2009-07-07 23:25:08 -

IRVINE, Calif., July 7, 2009 -- TechBiz Connection (TBC) will present a seasoned panel of experts at a power-packed forum who will discuss best practices for taking an idea and successfully building a new product in today’s economy on Wednesday, July 15 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the law offices of Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear in Irvine.

Panel moderator Gregg Gallagher of Quantum Leaders noted that new startups and many existing companies are looking at new, innovative products to succeed in today’s tough economic times. As the head of Quantum Leaders’ Demand Practice, he focuses on innovation that creates exciting products to meet customer needs and creative marketing that helps businesses successfully deliver on those needs.

With over 25

years experience in all aspects of marketing, Gallagher led the strategic marketing and product innovation for cutting edge products such as Graphnet’s first PC-based telex software, Western Union’s first Postscript-to-fax network delivery service, and the AT&T Worldnet ISP service. He serves clients via a holistic approach to marketing and management, where customers play an intrinsic role in the overall product ideation and development. Gallagher graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science degree in public administration and is active in professional associations in Orange County.

Panelist Thumbnails

• David Grant is CIO of AssistMed, a healthcare technology and service company with over 16,500 registered clinical users. He is also a founding partner of MedEfficient Healthcare Solutions, a firm that provides wireless electronic prescribing. Previously he founded Rx-Connect, a startup venture that was acquired by PacifiCare Health Systems in 2001. While at PacifiCare, Grant served as president and CEO of MEDeMORPHUS (Rx-Connect), and vice president with PacifiCare’s E-Solutions. He was recognized as InfoWorld’s CTO of the Year finalist for technology innovations and has served as a technology strategist for companies such as PacifiCare, Autobytel, Countrywide and Nestlé. He also serves as a founding board member of UniversCel, Inc. and iXept, Inc.

• Adam Pisoni is Yammer's vice president of technology. He co-founded the company with David Sacks in 2008, taking one of Geni's internal projects and turning it into the 2008 TechCrunch 50 winner. Before working at Geni and Yammer, Pisoni was director of web engineering at Shopzilla, playing a pivotal role in systems architecture and product development. He also co-founded and served as CTO of Cnation, a web development consultancy with clients including CBS MarketWatch, BizRate.com, Fox Interactive, Nissan of Japan, and Honda. Cnation's work for Honda earned them the 1997 Clio award for interactive design.

• Sigmund Fidyke is president of Custom Software, a consulting firm that provides expert product management and engineering leadership services to small technology firms in California. For over 20 years he has managed the process of getting products and technology services to market, from wireless firewalls to Internet-based task management. Prior to Custom Software, Fidyke was vice president of product management at Preventsys, an enterprise risk management solution provider, and director of engineering for the desktop firewall division of WatchGuard. He also founded a software publishing company that managed worldwide development teams to create products for the PC market, and serves on the board of a number of technology start-ups.

• Jack Bicer, TBC president, is the founder of Septium, a hybrid-offshore custom software development company, combining offshore cost savings with US management expertise. Prior to Septium, Bicer held several CTO roles in dot coms since 1996. A thirty-year software industry veteran, he is an industry expert in SaaS/web software, new product development, off-shoring and Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Known as the “Father of Uninstall”, he invented the uninstall concept and wrote the first uninstaller. He is also credited with inventing the "Automated Software Updates". Bicer also founded TechBiz Connection, a non-profit technology management association in Southern California, and currently serves as its Chairman and President. He holds a Bachelors in Communication Engineering from University of Kent, followed by a Masters in Computer Science from George Washington University and attended the MBA program at Pepperdine University.

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