Ms. Lorraine Ferguson, President of Direct Impact Associates, LLC. Ms. Ferguson, founder of Direct Impact Associates, LLC has over 20 years experience in the Capital Region/Tech Valley and nationally as an executive managing sales, marketing, operations, and technical personnel at the corporate, regional, and branch level for start-up, franchise, Fortune 500, and private equity companies in the technology industry. Prior to bringing the Sandler Sales programs to this region, she was the CEO of a national technology training company and VP of Education Services for IKON Office Solutions. Some of her key business strengths include recruiting, motivating and retaining effective teams, sales training and management, customer relations and business development, communications, team leadership, and organizational strategic planning. Lorraine has an enterprising management style with a record for building a business and retaining highly engaged employees in a fast-paced competitive environment. She is passionate about helping companies and organizations grow their businesses and helping to make the Tech Valley region a reality through effective sales and management practices. Ms. Amy Johnson, President of Capstone, Inc. Ms. Johnson founded Capstone Inc., a retained technical & executive search firm in 1995 on the philosophy of developing full service client relationships beyond those of traditional recruiting firms. Her clients include Applied Nanoworks, CoreSENSE, AutoTask, AMICI, MTI MicroFuel Cells, Intermagnetics General Corp., Dynabil Industries, Lydall Corporation, X-Ray Optical Systems Inc., Plug Power Inc., and Kaspersky Labs in Boston . The concept of “partnering” with client companies to develop unique recruiting strategies based on each client’s specific needs is the cornerstone of Capstone’s business model.   Prior to starting Capstone, Inc., in 1995, Ms. Johnson managed the technology practice for a retained search firm located in the Capital Region for eight years. In a technical capacity, Ms. Johnson held senior assignments in manufacturing and product engineering at Texas Instruments and Apple Computer.   At Apple, Ms. Johnson led the technology transfer and manufacturing operations of Apple's desktop systems from domestic manufacturing to Singapore. Ms. Johnson actively participates in the local community as a board member for Proctor’s Theater in Schenectady, New York and was elected to the Executive Board as Secretary in 2005.  She is currently serving her third term as a CEO Guide/Mentor in the Center for Economic Growth’s Ceoconnex program and was a member of the Capital Campaign Committee of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Most recently, Ms. Johnson served as an inaugural member on the Tech Valley High School organizing committee and was recently appointed co-chair of the Business Alliance for the school. Ms. Johnson has been a guest lecturer at Rensselaer’s Lally School of Business, The Graduate Business School of Union College and SUNY Albany.  She also served on Union College’s Dean’s Council for Converging Technology. Mr. James O'Keefe, Managing Director of NobleHousePartners, LLC. Mr. O’Keefe currently leads NobleHousePartners, a New York based Private Equity firm specializing in control oriented, principle transactions.  With exceptional experience in both leadership roles at global technology/materials companies and in principal roles at private equity/financial advisory firms, Mr. O’Keefe’s career has focused on building teams that produce exceptional value for their stakeholders. Prior to founding NobleHousePartners with Mr. David Wood, Mr. O’Keefe was the President and Co-CEO of Taconic, a privately held manufacturer of engineered materials competing in the microware and industrial fabrics markets on five continents.  Mr. O’Keefe also served as President and CEO of LearnLinc Corporation as well as Chairman and COO of Image Systems Technology, Inc.’s. He began his foray into the software world as a principal at Upstate Equities, an Upstate New York based venture funding and investment banking firm, and began his US professional career in Business Development with General Electric Company’s Plastics Business. Mr. O’Keefe spent several years abroad prior to joining General Electric.  Most notably, he founded Covenant House Guatemala in Antigua, Guatemala, which provides long term care to over 600 children in Central America.  He was also the Chief Financial Officer of the US Equipment Corporation in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition to the companies where Mr. O’Keefe is an investor, he serves on the Advisory Boards of two Tech Valley technology companies.  Mr. O’Keefe has a Bachelors of Arts from St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto and a Masters of Business Administration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Dara A. Shareef, Managing General Partner of Glenmont Venture Capital Management GP, LLC. Mr. Shareef joined Glenmont Venture Capital Management GP, LLC. after serving as Principal with Counter Point Ventures, a private investment vehicle focused on early-stage technology companies located within the Tech Valley region of New York (a geographic focus of 18 counties along the eastern part of the state).  While with Counter Point, Mr. Shareef performed extensive analysis in the evaluation of over 200 business plans annually, serving as the lead provider of review, analysis and due diligence.  He was involved and responsible for all areas of the Counter Point investment process, from sourcing of deal flow to due diligence and deal structuring, and ultimately business expansion through to exit.  To facilitate the Counter Point investment process Mr. Shareef developed internal financial and performance models for the evaluation, development and monitoring of technology companies.  Prior to Counter Point Ventures, Mr. Shareef was a Principal with Executive Venture Partners in Rochester, New York and Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Steven Charles Capital, a Rochester-based money management firm with $200 million under management, where he was a member of the investment committee charged with determining the holdings and asset mixes of the portfolios.  Mr. Shareef is a frequent speaker and regular panelist for many regional university and venture forums, and a member of the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship Interest Group.  He serves as an Advisory Board member to the Tech Valley Angel Network and as a business mentor member of the Center for Economic Growth’s CEOConnex program.