Mike Gill

Chairman - Evergreen Capital LLC

Mike has spent a significant part of his 32-year business career developing and implementing business strategies in a number of industry sectors, including information technology and wireless communications.  He joined IBM in 1974 where he spent seven successful years in sales and marketing.  He joined Ernst & Young in 1981 as Director of Data Systems; and in 1983 became Regional Manager for American Teleservices, the majority shareholder of Cellular One.  Mike oversaw the start-up of the first sales organization in the nation’s capital.  One year later he founded AMERICOM, providing cellular products and services to businesses in the Maryland area.  AMERICOM quickly became one of the leading technical services companies in the wireless industry during Mike’s 16 years as founder and CEO.  By the year 2000, AMERICOM had grown to over $70M in revenues with 1200 plus team members.  In April of 2000, the company was acquired by Solectron, an NYSE company and leader in the electronics manufacturing sector.  Mike remained with Solectron as Vice President for Business Development until 2003, when he founded Hoyt Capital, a small investment firm providing capital and business advice to start-up and existing enterprises.  In 2006 he was named Executive Chairman and board member of Baltimore-based Bluefire Security Technologies, a developer of security software for wireless mobile devices, PDAs and smartphones.

Mike’s Board and committee service have also included Baltimore County Economic Development Commission, Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, the GBMC Foundation Board, the Bank of Maryland, Chairman of the Towson University Board of Visitors, and member of the Notre Dame Preparatory Board of Trustees.  He is currently on the board of Corporate Printing Solutions and Bay National Bank, a public company; and serves as Chairman of Curtis Engine. 

In July 2004, Mike was appointed by Governor Robert Ehrlich to a five-year term on the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland.  He serves as Chair of the Audit Committee and is also Treasurer of the board of Regents. 

Mike received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Towson University in 1974, after first attending Clemson University on a baseball scholarship.  In 1996, Mike was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Towson University.  In May of 2005, he received Towson University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award and in October 2005, became an Honorary Member of the Towson University chapter of the international business society, Beta Gamma Sigma.  Recently, Mike was named to the President’s Advisory Board at Clemson University.

Robert Caret, Ph.D.
President - Towson University

Robert L. Caret became Towson University’s 12th president in 2003.  Dr. Caret served as a faculty member, dean, executive vice president and provost of Towson University for 21 years before leaving to assume the presidency of San Jose State University in 1995.  

Returning to Maryland and his Towson University roots, President Caret reestablished connections and created new partnerships with regional business, non-profit, and civic organizations.  His involvement began nearly 20 years ago when he chaired the first Baltimore County Executive’s Advisory Board (EAB), a working group composed of leaders in business, government and higher education.   Upon his return to Towson, Caret became a founding member of the Maryland Business Council (2004).  He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the CollegeBound Foundation (2004), a member of the Board of Directors for the Center Club (2004) and is a member of the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board (2005).   He serves on the Board of Directors for 1st Mariner Bancorp (2006), the American Flag Foundation Board of Directors (2006), as well as the Evergreen Capital LLC Board of Advisors (2008).  He was inducted into the Baltimore County Chamber Business Hall of Fame in 2006.

As President of Towson University, he serves on the University of Maryland Foundation Board of Directors as well as the Board of Directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).  He recently served on the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Intercollegiate Athletics and serves on their Presidential Advisory Group. 

Caret’s vision of Towson University as Maryland’s Metropolitan University was instrumental in relocating the national headquarters of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) to Towson’s campus.   Caret serves as President of that organization. 

Caret received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire in 1974 and his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and mathematics from Suffolk University in 1969.  His honorary degrees include a Doctor of Humane Letters from San Jose University (2004) and National Hispanic University (1997) and a Doctor of Science degree from Suffolk University (1996).

Caret has authored many articles in business and professional publications in the fields of chemistry, chemical education, and higher education.  He co-authored four textbooks in the fields of organic chemistry and allied health chemistry.  The Maryland Chapter of the American Chemical Society recognized Caret’s achievements by honoring him with the George L. Braude Award in 2005.

He has been the recipient of many other distinguished awards and is listed in several editions of Who’s Who in America. 

Terrance C. Coakley

CEO - Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc.

Mr. Coakley is the co-owner and Chief Executive Officer of Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc.  He is responsible for general oversight and the direction of the firm, with a direct focus on business development, marketing and interior construction.

Mr. Coakley joined the firm in 1974, and has been involved in the construction and renovation of hundreds of government, commercial and institutional projects throughout the United States and overseas.  Many of these regional and national projects have been recognized with awards from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), American Institute of Architects (AIA), National Association of Industrial Office Parks (NAIOP), Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and The Masonry Institute.  A number of articles written by Mr. Coakley have been featured in prominent industry periodicals.

Mr. Coakley is a recognized leader in the construction industry and in the Washington DC community. Among his current leadership positions, Mr. Coakley serves on the Board of Advisors and Executive Committee for the East Carolina University Construction Management Program, the Board of Directors of Archbishop Carroll High School, and the Board of Advisors and Executive Committee for the Collins Foundation.   In addition, Mr. Coakley is involved with and actively supports Clemson University, his alma mater, serving on Clemson University’s Board of Advisors for the Construction Science and Management Program and the Clemson University Alumni Association Regional Board of Directors.

In previous positions Mr. Coakley has served as a Past Member for the School-Wide Advisory Board for the School of Industry and Technology at East Carolina University. He was a Past President of the Collins Foundation and Past Member of the Board of Trustees for the Academy of the Holy Cross.

Mr. Coakley and his wife, Julie, reside in Bethesda, Maryland.

Pierce B. Dunn

Senior Advisor - Brown Advisory

Mr. Dunn is a Senior Advisor for Brown Advisory, a firm that invests and provides strategic advice and services for individuals and institutions.  Prior to joining Brown Advisory in 2007, Mr. Dunn was an entrepreneur.  He started his professional career in 1977 as a corporate attorney with the law firm of Venable, Baetjer & Howard. He left Venable in 1981 to join the management team of the Kirk Stieff Company, a manufacturer of prestige precious metal gifts and tableware products. As President, Mr. Dunn led a turn-around followed by a period of sustained growth culminating in the firm’s successful sale in 1991 to the Lenox Division of Brown Forman. Mr. Dunn left corporate opportunities at Lenox to co-found MIRCON, Inc. (d.b.a. CONNOR) an environmental services firm proving a broad range of compliance related services to multi-family property owners and managers throughout the U.S. CONNOR is the largest lead paint testing company in the U.S. Mr. Dunn remains chairman of the firm. Mr. Dunn took a leave of absence from CONNOR to manage a start-up in Europe for TESSCO Technologies, a distributor of a wide range of equipment and products for the wireless communications industry.

Mr. Dunn serves as Vice Chair of Citybizlist, Inc., an internet publishing company that provides the first source of local business news to executives and professionals in cities throughout the U.S.  He also serves on the board of the J.J. Haines Corporation, the largest distributor of floor coverings in the U.S.  Mr. Dunn serves on the Board of Trustees of Goucher College where he chairs the Budget and Finance Committee and serves on the Endowment and Executive Committees.

Mr. Dunn holds a B.A degree from Princeton University, a J.D from Georgetown University and an XMBA from Loyola College.

William Gust

Managing General Partner - Anthem Capital

William Gust has 45 years of business experience with a strong emphasis on venture capital investing and the development of small rapidly growing businesses.  During the past 30 years, he has invested successfully in a broad range of start-up and early stage companies in life sciences, healthcare and information technologies.  These include such companies as Apple Computer, Samna (Lotus Corporation’s word processor), HealthSouth, Sequoia Software and Chuck E. Cheese.  Currently he serves as Anthem Capital’s Managing General Partner and oversees Anthem’s investments in Sensors for Medicine & Science, GlycoMimetics and NeoDiagnostix. 

Mr. Gust has served as a consultant to several research institutions on strategies and tactics for the commercialization of faculty inventions, including the NIH, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the University of Maryland and the Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.  He is also a frequent speaker on venture capital and small business development.  Until recently, he chaired the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and continues to serve on UMBI’s Board and Executive Committee.  He also serves on the Board of the Contemporary Museum in Baltimore and has served previously on the boards of the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Peabody Institute and the Fund for Educational Excellence.  Mr. Gust received his Bachelors Degree from Northwestern University.

David H. Nevins

Founder/President - Nevins & Associates

David H. Nevins is the founder and president of Nevins & Associates, a Hunt Valley-based marketing and public affairs firm founded in 1984.  Under his leadership, the firm has become a prestigious “boutique” style firm with a national and regional clientele delivering award-winning results in marketing, public affairs, reputation management, government and community relations, crisis management, and image and brand development.  Nevins & Associates boasts an extensive client list including Fortune 500 companies as well as prominent and entrepreneurial local businesses and institutions.

A prolific marketer, Nevins was asked by the CEO of Comcast to head the company’s new regional sports network, Comcast SportsNet.  As president in 2001 and 2002, he transformed the predecessor channel (HTS) into a nationally recognized regional network featuring extensive local news and programming, including leading the network to an unprecedented seven Emmys.  Other career highlights include stints as a consultant and chief marketing officer to a Fortune 100 corporation, and marketing roles at Towson University and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Nevins has extensive leadership in the educational, civic and business community.  He currently serves on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, the governing board for 13 public universities in Maryland.  He previously served as Board Chair, as well as Chair of the Finance Committee, overseeing the System’s $3 billion budget.    He currently chairs the Effectiveness and Efficiency (E & E) Committee, whose work has been nationally lauded.  He served a 4-year term as the Chairman of Maryland Public Television, (another Gubernatorial appointment) and has served in many other community leadership posts, including the Presidency of the Jewish National Fund, the Towson Business Association and the Towson University Alumni Association.  He has served on the boards of the University of Maryland Medical System Foundation, the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, and Stevenson University.  He currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Maryland Highway Safety Foundation, and is a Board member of the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center and the Signal 13 Foundation.  He is the Chair-designate of the American Heart Association regional fundraising gala.

Nevins has received numerous awards, including the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame, Towson University Alumnus of the Year, the Towson Jaycee’s Most Distinguished award and on numerous occasions he has been recognized as a premier Baltimore business leader, including the Daily Record’s recent recognition as one of Maryland’s Most Influential Leaders.

Nevins earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Towson University and a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from The Johns Hopkins University.  A proud father of two, Nevins resides in Pikesville with his daughter, Frederica, and son, Jake.  In his leisure time, Nevins enjoys playing golf and collecting art.

Paul Silber

Paul Silber, a native of Baltimore, was the President/CEO and founder of In Vitro Technologies, Inc. (IVT), a bioscience company that provides products and services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.  After relocating to Baltimore in 1991, In Vitro grew from two employees to a staff of 70, including several employees in Europe. The company also expanded its international business to Japan, the U.K., and Germany, while bringing the products of international companies to their North American customers through strategic alliances and distribution relationships. After growing the company to 60 employees and $11M in revenues, he successfully sold the company to Celsis plc in 2006 for $30M. 

Dr. Silber has an undergraduate degree in Biology (Carleton College), a Master's degree in Public Health (Univ. Alabama) and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology (Univ. Arizona). He is the holder of two patents and the recipient of various business awards and recognition, including:

Maryland Entrepreneur of the Year Award (High Technology)

Baltimore Business Journal’s “40 under 40 top business people”

Baltimore Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Technology”

Washington Techway’s “Top 10 Bosses”

Greater Baltimore Committee Leadership in Bioscience Award

State of Maryland’s International Leadership Award

University of Baltimore Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award

Greater Baltimore Technology Council BETA Award

Dr. Silber currently Chairs the GBTC Biotech Roundtable.  In addition, he serves on the boards of the Biotechnical Institute of Maryland, the TechCenter at UMBC Business Advisory Board, and the Dean’s advisory board of the UMBC College of Natural Sciences.  He is also on the Leadership team of the Open Society Institute.  He is also an active mentor of other local entrepreneurs and is a member of the Chesapeake Emerging Opportunity (Angel) Fund.

Gregg Smith

Gregg Smith is a visionary executive who leads public and private companies through critical stages of development in the digital media, software and wireless telephony sectors.  An innovative manager who creates shareholder value by launching, building, refocusing and restructuring enterprises, Gregg has executed transactions worth nearly half a billion dollars, including the sale of seven companies, while leading teams that met and exceeded performance targets in competitive, changing environments.

As Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Mobile, Gregg led the mobile marketing company through a successful early stage investment cycle from start-up to acquisition by a major strategic investor.  Under his leadership, the company grew revenues by 750% over 18 months, executed financings that increased shareholder value by 90%, engineered an innovative product protfolio and completed a sale to NOKIA which delivered a 40% return on investment.

Previously, as Corporate Vice President and Senior Vice President of Aether Systems (NASDAQ: AETH), Gregg was instrumental in building the wireless software solutions provider into a global leader with a $9 billion market capitalizatin in less than two years.  The driving force in an ambitious corporate strategy of acquisitions, joint ventures and investments which he conceived and executed, Gregg also led a company-wide integration program that consolidated Aether's strategic successes.

As President of Aether's Enterprise Division, Gregg managed the unit's P&L, grew revenues from $3 to $100 million and developed global business while creating and launching products that won market share around the world.  In 2004, industry analysts Frost & Sullivan honored Gregg's sale of the division to TeleCommunications Systems (NASDAQ:TSYS) as "Most Strategic Acquisition" of 2004.  Gregg went on to run the division for TCS from 2005 to 2007, when the business was divested.

Prior to joining Aether Systems, Gregg was President and COO of Karch International, Inc., a software company where he refocused strategy, raised capital, drove the restructured company to profitability in three months and assisted ownership in selling corporate assets.  Gregg also served as Vice President of Nurad Technologies, a wireless hardware and product manufacturer where he played a central role in achieving profitability and negotiating the sale of the company to a publicly-traded UK enterprise with a market capitalization of $2 billion.

Gregg serves as a board member of a number of private companies, is a member of the Mobile Marketing Association and a frequent speaker at industry events.

Laura Gamble

Founding Member, Skipjack Partners LLC

Laura Gamble is a founding member of Skipjack Partners LLC. Prior to founding Skipjack Partners, Ms. Gamble spent 23 years with Bank of America.   Most recently, she was the President of Bank of America, Maryland.  Her experience spans all customer segments including business to business from small to large corporations, mass affluent and high net worth consumer markets.   

Ms. Gamble received a BS degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Business Administration. Ms. Gamble was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Maryland in 2007 and 2004.  She has also been named to the Baltimore Power 20 by the Baltimore Business Journal and as one of the Most Influential Marylanders by The Daily Record.  She currently serves on several civic and philanthropic boards of directors including the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, the Baltimore Community Foundation, the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, and the Sheppard Pratt Health System. She is a Six Sigma Greenbelt and a FINRA Registered Principal with Series 7, 24 and 66 securities licenses.

P.J. Richardson

Chairman - EXTOL Group, Inc.

P.J. Richardson is currently Chairman of the EXTOL Group, Inc., a private investment group, specializing in diagnostic technology for the Homeland Security Industry.  He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Reeves Group, (TRG) Inc., a company he founded in 1990 and divested in January, 2005. He currently serves on the  Board of Directors The AireGroup, Ltd. Huddersfield, UK. He has more than thirty-five years experience in Occupational Safety & Health Care related products. He has served in a va­riety of senior executive positions in the industry. TRG is the technology leader for products used in the consequence management of WMD events of a Chemical/Biological nature. TRG specializes in the development and manufacture of Tactical Mass Decontamination Equipment and Tactical Patient/Casualty movement.

Prior to the formation of TRG, Richardson served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Racal Health & Safety, Incorporated, a subsidiary of Racal Electronics PLC. As President & CEO of the Group, he was responsible for all North American activities for Racal Health & Safety Group, PLC. He served on the Board of Directors of both companies, as well as being CEO of Racal Panorama of Dayton, Ohio and Racal Protection Ltd., Toronto, Canada. Likewise, he served on the Board of Di­rectors of both companies. Racal Health & Safety is a world leader in the manufacture and distri­bution of respiratory protection and other personal protective equipment. Richardson was respon­sible for the dramatic growth in Powered Air-Purifying Respirator technology within the North American Group. He also led the group in a North American expansion beginning in 1985, which resulted in phenomenal growth in both sales and profits for the Group worldwide.

Prior to joining Racal, Richardson served as Director of Sales & Marketing for American Optical Corporation, Safety Products Division. Early in his career Richardson spent considerable time with The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. He held a series of senior level positions over ten plus years with the J&J organization.

Mr. Richardson is currently very active in Pro-Bono Publico work in the area of Public Safety, specifically in the areas of Homeland Security and Disaster Relief.  Richardson is active in several industry trade associations, including the NBC Industry Group, International Fire Chiefs, National Defense Industry Association and National Fire Protection Association. Richardson re­ceived his BBA from St. Michael’s College. Mr. Richardson holds several U.S. Patents and has co-authored two books for Thomas Nelson Publishers. Mr. Richardson’s writings are in the sports and business fields. In 1996 Nelson released The Way of an Eagle, a golf book and in 1997 Nelson released Wheels of Thunder, a motor racing book. Mr. Richardson recently released a new business book, Corporate Giants, published by Baker Book House a division of Revell. A fourth book on golf is currently in development entitled, Faith on the Fairways, and is due to be released in early 2008.  Mr. Richardson is an extremely active public speaker for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Christian Businessmen’s Committee and can be contacted through: Info@ExtolGroup.com.

Mr. Richardson resides in Maryland and South Carolina with his wife of thirty-six years and has two grown sons and two grandchildren.