Schedule

Friday, February 7 - 7:45 am - 5:30 pm
Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, RTP, NC

• Clay R. Dunnagan, moderator, managing director, Dunnagan Acquisitions
• Michael J. Gillfillan, partner, Meriturn Partners
• Dave V. Gilroy, partner, Wakefield Group
• David F. Parker, general partner, Triangle Capital Partners
• Donald E. Zilkha, managing partner, Sciens Venture Partners LP

The panel will provide a framework for understanding today's capital markets, with an emphasis on expectations and capital allocation recommendations.

Keynote Speaker:
Neal Hunter, chairman, Cree, Inc.

Hunter was named the 2002 National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Technology category. He is one of Cree's founders and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since 1995. Hunter was the Chief Executive Officer of Cree from 1994 to June 2001 and President from 1994 to 1999. Cree, Inc., (NASDAQ/NMS: CREE) is the world leader in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of electronic devices made from Silicon Carbide (SiC).

Conference Co-chairs:
Les Bethune, Ernst & Young LLP
Kent Christison, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, LLP

• Greg Somer, moderator, founding partner and managing director, Equitek Capital
• Douglas M. Ellis, founding principal and executive managing partner, DecisionPoint International
• Steve Horan, chief financial officer, Arsenal Digital Solutions
• Jonathan R. Lynch, partner, JP Morgan Partners
• Mel A. Williams, co-founder, vice president and director of alternative investments, UNC Management Company

A distinguished panel of active players and decision makers in the private equity, high-end boutique M&A, and venture capital arenas will compare the deals that they completed in 2002 vs. those from the late 1990's.

Valuing and Commercializing Intellectual Property
Room: Salon VI & VII

• John Cambier, moderator, director of new ventures, MCNC Research & Development Institute
• Jesko von Windheim, entrepreneur in residence, RTI International
• Dan Winfield, director, Center for Technology Applications, Research Triangle Institute
• Michael Zapata, Kenan Fellow, Kenan Institute of Engineering, Technology, and Science

The panel will explore the link between intellectual property and company valuation and finance strategies. The panelists will detail how entrepreneurs should value the IP of a start-up and finance the development effort necessary to move it from the lab to the marketplace.

• John Craichy, moderator, business development director, North Carolina Biotechnology Center
• David Gardner, president and chief executive officer, ProviderLink
• Rick King, PreFlight Ventures
• Andy Rico, senior vice president and manager Research Triangle Park regional office, Silicon Valley Bank

The panel will explore the alternative sources and methods of funding, focusing on real world strategies for different types of companies at varying stages of development.

Done Deals: How They Did It
Room: Salon V

• Doug Riddle, moderator, senior vice president and relationship manager, Wachovia Bank, NA
• Robert R. Bonczek, chief financial officer, Trimeris, Inc.
• Jeff Reedy, president and chief executive officer, Overture Networks, Inc.
• Kevin Sheehan, vice president of marketing, Hatteras Networks
• James D. Woodward, chief executive officer, Encelle Inc.

In today's capital raising environment, the barriers to completing deals are numerous. However, some companies have managed to break through and achieve significant transactions. The entrepreneurs on the panel will discuss how they closed their deals and the panel will focus on how others can learn from their success.

Selecting and Leveraging Your Board
Room: Salon IV

• Robert Womble, moderator, partner, Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, LLP
• Mark Larson, assurance partner, Grant Thornton LLP
• Jeffrey LeRose, chief executive officer and president, Research Triangle Software
• Joe Velk, Contender Capital
• Jim Verdonik, partner, Daniels Daniels & Verdonik, P.A.

The panel will cover all aspects of governance-from selecting, leveraging, and managing the corporate board to facilitating capitalization, profitability, and fiduciary compliance. The prominent panel will offer insights into the necessity and value of board composition and discipline, and the impact of effective corporate governance on creating and sustaining value at each growth stage.

• Mark P. Vitner, vice president & senior economist, Wachovia Corporation

• Les Bethune, moderator, partner, Ernst & Young LLP
• Alfred G. Childers, Ph.D., president of administration, pharmaceutical development, Cardinal Health, Inc.
• Julie A. Garella, co-founder, McColl Garella, LLC
• Steven J. Krouskos, partner southeast transaction support practice leader, Ernst & Young LLP
• Rachel Selisker, managing director, Thompson Clive & Partners Inc.

The panel will include a discussion of the critical elements in pursuing a successful exit in today's environment, including potential pitfalls, current criteria for buyers and sellers, and evaluation of the public markets.

Making the Most of a Bad Situation: Turnarounds and Re-Starts
Room: Salon VI & VII

• Greg Montgomery, moderator, managing director, RBC Centura Investment Banking
• Bill Baugh, managing director, Island Forest Enterprises
• Dixon Fleming, managing director, Core Point Capital LP
• Mark D. Gillis, senior vice president, Anderson Bauman Tourtellot Vos & Company
• Nate Kredich, president and chief executive officer, BlueBolt Networks, Inc.
• Glenn Poole, marketing manager, GMAC

The panel will focus on finding the silver lining in the storm clouds: case studies of value creation through workouts and turnarounds. The esteemed panel of turnaround entrepreneurs and investors will share "war stories," so that others can benefit from their current market lessons.

• John Cambier, moderator, director of new ventures, MCNC Research & Development Institute
• Norvell E. Miller, IV, managing partner, Southeast Interactive Technology Funds
• Andrew D. Shiftan, managing director, CapitalKey Advisors, LLC
• Rich West, president and chief executive officer, TriVirix International, Inc
.
• Joseph Zell, general partner, Grotech Capital Group

The panel will explore the current funding environment and the factors driving valuations for companies from seed to C round financings. Panelists will discuss how to align the expectations of founders and VCs, as well as how to survive a "down" round.

Strategic Investors: Myth or Reality?
Room: Salon VI & VII

• Ruth Taylor, moderator, senior program director of new business strategy and venture capital, IBM Corporation
• Fouad Azzam, Eastman ventures manager, Eastman Chemical Corporation
• Ken Donahue, chief executive officer, Unitive, Inc.
• Matthew I. Growney, managing director, Motorola Ventures
• James Pellegrini, enterprise development, BD Technologies

Are there really strategic investors in today's economy? Media reports indicate that strategic investors have disappeared. While some corporate venture funds have closed, the panel will assert that strategic investing is alive in today's economy. Panelists from leading global firms in health care, electronics and technology will discuss their firms' investment philosophies and how possible relationships may be formed.

• Reid Conrad, moderator, president and chief executive officer, Commerciality, LLC
• Todd K. Ballenger, president and chief executive officer, Kendall Todd
• Tom Finegan, chief executive officer, Clarkston Consulting
• Martin Renkis, founder of Trainersoft Corporation, vice president of product of development, OutStart. Inc.

Seasoned technology entrepreneurs will share their secrets in how they created valuable, high-growth companies that excelled in strong AND weak economic environments.