Prior to founding GCommerce, Steve Smith worked as an executive for 15 years in market leading global sales and marketing organizations, such as Dorian Drake International, McQuay-Norris World Trade Corporation and Iowa Export division of Ruan Corporation. For more than 10 years, he has been an active Angel investor in New York and the Upper Midwest, both as direct investor and Angel investment aggregator. He also actively participates in numerous board advisory positions for early stage technology companies, especially those targeting supply chain efficiencies. Steve remains active in numerous trade associations such as the Auto Care Association as well as the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) as a technology and supply chain expert.SMith
Ed Reitler has represented dozens of merchant banks and buy out and venture funds and their portfolio companies in these matters including UBS, PaineWebber, American Securities, Wexford Capital, Lightyear Capital, Edison Ventures, Spark Capital, Milestone Ventures, Greenhill SAVP, New Spring Capital, Osage Venture Partners, SJF Ventures, Innovation Ventures, Cammeby’s Capital, SAS Investors, Hudson Ventures, Walden Capital, Libertyview Capital, Ovation Capital, Carrot Capital, GlobalNet Management, Zon Capital, and Himalaya Capital. Ed has also served on the Board of Trustees of the Harvard Law School Alumni Association of New York. He is a frequent speaker and panelist on issues affecting the private equity and venture capital markets and is a regular guest lecturer at Columbia Business School.
Ken Kaplan is Chief Operating Officer and a co-founder of Cellencor, Inc., Ames, Iowa. Cellencor provides advanced microwave processing technology to the renewable energy industry. Ken founded and then served as President and CEO of Microware Systems Corporation, a developer of software for embedded microprocessor based products. Ken played an important role in the development of many groundbreaking new products in the areas of industrial automation, consumer electronics, scientific and medical electronics, and telecommunications. In April 1996 Microware concluded a successful IPO and was listed on NASDAQ. In 2001 Microware was acquired by Radisys Corporation (NASDAQ:RSYS), Portland OR. He then became Vice President and General Manager, Microware Division of Radisys until his retirement in 2002. Ken holds a number of patents related to wireless communications and digital TV technology.
Adam Claypool is Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Bridgepoint Merchant Banking, a merger and acquisition, corporate finance and fund management firm serving lower and middle market companies nationwide from its offices in Des Moines, IA and Lincoln, NE. He is also the Founder and Manager of Bridgepoint Investment Partners I, LLLP, a venture capital fund focusing on early stage software and internet enabled companies. Previously, Adam co-founded two other lower and middle market focused boutique investment banking practices.
Since 2008 Adam has been a member or observer to GCommerce’s board, where he is also currently on the compensation committee. Additionally, Adam currently serves on the boards of Consumer Health Advisers, Palisade Systems, TrueChoice Solutions, Cyber Rain, BirdDogJobs.com and BettrLife.
Adam brings a strong investment banking and private equity background, and is an experienced business advisor, working closely with private/family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, developers, venture capital-backed companies and private equity/venture capital firms. He has over 12 years investment banking experience with a career focused exclusively on serving the needs of lower and middle market companies.
Adam received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in Economics at The University of Iowa and holds Series 7, 65 and 63 securities licenses.
Robert Blair is the Principal in the Grandborough Partnership II which was established nearly 4 years ago after a lifetime career working in the Automotive Aftermarket in the UK, Canada and the US, culminating as President of CARQUEST Canada and as Executive VP of Product at General Parts/CARQUEST.
He was instrumental in the early days of GCommerce in establishing the protocols necessary to accelerate the implementation of EDI within the CARQUEST network and with the supply community.
Since his retirement from active service, Robert has worked as an advisor to a significant number of Aftermarket companies on strategic issues.
Al Frugaletti is currently Vice President of Business Development for Rochester Electronics. He previously he served as Vice President of Worldwide Distribution for Lattice Semiconductor and Advanced Micro Devices. In 1980, he was one of the founders of CAE Systems, where served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Electronics Component Industry Association and served as a board member for Silicon Expert Technologies which was recently sold to Arrow Electronics.
Al Graduated from Golden Gate University with an MBA in 1966 after graduating from Saint Mary’s College in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in Philosophy.
Gary Jacobs is Chairman of Data Driven Delivery Systems, LLC, a provider of high quality healthcare information services via an integrated model. He is a principal of Bulldog Partners, a real estate development company based in Beverly Hills, California, and related entities.
Gary has had an extensive corporate and legal career, focused primarily on corporate strategy, U.S. and international business development, and mergers and acquisitions, with particular experience as a senior executive in the health care and hospitality industries.
Gary received his LL.B. from Yale Law School in 1969, where he was Order of the Coif. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University-Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa and studied at the London School of Economics.
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