FirstLink

Dr. Bies (Bill) is responsible for the technical analysis of FirstLink’s projects and works with the other consultants to identify promising new technologies. His work involves interviewing the inventors and validating the commercial potential of their patents. His first experience with the FirstLink team was as an intern in 2006 during the program’s previous contract with the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE).

Before beginning his business studies, Bill spent three years as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University, where he performed research on quantum chaos theory with Eric J. Heller and on thermoelectric effects in anisotropic semiconductor materials with Henry Ehrenreich. The research was relevant for applications involving refrigeration and infrared night-vision devices.

Bill holds a B.A. in Physics from Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University and an M.B.A. in Finance from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

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Brittany is responsible for market research on new technologies. Her work includes identifying markets for each use of a new technology; including, R&D entities, fabricators or manufacturers, suppliers and potential users.

While pursuing her graduate degree, Brittany worked as a co-op for GE Transportation. As an undergraduate, she was awarded the Walker Award for Academic Excellence which is presented to the graduating senior in business who receives the highest evaluation for all phases of Business Policy & Strategy.

Brittany holds an M.B.A. from Penn State University (MBA - August 2009) and a B.A. in Business with concentrations in both Marketing and Chemistry from Mercyhurst College.

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Julie provides the FirstLink team with over 20 years of experience in working with entrepreneurs, technology developers, federal laboratories, government agencies and academia in the area of technology transfer. Julie has 30 years experience in marketing, business development and program management. Julie has spent the past 5 years working with investors, venture capitalists, angels, licensing professionals, and serial entrepreneurs within the seed- and early-stage technology industry.

Prior to joining FirstLink, Julie served as the Program Manager for Development Capital Networks (DCN) National Science Foundation (NSF) SBIR/STTR Program. Through this effort Julie led a team of Portfolio Managers as well as provided commercialization and strategic partnering assistance to over 200 companies. While with DCN, Julie also served in the capacity of Director of Business Development for Government Relations; Director of Business Development for the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds (NASVF); and Coordinator for the World’s Best Technology Showcase (WBT Showcase). Prior to DCN, Julie served as the Program Manager for the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) on a national and multi-regional level providing support to the federal laboratories and the executive branch of the FLC.

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Frank is responsible for the execution of market research during the assessment stage of new technologies, and identifying industry partners or laboratories for individual projects. Frank also provides assistance for work with the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Before joining the FirstLink team, Frank obtained a fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute as part of the Molecular Therapeutics and Drug Discovery Program. There, he conducted published pharmacologic and photodynamic therapy research on human breast cancer xenografts. This research has applications as a non-invasive treatment option for subcutaneous cancer tissue.

Frank holds a B.S. in Pre-Professional Studies from the University of Notre Dame.

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Paul Schneider is responsible for the research and assessment of new technologies considered for transfer, addressing products and services from their early development phase through to the fulfillment of market needs. Having recently earned his M.B.A. from Penn State University, his prior experience includes business consulting, marketing and operations. Paul has numerous publishing credits and public speaking experiences. Most recently, he has contributed a chapter on marketing to the national publication, Battlegrounds: Business, which is part of a Penn State curriculum. Further honors include winning The Real Deal Business Plan Competition.

Throughout his professional and scholastic experience, Paul has maintained many affiliations, including membership in the Human Resources Management Association, former VP of Programming for the Penn State Graduated Student Association, and editor of the Penn State Collegian. Before joining the FirstLink team, Paul provided consultative services that aided in the growth and development of a Swedish software company seeking to gain acceptance in the U.S. market.

Paul holds a B.A. in Corporate Communications and an M.B.A. from Penn State University.

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Kathryn is responsible for carrying out market research on new technologies. Her work includes identifying markets for each use of new technologies including: R&D entities, suppliers and potential users, competitive analysis, and various aspects of the business opportunity relevant to the particular technology.

As an undergraduate, Kathryn was recognized for outstanding GPA and was awarded the Center for the Business of Life Sciences’ Annual Undergraduate Award, presented for making significant contributions to the understanding of the life sciences industry.

Prior to joining the FirstLink team, Kathryn served as an independent consultant and business analyst for Catalyst Community Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit focused on revitalizing distressed urban neighborhoods. Kathryn orchestrated extensive market and financial research to provide business plan foundations and market analysis for entrepreneurial startups.

Kathryn holds a B.S. in Business Economic Consulting, Public Policy Analysis, and International Business from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

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Bob is responsible for developing and managing all program activity at Pittsburgh Gateways Corp. He first founded Gateways in 1998 with over 31 years of experience in institutional administration and economic development, including substantial fund raising, strategic planning and partnering experience. He has developed and managed business incubation programs and university-based Centers of Technology for research, training and commercial development initiatives in the U.S. and internationally, including Japan, Australia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Hungary and Canada.

Through the course of his activities, Bob has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for university and community targeted economic development and research commercialization programs. He has authored and contributed more than a dozen books and manuals on business incubation, new venture development, and cluster-based strategies for economic development. Bob holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, a M.A. from Duquesne University, and a B.A. from Westminster College.

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Bill is the primary liaison within Pittsburgh Gateways Corp. for FirstLink’s consulting activities. Bill is also responsible at Gateways for providing Centers of Technology and regional businesses with manufacturing-related assistance, project management and staff oversight. Bill joined Gateways in 1999 with over 24 years of experience as an entrepreneur, founding and managing private companies (MMS, Business Concepts, Vesta Designs and Prism Fiber Optics) within the Pittsburgh region; previously had eight years of experience serving as a field supervisor and coordinator of the technical training facility for Dravo Corporation’s Engineering Works Division.

While at Gateways, Bill has assisted with business incubator facility assessments, commercial development, installation and management of the Gateways program at various Centers of Technology; management of technology exchange and business matching activities with the Japanese government, serving as interim president and general manager for start-up companies; and managing Gateways’ Advanced Manufacturing Initiative activity.

Bill holds a degree in Business Management from Robert Morris University.

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John is responsible for developing Gateways’ Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, assisting with new venture start-up initiatives, and maintaining relationships with Gateways’ external mentoring and advisory partners. John joined Gateways in 1998 with over 30 years of business and management experience, and focused primarily in financial and human resources endeavors within a wide variety of industries. Prior to joining Gateways, he worked for 20 years with Ernst & Young, an international professional services firm; has worked for Mellon Bank and a regional financial management recruiting firm.

Along the way, John has assisted a variety of start-up and development-stage entrepreneurial ventures with all aspects of business growth and development, including corporate formation and capital structuring, business plan development, comprehensive pro-forma projections, marketing and pricing strategies, capital raises, facilities acquisition and personnel recruiting.

John holds a B.S. degree from Penn State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

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David is a technology and licensing consultant working out of the Portland, Oregon area. He has a strong background in licensing, gained through 15 years of experience with industry, government and academic institutions. David assists FirstLink by marketing federal technologies and laboratory capabilities to companies, Universities and other interested collaborators.

Prior to forming his firm, Intellectual Assets, David worked in licensing, technology commercialization and marketing for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the NASA Mid-Atlantic Technology Applications Center and Intel Corporation. In addition, he has provided intellectual property and licensing consulting for the Sharp Technology Ventures, Tektronix, Deloitte, National Technology Transfer Center, Oregon Health & Science University, as well as to many developing firms.

David is a member of the Licensing Executives Society (and membership chair of the Portland Chapter); a contributing author for the Association of University Technology Managers’ (AUTM) Technology Transfer Practice Manual, and often presents on intellectual property business issues. David serves on the advisory board of Innovation Assets Group.

David holds a degree in Physics from the University of Michigan and an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

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Reeg’s primary responsibility at FirstLink is acting as a lead Laboratory Consultant. He performs this role by working with the federal laboratories to discover technology that may meet the needs of first responders, and facilitating their marketing and transfer via pathways that will help them advance towards commercial use in both military and civilian markets.

Reeg has a strong background in sales and marketing, and is an entrepreneur who has been involved in commercial product development, as well as both product and market research. His expertise in federal technology transfer has benefited the FirstLink program since its inception in 2004, when he began supporting FirstLink during the program’s previous contract with the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE) as a Heinz Fellow.

Reeg holds an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, Joseph M. Katz School of Business, Pittsburgh, PA and a B.A. in Biology from Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA.

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Jerry’s primary responsibility at FirstLink is acting as a lead Laboratory Consultant. Jerry facilitates collaborations between federal labs and companies, and markets technologies that result from federal laboratory R&D to companies that can commercialize innovative solutions for first responders. He began facilitating successful transfers of first responder technology for FirstLink in 2005, during FirstLink’s previous contract with the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE).

Jerry has directed the Technology Transfer Office at the Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, PA, and worked closely with law enforcement and other public safety agencies in Pennsylvania. He was one of the co-founders of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). On an Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment from the Navy to the U.S. Department of Commerce, he worked for the Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Science and Technology where he focused on technology transfer issues between federal R&D Laboratories, industry and Congressional initiatives.

Following five years as Director of Operations at the National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC), Jerry joined OLETC (Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization, a program of the National Institute of Justice) where he first was Acting Director, then a Project Manager. He is a part-time employee at TRsG, Inc., contract operator of the Army’s Business Development Office at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and a consultant to other companies and organizations. Jerry’s work routinely involves working closely with state, regional and local industry organizations such as the Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center and the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

Jerry holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, respectively.

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Kathleen Conlogue is FirstLink’s bookkeeper and office administrator. Kathleen worked with the FirstLink program for several years in its previous contract with the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE). While there, she also supported other IEE programs including several of which provided counseling services to small businesses and entrepreneurs in the region of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Prior to that, Kathleen worked for over 20 years with Raphael House, a shelter for homeless families in San Francisco, CA. She held administrative positions there, as well as worked with the agency’s children’s program. Kathleen holds an Associate’s Degree from the University of Maine.

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