SDForum is delighted to announce the third program in its evening series on “Green and Clean”, devoted to exploring the issues and highlighting the movers and shakers in this burgeoning industry that spans technologies and businesses. Entrepreneurs, tech executives, investors, and other stakeholders are looking for solutions to a wide range of problems impacting society and the world we live in. This series will focus on the role of technology and business in finding solutions.
Speaker Bios:
Mike Hess, Founder and CEO. Mr. Hess has spent the past 25 years bringing new technologies into the market. He has had repeated successes and industry-firsts at diverse high-technology companies with special strengths in communications, video, and component related businesses. Mr. Hess has a proven ability to analyze businesses, products, markets and growth opportunities, and then introduce strategic and tactical solutions that improve competitive performance while increasing revenues and profits. Mr. Hess has held positions of CEO, GM, and VP in companies including etNetworks, Lightwave Microsystems, Compression Labs, and Raynet. He developed his expertise in operations, international business, technology evaluation, strategic planning and financial abilities with companies including Raychem, Spectra Physics, Measurex and Meta Systems.
Peter Liu, Founder & Vice Chairman. Peter Liu is the founder and vice chairman of New Resource Bank, a bank in San Francisco that focuses on financing sustainable and efficient resources. Founded in 2006, New Resource Bank is one of the fastest growing new banks in California. Peter serves on the Clean Technology Investment Advisory Boards of the California Teachers’ Retirement System and is a member of San Francisco’s Green Building Task Force. He co-founded the China US Energy Efficiency Alliance and serves on the boards of the Roots of Change Fund and the California Climate Registry.
Susan Preston, General Partner, CalCEF Clean Energy Angel Fund. As well as CalCEF Clean Energy Angel Network. Susan was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence with Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for six years and continues as a consultant, specifically focusing on initiatives related to angel investing and angel organizations. Ms. Preston is also a consultant to the Angel Capital Education Foundation, teaching seminars on angel investing and angel organizations. Prior to CalCEF, she was Director of Attorney Training and Professional Development for Davis Wright Tremaine, a 450-lawyer international law firm. Ms. Preston is the author of Angel Financing for Entrepreneurs: Early-stage Funding for Long-term Success and Angel Investment Groups, Networks and Funds: A Guidebook to Developing the Right Angel Organization for Your Community. She is a national and international speaker on economic development, angel and venture financing. Ms. Preston has been profiled in Red Herring, Inc. Magazine, USA Today and Business Week and other local and national publications and has contributed to numerous nationally published articles on women’s entrepreneurship and angel investing. Susan is the immediate past Chairman of the board for The Hope Heart Institute, a leading cardiovascular research institute, with national and international recognition. She is the chair of the Entrepreneurship Center at Seattle University and is a member of the Board of Visitors for Washington State University.
Thomas Schulz, Managing Partner, Cleantech Circle, LLC, The Clean Tech Circle is a group of serial entrepreneurs and angel investors with a passion for Cleantech. The Cleantech Circle creates and invests in startup and early-stage companies, and advises VCs and their portfolio companies on technology and strategy.One of Tom’s current startups is BioCee, an industrial biotech company out of the University of Minnesota. BioCee bridges the gap between microbiology and chemical engineering.
Prior to becoming an investor, Tom already had over twenty years of technical and business experience. He worked on computer languages at Digital Equipment Corporation’s Western Research Lab in Palo Alto and artificial intelligence and multimedia projects at Apple Computer in Germany. Tom was a strategic management consultant for The Boston Consulting Group at their Munich and San Francisco offices.
In 1995, Tom co-founded the first publicly traded, nationwide Internet service provider in Germany, Cybernet AG, where he served on the executive management board.
Mitchell Zuklie, Partner, Orrick, is a member of the Emerging Companies Group, which advises emerging companies, public companies, venture capital firms and investment banks. Mr. Zuklie focuses on the formation, financing and general corporate counseling of technology businesses. Mr. Zuklie has completed several hundred venture capital financings, and numerous public offerings, mergers, acquisitions and technology licensing transactions.
Price: Platinum Pass: $0 Members: $20 Non-Members: $30