Shopatron, Inc.
	1/17/2007 5:15PM      |  Send this page to a friend.  Cabrillo Arts Pavilion
	Program Description:
	Central Coast MIT Enterprise Forum Presents...\n“Online Direct Sales by Small Manufacturers: Channel Conflict or Bliss?”\nShopatron — An Innovative Online Cure\n\nFeaturing:\n•Ed Stevens, Shopatron\n•Riggs Eckelberry, TechTransform\n•Dave Gross, Great Pacific Capital\n•Dorothy Pavloff, California Technology Ventures \n\n\nThe Central Coast MIT Enterprise Forum presents “Online Direct Sales by Small Manufacturers: Channel Conflict or Bliss?” on Wednesday, January 17th from 5:15 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion, located at 1118 East Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara. Ed Stevens, Founder & CEO of Shopatron, will present his company’s Internet-based direct sales technology, strategy and growth plans, and a panel of experts will critique these plans and offer their views on e-commerce and the company’s position and strategy. \n\nThe event is open to the public. Admission is $30 with online registration and online payment; $35 with payment at the door; and $15 for students with ID.\n\nCHANNEL CONFLICT & SHOPATRON\n\nShopatron enables a manufacturer to “sell” its products on the manufacturer's own website, but then passes the actual order fulfillment to its retailers through a proprietary “order matching and clearing” system. This “win-win” situation equally benefits the manufacturer and retailer because it sells more product and promotes the brand while driving business to the retailer. And the consumer benefits from the seamless, one-stop sales process.\n\nOriginally focused on cottage industries (e.g., hobbies, specialty toys, knitting & sewing, etc.); INSERT INTO events2 (id, isopen, title, location, briefdescrip, ldescription, date, [current], attendees, map, [time], capacity, reminders, doorpay) VALUES Shopatron’s success has attracted larger manufacturers who deal with a full spectrum of retailers — from “big box” to “mom & pop” stores. The newest large-scale manufacturer to employ Shopatron is Callaway Golf Pre-Owned\n\nShopatron bootstrapped with less than $1 million of angel equity and is growing at 100+% annually. The company is located in San Luis Obispo and employs 29 people, up from 10 a year ago.\n\nSPEAKER BIOS \nFeatured Presenting Company\nEd Stevens, Shopatron\nEd Stevens’ business career began at age 14, working at his family’s retail furniture store in Akron, Ohio. Throughout high school, he worked the sales floor for commission compensation only.\n\nIn 1992, Ed graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Russian Literature. He then spent one year in St. Petersburg, Russia in the (newly formed) marketing department of Pirometr JSC, a producer of military and civilian aviation components. Efforts in Russia led to the formation of NORVEL, Ltd., a US-based importer of miniature aircraft engines (for model airplanes and helicopters) manufactured by Pirometr. Ed developed the brand name, market entry strategy and distribution network worldwide for NORVEL. This experience was instrumental in Ed’s developing the concept for FirePoppy/Shopatron.\n\nIn 2000, Ed bet the house and founded FirePoppy (recently renamed Shopatron, Inc.). Ed has served as Chairman and CEO since the company’s inception. Having built Shopatron as a classic bootstrap startup (including the requisite “garage” office); INSERT INTO events2 (id, isopen, title, location, briefdescrip, ldescription, date, [current], attendees, map, [time], capacity, reminders, doorpay) VALUES Ed is now focused on managing rapid growth as Shopatron continues to scale.\n\nKeynote Speaker\nRiggs Eckelberry, TechTransform\nRiggs Eckelberry is the founder and President of TechTransform, which specializes in helping to launch or turn around technology companies. Riggs has extensive experience in e-commerce. He and his colleagues have helped many companies achieve product distribution efficiently through new and traditional sales channels, to deal with the convergence of brick and mortar and online merchants and to manage Internet-based sales initiatives using a multi-channel approaches, taking advantage of multi-billion dollar online auction and exchange markets\n\nRiggs recently completed an assignment as President and COO of CyberDefender Corporation, where he was instrumental in building the company and its innovative technology, helping to achieve initial funding and a public offering. In 2004, Riggs was a key member of the team that turned around YellowPages.com, resulting in its sale for $100 million to SBC/BellSouth. In 2003, as General Manager he helped make Panda Software USA a key player in the US market. \n\nDuring the high tech boom of the 1990s, Riggs was responsible for the global brand success of CleanSweep, a consumer software product. As Chief Operating Officer of MicroHouse Technologies, he repositioned the company for successful sale to Earthweb, a publicly traded Internet company. His work as VP Marketing of venture-backed TriVida helped achieve the sale of this technology company to BeFree, a leading provider of Internet sales affiliate software. \n\nRiggs' earlier professional experience includes a wide variety of technology implementations in direct marketing, distribution and in entertainment industry settings. Riggs found his higher education in a decade of early service in the non-profit sector, where he qualified as a Master of commercial oceangoing vessels.\n\nPanelists\nDave Gross, Great Pacific Capital\nCo-Founder and Managing Partner of Great Pacific Capital, Dave is also an engineer and entrepreneur. He has worked in the aerospace, automotive, alternative energy/transportation and Internet fields. He designed and produced early electric and hybrid electric passenger vehicles as well as hardware for various aerospace applications including the International Space Station, missions to Mars, and the longest rigid structure ever deployed in space. \n\nDave was the founding CEO of Fastclick, a successful Internet advertising company acquired by ValueClick in 2005. He also had CFO and COO responsibilities from inception through 2003. He led Fastclick with a total of $400K in capital raised in April 2000 through a $75M private-equity recapitalization in September 2004. He holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Studies from UCSB. Dave currently serves on the boards of Celerus Diagnostics, Sirigen, and Procore Technologies.\n\nDorothy Pavloff, California Technology Ventures\nDorothy Pavloff is a Managing Director with California Technology Ventures, LLC (CTV) and brings operational experience from information technology and communications companies. She has been involved in venture capital for the last five years and has played key roles in deal sourcing, selection and managing the fund's information technology investments.\n\nDorothy was previously a manager of business development at Conexant Systems Inc., a leading manufacturer of semiconductors focused on communications applications. Her responsibilities included business development and strategic planning for Conexant's largest product division. She was also part of the team that spun Conexant out from the Rockwell Corporation. Prior to Conexant, Dorothy held various positions at Hughes Electronics in its New Ventures Organization, and at the MITRE Corporation, a research and development corporation focused on systems engineering for military applications. \n\nDorothy has taught venture investing to MBA candidates at USC's Marshall School of Business. She received her Master of Business Administration from the Boston University Graduate School of Business, and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Boston College.\n\n
	When:
	Wednesday, January 17, 2007 5:15 PM
	Where:
	Cabrillo Arts Pavilion
	Cost:
	Student $15.00 Regular $30.00 At the Door $40.00 Parking $0.00