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, Director of Strategic Investments for First Columbia Mr. Shareef serves as Director of Strategic Investments for First Columbia, a diversified real estate and investment company, where he oversees a private portfolio.  Prior to that role, Mr. Shareef served as a Managing General Partner with Glenmont Partners, LLC. Over the course of his investment career, he has held impact roles with companies across the investment landscape.  Mr. Shareef brings an interdisciplinary approach to deal evaluation and is a seasoned investor and a mentor to early-stage companies.   Prior to joining Glenmont Partners, Mr. Shareef served as a Principal with Counter Point Ventures, a Tech Valley-based venture capital firm established to selectively finance the early-stage development of technology-based companies. His duties there involved all areas of the investment process; from deal flow to due diligence, expansion through exit.  Mr. Shareef performed extensive analysis, including sizing the market opportunity, market penetration strategies, competitive analysis, valuations, sales cycle and channel analysis and supply chain review for most companies within the investment portfolio. Further, Mr. Shareef developed financial models and performed financial analysis to evaluate and monitor portfolio companies. Mr. Shareef evaluated in excess of 200 plans in each of his three years with the fund. During his tenure, Counter Point invested in fourteen companies with Mr. Shareef serving as the primary due diligence engine.   Prior to joining Counter Point Ventures, Mr. Shareef was a Principal with Executive Venture Partners in Rochester, NY, a for-profit business incubator formed to nurture and grow new technology ventures and commercialize technologies spun out of local universities. Mr. Shareef served as the point person on all activities related to developing business plans and pitch decks, go to- market strategies, evaluation of business / revenue models and capital mobilization strategies.   In an earlier role, Mr. Shareef directed all sales and marketing activities as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Steven Charles Capital, a Rochester, NY based money management firm with $200 million under management.     Mr. Shareef is a board member of the American Red Cross of Northeastern NY, a frequent speaker at high schools, colleges, graduate schools and law schools, a regular panelist at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute/Center for Economic Growth Venture B-Plan Series, a mentor to the U-Start Incubator at Union College and Skidmore College, a member of the Advisory Board to the Tech Valley Angel Network, a mentor to CEO’s of early-stage companies in the CEG’s CEOConnex program, a member of the Severino Center for Entrepreneurship’s Interest Group and serves on the Business Advisory Council for Skidmore College’s Department of Management and Business.   Mr. Shareef holds a BS in Finance from Lehigh University and an MBA in Finance and Organizational and Competitive Strategy from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester.  Mr. Shareef lives in Niskayuna, NY with his wife Kimberly and their baby daughter Mikaila