Guest Entrepreneur Information - February 9, 2006
William Gasko
Worcester, Massachusetts 01606
E-mail: wfgasko@adhva.com
I am currently the Director of Content for Amrita TV USA and Vice President of Amrita Media, a values-based international TV channel based in India. We are creating and broadcasting socially conscious content throughout the world. I am also a principle in the consulting firm of Adhva International.
I have been involved in supporting the commercialization of university, corporate, and federal technologies and guiding the startup and operation of nine technology-based for-profit and non-profit entities. The spectrum of technology includes; semiconductor processing, fiberoptics, biotech, biomedical, materials, nanotechnology and communication technology in both the hardware and software arenas.
In addition to the many new business activities, and major government/industry initiatives, I was the northeast regional technology transfer executive director for NASA. I also led programs for the national review of commercial technology for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the development of technology access and visibility for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
Traveling extensively in Europe and Asia, I developed business activities in Ireland, Finland, Germany, China, Japan, Taiwan, and India. The US Government funded several visits to Russia, the Ukraine and The World Bank to South America. I was employed to understand the commercial possibilities of Soviet technology and with others in the corporation to provide critical technical information for the Brazilian remote sensing of the Amazon project SIVAM, the largest environmental project in the world.
During a successful career creating technology-based businesses I spent three years at WPI as a full professor, holding The Grant Chair of Entrepreneurship developing courses in entrepreneurship, organizational behavior and cross-cultural behavior. With the help of several alumni we created the highly successful WPI Venture Forum and served as its chairman for the first five years. I recommended further integration of entrepreneurship and business training into the WPI engineering and science curriculum be instituted to meet the needs of the world market. Currently serving WPI by participating on the citations committee, and a judge for the Venture Forum business plan contest.
Albert G. Prescott '90 CM
Founder, President & CEO, Crescent Innovations
6 Park Avenue
Worcester, MA 01605
508-764-8604
Crescent Innovations
Dr. Prescott has held many positions in the technical and customer service field of the polymer, pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device fields. His responsibilities have included all aspects of operations including facility construction management, product development, project management, budget management and personnel management. Mr. Prescott has led numerous cross-functional teams in the areas of new drug/device development from projects as simple as generic drug approval, to devices as complicated as bio-artificial pancreases. Mr. Prescott has worked and consulted for some of the preeminent biotech and biomaterials companies including Genzyme, Genetics Institute, BASF, Bioresearch, and W. R. Grace and Company. He was a senior process development engineer at Anika Therapeutics Inc., a manufacturer of HA-based ophthalmic, orthopedic, and surgical scar reduction products. Mr. Prescott has a Bachelor of Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Biotechnology and a Master of Science from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Crescent Innovations, Inc. was founded in 2000 and incorporated in Delaware in 2001 to develop products using proprietary polymer technology. These state-of-the-art polymers are used to treat both chronic and acute pain, as well as controlled release/drug delivery products.
Stephen Marcus, WPI '02
Managing Director, Marcus Holdings, LLC
Steve is a serial entrepreneur, founding four ventures in the wireless and electronic commerce market spaces. He began his career by creating FutureNet, a computer consulting firm, at age 14. In 2004, he spawned Marcus Holdings, a Cambridge-based investment firm that targets wireless and electronic commerce verticals. Most recently Marcus co-led the angel investment group in H3.com, a social networking based job recruitment tool. During 2000 and 2003 he was CEO of Marcus Communications, a provider of wireless system products and services, VoiceLink Communications, a regional wireless carrier, and The Marcus Group, a wireless tower facility construction and management firm. Steve was also instrumental in building an extensive wireless spectrum portfolio through licensing and acquisition that was acquired by Nextel Communications in 2000. Prior to that Steve served at Kewill E-Commerce, constructing their IP infrastructure between 1998 and 1999.
Steve holds a B.S. in Management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization (YEO) and a Life Member of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). He has been an FCC licensed radio amateur since age 12 and speaks Spanish and English.
Jesse D. Hurley
Chairman & CEO, Anamorphic Systems, Inc.
423 W. Broadway St.
Boston, MA 02127
(774) 262-9093
Jesse Hurley attended WPI where he was a double major in Economics and International Studies with a minor in Chemistry. He founded Anamorphic Systems in May of 2003 and now oversees the company's strategy and business development projects. As chairman and CEO, he is responsible for coordinating financing and intellectual property development. To date, he has been able to secure $2M in private equity financing, having started the firm with $8,000 of his own funds. He is also director on the board of LCL Investments LLP, where he is responsible for managing the fund's IT and emerging technology investments.
Anamorphic Systems develops software and services that unifies voice, video, and data communications in applications being used across the Global 2000. The company's flagship product, Circulate(tm), now in development for its second release, provides industry leading audio, video, and data search, real-time speech to text transcription, communication archiving, digital rights management, ILM, and a wide spectrum of industry specific functionality. Over the coming year, the company will be releasing a whole new slate of products, including Convene(tm), a revolutionary unified corporate communications (UCC) system, Inspire(tm), an affordable and extensible e-learning platform, Blaze(tm), an easy to use video on demand service, and Arbitrage(tm), a new product that will forever change the way companies communicate and conduct business. The company maintains strategic partnerships with Akamai Technologies, Fast Search & Transfer, PGP, and EMC, each of which, like Anamorphic Systems, had their start in Massachusetts.
Tom Fox, WPI '06
Chief Information Officer, SourceAid, LLC
1284 A Main Street
Osterville, MA 02655, USA
Phone: (508) 428-3150
Direct: (508) 752-8432v Toll Free: 1-US-SourceAid
info@sourceaid.com
SourceAid, LLC
Tom Fox is Chief Information Officer and Co-founder of SourceAid, LLC as well as President of SourceAid Publishing, companies dedicated to educational research products to schools and professionals worldwide since 2003. Tom oversees and develops industry leading software and responsible for major publications. Tom recently published Cite It Right, The SourceAid Guide to Writing, Research and Avoiding Plagiarism. Tom holds ten technical certifications titles, is fluent in fifteen computer languages, and has a working knowledge of eight operating systems. He was recognized in Microsoft Imagine Cup for leading one of the top development teams in the US and serves as an editor for both LookSmart and Open Directory Project. Tom graduated high school in 3-years and spent what would have been his senior year as a systems engineer automating computer systems and designing high-end network infrastructures for over 200 companies prior to entering college. While in high school, Tom developed software solutions and computer networks for large organizations. Tom expects to graduate from WPI in 2006 with a BS degree in MIS and work on his graduate studies while continuing to build SourceAid and encouraging other students to become entrepreneurs.
John Rainey
Senior Management Counselor / Financial Specialist, Small Business Development Center
Clark University
jrainey@clarku.edu
John E. Rainey joined the staff of the SBDC in March of 1995 as Senior Management Counselor and Financial Specialist. Mr. Rainey provides management counseling services to a large variety of small businesses through the Small Business Development Center, Graduate School of Management at Clark University. He assists clients in developing feasibility studies, business plans, marketing plans and loan proposals. His consultation services have resulted in over $60 million in loan approvals, since joining the SBDC. He was recipient of the Star Performer Award for the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network in both 2000 and 2001.
John has over 25 years of financial and accounting experience in small business environments, including senior level positions at Wright Line, Inc. (Worcester), Associated Testing Labs (Burlington) and Fenwal Electronics (Milford).
In addition to extensive experience in business plan development, financial analysis, cash flow, acquisitions and strategic planning, John has taught courses at Northeastern University, Merrimack College, Bentley College and Clark University.
Mr. Rainey has both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Babson College. He is also a Certified Management Accountant. Mr. Rainey is active in town government and is presently serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals in Westborough, MA.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: May 22, 2007 11:05:20