Annual Conference 2009 Speakers

Joshua Broder is the President of the Tilson family of companies, including Tilson Technology Management, Tilson Government Services, Construction Change Partners, Offcore LLC, and Source Asia Services, and is a board member of TechMaine. At Tilson Technology Management, Josh works with clients to effect IT organizational change, usher projects to completion, and manage risk as a consultant and IT Director/CIO for hire. Josh heads up Tilson’s utilities consulting group. Prior to joining Tilson, Josh managed the communications network in Central Asia for the US Military, other government agencies, and coalition forces at 36 bases in several countries. Josh was recently awarded the TechMaine CxO of the Year award.

Corky Ellis is President and Founder of Kepware Technologies; Corky started Kepware Technologies in 1995. The process of founding Kepware also involved leaving New Jersey in search of a new home, appropriate for raising his new family. He found that place in Maine, reflecting the states slogan – "The Way Life Should Be." Today, Kepware is located in downtown Portland, an area known as the historic Old Port, employs over 40 people and is the world leading company for communications and related products for use in the automation marketplace. Corky's main focus is on Kepware's long term direction through strategic acquisitions and organic growth.

Corson Ellis graduated from Amherst College and received an M.B.A. degree from Columbia University.

Eric got his start in newspapers as a photojournalist nearly 25 years ago. He's worked at small and large newspapers including the Sandusky Register in Sandusky, Ohio, The Virginia-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, the Daily-Press/Times-Herald in Newport News, Virginia, and the Sun-Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

While in Florida he taught himself how to build web sites with the hope of advancing his freelance photography and design business. It was during this time in Florida that Eric received an email from a former boss who was now the Executive Editor at the Sun Journal in Lewiston, Maine. He was looking for a Web Editor. This seemed like a perfect blend of journalism and technology.

That was nearly ten years ago. Currently Eric is employed as the Director of New Media Development at the Sun Journal in Lewiston, Maine. Eric has held several titles including Web Editor and Web Department Manager.

Eric is a graduate of the Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, earning a dual BFA/BSJ degree. He lives in Auburn, Maine, and is married to his college sweetheart Denise. They have two boys Joshua, 9, and Nicholas 6.
 

Joe Michaud has been involved in journalism for over 30 years. In 1995, while at the Portland Press Herald, he led the launch of MaineToday.com , which rapidly became recognized as a leader among U.S. regional newspaper sites, and achieved both financial success and audience success. As president of MaineToday, Joe was a finalist for Digital Pioneer in 2001 by the Newspaper Association of America.

Since early 2008, he has been helping media companies and others more fully embrace interactive technology as part of their growth strategies. Joe is a graduate of the University of Maine in Orono with a double major in journalism and video/film. Since early 2008, he has been helping media companies and others more fully embrace interactive technology as part of their growth strategies. Follow his blog at www.joemichaud.com
 

With 30 years of experience consulting to customer-centric executives in technology-aggressive businesses across many industries, Patricia Seybold is a visionary thought leader with the unique ability to spot the impact that technology enablement and customer behavior will have on business trends very early.

In addition to writing business bestsellers, Seybold has published dozens of research reports each year since the late 1970s. As publisher of Patricia Seybold Group’s Customers.com^® Advisory Service, Seybold is responsible for setting the direction of the group’s research agenda and is a frequent contributor of original research. Seybold has authored numerous case studies for her research as well as for clients.

Her work has also been recently published in the Harvard Business Review and Business 2.0, CIO Magazine, Fast Company, Computerworld, and many other publications.

She is frequently quoted in major publications such as Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The New York Times, and Investor’s Business Daily, among others.

— Praise for Ms. Seybold:

“No one knows better than Patricia Seybold how companies can change - no, make that MUST change - to take advantage of the new rules of business.”
— Alan Deutschman, Fast Company

“Patricia Seybold shows us how to unleash innovative ideas from customers in ways that cement customer loyalty and enrich all parties in the process.”
— Jean Wilson, VP Information Services, L.L.Bean

“Innovation is a team sport and the best companies today are constantly seeking new sources of creative talent. Patricia Seybold makes a compelling case for recruiting your most passionate customers and letting them help drive the pace of innovation.”
— Tom Kelley, General Manager, IDEO and Author, The Ten Faces of Innovation

"Innovation is so hard that one can't be "proud" and not tap an obvious but untapped source called customers. Seybold lays out the path in the brave new world of instant feedback, customer-generated content, and truly free speech.”
— Guy Kawasaki, Managing director, Garage Technology Ventures

Prior to purchasing Falcon in October of 2007, Carl managed an operations and IT consulting company and worked in the computer industry, holding management positions at Digital Equipment Corporation and Sun Microsystems. At Digital, Carl worked in operations at the Data Storage and Personal Computer divisions. At Sun, he worked in IT for Sun’s Field Service Logistics group. Carl purchased Falcon with partner Globe Firefighter Suits in 2007 to manufacture innovative firefighter boots featuring a running-shoe foot bed. Falcon has received two grants from the Maine Technology Institute for integration of RFID tracking devices into mining boots and for the development of a composite safety toe. Located in Lewiston, Falcon manufactures premium firefighter and industrial boots for the North American market.

Corissa is a public relations and marketing expert with more than 10 years experience creating powerful marketing and brand campaigns. She is an avid volunteer, having served on the board of directors of a non-profit women’s business networking organization, lending her expertise to branding the organization and supporting other women professionals and entrepreneurs. Corissa uses her business development, management, and leadership skills to help small businesses and non-profit organizations maximize the power of relationship marketing. Successfully launching two small businesses, including a public relations and event marketing firm and a holistic body care and wellness service, Corissa has a proven track record of entrepreneurial success and will serve as your Constant Contact expert in New England, helping small businesses, non profits and associations learn how to build lasting relationships through email marketing and online surveys.