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 Track

CEO Confessions: If I Knew Then What I Know Now

Leaders face challenges, some successfully and some unsuccessfully, at least in the short-run. Overcoming failure is essential to creating a thriving business. So isn't it easier to learn from the agony of others, instead of suffering through every conceivable mistake yourself? Our experts discuss business and life lessons learned for you to gain from their 20/20 hindsight. As Winston Churchill said, "Never, never, never give up." With CEO Confession, be smart as well as tough.

Thomas Dean, Managing Director, Capistrano Ventures, Moderator
Richard H. Greene, Lecturer, Panelist
Lloyd Greif, President, Greif & Co., Panelist
David Kim, CEO, Baja Fresh, Panelist

Managing Intellectual Property

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. Three world-class IP attorneys will discuss newly implemented fast tracks through the U.S. Patent Office, how to protect your niche, strategies for obtaining international protection, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

John King, Partner, Knobbe Marten Olson & Bear LLC, Moderator
Margaret Kivinski, VP and Assistant General Counsel, Masimo Corporation, 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
Paige Craig, CEO & Co-Founder, BetterWorks, Panelist
Cookie Lee, President, Cookie Lee, Inc., Panelist
Harry Tsao, Co-Founder, MeziMedia, Panelist
Lance Ware, Senior Vice President, Technology, Technicolor, Panelist

China/India: Obstacles and Opportunities

In today's global economy, virtually every type of business of any size or stage of development needs to understand the risks and rewards of doing business within or in competition with China and India. These burgeoning markets, with close to 40% of the world's population, are no longer just places to source products and outsource services. Learn valuable lessons from expert practitioners who are successfully bridging the East with West.

Lance Stuart, Executive VP & Chief Marketing Officer, WellspringELITE, Moderator
Shekhar Chitnis, CEO and President, Chisk, Inc., & Chitnis Consulting, Inc., Panelist
Gregory J. Karns, Partner, Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, Panelist
Annie Jie Xu, General Manger, Alibaba.com America, Panelist

Up In The Air: The Cloud Computing Imperative

The new buzzword, "Cloud Computing" - learn what this new product/service is all about along with its key issues. Before deciding to incorporate "Cloud Computing" in your company's growth strategy, it is critical for you to understand both its benefits and risks. Expert practitioners will cover the benefits: quantifying the ROI benefits of scalability, lower maintenance, security, applications, transparency & redundancy. Then, they will discuss the key risks factors in: security, reliability, infrastructure integration, available applications, customization options, and vendor financial stability (i.e., will they still be available in the future?). This panel will use a real-world case study: Veterinarian Cancer Hospital to illustrate key points.

Glenn Osako, Microsoft Small & Midsized Business, Moderator
Darshan Arya, President/CEO & Chief Architect, MaximumBit, Inc., Panelist
Christopher Schran, CEO, Veterinary Cancer Group, Panelist
Rocco Anthony Seyboth, Director, Archiving Services, LiveOffice, Panelist
Deniz Tortop, Director, Microsoft Partner Clous Services, Panelist

Marketing Track

Social Media: How the Little Guys Can Take On the Big Guys and Win!

Social Media is more than just the hot topic of the week - it offers some unique opportunities to the savvy SMB, allowing them to capture market share with very low overhead. If your small- or mid-sized business is tired of losing out to the corporate giants with million-dollar budgets, come learn how "little guys" are using social media to build empires with free tools and a few sharp college interns. Understand how a humble food truck has 80,000+ people following their every move on Twitter, while Burger King has only 8,000 fans.

Todd Herschberg, President & CMO, QuantiMark, Moderator
Mark Babbit, CEO, YouTern.com, Panelist
Robert Kiraz, Founder & CEO, VOKLE, Inc., Panelist
Beverly Macy, CEO Gravity Summit, Panelist
Teri Thompson, CEO, Rocky Peak, Panelist

Building a Business With e-Commerce

Consumers spent $165.4 billion in e-commerce in 2010 in the United States, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As more and more online retailers pop-up every day, how is it possible to compete beyond pricing? And how do you measure results? Our panel will take a look at just that & discuss how replicating offline experiences on the web can help your business thrive.

Linda Boudiab, Senior Account Executive, Google, Moderator
Terry Boyle, COO/CFO, HauteLook, Panelist
Annie Jie Xu, General Manager, Alibaba.com Americas, Panelist
McNair Zimbalist, Chief Operating Officer, In the MO.com, Panelist

Digital Marketing - Winning Strategy for the New Normal

The internet has re-defined how companies market themselves. Old notions of paying to expose your company's message via print or broadcast advertising have been replaced by a new notion. Today, markets pay search engines to intercept prospects as they are shopping for information about a company and pay media as buyers identify themselves as ready to purchase. The introduction of social media has brought new ways to create and build a "fan base" that can influence an even broader base of future consumers.

How do you prepare for this new world of digital marketing? How do you organize for it? What are the new sets of variables that need to be balanced in order to win? And, how do you integrate traditional marketing techniques and strategies into the digital marketing mix. Come and learn more on how to implement this winning strategy!

Marshall Toplansky, Wise Window, Moderator
Julie Lim, Owner, OC Wine Mart and Tasting Bar, Panelist
Saren Sakurai, Lead Digital Strategist, JUXT Interactive, Panelist
Lane Soelberg, SVP, Client Services & Bus. Development, Moxie Interactive, Panelist
Steve Yeich, Chief Executive Officer, Local Splash, Panelist

Money Track

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?

Scott Jones, White Nelson & Co., Moderator
Steve Mednick, Assistant Professor, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, USC Marshall School of Business, Panelist
Tom Miller, Principal, Persuasive Business Plans, Panelist

Raising Your Seed Round Financing: Should You Use Convertible Notes or Preferred Stock?

This panel will discuss whether a company's "seed" round of financing should be in the form of the company's preferred stock or alternatively be in the form of a convertible note, that is, a loan by the investor converts (usually at a discount) into the equity, and at the valuation, of the company's first institutional round of financing. Bart Greenberg, who has closed numerous seed round financing on behalf of his clients, will begin this program by introducing the key terms and considerations of a typical convertible note financing. Additional discussion of key considerations used in deciding whether and how to use one form of seed financing over the other will follow.

Bart Greenberg, Partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Moderator
Stephen A. Block, Exec. Committee, OC Network of Tech Coast Angels, Panelist
Bob Holmen, Managing Director, Miramar Venture Partners, Panelist

Private Equity Funds: Insight About the Deals That Get Done

So 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. Get the financial support, and create the financial structure, your uncle could only dream about.

Jim Shnell, Attorney, Jackson, DeMarco, Tidus & Peckenpaugh, Moderator
Kelly K. Wu, Senior Vice President of the Corporate Banking and Global Business Coordination Units Union Bank, Panelist
Jeri Harman, Founder and Managing Partner, Avante Mezzanine Partners, Panelist
Murray Rudin, General Partner, Riordan, Lewis & Haden, Panelist

Financing for Emerging Growth Companies (EBITDA < $3m)

The U.S. economy appears to be experiencing a modest recovery, but accessing capital for growth-oriented businesses remains challenging and the landscape is changing rapidly. This means that owners seeking debt and equity capital in 2011 need to understand the factors that lenders and investors care about. Our panel will provide insight and guidance on (1) the current availability and cost of various capital sources (2) how you should position your company so that you can successfully secure financing on reasonable terms and (3) the value drivers that are most important in positioning companies to attract private equity capital andbank financing.

Scott Hutchinson, Managing Partner, SC Capital Partners, Moderator
Michael Hahn, Senior VP and Group Head, Comerica Bank, Panelist
Bruce Lipian, Managing Director, StoneCreek Capital, Panelist
Mark Mansfield, Managing Director, California Capital, LLC, Panelist
John K. Paglia, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance, Pepperdine University, Panelist

Mergers & Acquisitions: A Vehicle for Building, Maximizing and Realizing Business Value: A Case Study

The debt financing markets, frozen in late 2008 and 2009, are continuing to thaw. Cash balances on corporate balance sheets and private equity funds earmarked for acquisitions are at an all time high. While multi-billion-dollar deals continue to dominate media headlines, many thousands of middle market companies are quietly gaining attention and being taken to the next level through the infusion of institutional capital. Learn how to identify, evaluate, and acquire a company with significant upside and future profit potential. Explore the strategies needed to build a middle-market company to its ultimate potential and optimum value. Then hear from experts on how to develop and implement a process to maximize the value of ownership's investment through a sales, merger, or recapitalization. Finally, gain a current perspective on the current M&A marketplace and likely trends over the next eighteen months, all presented in the context of a real world case study.

Mark Wilser, Principal, Global Capital Markets, Moderator
John Giovanonne, Partner, Greenberg Traurig, Panelist
Jon Howell, Managing Director Lakefront Capital Holdings LLC, Panelist
Edward Karstetter, Managing Director, Economic Advisory Services, Grant Thornton LLP, Panelist
Thomas R. Seck, National Director of Business Succession Planning for the Wealth Planning Group, Comerica Bank, Panelist

Special Topics

The Bennis Leadership Roundtable - The Evolution of Leadership - Leadership 1991/Leadership 2011/Leadership 2031

Has leadership evolved? It may not seem that way. Let's treat leadership as if it is a human-being with age and behavioral attributes. If you compare how much and how rapidly humans versus leadership can evolve in a mere lifetime, then leadership has evolved enormously and credibly rapidly. In the Bennis Leadership roundtable, we examine where leadership was twenty (20) years ago, where it is now, and putting on our futurist's hats, where it will be in two (2) decades hence. If you don't think leadership has evolved, think again. In 1991, the Soviet Union was just disintegrating, the internet for practical purposes, didn't exist. If you owned a cell phone it was as big as a brick and you were thrilled if calls got through at all, and the Dow was under 3,000.

The world is a very, very different place, and business has fundamentally changed too, ever-faster and more competitive. So what must today's state-of-the-art leader do, and how will he need to continue to develop? With the Bennis Leadership Roundtable, learn how to both keep up and get ahead, in your leadership race.

Warren Bennis, Founding Chairman of USC's Leadership Institute, Moderator
Tom Davin, Panelist
Dave Logan, Co-Founder, CultureSync, Panelist
Alex Krongard, Captain United States Navy, Commander of NSW Group ONE, Panelist
Reginald Jones-Sawyer, Director, Asset Management Division, City of Los Angeles, Panelist
Mith Creem: Chief Executive Officer for USC University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, Panelist

Go Green to Earn Green - and Win New Customers

If you think your business or career has nothing to do with sustainability, think again. In this panel, the Western Region Vice-President of Finance will explain how one the world's largest companies has turned sustainability into a source of innovation, cost reduction, competitive advantage and customer engagement. Next, following on his well-received presentation last year, hear the newest initiatives and stretch goals from the Director of Environmental Stewardship for a major Western grocery chain - you will be surprised. Again. And, from Washington DC, a director of the Sustainability and Climate Change practice of one of the world's leading consultancies will discuss the intersection of government programs, public policy and how incentives impact business decision-making and investment in sustainability. Against the backdrop of governments running out of money, he'll brief us on the future of incentives as well as the US carbon market, renewable energy credits ("the gift that keeps on giving") and how you may profit from them.

Eugene Page, Managing Partner, Sun Green Systems, Moderator
Rick Crandall, Director of Environmental Sustainability, Albertsons, Panelist
Eddie Northen, Vice President of Finance, UPS - West Region, Panelist
Courtney Sandifer, Director., Sustainability & Climate Change, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Panelist

It's the Talent, Stupid!

Succeeding tomorrow depends on choosing the right leaders today. As we climb out of this vicious economic cycle once again, the fight for talent looms. This panel will explore the myths that hold so many back from achieving talent excellence and will offer expert advice on these topics:

• How do you create a talent mindset within your company;
• How do you lead and develop top per style="list-style-type:disc;"formers;
• How do you find simply the best;
• How do you deal with the performer holding you back...

Every corporate executive should attend - A roadmap for future success is guaranteed!

Thomas Burnham, President, The Thomas Burnham Company, Moderator
Laura Fleming, Shareholder, Straddling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, Panelist
Mark James, Founder & President, Hire Consulting Services, Panelist
Will Sproule, CEO, The Sproule Group, Panelist

All In The Family: Family Legacy or Epitaph?

Running a family business is rewarding, challenging, and potentially divisive. It can bring a family together or pull it apart. If you are involved in a family business, ask yourself these questions:

• Can you clearly separate your business role from your family role?
• How about making sure that family time is kept focused and not mixed with business issues?
• Have you ever wondered how to bring a spouse, child, or even a parent into our business? Or maybe more importantly, how to keep them out (or even kick them out) if they don't have what it takes to get the job done?
• Do you have an exit strategy that includes succession planning as well as estate and tax planning?
• How and when do you bring in non-family members as part of the management team?

This panel will address these and similar issues from the perspective of owner/manager, trusted advisor, and industry expert.

Tom Miller, President, Persuasive Business Plans, Moderator
David Doran, Managing Partner, White Nelson & Co., Panelist
Ron Hill, President & CEO, Hill Brothers Chemical, Panelist
Mike Trueblood, Director, CSUF Family Business Council, Panelist

Making Customers Contactable: The Mobile Commerce Imperative

The mobile phone is present in every channel experience, be it in-store, on the Internet or on the go. With the power to unchain businesses and consumers from the desktop, mobile is enabling interaction and self-service whenever, wherever, for whatever the customer desires. By the end of 2012, more than 40% of all in-store sales will be mobile-enabled in some way, setting the stage for integrating cross-channel mobile self-service, payments and opt-in marketing and loyalty programs. With expanded capability smart phones in circulation next year, businesses are scrambling to develop and/or enhance their mobile commerce strategy and capabilities.

This interactive session will show how to reduce costs and create new service lines by leveraging the capital expenditure and network connection already made by the customer with their own mobile device. The audience will see live best-in-class examples of how mobile connections boost customer engagement and loyalty while creating new business models. This session will provide a framework for defining your own mobile commerce strategy.

Key points to be covered:

• Update on the state of the art for best-in-class deployments of mobile commerce
• Objective environmental scan of the forces driving the emergence of cross-channel enabled mobile commerce at the physical point of sale (POS)
• Independent evaluation of the strategic stakeholder positions in mobile commerce

Tangible benefits for attendees:

• Key components and methodology for defining your own mobile commerce strategy
• Major drivers for the Return on Investment (ROI) from mobile commerce
• Forward view of the leapfrog business development opportunities in mobile commerce

Richard Crone, CEO & Founder, Crone Consulting LLC, Presenter

Digital, Mobile, Social Media Strategies for Business Growth

With over 5 billion mobile subscribers worldwide, the "Mobile Revolution" has already been won, creating incredible opportunities for business leaders in a number of industries. This panel will take an in-depth look at the business opportunities created by next generation devices and networks, as industry experts in digital advertising, gaming, and mobile applications and services share their insights on the present and future of mobile.

J. Forrest Tucker, USC Marshall School of Business , Moderator
Austin Murray, Founder & President at Gogii, and co-founder of JAMDAT, Panelist
Shawn Sires, VP of Sales and Marketing, Airkast, Panelist
Michael Bayle, VP, Monetization & Marketing, Amobee, Panelist
Greg Samarge, Digital Engagement Manager for Confections Marketing at Nestle, Panelist

Health Care Reform - What Your Company Needs to Do NOW

The details of health care reform legislation are unfolding incrementally as the government churns out regulations and guidance to help plans comply with the changes. Noted speaker, Mark C. Nielsen, Esq. will provide valuable information on how your company can get the most current answers about the most expansive legislation since Social Security! Find out what your company needs to act on NOW and what you will need to address in the near future.

George McGregor, President, McGregor & Associates, Moderator
Matthew Hanson, President, Orange County Health Underwriters, Panelist
Mark C. Nielson, Principal, Groom Law Group, Panelist

Doing Great by Doing Good: Aligning Values, Marketing and Giving for Bottom-Line Results

Today's consumers are expecting companies to "do more good stuff" in their communities. The panelists will provide a real-world look at how companies are aligning Purpose, with the company's and their employee's, customer's values into the process and are developing their Cause Marketing and Strategic Philanthropy initiatives around theses shared values. Some of the benefits to these companies from implementing this multi-faceted approach include: enhancing their brand value, increasing customer and employee loyalty, attracting more customers and fueling long-term growth and bottom-line profits. This panel will elaborate on why and how this multi-faceted approach is the key to the long-term growth and ultimately the success of your firm. Ensure that you will take your business to the next level and get updated on this innovative business approach.

Adlai Wertman, Professor USC Marshall School of Business and Founding Director of the Society and Business Lab, Moderator
Mike Levy, President, LA Sparks, Panelist
Milinda Martin, VPMedia Relations and Cause Marketing, Macy's, Panelist
Scott Pansky, Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Allison & Partners, Panelist

Covering Your Digital A$$ets and Avoiding Litigation

Because we are now living well within the digital age, most, if not all, businesses (profit or non-profit) are collecting, compiling and storing all sorts of information in a digital format, including trade secrets, strategic/ confidential information and client/consumer informa-tion. Computer hackers, including pranksters, and those engaged in corporate espionage, represent a serious risk that the digital information stored may be accessed without authori-zation and to the detriment of your business.

In addition to questions you may have, this panel will discuss the following:

• The practical steps that a business can and should take at the infrastructure level to protect its electronic information.
• Indentifying and addressing unauthorized access of your electronic information.
• Dealing with practical and legal consequences of unauthorized access to electronic information.

Alejandro S. Augulo, Partner, Rutan & Tucker, LLP, Moderator
Jason Lidow, President, The DigiTrust Group, Panelist
Eric Kreidler CEO iProject Partners, Panelist
Andrea White, Chief Privacy Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc, Panelist

Investment Track - Sponsored by Comerica Bank

Investment Outlook

This interactive roundtable among investment experts will discuss issues impacting global financial markets and investors. After doubling from the Post Crisis March 2009 lows, where will financial markets head when the Fed removes the QE2 punchbowl? Our panelist will discuss a wide range of topics impacting the markets including interest rates, stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate, regulatory, volatility, etc.

Terry Lally, CFA, Managing Member Spotlight Funds LLC, Moderator
Jane Buchan, CEO Pacific Alternative Asset Management Company (PAAMCO), Panelist
Jeff Bronchick, Chief Investment Officer, Reed, Conner & Birdwell, LLC, Panelist
Jeffrey Cleveland, Senior Economist, Payden & Rygel, Panelist
Andrew Hoffmann, Portfolio Manager, Real Assets Strategies, PIMCO, Panelist
Charles Martin, CEO of Mont Pelerin Capital, Panelist

How's and Why's of Capital Raising Amidst the Financial Crisis - A View From Both Sides

This panel addresses the gaps, both perceived and real, between Investors and Borrowers regarding capital raising and allocation, after the start of the financial crisis and after Bernie Madoff. The panel will also address the obstacles in raising capital, as well as new and established channels of capital raising. If you think the capital raising world hasn't radically changed since 2007, the "How's and Why's" will demonstrate otherwise, showing the chasm separating Wall Street and Main Street.

Stan Marcus, Managing Director, Capital Business West LLC, Moderator
Allen Blankenship, Jr., Managing Director, Ascendiant Capital Markets, Panelist
Al Degrassi, Plaza Bank, Panelist
Corey Fisher, Partner, Weinberg & Company, Panelist
Thomas Papa, General Partner, CRESO Capital Partners, Panelist
Rob Peterman, Head, Business Development. - Technology, Toronto Stock Exchange, Panelist
Chuck Rosen, Executive Vice President Marketing, Community Bank, Panelist

Buy-Sell Agreements & Business Entity Structure - Get It Right or Pay the Price

This panel confronts the fact that so many businesses and owners do not prepare for adversity due to a lack of knowledge, desire or leadership from a trusted advisor and how this can lead to devastating consequences to employees, the business entity itself and ultimately the owners/investors and their family's financial future. This panel focuses on two key planning strategies to help avoid a costly mistake.

Vance Thompson, Director of Business Planning, Signature Resources, Moderator
Brad Cashon, Managing Director, The Mentor Group, Panelist
Tom Seck, National Director, Business Succession Planning, Comerica Bank, Panelist
Stephen Stafford, Attorney, Brown & Streza, Panelist

The Evolution of the Investment Advisor: "Order Taker" to "Trusted Advisor"

This panel will cover the evolution of the Investment Advisor from the warehouse mentality of investment-opportunity-driven sales in the 1970s through the current model which is oriented around a methodology that asks, "Who is my client and what are his or her needs?" The panel will also attempt to answer the question of what caused Investment Advisors to begin to develop a new image, not associated with a particular investment, but with a methodology addressing individual investor planning and investor needs.

Brian Conners, ConsultantsLink, Moderator
Donald Chou, Private Wealth Manager, NPB Financial Group, LLC, Panelist
John K. Conners, Ayco Company, Panelist
David R. Wagner, Private Wealth Manager, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Panelist

*Individual panel sessions subject to change