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Peter V. Longo - President and Executive Director - Connecticut Innovations Mr. Longo is a certified public accountant and a chartered financial analyst. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut and holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Hartford. Mr. Longo also served six years in the Connecticut Army National Guard.Peter Longo is president and executive director of Connecticut Innovations (CI). He manages CI’s array of initiatives, including its venture capital investments, laboratory infrastructure fund and support service initiatives. Under his leadership, CI introduced the Pre-Seed Support Services Program, Connecticut Clean Tech Fund and CTech, an entrepreneurial assistance initiative. Additionally, Mr. Longo oversees the administration of the ratepayer-funded Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Fund. Mr. Longo has invested in over 20 early-stage investment opportunities across a variety of technology sectors, leading CI investments in Achillion Pharmaceuticals, CYA Technologies, NeuVis, Nufern, Perimeter eSecurity and Post-N-Track. He currently serves on the boards of ExeCue, Optiwind and Post-N-Track. In addition, Mr. Longo serves on the advisory board of the University of Connecticut School of Engineering, and he is a board member of the Connecticut Technology Council. Prior to being named president and executive director of CI in 2007, Mr. Longo was a member of CI’s investment team and most recently was chief investment officer for CI. He also previously served as controller of CI before he joined the investment team. |
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Kris Bergman, Administrative Manager Ms. Bergman joined BBC in 2000. She has 20 years of experience in managing schedules, finances and organizations. Prior to joining BBC, Ms. Bergman served as the Global Sales Administrator for Comshare, Inc. in Ann Arbor. As BBC’s Administrative Manager, she is responsible for the day-to-day office management, as well as the financial management for BBC. Ms Bergman provides grant management training and financial management service to BBC clients currently under management. |
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Mark Blanchard -Technology Development & Commercialization Advisor, Vermont Mark provides free business counseling to technology-based innovative small businesses statewide for Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC). Clients range from 100+ employee firms with revenues in excess of $20 million to start-up ventures. Areas of counseling include seeking R&D funding, especially through SBIR/STTR programs, working with Tech Transfer programs, general business strategy, business planning and raising capital. He serves on the Board of Synergy Innovations Inc., a small technology development firm with SBIR successes leading to two spin-outs and earlier was the firm’s VP. He has been marketing manager for a producer of innovative manufacturing equipment and also a restaurant owner. His corporate experience includes seven years as Vice President, Administration for Thermal Dynamics Corporation preceded by eight years, largely overseas, in management and strategic planning roles with Caltex Petroleum. Mark is a former U.S. Navy engineering officer. He graduated from Dartmouth College and after the Navy earned his MBA at the Amos Tuck School. |
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Dr. Mahendra Jain - Executive Director - Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation
Dr. Mahendra Jain is the founding executive director of the Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation and vice president of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation in Lexington, Kentucky. In his present position, Dr. Jain is fostering partnerships between academic, industrial and state institutions in building and expanding Kentucky’s scientific and engineering capacity to attract external research funds from all sources, to help advance research ideas and to build a pipeline of technologies. In addition, Mahendra has proactively pursued the growth of the Federal SBIR and STTR Programs in the state through outreach and state-funded assistance programs and has been the recipient of the Tibbetts Award in 2006.
Before joining KSTC, Mahendra worked at several universities in the U.S., Europe and India and at MBI International, a biotechnology R&D organization in Lansing, Michigan where he was involved in the technology development and transfer. After receiving his Ph.D. in microbiology in 1972, Dr. Jain received and managed research grants and contracts in several million dollars from federal, state and industrial sources. He is the author of 11 United States patents, one Canadian patent and over 120 research papers, articles and book chapters. |
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Kristine Johansen - SBIR/STTR Program Administrator - Iowa State Intellectual Property and Technology Office Kris Johansen earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Missouri, and an M.B.A. from Iowa State University. Kris worked as a Senior Scientist at Xtrana, Inc., in Denver, CO, where she helped develop nucleic acid extraction kits as well as nucleic acid-based assays for the detection of food and environmental pathogens. Kris was also a Senior Scientist at Invenux, Inc. in Denver, CO, where she was involved in the development of drug lead compounds using a proprietary molecular evolution technology. At both Xtrana and Invenux, Kris participated in the preparation of multiple successful Phase I and Phase II SBIR grant applications to the USDA and NIH. She presently serves as the SBIR/STTR Program Administrator in the Office of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer at Iowa State University, where she assists small businesses in identifying funding opportunities and preparing grant proposals. In addition, she is also involved in marketing Iowa State University technologies available for licensing. |
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Chuck Shoopman - Assistant Vice President -University of Tennessee’s Institute for Public Service
Chuck Shoopman is Assistant Vice President of the University of Tennessee’s Institute for Public Service (IPS). The Institute is composed of five outreach organizations that link university expertise with community and workplace needs. Chuck leads the organization’s efforts to help businesses and communities that are working to improve job retention and promote job growth. This is Chuck’s second tour of duty with UT, having previously worked at IPS from 1981 through 1993.
Prior to returning to the University, Shoopman worked for over ten years with the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Economic Development organization. While at TVA he served in a variety of leadership roles, including Acting Vice President of Economic Development. During his tenure at TVA Chuck led a variety of economic development initiatives including the organization’s revolving loan programs, small business assistance efforts, and industrial development activities.
An alumnus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Vanderbilt University, Chuck and his wife Kathy are the proud parents of two adult sons and two collegiate daughters. They spend a lot of money on car insurance, college expenses, football tickets, and replacement golf balls when Chuck tries to play. |
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Barbara Stroller - Director,SBIR Resources - Technology Ventures Corporation
Barbara Stroller is the Director of SBIR Resources at Technology Ventures Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Stroller, who has managed the New Mexico SBIR program since 2000, is part of the TVC team that provides funding and entrepreneurial resources for early stage technology companies in New Mexico. in 2004, TVC received the Tibbetts Award.
After 16 years, TVC is credited with 103 business formations, 1,249 technology companies served, 12,700 jobs created and $1.045 billion in venture funding.
Ms. Stroller's background includes an MBA in Management from the University of Oregon and a BS from Oregon State University. In addition, Stroller's technical experience includes 20 years as a Registered Nurse. |
