Panel Presentation

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Panel Discussions

Topic-specific interactive break out sessions let you select the information relevant to your needs. You choose the four panels you want to attend. We supply the subject matter experts and answer your questions.

Management

CEO Confessions: Four CEOs candidly discuss "If I Knew Then, What I Know Now"

CEO Confessions: "If I Knew Then What I Know Now" There are all types of threats and reasons that leaders give for their failures to launch and/or manage a successful business. But there is no better lesson than hearing it from real world executives with examples from those who have lived it, survived it, and thrived. Our panel of entrepreneurs discusses real life lessons learned that could be an important part of your company's growth strategy and an opportunity for you to gain from their 20/20 Hindsight.

Robin Doty, Consultant, Moderator
Bob Barry, President, John Barry & Associates, Panelist
Alexander Capello, Chairman & CEO, Capello Capital Corporation, Panelist
Richard Melcombe, President & CEO, Richmel Media & Entertainment, Panelist
Rob Ukropina, Managing Partner, Black Diamond Ventures, Panelist

Managing Intellectual Property: How to keep the IP Lock on Your Secret Sauce

In businesses driven by technology, your patents, trademarks and other intellectual properties are essential to your value. A well-executed intellectual property strategy can help you take command of new territory, defend your existing turf, and increase a company's valuation. Two world class IP attorneys will discuss how to use intellectual property assets to protect your market niche, avoid common IP pitfalls, as well as maximize your legal protection while keeping costs to a minimum.
Then the former CEO and founder of Zenographics will discuss how he used intellectual property protection to increase Zenographics' valuation and protect its market niche. The Managing Director of Miramar Venture Partners, will discuss how venture capitalists evaluate a company's competitive advantage, what a due diligence review of a company's intellectual property entails, and what aspects of a company entices a venture capitalist to make an investment.

John King, Partner, Knobbe Marten Olson & Bear LLC, Moderator
Bob Holmen, Managing Director, Miramar Venture Partners, Panelist
Robert Romney, Chair, Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences. Panelist
Perry Viscounty, Partner, Latham & Watkins, Panelist

The Right Stuff: Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

Are you wondering if you have the skills and temperament to run your own business? This panel helps you answer that question by looking at traits of successful entrepreneurs, the skills and knowledge you need to acquire, and how to play to your strengths when starting and running your own business.

Anderee Berengian, Managing Director, RezVen Partners, LLC, Moderator
James Ramo, Consultant, Panelist
Richard Rodnick, Founder, RSM EquiCo, Inc., Panelist
Gregory Welch, CEO, Cenoplex, Panelist

Winning in Distressed Times: Successful companies that have thrived

This panel provides an insider's view, from the CEO level, of what it really takes for an enterprise to survive and prosper through significant macroeconomic adversity. The "Great Recession of 2008-09" has created intense pressure on business leadership to perform. Faced with that reality, these CEOs and their organizations have made important strategic decisions to create progress and consistently outperform.

Gene Mueller, Managing Principal, Mueller Carey Group, Moderator
Michael Beeuwsaert, Founder and CEO, Numira Biosciences, Panelist
Michael Gleason, Co-founder and CEO, Alorad, Inc., Panelist
Joseph McClure, CEO, Montrose Travel Service, Inc., Panelist

It's a Digital World: Practical Ideas to Cover your A$$ets

The world has gone digital whether you like it or not. And along with that fundamental shift comes a whole new set of challenges for what may be your most valuable asset: information…lots and lots of information that used to reside in file cabinets with locks. Not anymore. This panel will cover what it really takes to understand the implications of this paradigm shift and how to practically manage valuable information. A panel of information management experts will discuss practical ideas to cover your A$$ets.

• What are the key questions a business owner should asking him or herself?
• What are the best practices for managing electronic records that balance ease of access with security and privacy issues?
• What are easy steps to protect data rather than wait for a lawsuit to take action?
• What are basic requirements for compliance such as GLBA, SOX and Bank Secrecy Act?

Phil Dandridge, Managing Partner, Associates Asset Management, LLC, Moderator
Alejandro Angulo, Attorney, Rutan & Tucker, LLP, Panelist
Barbara Danzi, Chief Information Security Officer, Garda Cash Logistics, Panelist
Randy Jeter, President, Premier Worldwide, Panelist
Jason Lidow, CISSP, President, The DigiTrust Group, LLC, Panelist

Marketing

Branding Essentials: Why Brand Matters

The Branding Essentials module is a rich introduction to all things branding - we'll look at why brands matter, to whom they matter, and how you can build them into your marketing, advertising and public relations strategies. A great start for professional communicators or those simply interested in brand strategy. Key topics and panel talking points include:

• When do you know you need it?
• What it is and why it matters?
• The old ways of thinking Brand vs. the new schools of thought
• How do I jumpstart my organization's Brand programs?

Sasha Strauss, Managing Director, Innovation Protocol, Moderator
Michael Distefano, Chief Marketing Officer, Korn/Ferry International, Panelist
Ray Baird, President and Founder, Rieches and Baird, Panelist
Denise Lee Yohn, Brand as business ™ Consulting Partner, denise lee yohn Inc., Panelist

Building a Successful Brand: Key Ingredients from Start to Finish

The Building a Successful Brand module focuses on the artful creation and strategic initiation of a brand - from start to finish. You will walk away with a working knowledge of the key ingredients and how to implement at your organization. Key topics and panel talking points include:

• Discovery/Immersion
• Brand Platform
• Brand Architecture
• Visual Expression

Sasha Strauss, Managing Director, Innovation Protocol, Moderator
Mark Anderson, Managing Director, TrueNorth International, Panelist
Ray Baird, President and Founder, Rieches and Baird, Panelist
Karen Eadon, Sr. Vice President, El Pollo Loco, Panelist
Denise Lee Yohn, Brand as business ™ Consulting Partner, denise lee yohn Inc., Panelist

Brand Implementation & Impact: Bring your Brand to Market

From translating the Brand into a platform for compelling communication, to building the roadmap for execution and monitoring the impact on the organization and the community of listeners, learn the critical components needed for successfully rolling out the brand. Key topics and panel talking points include:

• Equipping and empowering the internal team
• Driving consistent and compelling communication
• Effects on the organization and the bottom line

Sasha Strauss, Managing Director, Innovation Protocol, Moderator
Peter Bretschger, CMO/CFO, Integrated Marketingworks, Panelist
Karen Eadon, Sr. Vice President, El Pollo Loco, Panelist
Barry Lieberman, Advantage Plus Marketing Group, Panelist
Denise Lee Yohn, Brand as business ™ Consulting Partner, denise lee yohn Inc., Panelist

Putting it All Together: Real Examples of Branding Successes

The final module in the series translates key lessons from each previous module and provides the real tactical examples and expert insights needed to initiate successful communication programs at your organization today. A company must clearly convey their brand message using marketing communication and advertising. This panel will focus on the most effective means to get market traction by using the most effective means to let the market know who your company is. Key topics and panel talking points include:

• Jumpstarting successful programs at your organization today
• War Stories: real examples of what to do and what not do
• Next steps: getting your communication program started right

Sasha Strauss, Managing Director, Innovation Protocol, Moderator
Peter Bretschger, CMO/CFO, Integrated Marketingworks, Panelist
Ted Hong, Chief Marketing Officer, Fandango, Panelist
Rich Segeil, Freelance Creative Director, Panelist
Denise Lee Yohn, Brand as business ™ Consulting Partner, denise lee yohn Inc., Panelist

Social Media: What has worked for three brand name companies

The final module in the series translates key lessons from each previous module and provides the real tactical examples and expert insights needed to initiate successful communication programs at your organization today. A company must clearly convey their brand message using marketing communication and advertising. This panel will focus on the most effective means to get market traction by using the most effective means to let the market know who your company is. Key topics and panel talking points include:

• How to integrate with other aspects of marketing
• Does this replace or supplement marketing communications
• What mediums work, what don't
• How to integrate social media with physical events
• What can go wrong

Todd Herschberg, Founder, Orange Cty Executives & Networkers (OCEAN), Moderator
Wing Lam, Founder, Wahoo's, Panelist
Ted Hong, Chief Marketing Officer, Fandango, Panelist
Beverly Macy, CEO Gravity Summit, Distinguished Instructor, UCLA Extension 2010

Money

Live Presentations: Get an inside view of two live presentation to Equity Investors

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall of an Investor Presentation? Did you ever wonder what VCs really think versus what they say to companies? How would an Angel investor's viewpoint differ from a VCs? This panel session features two live pitches by companies currently seeking funding to a panel of two VCs and a Tech Coast Angel Investor. You will hear real-time, unvarnished, candid critiques from seasoned investors as well as have the opportunity during Q&A to drill down into the panelists' comments.

Wayne Lamb, Co-founder & Principal, CresaPartners, Moderator
Don Kasle, Managing Partner, Alklas Partners, Panelist
Christopher Lucas, Founder, Black Diamond Ventures, Panelist
Mark Suster, Partner, GRP Partners, Panelist

Presenting Companies:

Roger Cohen, Founder and CEO of Vericomply, a leading provider of technology and software solutions that make it easier and less costly for companies to manage their legally significant content. Jeremy Almond, founder and CEO of SocialGuides, a b2b location based company focused on helping brands and businesses make sense of the flurry of location based consumer apps

Alternative Equity Financing: Financing Strategies for Early though Growth Stages

There is a big disconnect in the financing market. Banks and traditional lenders are continuing to tighten credit, calling loans, and not providing the low cost of capital that companies rely upon. With valuations at an all time low, private equity has been inaccessible to meet the expectations of the owners. Private placements, mezzanine, subordinated debt, and creative asset financing are only a few alternatives available for companies to tap into and grow their business, to capitalize on opportunities that their weaker competitors have made available.

Thomas "Tommy" Papa, Principal, CRESO Capital Partners, Moderator
Robert Miranda, Managing Director, Miranda & Associates, Panelist
Senior Investment Banking Executive, TBD, Panelist

Financing Growth with Debt: Fuel for Your Business

Debt financing has historically been a powerful tool at any stage in a company's growth and is often preferred by companies with an established revenue stream. However, when the financial crisis of 2008 precipitated by the meltdown in the derivative markets spread globally, traditional bank lending to small and medium sized emerging growth businesses and even established companies collapsed as well. This panel will start with an overview of the current business lending landscape, some insight as to what's ahead and then drill down into some specific areas that affect the fuel for your business to grow.

Al DeGrassi, Senior Vice President, Plaza Bank, Moderator
Anthony Sciarrino, Market Executive, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Panelist
Scott Whitfield, Vice President - Asset Based Lending Manager Plaza Bank, Panelist
John Nelson, Managing Director, CalCap, Panelist

Business Plans That Get Funding: Essentials of the Process

In the past, business plans were essential to the funding process. But what about today? Do equity funders require business plans? Do debt funders require business plans? The panel will explore the role of the business plan in the funding process. Is it the plan document itself that gets you in the door and leads you to the funding event, or is it something else?

Steven Mednick, Assistant Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship, USC, Moderator
Bob Aholt, Pasadena Angel, Panelist
Bart Greenberg, Partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Panelist
Gene Miller, Director, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, USC, Panelist
Matthew Ohrnstein, Managing Director, Symphony Advisors, Panelist

Private Equity Funds: Insights about the deals that get done

Your business, like all kinds of businesses out there, large and small, needs more capital from time to time. Whether it is for growth, recapitalization, or other needs, there are many different reasons to raise equity. The circumstances of the business, and the goals to be achieved with the capital, can vary greatly. Fortunately, so can the alternatives in Private Equity Funds available to the business owner - these are not just "your uncle's old equity funds" out there these days.
What is it that your business needs? What is your situation, and what are your goals? Come discover the different types of Private Equity Funds, and their various approaches and strategies - including multiple funds working together to give your business the capital structure that it needs. Create the financial structure your uncle could only dream about.

Jim Shnell, Attorney, Jackson, DeMarco, Tidus & Peckenpaugh, Moderator
Leonard Lillard, Principal, Merit Capital Partners, Panelist
Murray Rudin, General Partner, Riordan, Lewis & Haden, Panelist
Robert Schult, Managing Partner, VMG Partners, Panelist

Cashing in for Maximum Value: Finding the Best Exit Strategy Even in Today's Market

You have or are building a business of significant value. Although private equity funds targeting acquisitions remain at an all time high, the credit markets remain sluggish. The market for IPOs is lackluster. Transaction volume has begun to pick up as corporations with record cash balances increasingly rely on acquisitions to drive innovation and revenue growth.
Paradoxically, the divestitures these same corporations rely on to refocus their strategy or abort ill-fated ventures can be an opportunity for the entrepreneurial buyer. ESOPs have great tax advantages but do little to address management succession. What strategies in today's market can best address your valuation, liquidity, control, and succession planning goals? A real world case study will be used to illustrate key points

Mark Wilser, Principal, Global Capital Markets, Moderator
Marc Chiang, Director of Transaction Advisory Services, Grant Thornton, Panelist
John Giovannone, Partner, Greenberg Traurig, Panelist
Gary Seehoff, CEO, Evrilholder Products, LLC, Panelist

IPOs: Everything You Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask

This panel will provide visibility into the practical realities of staging, executing and managing (pre and post IPO) the various considerations in this process. The panel is designed to provide relevant information in the following areas:

• When - Is this the time and is your business profile/sector attractive to underwriters in this current environment?
• What - What are the benefits and regulatory considerations associated with sourcing capital via an IPO?
• Where - There are various venues available: What are the considerations listing on a US based exchange vs. the growing opportunities available via the Toronto Exchange and Toronto Venture Exchange?
• How - What are the requirements for staging the IPO, the dynamics associated with the key relationships - legal, banking, accounting and financial reporting - as well as the ongoing requirements and how to manage them in a digitized environment?

Mark Mansfield, Principal, Global Capital Markets, Inc., Moderator
Christa Dewar, Senior Manager, Toronto Stock Exchange, Panelist
Corey Fischer, CPA, Weinberg and Company, Panelist
Murray Joslin, Managing Director-West Coast, Bowne & Co., Panelist
Paul Short, Lead Engagement Partner, KPMG, LLP, Panelist

Special Topics

Small Message, Big Impact: Crafting a great presentation in today's market

In this break out session, Terri Sjodin will discuss the 3 core benchmarks for crafting a great presentation in today's market; from elevator speeches to sales presentations you can build a more compelling message, one that is persuasive rather than just informative. She will focus on developing your verbal communication skills for greater impact with clients and prospects. This is a roll-up-your-shirt-sleeves interactive session.
The audience will gain an understanding of:

• How multiple generations of messaging principles are being used to capitalize on opportunities in academics, traditional sales, performing arts, finance and many other areas.
• How to begin crafting compelling arguments for your next presentation opportunity.
• How to identify the 3 core benchmarks of a great presentation.
• How to develop a persuasive case outline.
• How to employ the Elevator Speech Effect and more!

Terri Sjodin, Principal and Founder, Sjodin Communications, Presenter

Going Global to Grow Your Business: it's not as difficult as you think

It is show and tell time on how to globalize and grow your business. You may find out that globalizing your business is not the hurdle you may think it is. There are multiple markets for your product, whether tangible or intangible - widgets or your brilliant consulting idea. Specific areas covered include: Rules of the Game

• Ways in which the Commercial Services can get you on track
• What you need to know to start to globalize your business
• Selecting the right first country

Getting More Than Money

• Getting good advice based on an analysis of the target market
• Why you need marketing services to your trade prospects
• How to structure import/export trade transactions in Southern California

Been There, Done That, Still Doing It

• Exporting/importing tangible products
• Marketing education & training Programs/ in-bound and outbound
• How to get a State Department grant for projects that are off the beaten path

Carol Rowen, CEO, International Trade Education Programs, Moderator
Caroline Brown, First Vice President, Comerica Bank, Panelist
Mark Matsumoto, Director, The Education & Training Consortium, Panelist
Richard Swanson, Director, US & Foreign Commercial Serv. Pac.South Region, Panelist

Going Green to Earn Green: The new way to do profitable business

If you think your business or career has nothing to do with sustainability, think again. In this panel, hear from a major consumer goods company about its early steps into sustain- ability, the resistance, the costs and the results. How has sustainability delivered competitive advantage? Also, meet a successful serial entrepreneur who has launched multiple companies in the green space. How did he identify the opportunities, get traction and what are the financing sources, especially today? The leader of the green practice of one of California's top law firms will address risk management issues in green, intellectual property protection, etc. You will never think about green the same after this conference.

Eugene Page, Managing Partner, SunGreen Systems, Moderator
Rick Crandall, Director of Sustainability, Southern Calif. Div., Albertsons, Panelist
Bryan Jackson, Editor, Green Building Update, Panelist
Nikhil Jain, Founder, Clean Green Guy, Inc., Panelist

Trends in Automotive: Three automotive experts discuss Trends in the Industry

Famed supercar builder Steve Saleen, recognized classic car collector Dick Marconi, and Chief Designer from Tesla Motors, Frantz Von Holzhausen, discuss emerging trends in the automotive industry. Topics include: How the current economic climate influences development in the high-end automotive industry; the role of creative design and innovation in emerging markets; and what the future holds for the industry. Some specific areas covered include:

• Past, present, and future of the Supercar/Sports car industry
• New developments in the sport and muscle car market
• Challenges of pioneering an industry
• How current economic trends affect the classic car collecting market
• The importance of public awareness of classic cars
• Future of the high-end electric car industry
• The drive behind the development of electric cars
• Technological advances and their influence on the automotive industry

Jonathan Michaels, Founder, Michaels Law Group, Moderator
Dick Marconi, Founder, Marconi Automotive Museum, Panelist
Steve Saleen, Founder and CEO, SMS Signature Cars, Panelist
Frantz Von Holzhausen, Chief Designer, Tesla Motors, Panelist

*Individual panel sessions subject to change