
www.hexistor.com
dick@hexistor.com

Bryan
Fekety
InvesComF
www.invescomf.com
bfeket@gmail.com

Mark
Steiner
President
www.marksteininc.com
mark@marksteininc.com

William
G. Gonzales
Healthcare Advisor
WGG
wgg20@hotmail.com

Lisa
Russell
Senior Account
Executive
Fippex
www.fippex.com
lisa@fippex.com

Glen Eric
Nelson
Growth Strategist
GE Nelson &
Co.
genelson@genelsonco.com

Sid Bennett
Scientific Advisor &
Patent Agent
Brinks Hofer Gilson &
Lione
sbennett@usebrinks.com

Anne Catherine Dargis
Social
Katy
acdargis@socialkaty.com

Scott McGarvey

Tom
Weiser

Robert Jacobi

Ted Wallhaus

Nancy Taft, MD (Ted’s
girlfriend)

Sheldon Rosenfield

Bill Burnett

Nancy Munro
plus her husband & daughter

Chris Rollyson

Dave
Theiss
___________________________
Cards Ron collected at the VentureShot
meet and greet on 1/3/2012

Shiwali
Varshney
Director
AEG
svarshney@aegpartners.com

Bob Brill
bobbrill.net
bob@bobbrill.net

Julian
Pretto
Founder
Chicago Micro
julian@chicagomicro.com

David

Cason
dcason8@gmail.com

Michele Kehrer
CEO/Physical
Therapist
LifeStyle
michele@balancechicago.com

Jennifer R.
Thomas
Founder
Travel
720
www.travel720.com
jennifer.thomas@travel720.com

Lev
Slavin
Chicago Booth
lslavin@chicagobooth.edu

William “Randolf”
Webb
Technology
Accenture
william.r.webb@accenture.com

Jeff
Garbaciak
jeff.garbaciak@yahoo.com

David
Simnick
Co-Founder
SoapBox

www.soapboxsoaps.com
david.simnick@soapboxsoaps.com

Linda
Frothingham
FrothIdeas
www.frothideas.com
linda@frothideas.com

Angela
Ford
President/CEO
TAG
Worldwide
www.thisistag.com
aford@thisistag.com

Dr. Marcia L.
Schurer
Culinary
Connections
www.culinaryconnections.net
mlschurer@culinaryconnections.net

Jeff
Segal
Message Therapist
jds928@att.net

Don
Sheu
don@sheu.com

David
Cason
Consultant
MicroStrategy
www.microstrategy.com
dcason@microstrategy.com

Dr.
William Murray
CTO
Health Codex
healthcodex.com
wnm@healthcodex.com

Darryl
Fuery
Training at Risk Youth in Culinary Arts
TNT Hospitality
Institute
chef29d@yahoo.com

Scott Openlander
Director, Commercial
Assets
Century
21
www.century21affiliatedchicago.com
sopenlander@c21affiliated.com

David
Culver
CMO
Adventerra
www.adventerra.net
david@adventerra.net

John
A. Kosic
Account Executive
TechWeek
jkosic@techweek.com

Bill
Burnet
Partner
www.tailwinddiscoverygroup.com
bill@twdgrp.com

Lev
Slavin
lslavin@chicagobooth.edu

Dr. Richard
Cross
Principal
Health Codex
recommendations.healthcodex.com
cross@healthcodex.com

Bruce
Montgomery

Carl Moose
___________________________
Is this spam
mail?, I can’t tell

Secure hookupschicago.com
Inbox
x

from:
Jesse Silverberg info@jessesilverberg.com
reply-to:
info@jessesilverberg.com
to: ron@themayreport.com
date: Thu, Feb 2, 2012
at 9:34 AM
subject: Secure hookupschicago.com
mailed-by:
jessesilverberg.com
signed-by: jessesilverberg.com

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Feb 2 (1 day ago)
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____________________________
END OF REPORT

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

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

(ALL
REPORTS HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED ON THE TMRONLINE.COM SITE AND THANKS TO PROMINIC
FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM)
Otherwise, just go to www.themayreport.com where all
the articles are archived and the search function on the new site is now
working

Louis Brandeis: “Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for
social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of
disinfectants.”
__________________________
**********************************
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***********************************
________________________
TABLE OF
CONTENTS

The Scoop section:

– Governor Quinn Announces First
Investments from State’s New Venture Capital Fund: Buzz Referrals, Inc. and
AuraSense Therapeutics: The state’s $575,000 investment in Chicago-based
start-up Buzz Referrals and Evanston-based AuraSense Therapeutics will help the
two companies leverage $10.5 million in indirect private investment. Jordan
Linville is the CEO and co-founder of Buzz Referrals and NU professor Chad
Mirkin is the co-founder of AuraSense Therapeutics
– Chicago-based Startup
Kauzu Develops 2012 Plans with $250,000 Gigabit Challenge Award
– Grads Sue
Chicago Law Schools over exaggerating Job Placement Rates: DePaul University
College of Law, John Marshall Law School and Chicago-Kent College of Law are
three of 12 schools sued in the country, according to Crain’s Chicago
Business
– Heavyweights including Pritzker, Mansueto launch tech investment
fund – Technology – Crain’s Chicago Business
– Web of influence: Chicago’s
innovative tech companies feed off each other, December 15, 2011, By Michael
Alter
– Illinois is Moving Forward — and how the heck did I get on a
fundraising list for Gov. Quinn?
– One-Year Anniversary of The Startup
America Initiative
– Layton Olson: January 31, 2012 – FCC Reforms,
Modernizes Lifeline Program for Low-Income Americans | FCC.gov
–
Miscellaneous notes (8 messages) — and one of them may be a job for Neil Kanev
who could teach nanotech to high school students
– Sunday, Feb. 12 ??? Jeff
Willinger, is that right, this seminar is on a Sunday morning??: Business
Intelligence: Leverage the Full Potential of Your SAP Data Free Seminar
–
Saturday, Feb. 4: IL Science Council: You can study U.S. social/drinking
customs. Or don’t and just have fun for a good cause
– Tuesday, Feb. 7: BNC
VC Group: Len and Dave, where is the list of presenters???
– Thursday,
February 16 (in Urbana): 2nd Showing “Journey into Dyslexia” Documentary: Urbana
LEAP Group
– Cards Ron collected at the MIT-EF Advanced Manufacturing
meeting on 1/17/2012
– A trip down memory lane: Cards collected over a
period of time by David Dalka, and some of these people have left or changed
jobs

[Editor's note: May here. I have to wash up and get out of here to
go to the ACG event at 7:30am. Monica Metzler, I'll try to get to your event
Saturday night. And Monday, I'll try to get to Ignite at the Catalyst Ranch.
That Trust Barometer event is sold out.
I owe you five or more things:
1.
My write-up on MIT-Ef Advanced Manufacturing
2. The CCEA meeting on the 19th
of January. Darrin Stern has posted the videos.
www.theccea.org/2012/01/23/advance-biofuels-panel-presented-by-the-ccea/
3.
The fascinating CFA/SMCC meeting on Jan. 25th at Morningstar.
4. More from
the holiday parties of last December.
5. Nancy Sullivan, Bill Lederer, Chris
Tomes, Willinger, Gruber, Tadros and more.

David Culver reports that they
had 62 people at the Funding Feeding Frenzy reunion at their location at 744 N.
Wells on Wednesday evening. David also said that they were expecting 20 people
at their entrepreneurial pow-wow yesterday.

Lynne Marek, my new buddy,
see what I wrote after your article below. Maybe you should interview Culver
who, unlike Maura O'Hara, has put on three investing conferences since December
2010, or do you just take article suggestions from the Pritzker, Moog, Henikoff,
Willer gang?

And J B. , Matt, Troy and Kevin, that is a criticism of the
media and not of you. If the media were even coming close to doing their job,
this issue would not exist.

Do you guys revel in and exploit the
stranglehold you have on media coverage? I honestly don't know, but to my
knowledge, you don't have a gun to the head of the people at
Crain's.]
_____________________________
The Scoop
section:
_______________________
Governor Quinn Announces First
Investments from State’s New Venture Capital Fund: Buzz Referrals, Inc. and
AuraSense Therapeutics: The state’s $575,000 investment in Chicago-based
start-up Buzz Referrals and Evanston-based AuraSense Therapeutics will help the
two companies leverage $10.5 million in indirect private investment. Jordan
Linville is the CEO and co-founder of Buzz Referrals and NU professor Chad
Mirkin is the co-founder of AuraSense Therapeutics

Subject: Governor
Quinn Announces First Investments from State’s New Venture Capital Fund

Date: 1/31/2012 11:26:26 P.M. Central Standard Time
From:
tatvshow@yahoo.com
To: ron@themayreport.com
CC: RONALDMAY@aol.com

Governor Quinn Announces First Investments from State’s New Venture
Capital Fund
Invest Illinois Venture Fund Providing Access to Capital for
Young, High-Growth Companies to Create Jobs and Grow the Economy
CHICAGO –
January 31, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today announced the first investments from
the state’s new venture capital fund to support two Illinois start-up
businesses, Buzz Referrals, Inc. and AuraSense Therapeutics. The Invest Illinois
Venture Fund (IIVF) is a new venture capital program that is part of the $78
million Advantage Illinois program launched by Governor Quinn last October. The
program supports young, innovative Illinois companies that show high growth
potential, can demonstrate their place in the market and already have other
investors.
“This new venture fund is allowing us to help small and start-up
businesses increase innovation and competition, expand, and create good-paying
jobs,” Governor Quinn said. “We must continue to do everything we can to provide
small businesses and entrepreneurs with the tools they need to grow in order to
boost the economy, create jobs and compete in the global marketplace.”
The
state’s $575,000 investment in Chicago-based start-up Buzz Referrals and
Evanston-based AuraSense Therapeutics will help the two companies leverage $10.5
million in indirect private investment. The additional capital will help these
companies continue to grow their businesses and create jobs.

Founded in
2011, Buzz Referrals is a high-growth start-up business that develops and
operates an online platform that creates custom referral programs based on
social media. The platform allows corporations, small businesses, agencies,
brokers and nonprofits to create and track online messaging that can be shared
via email, social networks and word-of-mouth to maximize their contacts and
customers. The IIVF helped Buzz Referrals leverage additional investments, which
will enable the company to increase its staff size from four full-time employees
to 20 full-time employees over the next two years.
“We’d like to thank
Governor Quinn and the state of Illinois for their commitment to
entrepreneurship and startups through the Invest Illinois Venture Fund,” said
Jordan Linville, CEO and co-founder of Buzz Referrals. “Buzz Referrals offers
simple and cost-effective solutions to help businesses acquire new customers
through referral marketing. The IIVF’s funding and resources will accelerate our
growth and help Buzz Referrals be a leader within this space.”
AuraSense
Therapeutics, founded in early 2011, is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to
developing and commercializing spherical nucleic acid (SNA™) constructs, which
can help fight diseases such as heart disease, cancer, skin conditions and
bacterial infection. With the capital leveraged through the IIVF, the company
expects to greatly accelerate the development and growth of multiple
therapeutics and create dozens of jobs over the next three years.

“We are
delighted to have Illinois’ new venture fund as part of the syndicate investing
in AuraSense Therapeutics. Their participation is not only important validation
of the AuraSense mission and gene regulation platform, but also will be key in
transitioning the technology to important new therapeutics for a wide variety of
debilitating diseases,” said Chad Mirkin, co-founder of AuraSense
Therapeutics.

Governor Quinn launched the Advantage Illinois program in
October 2011 to provide Illinois businesses and entrepreneurs with the access to
the capital they need to start new companies and expand existing businesses.
Advantage Illinois will leverage $78 million in federal funding that will allow
businesses to bring innovative ideas and new products to market, and accelerate
job creation and economic growth in Illinois. The IIVF is supported by the
Governor’s Illinois Innovation Council, which is actively working to execute
strategies to enhance awareness of capital availability in Illinois and connect
the dots between great ideas and the partners who can help turn ideas into
companies and products.

In addition to the IIVF, the Advantage Illinois
program is comprised of several components to spur institutional lending,
including the Capital Access Program (CAP), the Participation Loan Program (PLP)
and the Collateral Support Program (CSP). Some small businesses may also be
eligible to receive Advantage Illinois financing. Businesses interested in
participating in the IIVF may submit their applications online to DCEO at
www.ildceo.net/AdvantageIllinois.

Advantage Illinois builds upon Governor
Quinn’s commitment to enhancing business growth. The Advantage Illinois
initiative is expected to generate a minimum of at least $10 in new private
lending for small and medium-sized businesses for every $1 of federal funding,
resulting in around $800 million of private sector investments and loans being
pumped into the economy over the next few years. The Brookings Institution
recently noted more than 95 percent of new jobs are derived from business
expansions or start-up activity.

Administered by the Illinois Department
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), funding for Advantage Illinois is
being provided by the U.S. Treasury through the State Small Business Credit
Initiative (SSBCI), which was created as part of the American Small Business
Jobs Act signed into law by President Obama in 2010.

“Through the IIVF,
we are giving businesses a booster shot in the form of deploying new tools to
ease the credit crunch they have experienced in recent years, improve the field
of play and give Illinois companies an advantage against the competition,” said
DCEO Director Warren Ribley. “We will continue to target investments in every
area of the economy to help keep moving Illinois forward.”

Governor Quinn
announced the first investments from the state’s new venture fund today at
Chicago-based Excelerate Labs, a business incubator and accelerator for startups
driven by proven entrepreneurs and investors. Today’s announcement is part of
Governor Quinn’s aggressive business agenda that is helping move the Illinois
economy forward. The state maintains a large portfolio of programs, which is
designed to help Illinois businesses thrive in today’s economy. For more
information, please visit www.ilbiz.biz.

__________________________
Chicago-based Startup Kauzu Develops 2012
Plans with $250,000 Gigabit Challenge Award

Chicago-based Startup Kauzu
Develops 2012 Plans with $250,000 Gigabit Challenge Award
Inbox
x
from:
Bruce Montgomery tatvshow@yahoo.com
reply-to: Bruce Montgomery
<tatvshow@yahoo.com>
to: Ron May <ron@themayreport.com>
cc:
Ron May <RONALDMAY@aol.com>
date: Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 4:22
PM
subject: Chicago-based Startup Kauzu Develops 2012 Plans with $250,000
Gigabit Challenge Award
mailed-by: yahoo.com
signed-by: yahoo.com
:
Important mainly because of the people in the conversation.
Bruce Montgomery
tatvshow@yahoo.com
4:22 PM (9 hours ago)
to me, Ron
Chicago-based
Startup Kauzu Develops 2012 Plans with $250,000 Gigabit Challenge Award
At
Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge Finale on January 18, Chicago-based
startup Kauzu walked away with the $250,000 Born Global Award and the
inspiration to grow the new business venture.
Since Kauzu walked away with a
$250,000 convertible promissory note courtesy of Gramercy Private Equity at
Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge Finale, the Chicago-based startup has been
developing new plans for 2012 including partnership development, product
development, fundraising and hiring.
Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge
was a global business plan competition looking for new applications to disrupt
technology on the Google Fiber Network. Prizes included the People’s Choice
Award, a $100,000 Grand Prize and the $250,000 Born Global Award, which was
given to Kauzu by Michael Gale of Gramercy Private Equity.
As one of the most
energetic and creative pitches during The Gigabit Challenge Finale on January
18, 2012, Kauzu captivated the audience and the judges with its unique spin on
changing the US employment industry. Kauzu seeks to innovate the $170 billion
industry by providing a dynamic, digital online environment with unique tools to
create timely connections.
“This was a win for our team, and that’s all I
really care about,” said Mitch Schneider, CEO, Founder and Chairman of Kauzu.
“This gives my team a pat on the back. It also creates visibility and exposure.
Gramercy, Silicon Valley Bank, Microsoft—they all want to see us succeed. The
validation is amazing. It only propels our chance to succeed.”
Kauzu was one
of the 17 Finalists to present at The Gigabit Challenge Finale in front of 17
esteemed judges from Kansas City and from across the nation.
“This was
another company that did a fantastic job with their pitch and connecting with
the audience,” said Chris Bernard of Microsoft a Gigabit Challenge judge, in a
recent article in Silicon Prairie News. “I’m super eager to see what these guys
do. I think they have some unique ideas and a fantastic team.”
Post-Gigabit
Challenge, Kauzu hopes to continue to develop more partnerships both in and
outside of Chicago. With these partnerships, Kauzu hopes to raise funds more
effectively and more quickly to allow for cross-generating revenue. The startup
also hopes to start the hiring process in May.
“This experience has helped us
form new partners and has allowed us to provide value back to new startups,”
said Schneider. “We are going to use other startup products so we can connect
them with others too. We want to open doors for others just like people have
done for us.”
In addition, Kauzu is planning another trip to Kansas City to
connect with Think Big Partners’ accelerator and collaborative workspace and to
strengthen more partnerships in Silicon Prairie. Schneider also mentioned a
two-location startup launch in both Chicago and Kansas City.
“Not every day
is fun,” admitted Schneider. “But at the end of the day, we all want to do this.
If I had a million dollars in my pocket, I’d still do this. We do it because we
believe in it and we think it’s fun.”
ABOUT KAUZU:
Kauzu is a
Chicago-based startup looking to change the US employment industry. Kauzu seeks
to innovate on the $170 billion industry by providing a dynamic, digital online
environment with unique tools to create timely connections. Proclaiming that
“the résumé is dead”, Kauzu’s goal is to match people with fulfilling jobs and
create a new model for matching job seekers with the careers they are looking
for. To learn more about Kauzu, visit www.kauzu.com.

Bruce Eric
Montgomery
Executive Producer & Host
Technology Access
Television
200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606-5865
(312)
725-8601
tatvshow@yahoo.com
www.tatv.org
www.twitter.com/techaccesstv
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Grads
Sue Chicago Law Schools over exaggerating Job Placement Rates: DePaul University
College of Law, John Marshall Law School and Chicago-Kent College of Law are
three of 12 schools sued in the country, according to Crain’s Chicago
Business