Speakers and Panelists:

• Ted Alexander, Managing Partner, Mission Ventures

• Zoltan T. Berty, Director, CapitalSource Finance LLC

• Jason McCabe Calacanis, CEO and Co-Founder, Weblogs Inc.

• Michael A. Carr, Managing Partner, BAC Investments

• Daniel Docter, Senior Investment Manager, Intel Capital

• Dirk I. Gates, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Xirrus, Inc.

• Robert E. Grady, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group

• Martin Hale, Jr., Managing Director, Pequot Ventures

• Christopher Hebble, Principal, Caltius Mezzanine

• Jeffrey Kabot, Co-founder, Mezzcap Partners

• Nagraj Kashyap, Director, QUALCOMM Ventures

• Michael Lowell, Managing Director, B. Riley & Co., Inc.

• Mark Nielsen, Serial Entrepreneur/Tech Coast Angel

• Murray E. Rudin, General Partner, Riordan, Lewis & Haden

• Richard Shuttleworth, Senior Relationship Manager, Silicon Valley Bank

Keynote Speakers

Jason Calacanis CEO and Co-Founder, Weblogs, Inc. General Manager, Netscape Senior Vice President, AOL

Jason McCabe Calacanis is CEO and co-founder of Weblogs Inc., a network of close to 100 widely read blogs including Engadget, Joystiq, Luxist, Gadling and Blogging Baby.   Weblogs, Inc. was founded in January of 2004 and spurred the growth of blogs. The company a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL in November of 2005.  Calacanis, who was appointed a senior vice president of the AOL, maintains editorial supervision of Weblogs. In June, 2006, Calacanis became the general manager of AOL's Netscape, and relaunched the iconic browser to suit today's readers. 

Prior to forming Weblogs Inc., Calacanis was the CEO and founder of Rising Tide Studios, a media company that published print and online publications including the Silicon Alley Reporter, which chronicled the internet industry, and produced of high-profile industry specific conferences on New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  After the industry consolidated, the flagship publication became Venture Reporter (which is now owned by Dow Jones)  and shifted from an advertising model to a database subscription model. 

Calacanis was born in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn and received a B.A. in psychology from Fordham University in Manhattan. He is a 5th Degree in Tae Kwon Do, has run in eleven consecutive New York City Marathons, consulted on the script and appeared in Wayne Wang's film Center of the World about the life of a "cyber surfer," serves on the board of directors of Bay Ridge Preparatory School.

He is known for his insight into the internet industry, his credo for being transparent and is a commentator on the media industry in trade and consumer media outlets, in addition to conferences worldwide.   His views can be read daily on his own blog, www.calacanis.com.

He is currently bi-coastal, residing in Santa Monica and New York City.

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Robert E. Grady Managing Director The Carlyle Group

Robert E. Grady serves as managing partner for Carlyle’s U.S. venture operation, Carlyle Venture Partners. In addition, Mr. Grady coordinates Carlyle’s global venture capital group, which has over $1.7 billion under management in five funds. He is based in San Francisco.

Mr. Grady is a former Director of Blackboard (Nasdaq: “BBBB”) and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Carlyle portfolio companies AuthenTec, Ingenio, Panasas, Secure Elements, Verari Systems, and USBX. Mr. Grady is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and is the Chairman-elect of NVCA for 2006.

Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Grady was a Managing Director and member of the Management Committee at Robertson Stephens, the San Francisco-based technology investment bank. At Robertson Stephens, he invested in or led financings for such technology and market leaders as InVision Technologies (acquired by General Electric, NYSE: "GE"), Eltron (acquired by Zebra Technologies, Nasdaq: “ZBRA”), FLIR Systems (Nasdaq: “FLIR”), Align Technologies (Nasdaq: “ALGN”), Printrak (acquired by Motorola, NYSE:  “MOT”), Barringer Technologies (acquired by Smiths Group plc), OSI Systems (Nasdaq: “OSIS”), Protection One (sold to Westar Energy, NYSE:  “WR”), Simpson Manufacturing (NYSE:  “SSD”), Fritz Companies (sold to United Parcel Service, NYSE:  “UPS”), and many others.

Mr. Grady served from 1994 to 2004 on the faculty of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he taught a course on "Investing in Highly Regulated Industries."

Prior to moving to California in 1993, Mr. Grady served in the White House as Deputy Assistant to President George H.W. Bush and as Executive Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He had previously served as Associate Director of OMB for Natural Resources, Energy and Science (1989-1991); Chief Speechwriter and Senior Advisor for the successful 1988 Bush/Quayle Presidential Campaign (1988); Director of Communications for New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean (1983-1986); and Legislative Assistant and then Chief of Staff to U.S. Congresswoman Millicent Fenwick (1979-1982).

Mr. Grady is a graduate of Harvard College and of the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

He was appointed by President George W. Bush to be a member of the Advisory Committee on Trade and Policy Negotiations (ACTPN), by the Administrator of NASA to be a member of the NASA Advisory Council's Task Force on the cost and management of the International Space Station, and by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Commission on Military Base Support and Retention. He is a Trustee of Environmental Defense and is Chairman of the Board of Resources for the Future.

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Dirk I. Gates Chief Executive Officer and Founder Xirrus, Inc.

Dirk Gates brings more than 15 years of executive management experience to Xirrus as well as a track record of success evolving a high-tech startup into a world class, publicly traded company. Having founded Xircom, Inc. in 1988 on the premise of delivering Ethernet connectivity to mobile computers, he attracted venture funding from Greylock, grew the company to 2,000 employees, and achieved revenues of $500M and a market cap in excess of $2B. During his tenure as Chairman and CEO, Mr. Gates also led Xircom into the wireless arena through partnerships and acquisitions that positioned the company to deliver mobility solutions based on IEEE 802.11, GPRS and BlueTooth technologies. Subsequently, Mr. Gates negotiated the sale of Xircom to Intel Corp. in March of 2001. 

Mr. Gates holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from California State University at Northridge and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

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Panelists

Ted Alexander Managing Partner Mission Ventures

Ted Alexander is a founding Associate of Mission Ventures and a Managing Partner of Mission Ventures III. Prior to joining Mission Ventures, Mr. Alexander worked closely with the founders of Sandpiper Networks, in Business Development and Market Analysis. Sandpiper was subsequently acquired by Digital Island. Similarly, he assisted GE Information Services with the launch of an electronic data interchange service for the Internet.

Previously, Mr. Alexander was a Platoon Commander in the US Navy SEALs, and a Division Officer aboard a US Navy destroyer. Mr. Alexander received an MBA from Duke University, where he served as President of his class, and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy.

Mr. Alexander's investment focus has been predominantly in the areas of communications and infrastructure, and is currently serving as a Director for LeisureLink, MaxLinear, Networks in Motion, Ortiva Wireless, TelASIC Communications, Verimatrix and CommNexus.  Additionally he led Mission Venture's investment into ID Analytics. Previously, Mr. Alexander served on the Board of Zyray Wireless sold to Broadcom for $97M. 

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Mr. Berty has over 13 years of commercial lending experience, primarily in the middle market and emerging growth sectors.  His experience has been focused on successfully closing both asset based and cash flow lending transactions.  Currently, Mr. Berty is a Director within CapitalSource’s Corporate Finance Group.  His primary responsibility includes sourcing middle market, cash flow based senior and mezzanine financing transactions by working closely with private equity sponsors, strategic investors, financial intermediaries, and other lenders.  Previously, he held the position of Underwriting Officer within CapitalSource and was responsible for underwriting CapitalSource’s financing transactions in the western U.S. 

  Prior to CapitalSource, Mr. Berty has held various underwriting, underwriting management, and portfolio management positions with Fleet Capital Corporation, Transamerica Technology Finance, and Bay View Capital.  He began his career at Deloitte & Touche providing audit services for clients primarily in the aerospace/defense and real estate sectors.  Mr. Berty holds a degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California, and he is a CPA.  He is married, has three children, and resides in Corona Del Mar, California.

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Michael A. Carr Managing Partner BAC Investments

Mr. Carr provides executive leadership to middle market companies that are struggling with growth or are facing an ownership succession issue.    As a corporate executive, Mr. Carr’s experience base offers a unique combination of operating experience in successfully mapping the strategic and operational paths of companies coupled with practical experience of private equity and working with corporate capital markets.

In 2004, Mr. Carr started BAC Investments, an equity search fund that leveraged his business operating experience and relationships in targeting opportunities to acquire and operate.  Mr. Carr focused his efforts on a middle market niche that spanned multi-industries and in many areas, was ignored by institutional capital - companies between five and $30 million in revenue that are facing founder succession.  Through BAC, over 120 acquisition opportunities were produced over an 18 month period leading to Letters of Intent.  Additional activities with BAC included advisory work regarding acquisitions, divestitures, raising capital, and operational improvement consulting.

Prior to starting BAC, Mr. Carr served in executive roles in middle market companies.  A recent example, he guided what was a 50-person outsourced manufacturing firm to one more than triple in size with three facilities spanning the country and an estimated 40% market share.  In addition to his operating and capital experience, Mr. Carr has extensive C-level sales experience.

Mr. Carr is the immediate past President of the Association for Corporate Growth - Los Angeles Chapter, the premier association for and about professionals involved in corporate growth, corporate development, and mergers & acquisitions, and has been a member of the Board of Directors for five years.   As a Director of ACG, Mr. Carr jointly produces the largest financial conference on the West Coast - The ACG Mergers, Acquisitions, and Finance Conference.   Mr. Carr actively participates in speaking engagements and panel presentations related to business operations and middle market corporate capital.  He is also a past Board Member for Junior Achievement and is a past Board Member of Pepperdine University’s Alumni Association. 

Mr. Carr received his MBA from Pepperdine University, emphasizing Mergers and Acquisitions, and received his BA in Business Administration from California State University.  Mr. Carr resides with his family in Irvine, California

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Martin Hale, Jr. Managing Director Pequot Ventures

Martin Hale, Jr. joined Pequot Ventures in 1997 and is a Managing Director and member of the Pequot Ventures' Investment Committee. Mr. Hale is responsible for Pequot Ventures' investments in applied technology, including aerospace, defense and industrial technology.  Mr. Hale has more than 10 years of investment experience in technology companies. Mr. Hale has specific additional responsibility for identifying recapitalization and private placement opportunities in public companies.  Mr. Hale joined the firm at Pequot Venture's inception from Geocapital Partners, an early stage venture capital firm.

Prior thereto, Mr. Hale was a Research Analyst in information technology mergers and acquisitions at Broadview International.

While at Pequot, Mr. Hale has successfully sponsored such companies as Flarion Technologies, sold to Qualcomm, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCOM) for $805 million; Cobalt Networks Inc., brought public, sold to Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) for approximately $2 billion; and Celiant Corporation, sold to Andrew Corporation (Nasdaq: ANDW) for more than $500 million.  Other realized investments include: InterPacket Networks Inc., sold to American Tower Corp. (NYSE: AMT); and Megsinet Inc., sold to CoreComm Communications Inc.

Mr. Hale earned a B.A. from Yale University, cum laude.  He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Analex Corporation (AMEX: NLX), Irvine Sensors (NASDAQ: IRSN), Aurora Flight Sciences, Vallent, Inc., and SkyOnline, Inc. 

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Christopher Hebble Principal Caltius Mezzanine

Mr. Hebble joined Caltius Mezzanine in 2004. Previously, he was a Vice President in the Corporate Finance Department of Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, where he was involved in mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity placements, and the structuring of leveraged buyouts and corporate recapitalizations. In addition, he was responsible for co-managing Houlihan Lokey's middle-market financial sponsor coverage effort.

 Mr. Hebble began his career as a Civil and Environmental Engineer where he managed, developed and implemented environmental service programs for international oil and gas utility companies. He received his M.B.A from the University of Southern California and his B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Jeffrey Kabot Co-Founder Mezzcap Partners

Jeffrey Kabot is co-founder of MezzCap Partners, and he has spent the majority of his career specializing in debt and equity financing for middle market companies.  Prior to MezzCap, Mr. Kabot served as Director with Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, a $1 billion private equity fund that makes subordinated debt and equity investments in middle market companies.  Prior to LLCP, he was SVP of Private Placements for Sutro & Co. handling debt and equity private offerings.  Mr. Kabot began his investment banking career in 1988 with Drexel Burnham Lambert, and joined Dabney/Resnick (now Imperial Capital) where he specialized in private placements for acquisitions and recapitalizations.  He has an MBA from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA, and a BS in Economics, magna cum laude from the Wharton School.  He recently served as President of LA’s Environmental Affairs Commission, and is on the advisory board for the Riordan Program at UCLA.

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Nagraj Kashyap Director QUALCOMM Ventures

Nagraj Kashyap is Director of QUALCOMM Ventures and heads up North American operations.  He serves as a board observer on Bitfone, WaveMarket, Digit Wireless, Airplay Networks, and Digital Orchid.  He is also actively involved with the QUALCOMM Ventures investment in Airvana.  Mr. Kashyap has over 10 years of experience in the telecommunications industry and has worked in various engineering and management capacities at Nortel, 3COM, Motorola and QUALCOMM.  He has also worked as a manager at PRTM, a management consulting firm based out of Waltham, Massachusetts.  Mr. Kashyap has an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin.

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Mr. Lowell has over two decades of experience in investment banking, business development and operational and financial management.  Prior to joining B. Riley, Mr. Lowell was a managing director with the Seidler Companies in the Orange County office and prior to that he was a Director with UBS/PaineWebber in its technology banking group’s San Francisco office.  He was an early member of Autobytel.com's management team, where he held various positions, most recently as Senior Vice President with responsibility for Autobytel's mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnering efforts.  Earlier, Mr. Lowell was Chief Financial Officer of two publicly traded companies, where he was responsible for all corporate and regulatory filings and oversaw two successful public offerings (NASDAQ and NYSE). Mr. Lowell has completed numerous transactions in a variety of industry sectors. He joined the Firm in 2004.

Mr. Lowell received his B.S. degree in Finance from California State University, Long Beach and a M.B.A from the University of San Diego.

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Mark Nielsen Serial Entrepreneur/Tech Coast Angel

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Murray E. Rudin General Partner Riordan, Lewis & Haden

Murray E. Rudin is a General Partner of Riordan, Lewis & Haden.  He brings 20 years of corporate finance experience to the challenges and opportunities of helping build growing middle market enterprises.  Mr. Rudin has worked with a wide variety of businesses as a principal of an investment group, as an operating executive, and as an attorney.

Mr. Rudin is active in all phases of the private equity process, including assisting current portfolio companies as well as sourcing, evaluating, and structuring new investments.  In his work with portfolio companies, he focuses on helping the CEO (i) achieve and maintain an optimal capital structure for growth, (ii) attract and select key additional members of the management team, and (iii) evaluate strategic alternatives such as acquisitions.  Mr. Rudin has been a director of seven RLH portfolio companies in sectors such as business services outsourcing, health care services, and software.

Mr. Rudin joined RLH in 1998.  He was formerly Chief Financial Officer and Director of Business Development of a publicly traded medical imaging enterprise.  Previously, Mr. Rudin was a principal of Valley National Investors, Inc., a venture capital fund based in Phoenix.  Mr. Rudin holds a B.S. in electrical engineering (summa cum laude) from the University of Rochester and a J.D. (magna cum laude) from Harvard Law School. 

Mr. Rudin is a member of the Board of Directors of the Discovery Science Center and was previously a Director of the Orange County chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth.  Also, he is a member of the Trustees’ Visiting Committee of the University of Rochester School of Engineering and Applied Science.

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Richard Shuttleworth Senior Relationship Manager Silicon Valley Bank

Richard Shuttleworth, Senior Relationship Manager at Silicon Valley Bank, currently focuses on providing a variety of debt solutions for emerging and growth information technology and life science companies headquartered in Orange County. Mr. Shuttleworth has 29 years of banking experience in corporate, international, middle market, and technology lending.  He was with First Interstate/Wells Fargo for 20 years, and has been with SVB for the past nine years.  He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Orange Coast Venture Group and OCTANe, and is also on the Executive Committee of the AeA’s Orange County Council.  He received a BA from Denison University, and a MBA from University of Southern California.

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This page was last updated on 10/02/06.