EEP > Spring 2003 > Lecturers

Spring 2003 Lecturers

Mark E. Rostick (Apr. 21st)

Intel Capital

Mark joined Intel in 1997. He currently directs investment activities for Intel Capital on the East Coast. Mark covers all areas of investment focus for Intel with particular interest in semiconductor, wireless and communications opportunities. He has worked with Intel Capital since 1998 during which time he has focused on a variety of areas, including computing infrastructure, enterprise software and communications silicon.

Prior to joining Intel, Mark worked for Turner Broadcasting marketing its cable networks in South America, spent five years as a practicing attorney specializing in tort litigation, and also worked in commercial banking. He holds a JD and an International MBA from the Moore School at the University of South Carolina.

Richard Holcomb (Feb. 26th)

Richard Holcomb is a serial entrepreneur in the Research Triangle Park, NC area. His newest venture is StrikeIron, a technology company founded in 2002 that is focused on the emerging web services software market, where he is CEO and Chairman. Prior to founding StrikeIron, he served as the Interim CEO of GadgetSpace, a wireless technology company, and oversaw its successful acquisition by Inphonic in 2001. He was a founder of HAHT Commerce in 1995, a major e-commerce application provider, and served as HAHT's first CEO and Chairman. Prior to HAHT, he was a founder of Q+E Software in 1986, a supplier of client-server database access technology, and served as that company's CEO, president, and chairman from inception to its acquisition by Intersolv in 1994.

Mr. Holcomb has been an active angel investor and consultant for several technology companies and venture funds. He is currently a Venture Partner with the Aurora Funds in Durham, NC and Petrus Ventures in Wilmington, NC. He also serves on the corporate boards of several public and private technology companies including Neon Systems, Xtremesoft, ChannelAdvisor, IITS, Yellowbrick Solutions, and Ultimus.

Mr. Holcomb has served on several public advisory boards including the NCSU Graduate School Board of Advisors, the North Carolina Electronics and Information Technology Association (NCEITA), the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED), NCSU Engineering Entrepreneur's Program Advisory Board, and is a former appointed member of the North Carolina Information Resource Management Commission (IRMC). During his career, Mr. Holcomb has won several awards including the 1993 Ernst and Young Technology Entrepreneur of the Year for North Carolina and the 1996 Business Leader Top Gun Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mr. Holcomb received a B.S. from the University of South Carolina and an M.S. in computer science from North Carolina State University.

Beth Roach (Feb. 24th)

Beth Roach, Vice President of Finance and Administration, Ziptronix, Inc.
Beth Roach is vice president of finance and administration of Ziptronix, Inc. a pioneer in 3D semiconductor integration, located in Research Triangle Park, NC. Ziptronix 3D technology enables new, ultra-dense devices that deliver high speed and low power consumption for next generation wireless and networking applications.
Beth leads the finance, administration, and marketing functions at Ziptronix. As a highly versatile member of the Ziptronix management team, Roach has previously led groups in customer service, training, consulting, finance, administration, product management, documentation, HR, legal, and marketing. Her cross-functional talents establish her as a key member of the leadership team.

Prior to Ziptronix, Roach was the vice president of finance & operations at Avesair, Inc., a company she co-founded. Roach was a driving force behind the company’s Series A & B financing rounds, totaling 17.25 MM. Roach also held the position of vice president of operations with Engage, Inc., where she ultimately was a key player in the company’s Initial Public Offering on the NASDAQ.

Roach holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from North Carolina State University, Raleigh. Ms Roach has selflessly lent her time as a volunteer in the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic since 1995, an event she now is a division manager. Roach also sits on the Board of Directors for the Entrepreneurs Partnership for the Triangle Community Foundation.

Grace W. Ueng (Feb. 17th)

Grace W. Ueng is the Vice President of Marketing for Smartpathinc.com. Grace is a motivating leader with over 15 years of broad business experience with a foundation built on classical consumer packaged goods brand management leveraged into the sales and marketing of high growth enterprise software applications.

She began her career with highly successful Fortune 500 companies and has progressed into senior executive leadership roles with both early to late stage software companies at pre-IPO, post-IPO and acquisition/integration stages. Her expertise includes general management, corporate strategy, P&L responsibility, product management, brand management, and strategic management consulting. In addition, her expertise extends to marketing, PR, industry analyst relations, advertising/media planning, channel marketing, agency and partner management, and sales, and market research/intelligence. Lastly, Grace has significant experience in business operations, which includes business planning, business development, new product launches, investor relations, IPO preparation, and acquisition integration.

Grace is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, has an S.B. in Management Science from MIT, elected to three consecutive terms as MIT class of 1987 and their Commencement Speaker, Founder and Executive Officer of the Sloan Undergraduate Management Association, and one of Glamour Magazine's Top Ten College Women of 1987.

Marshall Brain (Feb. 10th)

I am best known as the founder of How Stuff Works. I started HowStuffWorks as a hobby in 1998 and it has grown to be one of the top 500 Web sites in the country. I am known for my book for teenagers entitled The Teenager's Guide to the Real World, now in its fifth printing and selected for the New York Public Library's prestigious Books for the Teen Age list. I am also known as a member of the Academy of Oustanding Teachers at North Carolina State University, where I taught in the computer science department for 6 years.

Today I am a writer, a well-known national speaker and consultant. I live in Raleigh, N.C. with my wife Leigh and our four children.

For more information see www.MarshallBrain.com

Kathy Roberts (Feb. 3rd)

Kathy Roberts is the CEO of The BlueWater Group, Inc. a management consulting firm specializing in business system analysis, development, and implementation. She holds a BS in Industrial Engineering and has thirteen years of experience in industries including automotive, medical, clinical research, aerospace, electronics, textiles, chemical, and industrial paper. Kathy is an active member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group that is responsible for developing and approving international management system standards for the United States. Kathy is a past Section Chair and a past Regional Councilor for the American Society for Quality, a past Examiner for the North Carolina Performance Excellence Process, and a Certified Quality Auditor (CQA). Kathy is an international best-selling author of two business books and an international speaker on topics of business and management. She is considered an international expert on ISO 9001:2000 (international management system standard), and has published many articles and given numerous presentations on the topic. Her third business book will be published in January 2003.