Monday, September 22, 2008Hear How These Entrepreneurs Launched Successful Businesses in Western Pennsylvania!
Be inspired by Wharton Entrepreneurs at the Carnegie Science Center!
Panel members will discuss issues like support resources in the region, staffing a growing company and finding the money to make it to the next stage.
Hosted by Larry Miller, WG ‘ 72, Executive-in-Residence, Innovation Works and Jenny Warburton, PPG Industries.
Panel Participants:
- Max Miller, Managing Director and Founder of Raise Your Spirits LLC
- Enzo Santilli, President of MarketSphere Consulting LLC
- Keith Schaefer, Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of BPL Global, Ltd.,
- David Hilliker, Founder, President and CEO of ChemDAQ Inc.,
Max Miller is the Managing Director and Founder of Raise Your Spirits LLC - an experiential marketing firm focused on luxury spirits. Prior to founding Raise Your Spirits, Max spent three years in operational and marketing roles with H.J. Heinz Company. For the eight years before that that he served four as Corporate Counsel for H.J. Heinz Company leading domestic and international transactions and four as an attorney for a mutual fund complex where he focused on general corporate and securities law. A Philadelphia native, Max has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania; a JD from the University of Pittsburgh and and MBA from Kellogg School of Management. He and his wife Rosa, currently live in Wexford.
Enzo Santilli is President of MarketSphere Consulting LLC and runs now run the entire consulting staff across North America. MarketSphere Consulting is a premier “market focused” business consulting firm with world-class, industry-leading consultants. Enzo launched Pittsburgh practice and all of the East Coast solutions. The Pittsburgh Business Times designated MarketSphere #1 Fastest-Growing Company in Pittsburgh in 2006.
Keith Schaefer, Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of BPL Global, Ltd., plans, directs and manages all aspects of the company’s strategy, business development, joint venture partnerships and financing. Over the past 24 years, Mr. Schaefer has held senior management positions with companies ranging from hyper-growth start-ups to Fortune 100s and a Global 500 company. He has co-founded or led more than ten start-ups and two buy-outs, and was instrumental in completing two Initial Public Offerings and nine trade sales. Prior to BPL Global, Schaefer was Senior Partner at Constellation Partners and previous to that Executive Partner and member of the Executive Committee at US Web/CKS. He served as Executive Vice President at Viacom and President of Paramount Communications Technology Group, where he established and successfully led the Venture Capital Group and set up early initiatives and strategic alliances with Microsoft and AOL. Previously, Schaefer held presidential and CEO positions at Computer Curriculum Corporation, Worlds of Wonder, and NEC Technologies. He began his career in sales and marketing at Procter & Gamble, followed by Clorox, and then achieved the position of Executive Vice President at Atari Corporation. Mr. Schaefer earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Pittsburgh and attended UCLA’s Graduate School of Business. He is the immediate past President of the Alumni Association and a current Trustee of the University of Pittsburgh, and is actively involved with the University’s $2 billion capital campaign. Schaefer co-founded and serves as a member of the Steering Committee of the Socrates Society at The Aspen Institute. Schaefer also co-authored the best-selling Internet marketing book Net Results, which is used as a reference text at leading business schools.
David Hilliker is the Founder, President and CEO of ChemDAQ Inc., a manufacturer of toxic gas monitoring systems. Mr. Hilliker has over 20 years’ professional experience in the healthcare industry and has founded three technology/service related companies. An entrepreneur, innovator and teacher, Mr. Hilliker’s passion lies in designing workplace monitoring systems to protect people from airborne toxins.
While you are there, take a tour of the Carnegie Science Center and enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres afterwards. Cash bar.
Thanks to Larry Miller and Jenny Warburton for organizing this event!
