Advisory Board
Marty Bradley
Marty Bradley formed Technology Assessment & Development, Inc. (TA&D) with partner Wally Snipes in 1994. TA&D invests in technology-based startups, usually in partnership with Penn State faculty members. In its first ten years of operation, TA&D formed six new businesses in a variety of fields. Since February 2004, Bradley has served as president of DIApedia, a company that develops products aimed at caring for the diabetic foot. Bradley holds a BA from Penn State and an MBA from Duke University.
Sabah Dabby, PhD
Dr. Sabah Dabby currently serves as Chief Innovations Officer of
Restek Corporation
, technology company specializing in chromatography. Dabby oversees new products and the evaluation, licensing, and commercialization of new technology. He is also a founding member of the Susquehanna Investment Network, an Angel Investment Group in Lewisburg, PA. Prior to joining Restek, Dabby led the turnaround of CSS, Inc., led the startup of a new business in ceramics additives for Rohm and Haas Company, served as VP of R&D at Supelco, and led the acquisition of Matreya, Inc. on behalf of BioPore, Inc.
Justin Goldman
Justin Goldman is a graduate of the E-SHIP program and co-founder of Lionmenus.com. Lionmenus is an online repository of local restaurant and bar information. Visitors can find specials, view menus, and order food online.
Ted Graef
Ted Graef is the president and co-founded of Intuitive Control Systems, LLC, a State College-based product development company. ICS products include the SPEEDsentry "Your Speed" Speed Display Sign and the instALERT Rapids Messenger Ultra-portable Variable Message Sign. Graef is responsible for product development and operations, product development sales, and overall company strategy.
Graef holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from University of Maryland and an MBA from Penn State's Smeal College of Business. He serves as president-elect of the Industry Advisory Board of the Penn State Learning Factory.
Bernie Keisling
Bernie Keisling recently completed a 35-year career primarily spent in sales and marketing management. The last and most exciting challenge was as marketing and sales director overseeing the launch of an intrapreneurial business unit that provides e-learning solutions for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Keisling holds a B.S. in accounting from Penn State. He currently serves as executive director of the Central Pennsylvania 4th Fest.
Dan Leri
TBA
Sam Malizia
TBA
Ted Olsen
Ted Olsen has spent over 25 years in technical management. He is co-founder of Hayes, Olsen, and Co., and management consulting firm that provides strategic and tactical support on process improvement, quality systems, and operational leadership. Olsen has also held positions at Corning, Inc., and Corvis Corporation. He has also held leadership posts on three business start-ups.
Olsen received his B.S.M.E. from the Catholic University of America, and has completed various executive courses in technical management from MIT, Carnegie Mello University, and Cornell University.
Jim Plonka
TBA
Clyde Shuman
TBA
Paul Silvas
Paul Silvas is the founder of
Restek Corporation
which sells gas and liquid chromatography columns and supplies. Restek has offices and supply centers in more than 60 countries. Recognitions of Silvas' accomplishments are many, including Inc. magazine's list of 500 fastest growing companies (1992 & 1993), National Business Incubator Graduate of the Year (1992), Business and Professional Women's Employer of the Year (1996), two consecutive years on Pennsylvania's Top 50 Best Companies to Work for (2000 & 2001).
Ethan Wendle
Ethan Wendle is co-founder of
Diamondback Truck Covers
, headquartered in Philipsburg, PA. The tonneau-style Diamondback covers are designed to withhold up to 1600 pounds. Diamondback covers and accessories are used for commercial, industrial, and recreational activities. Wendle is a former E-SHIP student.
Greg Woodman
Greg is an entrepreneurial marketer who purchased Stewart Howe Alumni Service in September 2000 to create
Affinity Connection Inc.
Serving as chief executive officer, his goal is to build upon and enhance the successes of the company's 20 employees and the more than 30-year tradition of fulfilling the database, communications and fund raising needs of affinity groups.
Prior to Affinity Connection, he was senior vice president of marketing for AIRWALK Footwear from 1993-1999, where he was instrumental in the company's growth from $16 million to more than $200 million in sales and sale of the company. In 1997, Greg was named the Footwear Industries of America's "Marketer of the Year" and one of Advertising Age's Power 50 Marketers in America. He has been involved in sports marketing, publishing, licensed apparel and business management for more than 25 years. In 1984 The Small Business Administration named him Pennsylvania's Young Entrepreneur of the Year for his numerous products created and marketed as a college student. In 1991, he founded and served as publisher of Pennsylvania Business Central, a regional business newspaper. Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree 1983 from Pennsylvania State University. Greg is married with three children and is an active member in numerous affinity groups.
Past Advisory Board Members
E.V. Bishoff
E.V. Bishoff attended Penn State for two years prior to the beginning of World War II. He graduated from Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon) with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and then enlisted in the U.S. Merchant Marine. After being discharged with the rank of lieutenant, Bishoff went on to private industry, working in engineering, sales and management, and real estate. In 1964, Bishoff formed the
E.V. Bishoff Company, which develops commercial real estate, with offices in Columbus, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Mr. Bishoff passed away in 2006.
Janet B. Cunningham, P.E.
Janet Cunningham serves as president and CEO of
JBC Associates, Inc.
Founded in 1998, the company specializes in professional construction management. Cunningham was selected as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal's top fort executives under the age of 40 in 1996. She also received Penn State's Outstanding Engineering Alumni award in 1998, and the Alumni Fellow Award in 2002. She is a member of the Penn State Alumni Association and serves of the Women in Engineering Advisory Board.
Bill Frezza
Bill Frezza is a general partner of
Adams Capital Management
, a national venture capital firm with offices in Austin, Tex., Palo Alto, Cal., Boston, and Pittsburgh. Adams Capital manages $700 million and invests in first-stage semiconductor, telecommunications, and information technology companies.
Frezza obtained a B.S. in Biology, a B.S.E.E., and an M.S.E.E. from M.I.T. Prior to joining Adams, he spent 25 years in the telecommunications business. He holds seven patents and serves on several private company boards.
Rick Grazzini, PhD
Dr. Rick Grazzini is president of
Exygen Research
(formerly Centre Analytical), a company that specializes in pharmaceutical product development. Before acquiring Exygen in 2001, Grazzini spent 23 years managing and growing small businesses through sales, marketing, and proprietary products.
Grazzini holds a B.S. in Biology from Penn State, an M.S. in Horticulture from Purdue University, and a PhD in genetics from Penn State. He currently serves on the Dean's Advisory Board of the Eberly College of Science at Penn State, and on the executive committee and board of directors of the Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania.
Ronda Graby Stump
Ronda Graby Stump has been an administrator and instructor at Penn State Harrisburg since 1988. She is also the president and founder of
Learning Tek, LLC., a children's health education company. Learning Tek produces interactive educational toys that educate children and their families about chronic health conditions. Learning Tek has partnered with LeapFrog Enterprises to create a line of educational books for the LeapPad Learning System. The first book, "Meet the Amazing Broncholis: An Interactive Asthma Story," was selected as the first place winner of a prestigious international
FREDDIE
award.