Podcast: Download

Brunner is a $200 million independent advertising agency with 200 employees and offices in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. The agency provides a broad range of services in research and planning, branding, advertising, digital marketing, direct/one-to-one marketing, public relations, promotion, and design services to clients, such as Cub Cadet, CONSOL Energy, The Dow Chemical Company, GlaxoSmithKline, GNC, Philips Respironics, and Zippo. In addition to being a Top 100 U.S. ad agency, Brunner ranks among the Top 75 digital marketing firms in the country.

Rich Fabritius–Atlanta Managing Director
Rich has developed a reputation as a team player who is well respected by his clients and colleagues for his ability to apply market research findings to establishing effective strategies that lead to truly integrated marketing plans. Rich also has worked with clients ranging from The Dow Chemical Company to Goody Hair Care to Eaton Corporation, and beyond.

http://brunnerworks.com

Podcast: Download

Lynn Scott is a partner in the firm’s Corporate Practice Group. She concentrates her practice in corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on emerging growth companies in the technology and pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields; public and private equity offerings; mergers and acquisitions; corporate governance issues; and licensing, joint development and strategic alliance transactions.

Ms. Scott’s recent experience includes representing:

Start-up and early stage technology, telecommunications and biotechnology companies in their formation, structuring, financing and general corporate matters.
Companies in connection with license, strategic alliance, sales, supply, development and services agreements.
Growth companies in their corporate finance and general corporate matters.
Institutional and corporate venture capital funds in their investment activities.
Companies in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.
Ms. Scott’s recent experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry includes representing venture capital investors in investments in early stage pharmaceutical and biotech companies and representing early stage pharmaceutical and biotech companies in licensing, development, financing and merger and acquisition transactions.

Awards and Recognitions
Ms. Scott was named one of Nightingale’s Outstanding Healthcare Transaction Lawyers for 2008. She has been included in The Best Lawyers in America for corporate law, venture capital law and private equity and leveraged buy-out law and named a Georgia Super Lawyer by Atlanta magazine.

Professional Activities
State Bar of Georgia – Advisor to Women and Minorities in the Profession Committee
Atlanta Bar Association – Past Vice Chair of Business and Finance Section
American Bar Association – Business Law Section and committees on Venture Capital, Private Equity and M&A
Education
J.D., magna cum laude, Mercer University,
– Research Editor, Mercer Law Review
– Member, Brainard Currie Honor Society
– Member, Phi Kappa Phi
B.S., University of Georgia
Admitted to Practice
Georgia, 1988
Additional Information
Publications
Ms. Scott has co-authored and authored numerous articles on corporate and securities law topics, including an article regarding board composition published in American Venture magazine.

Speeches
She is a frequent speaker at national and local seminars focusing on corporate and securities laws, private equity transactions and technology issues topics. She has chaired Thompson West Legalworks Southeastern Private Equity Summit and co-chaired its Southeastern M&A Forum. She has participated in webcasts on legal topics and topics related to the advancement and retention of women in the legal profession. She has chaired Practicing Law Institute’s “Doing Deals” seminars and various other legal and financial services seminars.

Mr. Cohen is Chair of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group. He concentrates on transactional matters including public and private company mergers and acquisitions, going private transactions, and equity and debt financings. Mr. Cohen has lectured on venture capital financing and employment and trade secret issues. In 2004, 2005 and 2006 he was named a “Georgia Super Lawyer” by Atlanta Magazine and in 2003, 2007and 2008 he was named one of Georgia’s “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine. Clients of Mr. Cohen include publicly held and private companies in the technology, healthcare, distribution and retail industries. Mr. Cohen also represents groups of early-stage “angel” investors in their fundraising activities, venture capital funds and companies seeking venture capital funding.

Professional Activities
Board of Directors, American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region
Delegate, Governor Sonny Perdue’s Technology and Trade Mission to Israel, November 2005
Board of Advisors, Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Atlanta Venture Forum
Technology Association of Georgia
State Bar of Georgia, Uniform Commercial Code Committee
Education
J.D., Columbia University School of Law, 1984
– Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
B.S., Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, 1981, Accounting and Finance
– Cum Laude  
Admitted to Practice
State of Georgia, 1984
Representative Transactions
Represented joint venture of non-profit Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies in $9.5 million investment in informatics company that closed on October 16, 2008.
Represented specialty finance company in closing $200 million warehouse financing facility from Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P.
Represented public life sciences company in closing $15 million secured financing facility from GE Capital Corporation.
Represented German company in acquisition of an interest in a Georgia textile company.

http://www.agg.com/Contents/Home.aspx

Podcast: Download

Reid Hutchinson is the President and Founder of NRG SVRS “Energy Savers,” an Atlanta based whole house, turn-key, Home Energy Savings Company.

Founded in 2007, the company’s realistic goal is to cut home energy costs in HALF! Reid says “Zone/Decentralize using Mini-Splits” is the most cost effective way homeowners can make a significant reduction in energy costs and energy consumption. Reid has launched and successfully grown NRG SVRS during a difficult economic time period when other companies are trying to survive. He believes the launch of NRG SVRS went smoothly due to preparation during the Research and Development stage of his business. He says “The combination of saving money, saving energy, and helping homeowners is the reason why people want our service.”

Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Reid was an entrepreneur at the age of 7. His first business was “Cheap Choppers,” a lawn mowing service company. Realizing the cyclicality of the spring/summer business, he would shovel snow in the fall/winter. He later expanded his offerings by hand washing cars. By the time he graduated from high school, his first business had over 30 weekly clients year round! Reid prides himself on running a lean operation and keeping his employees motivated and tied to performance. Competitive by nature, he was the captain of the football and baseball team in high school, and played college football and rugby. Today he is still active, and plays flag football and softball at the Brookhaven Boys and Girls Club. His Boulder, CO roots played a significant role in the development of the energy savings company, NRG SVRS.

Reid graduated with a business degree from the Calloway School of Business from Wake Forest University with an emphasis in Entrepreneurial Strategy. Reid believes it is the entrepreneurial spirit that drives him as a business owner and entrepreneur. After graduating in 2002, Reid moved to Atlanta to work for SunTrust Bank, where he acquired the entrepreneurial business fundamentals he utilizes today. He is currently a member of 6 business partnerships at various stages and industries, and has identified 8 additional business ventures he would like to pursue. He considers himself a ”get it done” businessman, where rolling up the sleeves and setting an example with his associates at NRG SVRS is a daily occurrence.

http://nrgsvrs.com/

Elyse Hammett, APR
Vice President, Public Relations, EOS

Intrinsically passionate about the clients she serves and the relationships she builds on their behalf, Elyse’s zeal to tell their story is immediately obvious to those who partner with her.   Leveraging 20 years of public relations and marketing communications experience, she has served Fortune 500 firms including BellSouth, Centex, Emory Healthcare, HD Supply and Troutman Sanders.  Elyse’s positive roll-up-your-sleeves attitude has won both accolades from C-level executives to awards from the American Hospital Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, Computerworld, CIO Magazine and the National Telecom Marketing Association.  

A frequent guest lecturer at her alma mater, Emory University, Elyse also serves on the board of the Public Relations Society of America where she co-chairs the association’s APR training program, coaching more than 60 candidates since 2007 through the universal accreditation process.  An active community member, Elyse volunteers for the Woodward Academy Parents’ Club, the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Interfaith Prayer Breakfast and Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church.

Susan Frost, EOS

Susan Frost has longed to run a company for years. She always knew that one day she would.  So in her years of working for ad agencies, she kept mental notes of things she would do, and especially things she wouldn’t do. 

Susan is endowed with an excellent mind. She is also a meticulous administrator, has a strong work ethic, enjoys excellent interpersonal relationships and is an insightful strategic thinker.  Clients like her calm approach to her work and theirs.

At EOS, Susan is the strategic planner and account director.  She is also the agency’s Chief Operating Officer. In her past, she has worked for a Dutch real estate developer in sales, marketing and marketing research, worked with several ad agencies and eventually went to work for Austin Kelley Advertising where she met Margaret.

Susan is a native of Alabama, a graduate of the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University, and is married with one daughter.

http://www.eosmarketing.com/

Podcast: Download

Pete Canalichio

FOUNDER, Licensing Brands, Inc.: Founded in 2009.  Executed Coca-Cola’s first ever Olympic retail program in Vancouver using products made with RPET (plastic bottles) and other recycled content. Supported Coke Shanghai Expo program
GENERAL MANAGER, CardScan ($20 million global technology business unit of Newell Rubbermaid): Delivered both quick wins and strategic long-term growth while rejuvenating the organizational culture
DIRECTOR, GLOBAL LICENSING, Newell Rubbermaid: More than doubled wholesale sales to $70 million, royalty revenues to $5.6 million in 2 years
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, Tula Communications: Elevated Tula and key client Samsung into world-class ranks in Olympic marketing
LICENSING EXECUTIVE, Coca-Cola: Directed sponsorship activities in conjunction with 3 Olympic Games and negotiated high-profile sports sponsorships (MLB, NHL, NASCAR, World Cup)
TREASURY OPERATIONS MANAGER–LONDON, Coca-Cola: Recruited into the global finance unit and rose quickly to managing $32 billion in transactions yearly
US NAVY: Award-winning Naval aviator and instructor pilot

Priyanka Khare

MARKETING MANAGER, Licensing Brands, Inc.:  Executed Coca-Cola’s Olympic retail program in Vancouver, supported Coke Shanghai Expo program and licensing programs for several other regional brands,  manufacturers and artists
SALES & MARKETING SUMMER ASSOCIATE, Kimberly-Clark Corporation: Developed and executed a $70MM product repositioning strategy as part of the Global Strategic Marketing group.
SECTION MANAGER MERCHANDISING, East West, Inc.: Managed key client accounts including new customers; built client and vendor relationships
ASSISTANT MANAGER MERCHANDISING, East West, Inc.: Led the business development efforts for the company
MERCHANDISER, East West, Inc.: Sourced apparel worth $10 million for a North American licensee

http://www.brandlicensingexpert.com/

Lisa Calhoun, MBA – CEO & Founder, Write2Market
Driven by a vision of a better marketing agency, Lisa has developed Write2Market into a global authority on creating recognizable industry leadership. She’s proud to have helped dozens of companies break their first Wall Street Journal article and reap the rewards of well deserved recognition.
Relied on by top performing CEOs as their publicity council, Lisa is no stranger to entrepreneurship. She was raised in her family’s printing business and later pursued a degree in professional writing from Baylor University on National Merit Scholarship–while using her dorm fax machine to run a small ad agency. She graduated summa cum laude in 1994 and later worked in financial services marketing with BBDO and Ogilvy Worldwide in Manhattan.
After 8 years running fast-growth sponsorships, national events and trade journals in the financial services space, Lisa received her MBA from University of Texas with honors in 2003, the same year she launched Write2Market. The firm has been recognized by Wall Street Journal, Inc., Entrepreneur, and USA Today for its innovative approach to publicity. Lisa is also a frequent guest columnist, speaker and author, appearing at local business conferences as well as national speaking opportunities on a regular basis.
She is incoming president of the Atlanta Chapterof Entrepreneur’s Organization, a global network of 7,000 entrepreneurs in 38 countries.
 

 Holly Frew, Director of Public Relations, Write2Market

Holly Frew broke the Haiti earthquake story to CNN and is well known to technology and healthcare reporters globally. A frequent contributor to Huffington Post, Holly is a social media hound, member of PRSA, and leads teams that deliver dynamic and ongoing results in the new era of multi-media public relations. She’s  particularly proud of creating relationships that network her clients into major media, and you can find stories she’d developed every day in major business news.

http://www.write2market.com/

Podcast: Download

Craig Lesser is the Managing Partner of the Pendleton Consulting Group.

Prior to joining The Pendleton Consulting Group, Craig Lesser served as the Managing Director and Head of International Public Affairs for McKenna Long & Aldridge, a law firm based in Atlanta. His primary focus was on expanding the firm’s presence abroad and interfacing with international businesses operating in the United States.

Until 2007, Craig served as Commissioner of Economic Development for the State of Georgia where he was the Chief Marketing Officer responsible for investment, trade and tourism. Governor Sonny Perdue appointed him to this post in 2004. In this role, he led efforts to recruit new business to Georgia from around the world. Craig’s responsibilities also included oversight of the state’s small business and entrepreneur programs, efforts to grow existing business as well as marketing Georgia as an ideal destination for filmmakers, the music industry, multi-media companies and tourists. While serving as Commissioner, there were almost 500 new investment and expansion announcements, totaling $8 billion and creating more than 40,000 new jobs. Craig also oversaw the expansion of Georgia’s international presence resulting in the state’s official presence in eleven countries.

Before his gubernatorial appointment, Craig served as Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Georgia Power Company; President and CEO of Mirant New York; and Senior Vice President of External Affairs for Mirant Americas. He was also a partner in a public affairs consulting firm.

Craig’s past experience also includes serving, while commissioner, as president of Hemisphere Inc., a public-private partnership created to attract the Free Trade Areas of the Americas Secretariat. During his tenure, five Latin American nations opened consulates in Atlanta and many new business relationships were forged between Western Hemisphere nations and Georgia.

He is Chairman of the Board of the World Trade Center of Atlanta, Chairman of the Board of the World Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce International Committee, Trustee of CIFAL, an Atlanta based initiative under the direction of the United Nations and Secretary of the Georgia China Alliance. He formerly served as Chairman of the Vienna International Exchange and was on Emory University’s Board of Visitors.

He has been recognized by Georgia Trend, James Magazine and the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of Georgia’s most influential people and has received awards from organizations such as the Georgia Indo American Chamber of Commerce and Global Atlanta for his leadership in international initiatives.

Craig received his B.A. from the State University of New York College at Oneonta and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, Leadership Georgia and the Regional Leadership Institute. He is Chairman of the Board of the World Trade Center of Atlanta, Chairman of the Board of the World Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce International Committee, Trustee of CIFAL, an Atlanta based initiative under the direction of the United Nations and Secretary of the Georgia China Alliance. He formerly served as Chairman of the Vienna International Exchange and was on Emory University’s Board of Visitors. He has also been named to the Board of Directors for Georgia Public Broadcasting

http://www.pendletonatlanta.com/

Pat Ryan is district sales manager in Atlanta for Insperity (NYSE: NSP), a trusted advisor to America’s best businesses for more than 25 years. Insperity provides an array of human resources and business solutions designed to help improve business performance. Its offerings include a comprehensive Workforce Optimization solution that delivers administrative relief, better benefits, reduced liabilities and a systematic way to improve productivity. Additional services include MidMarket Solutions, Performance Management, Expense Management, Time and Attendance, Organizational Planning, Employment Screening, Recruiting Services, Retirement Services, Business Insurance and Technology Services. Insperity business performance solutions support more than 100,000 businesses with more than 2 million employees. The company posted 2010 revenue of more than $1.7 billion and operates in 58 offices, including Atlanta, throughout the United States.

Ryan joined Insperity in 2007 and has more than 20 years of experience in sales. He currently oversees sales and marketing operations for Insperity in the Atlanta area, ensuring that client needs are met in a timely manner.

Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from County College of Morris in Randolph, N.J.

http://www.insperity.com/