2009-09-10 20:28:09 -

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 10, 2009 -- TechBiz Connection (TBC) will present a panel of Orange County-based business leaders who will discuss the strategies their companies are employing to be successful in today's markets on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the law offices of Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear in Irvine.

The panel moderator is Paul Ulyett, chief operating officer of Kyliptix Solutions, Inc. which provides small-to-medium business everywhere with everything they need to operate their sales, marketing, service and HR operations. He has some 25 years experience in the technology industry and has held senior positions at a number of companies including Oracle where he was vice president, global marketing programs. Prior to that Mr. Ulyett

was responsible for Cognos’ Western US operations and also held a senior operations position for the company in Europe. He also founded Windsor Consulting which focused on business strategy and business process reengineering and started his career in the Royal Navy as a control engineer.

Panelists for the forum are:

• Tim Leyden, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Western Digital, has had an impressive 19-year career with the company during which he served in several capacities overseeing worldwide finance, manufacturing, and information technology. Mr. Leyden took a leave from Western Digital in 2000 to take on a role as the senior vice president and chief financial officer for Sage Software and also spent several years as a management consultant for technology based companies.

• John LaBonty, general manager for Smashbox Cosmetics, has extensive senior executive experience in a number of industries and companies. He began his career with Procter & Gamble in sales and then was recruited by Tambrands, Inc. where he held nearly two dozen positions over a fourteen year period. His last position with Tambrands was EVP/GM of one of their three global operating units. After the sale of that company to Procter & Gamble, Mr. LaBonty was hired by Citigroup to transform their Latin America selling and marketing operations spanning 21,000 employees across 15 countries. After leaving Citigroup, he has founded two different companies. Since 2006, Mr. LaBonty has led the global expansion for Smashbox Cosmetics. He is well known across Southern California for his networking and transition coaching expertise.

• Chris Andreozzi, president of KnowledgeCentrix, provides professional and managed services to businesses throughout Southern California and Arizona. Previously, he worked in an IT management capacity for FieldCentrix, which was acquired by Enron. Mr. Andreozzi worked with Enron during the course of its public fall, and it was that experience in which he recognized that many small businesses did not have the ability to successfully implement and maintain computer networks and systems. Leveraging his years of experience, personal network, and business contacts – KnowledgeCentrix was born.

The TBC Forum discussion and subsequent question-and-answer session is sponsored by Daly-Swartz Public Relations, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, InteleNet, Septium Corp., and Knobbe Martens, Olson & Bear.

Admission to the TechBiz Connection event is $30 prepaid and $40 at the door. For further information and RSVP, visit www.techbizconnection.org or e-mail president@techbizconnection.org.

TechBiz Connection was created to support Southern California business and technology professionals, companies and entrepreneurs by providing timely education and networking opportunities. The organization focuses on where technology and business intersect; everything a successful high-tech company would want to do.
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Contact:
Daly-Swartz PR for TechBiz Connection
Jeffrey Swartz, 949-470-0075
jeffreyswartz@dsprel.com