Terry Cross// Chairman

Founder
Windward Associates
Executive in Residence of Entrepreneurship
Wayne State University School of Business Terry Cross has been an Angel investor and businessman for over 40 years. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of Great Lakes Angels and a founding member of The Michigan Venture Capital Association. While he has served on many boards over the years, his current board memberships include: RealKidz; PureEntropy as Chairman; MIST Innovations as Chairman; and Monarch Antenna, a Delphi Corp. spinout. Mr. Cross serves as the first Executive in Residence for Entrepreneurship at The School of Business Administration at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, where he administers the prestigious Adams Entrepreneurial Fellowship and received the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award. Terry was a co-founder of Sonoma Photonics, recently sold to Lockheed-Martin. He was a founding investor in three startups from MIT’s tech transfer department and served on MIT’s Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity. In September of 2007, he was named to the Task Force for A World Financial Center by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, one of Korea’s most prestigious institutions. He was employed by Kidder, Peabody in various financial services and investment banking activities in Detroit, New York and San Francisco for 28 years until his retirement in 1998.

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Thomas Anderson, Ph.D.

Senior Director
Entrepreneurism Dr. Thomas Anderson is the senior director of Automation Alley and the director of entrepreneurism. In addition, he serves as President of the Automation Alley Education & Research Institute, the Alley’s 501(c)(3).

Anderson oversees Automation Alley’s technology business accelerator process, which helps entrepreneurs obtain an external review of their technology and business plan by a group of experts and mentors from a similar technology field. This process results in feedback and input for fine tuning the business plan and focus, customer and collaborator connections, contract research connections with Michigan research institutions, and in some cases where there is a technology fit, direct pre-seed investment for commercialization.

Anderson’s prior position was as a strategic consultant, working with a range of clients to develop business plans, seek funding and develop process and decision tools for venture investing. He also gained 20 years experience at General Motors, leading technical research teams in fundamental research, initiating a licensing program for non-competitive applications, forming a National and International Neurotrauma research society, and developing processes to manage global cross-functional teams.

Anderson is actively involved in the community, currently serving as a member of the Technology Advisory Board for EDF Ventures, one of the first venture capital funds to focus on early-stage Michigan companies and technologies. He also serves on the Oakland University School of Engineering and Computer Science Advisory Council, President’s Advisory Board at Walsh College, SpaceForm, Inc. Board of Directors, Michigan State University Corporate Research Park Management Board and the Beaumont Hospital Board of Trustees and Research Institute Board of Governors.

Anderson’s education includes undergraduate and master’s degrees in physics and math, a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Michigan, and a master of business administration from Michigan State University.

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LeAnn Auer

Executive Director
Michigan Venture Capital Association (MVCA) LeAnn Auer is the Executive Director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association (MVCA), a statewide trade organization representing the venture capital industry. In this leadership role she is responsible for developing the MVCA into a highly focused and proactive organization, while helping to create a more vibrant venture capital community in Michigan. Prior to this role, she spent 11 years working for Barclays Global Investors (BGI), a large institutional money manager, in San Francisco. While an employee at BGI, she spent nine years as a securities lending equity and fixed income trader before focusing on product development and strategy for the global securities finance business. In 2006, she and her family relocated back to the Midwest and reside in Ann Arbor. LeAnn received B.A. degrees in Business and Health Finance from Indiana University in 1993, and is currently enrolled in the University of Michigan’s Executive MBA class of 2011.

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Gary Baker

Former Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Gale | Cengage Learning Gary Baker is the former SVP and CIO of Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, academic institutions, and businesses. Recently, Gale was consolidated into Cengage Learning and while it doesn’t exist as a separate entity, it continues as an important brand in the educational research market. Among a number of transformational changes that Gary implemented, the entire Technology team and collaborating cross-functional teams are now using comprehensive agile development practices to develop its electronic products.

Previously, he was the VP of IT Delivery Services at Borders Group, Inc. a retailer of books and music, and in addition to other responsibilities served as the Chief Information Security Officer of this publicly-traded company. Prior to joining Borders, he was a Director in IT Transformation Services for AlixPartners, LLP, an internationally-recognized firm of corporate turnaround, performance improvement, IT and financial advisory professionals. Before that, Gary was the Process Executive and Managing Director for EDS on the General Motors account leading both Global Purchasing & Supply Chain and Global Business Services, two of GM’s five global process areas. As a Partner in the Advanced Technology Group in Business Consulting for Arthur Andersen, he led numerous client engagements in IT strategic planning as well as application development. In early 1994, Gary was co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Online Technologies Corporation, one of the oldest ISPs/ASPs in Michigan providing hosting, comprehensive Internet solutions and Web services for businesses. He sold the company in 1999, however Online Tech continues to be a market leader in its market segment on a regional basis. Listen to Gary now in his 13th year as a co-host of the Internet Advisor radio program on WJR 760AM in Detroit. Gary is an MBA graduate of the University of Michigan.

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Charles P. Barnes

Director of Asset Services
Colliers International Charlie has been an entrepreneur and business owner for more than 23 years. While attending night school at Walsh College, he started a hydraulic and pneumatic supply business with a partner serving in the role of VP-Sales. He obtained his degree in Finance from Walsh in 1984 and his law degree in 1989. After selling his interest in that first company in 1990, he worked for a Bloomfield Hills law firm, in addition to forming a small custom clothing company. It was at this juncture that his eduation and experience allowed him to counsel entrepreneurs on new business start-ups and franchises.

Charlie left the daily practice of law and served as a business broker/advisor for Colliers International. At Colliers, he was instrumental in obtaining funding and capital as a broker to facilitate the sale of manufacturing and middle-market sellers. In 1999, Charlie, along with three other partners, bought the assets of Paramount Boring & Machine and converted those operations into a production facility Tier IVII supplier. During his tenure he served in the roles as CFO and General Counsel. In 2008, Charlie sold his interest in Paramount.

Mr. Barnes is currently advising entrepreneurs on the finance and legal issues facing business owners, in addition to his advisory executive role at AMI Strategies – a technology expense management company. Also, Charlie serves on the board of four small companies, and has been actively involved with business owners in the restaurant, manufacturer’s rep, manufacturing, distribution and technology business sectors.

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David Behen

Co-founder and Chief Business Officer
InfoReady Corporation David Behen is co-founder and Chief Business Officer for InfoReady Corporation, an Ann Arbor based SaaS company. InfoReady Corporation is a spinoff from Ann Arbor based GDI InfoTech where David is the Vice President and CIO and has the responsibility for the Public Sector and Health IT practice. He is a member of the executive team responsible for the design and implementation of business plans and growth strategies for the both companies. Additionally, he has oversight for all sales and marketing, personnel management, financial management and public relations.

Prior to joining GDI and InfoReady David served as the Deputy County Administrator and Chief Information Officer for Washtenaw County, Michigan. Under his leadership in a number of key roles in the organization, Washtenaw County was named twice to the prestigious CIO 100 list of the top 100 IT programs by CIO Magazine, and six times as one of the nation’s Top Ten Digital Counties by the Center for Digital Government with the National Association of Counties (NACo).

In 2007, Mr. Behen was named to influential Crain’s Detroit Business "40 Under 40" list for outstanding professional achievement before the age of forty. Mr. Behen is the past co-chair of the CIO Council for Public Technology Institute (PTI), the national non-profit technology research and development organization based in Washington, DC. He was named on of the region’s "Top 50 Digital Innovators", by The Great Lakes IT Report and WWJ Radio.

He is presently serving on the several Boards including the Washtenaw Area United Way Board of Directors, Midwest Technology Leaders Executive Board and the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

He lives in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, with his wife Rosalie, and three children: Isabel, Joshua and Olivia.

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Richard E. Blouse Jr.

President and Chief Executive Officer
Global Perspectives LLC Dick Blouse is president and CEO of Global Perspectives LLC, a company that deals in logistics and economic development, with a strategic focus on India. Global Perspectives LLC also provides public speakers to a wide range of audiences.

Having most recently served as president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, Blouse brings a unique skill-set to the expanding logistics and world trade industry. During his 15-year tenure at the Detroit Regional Chamber, Blouse developed innovative economic development initiatives that spanned the private and public sectors.

Blouse conceived and promoted a shared vision among business and political leaders to establish Detroit as a world-class, international logistics hub. He is currently working to capitalize on strong geographic and transportation assets and tap into growing global logistics business.

Under his leadership, the Detroit Regional Chamber created a regional economic partnership that, for the first time ever, united the Detroit region’s 10-county governments with the private sector. In the last decade, that partnership attracted over $3.5 billion in new business investment to Detroit from all over the world.

Blouse recognized early on the potential of India as a major player in the global economy, and beginning in 2006, began leading annual business development missions from the U.S. to India. His efforts resulted in over 2,000 new jobs to the Detroit area.

In addition to business development, Blouse has successfully advocated for pro-business policy on both state and federal levels. Within days of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Blouse initiated and spearheaded the formation of 40-member Northern Border for Economic Security and Trade (NBEST), a coalition of private and public firms and government agencies from the United States and Canada, to make the northern border more efficient and secure. His Enhanced Driver’s License concept, which replaced the need for a passport in land border crossings, originated locally and quickly spread nationally.

Blouse’s business acumen led to incredible success at the Detroit Regional Chamber. He was able to transform a debt-laden organization into the largest, most respected chamber of commerce in the U.S. The organization now enjoys a solid financial structure with $8 million for daily cash management. This was achieved despite of one of Michigan’s worst recessions.

Under his leadership, the organization doubled in size as Blouse grew its customer base from 10,000 to 20,000 by forming business alliances with companies such as Verizon Wireless, Office Depot and Blue Cross Blue Shield to offer and sell innovative new products in health insurance, telecommunications and office supplies, among others.

His expertise includes strategic and operational planning, business and economic development, global logistics and negotiating international strategic partnerships.

In addition to his new role at Global Perspectives, Blouse has spearheaded an effort to create a business accelerator in the Detroit region that will support new and second-stage companies in the alternative energy sector, as well as other emerging industries.

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Chris Holman

Publisher
The Greater Lansing Business Monthly Chris Holman is an entrepreneur, media personality, business owner, teacher and father. He started The Greater Lansing Business Monthly magazine out of the trunk of his car in 1987 and has been promoting the mid-Michigan business community ever since. He hosts a statewide syndicated radio show called the "Michigan Business Beat," and is in his 14th year of broadcast.

In early 2006 until March of 2010, Gov. Jennifer Granholm appointed him Michigan’s Small Business Advocate. He serves as a liaison between the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and small business owners across the state, and works closely with the Michigan Business Ombudsman’s office, works with small business associations and organizations.

A former high school teacher and coach, university instructor, and college dean; he is also involved with several other business ventures and serves on numerous community boards, a former chair of the Small Business Association of Michigan also testifying on several outreach committees on the state of small business, and serves on the National Small Business Association Board in Washington, D.C.

A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Chris has been a Lansing-area resident for more than 35 years. He is married to Louise and has three children and two grandchildren.

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Judy M. Johncox

Director of Business Services
TechTown Judy M. Johncox, Director of Business Services at TechTown and Venture Development at Wayne State University, has a well-established track record evaluating academic technology and company business models for commercialization and business growth. She manages the strategic planning and business concept development programs at TechTown and WSU related to start-up companies. She also works with companies to attract the management and investment resources for applicable start-up companies. An adjunct faculty in WSU’s School of Business, she teaches an MBA level course which develops business plans for WSU technologies.

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Jason Lambiris

Chief Executive Officer
Apex Digital Solutions Jason A. Lambiris is Chief Executive Officer of Apex Digital Solutions, a leading provider of Managed, Traditional and Green IT Services based outside of Detroit, Michigan. Lambiris founded Apex in 1998 with a vision of building a company that is committed to excellence, personal and professional growth, and shared success through innovation, integrity, respect and teamwork.

Mr. Lambiris is responsible for the management of Apex’s overall strategy and technology direction. In addition, he actively plays a role as a trusted advisor and virtual CIO/CTO for many of his clients and focuses on achieving the proper balance of people, process and technology with their business goals. He believes strongly that through proper education technology can drive innovation within an organization and should not simply be viewed as a commodity.

Jason joined the Macomb-Oakland University INCubator as a Corporate Partner and Advisory Board Member in early 2009 and is passionate about helping out a community that has given so much to him. In September of 2009 he was selected as Corp! Magazine’s Entrepreneurs of Distinction and also served as a panelist on challenges facing entrepreneurs during tough economic times. In 2008 he led Apex to earn Corp Magazine’s Best of Michigan Businesses award for Technology Companies. He is a former Board Member of Marketing and Sales Executives of Detroit from which he was a Finalist for their Platinum Award for Sales and Marketing Success in 2005. As a member of the Distinguished Clown Corp, Jason leads an independent effort each year to raise funds to send underprivileged children from the Detroit area to America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade each year.

He attended Macomb Community College where he earned an A.A.S. in Construction Technologies. He then attended Oakland University to pursue a B.A. in both Computer Science Engineering and Management Information Systems.

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Carol Lopucki

State Director
Michigan Network of Small Business and Technology Development Centers (MI-SBTDC) Carol Lopucki is the State Director of the Michigan Network of Small Business and Technology Development Centers (MI-SBTDC), a partner program of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) hosted and managed by Grand Valley State University, within the Seidman College of Business. As State Director, Carol oversees 12 regional and 20 satellite offices statewide that provide counseling, training, market research and commercialization assistance to approximately 16,000 small businesses annually.

Carol has spent her professional career engaged in the small business, nonprofit, education and government sectors. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Michigan State University, Masters from Central Michigan University and is a Certified Business Consultant through Capital University of Columbus, Ohio. Carol has worked in the small business sector with SBA since 1991. This includes four years serving women business owners, five years as a Regional SBDC Director in West Michigan and almost ten years as State Director. Grand Valley State University serves as the state headquarters of the SBTDC. Carol has assisted in the launch and growth of many thousands of small businesses over this period of time.

Carol serves on the Michigan District Export Council, the Michigan Certified Development Corporation, the KOM Foreign Trade Zone and the MEDC Small Business Advisory Board and is a member of Inforum. She has served ten years on the Northview Public Schools Board of Education and numerous committees within the community. She is a 1995 graduate of Leadership Grand Rapids and has been recognized numerous years as one of West Michigan’s 50 Most Influential Women. In 2000, Carol was the proud recipient of the ATHENA award for her contributions to the growth of women-owned businesses and her commitment to the community. In 2007, she was recognized by Governor Granholm with an Outstanding Achievement Award as an economic development partner, and holds a Rotary International Paul Harris Award.

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Dr. David Mielke

Dean, College of Business
Eastern Michigan University David E. Mielke, Dean of the College of Business and Professor of Accounting at Eastern Michigan University has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and a PhD in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin. After working as an investment banker and a corporate treasurer for 6 years, he joined academia in 1980. He spent 19 years at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin serving some time as Dean and also starting an international business program. He has also served as Dean of the College of Business at Grand Valley State University until 2004 when he moved to EMU.

Dr. Mielke has been extensively involved in energy projects, economic development and international partnerships since the mid-eighties. He developed and funded the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon, Michigan. This center is the first gold "Leeds" building in Michigan and the first in the country to integrate a fuel cell, photovoltaics and a nickel metal hydride battery storage system. While at Grand Valley he successfully brought the Federal SBA "Small Business Development Center" (SBDC) state headquarters to GVSU. After reorganizing the state system, he successfully led the effort to have the state of Michigan become the second state in the country to be designated as a Small Business and Technology Development Center network.

In the past 3 years he has signed ten partnership agreements with universities in Korea, China, India, Pakistan and Yemen to bring students to EMU supported by scholarship programs. Under his leadership, the College of Business has also started the first Human Resources graduate degree program in China. The fourth cohort of Chinese students graduated in March, 2010.

In addition, while at EMU the COB has launched an undergraduate international business degree program, a supply chain management undergraduate major and minor, the first online integrated marketing communication (IMC) graduate program for any business school in the country, new entrepreneurship programs, the first "Ethos Week" and "Ethos Honor Society" in the country to promote ethics education and the first partnership with Google to offer an Adwords academic program that has now developed campaigns for over 50 not-for-profits in Michigan. During his leadership at EMU, the College of Business was named one of the "Best Business Schools in the U.S." for seven consecutive years.

He also serves on the Executive Board of Ann Arbor SPARK, an economic development organization operating in southeastern Michigan, was a member of the Business Attraction Committee for the Aerotropolis, on the board of the Washtenaw Economic Club, the Michigan SBTDC advisory board and on the investment board for the Great Sauk Trail Boy Scout Council. Dr. Mielke has a weekly radio show on business ethics.

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Bob Metzger

Program Director
Michigan’s Next Great Companies Bob Metzger is Program Director for the Michigan’s Next Great Companies Movement (MNGC).

Established by the Office of the Governor and spearheaded by First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern, MNGC is an economic development initiative focused on both attracting and enhancing companies with great workplace cultures. It is the mission of MNGC to make the business case for being a great place to work by showing the connection between corporate culture and bottom line results.

As program director, Metzger is responsible for implementing the strategic vision of Michigan becoming the leading state in developing great places to do great work and building workplaces focusing on attracting, developing and retaining top talent, while creating bottom-line results through employee engagement.

Metzger was named program director for MNGC in January 2008. Prior to MNGC he held leadership positions in corporate learning and marketing communications at Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and Michigan State University’s Broad School of Business. Metzger has a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree from Michigan State University. He is a graduate of the Michigan State Chamber’s Leadership Michigan program, the Disney Institute’s Service Leadership program, and other programs focusing on leadership and employee engagement. Metzger is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the American Society for Training and Development.

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Mike Mosallam

Director of Film Initiatives
Wayne County Film Office Mike Mosallam is excited about being back home after several years living in New York and Los Angeles. He left Detroit to pursue his career in the entertainment industry after graduating from the University of Michigan in 2001 where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (Musical Theatre).

While obtaining his Masters in Boston, Mike created his highly acclaimed one-man show, MUSLIM: the musical! The show, a look at various stereotypes Arab-American/Muslims face post-9/11, has seen regional success after its debut and is currently in development for a National Tour.

Over the course of his career, Mosallam has worked in almost every aspect of the Entertainment Industry. He has worked in venues from the Kennedy Center to Symphony Hall, on major studio and Independent projects in a range of roles, and was on the Comedy Central show, THE WATCH LIST. He was an associate casting director for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival hit, AMREEKA. And recently won rave reviews for his role as "Daniel" in the new show THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT: a romantic comedy.

Currently, Mike Mosallam is the Director of Film Initiatives for Wayne County. Learn more at www.reelWC.com.

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Doug Neal

Managing Director
Center for Entrepreneurship, University of Michigan Doug Neal is a serial entrepreneur and experienced senior technology and operations executive that has spent the last 20 years working in leadership positions at various technology companies in California and Michigan.

Prior to returning to his home state of Michigan, Doug was Vice President – Endpoint Policy Management at iPass Inc. and formerly President and CEO of Mobile Automation. He began his career in network management software during college at Central Michigan University as a network administrator and software programmer. In 1986, he joined Hewlett Packard and led a team to develop a network version of some of their existing software products. In 1991, Doug joined Symantec’s Peter Norton Division where he was the Lead Architect and Director of Development for their system management product line. He co-founded Mobile Automation in 1997 believing that customers were missing an easy- to-use mobile system management solution. As President and CEO of Mobile Automation, Doug played an active role in strategic decisions, technical vision and operational management of the company. Mobile Automation was acquired by iPass Inc. in fall 2004 where he led a team to provide iPass connectivity customers with a secure management platform solution uniquely integrated with the broader iPass wireless product line.

Doug and his family returned to Michigan in 2005 where he has spent the last four years pursuing his own entrepreneurial activities in addition to mentoring multiple technology startups in the Ann Arbor area, working with SPARK, the Central Michigan Smart Zone and regional investment organizations.

Doug is passionate about entrepreneurship in Michigan and believes in the tremendous potential that exists in the University of Michigan entrepreneurial program. He feels the future of Michigan begins with our students.

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Sergio Paneque

Director, Procurement & Real Estate Services Administration
Michigan Department of Management and Budget Mr. Paneque joined Michigan’s Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) in 2009 as Director of Procurement & Real Estate Services Administration (PRESA). As the Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Michigan, Mr. Paneque directs the purchase of goods and services, managing a portfolio of more than 1,100 contracts valued at over $16.5 billion. In addition to statewide purchasing, Sergio is responsible for the management of the State’s portfolio of owned and leased space, statewide strategic space planning and administering design and construction services for state agencies and colleges and universities implementing infrastructure improvements and new construction projects.

Sergio brings a unique combination of departmental perspective and purchasing experience to the position. He has previously worked for the departments of Information Technology, Treasury, Education and the Attorney General, in addition to the Governor’s office and the legislature. He also engaged in volunteer service to the State as an appointee to the State Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs.

Sergio has a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and both a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Management from Michigan State University. He is a licensed attorney with both the Michigan Bar Association and the Florida Bar Association and maintains a Michigan builder’s license.

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Kenneth Rogers

Deputy County Executive for Oakland County
Executive Director of Automation Alley Ken Rogers was named deputy county executive for Oakland County government in 1996. In this position, he is responsible for functioning as executive director of Automation Alley, Southeast Michigan’s technology business association. In his role as executive director, Rogers oversees strategic planning and ongoing activities for Automation Alley’s 1,000 members.

The executive director of Automation Alley is responsible for the overall management of the business. The executive director is responsible for policy, the development, approval and accomplishment of business goals, objectives, and all financial matters. The executive director works with the management team to accomplish Automation Alley objectives.

As executive director, Rogers reports to the Board of Directors. Members of the management team at Automation Alley report to the executive director.

Prior to his current position, Rogers was director of Oakland County’s Community and Economic Development, where he was responsible for the planning and development division, the equalization department and the community development division. In addition, Rogers was one of the founders of Oakland County’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), served as a member of the governor’s conference on small business and held a seat on the state’s Strategic Economic Investment Commercialization Board from 2006-2010. Rogers was also president of the Oakland County Chamber of Commerce and served as a director of the North Oakland Board of Realtors. He is currently chairman of the board for Clarkston State Bank and is also on the board of directors for the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. In 2009, Rogers participated in President Barack Obama’s Jobs and Economic Growth Forum at the White House.

Rogers has also been actively involved in the community, having served as a member of the board of directors for St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and the United Way of Oakland County. In 1992, he received Oakland County’s "Volunteer of the Year" award. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation honored Rogers in 2007 with the Michigan Diversification Celebration’s Outstanding Diversification Achievement Award and in 2008 with the CEO Award of Excellence in Economic Development.
Rogers earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration degree and a Doctor of Public Service honorary degree from Central Michigan University.

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Amanda Ross

Owner
Stunning Creative Amanda and her husband, Andy Ross, launched a new design and advertising agency called Stunning LLC in April 2010. The company is based in Ann Arbor, and specializes in creative services and strategic marketing for emerging, innovation-based technology companies.

A native of Austin, Texas, Amanda attended graduate school in Russian History at Stanford University, and started her business career in Silicon Valley working in a range of industries: Internet and biotech start-ups, non-profit medical, independent film and venture capital.

Relocating to Michigan with her husband, Andy, and their daughter in 2001, she spent seven years in software product management in K12 and Higher Education online publishing.

As Director of Client Services of Stunning, this summer Amanda took advantage of a unique opportunity to take two groups of Michigan entrepreneurs and business leaders out to California to meet several legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalists: Tim Draper, Frank Caufield, and John Hummer. Cleantech VC Ira Ehrenpreis (Technology Partners) also shared his time with the group.

On the trip, she also arranged for several of the entrepreneurs to present their pitches to panels of other Bay Area venture capitalists at the VC Taskforce in Palo Alto.

Amanda came back from these trips with an incredible respect for how well Michigan entrepreneurs stack up against their California peers, and a mission to share her enthusiasm to support Michigan’s emerging breed of entrepreneurs.

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Richard Temkin

District Director
U.S. Small Business Administration
Michigan District Office Richard Temkin is the Michigan District Director of the U. S. Small Business Administration. He was appointed in March, 2004 after serving as acting director for nearly two years.

Mr. Temkin is responsible for the delivery of all SBA programs and services in the state, including the SBA guaranty loan program, which is delivered through more than 100 lenders; the government contracting and minority enterprise development programs; and oversight of the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center, SCORE, and Women’s Business Centers.

The Michigan District Office, which covers all 83 counties in the state, is located in Detroit and has a staff of 16 employees.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Temkin served as Deputy District Director for the Michigan District Office since moving to Michigan in 1981. He began his federal career in 1968 with the SBA in Washington, D. C. after receiving his MBA from Columbia University. He has also worked for the Agency in Cleveland and Chicago as the supervisor of the management assistance programs.

Mr. Temkin is married, has three children, and lives in Farmington Hills.

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Dr. Lewis N. Walker

President & CEO
Lawrence Technological University Lewis N. Walker has served as president and CEO of Lawrence Technological University since July 1, 2006, following five months of service as interim president.

Walker joined Lawrence Tech in 1994 as provost, the University’s chief academic officer. In 2003 he was appointed to the additional role of executive vice president, adding oversight of student services and business activities.
Walker holds three degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia, including the Ph.D. in electrical engineering. A registered professional engineer, he was involved as principal investigator or investigator of numerous research contracts and has organized and presented many short courses and seminars on power system protection and power system dispatch operations. He also helped develop systems to communicate with deeply submerged submarines anywhere in the world.

Walker came to Lawrence Tech from the University of Hartford, which he had joined in 1982 as dean of engineering and professor of electrical engineering, and later also served as special assistant to the president. He has published more than 50 technical papers and has lectured in Brazil, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, and several European countries.

Walker serves as a director of the Detroit Economic Club, the Engineering Society of Detroit, and the Skyline Club of Southfield. He serves on the executive board of the Detroit Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2008 he was appointed by the governor to Michigan’s Higher Education Facilities Commission.

He has served as secretary of the board of directors of the Plastics Learning Center, a director of the Southeast Michigan Alliance for Manufacturing, and the Workforce Development Board of Oakland County.

Earlier, he was president of the Connecticut Society of Professional Engineers, and vice president from the northeast of the National Society of Professional Engineers. He also served as a director of the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce; as director of the American Society of Engineering Education and as chairman of the Zone 1 Board of ASEE; and as a director of the Connecticut Pre-Engineering program.

A native of Missouri, Walker and his wife, Nancy, have five children and three grandchildren. One of their sons is a Lawrence Tech alumnus.

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