Gary Spirer

Gary holds a bachelor’s degree in Literature from New York University graduating magna cum laude, and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University.

Gary began his career at the prestigious investment banking firm Lazard Freres, where he worked at their real estate affiliate.

Subsequently, Gary founded his own real estate company, Capital Hill Realty. In real estate Gary has developed, syndicated and invested in properties that in today’s value, aggregate over $500 million. Gary has raised over $60 million dollars from individuals and small funds with 100% success.

Gary founded Capital Hill Group, Inc, a boutique investment banking firm, in 1981. Capital Hill Group, Inc. is a member of FINRA and is governed by the SEC. Gary continues to provide investment banking services for emerging growth companies, and is one of the leading experts in raising capital, building businesses, real estate and marketing, especially on the Internet.

Gary has been involved in the entertainment world, film, and is currently finishing a Wall Street thriller.

Donald Hackett

Don has extensive entrepreneurial experience in the technology and health industries. He has deployed innovative marketing strategies, business models and technology solutions creating profitable private sector businesses. Don has focused his energies on helping early stage companies maximizing their opportunities by deploying multiple revenue streams that are leveragable and scalable.

Over thirty years, Don has successfully delivered measurable economic returns for both stakeholders and shareholders alike. Joining Steps To in 2009, Don assumed leadership responsibilities for integrating the digital publishing, content development, electronic commerce and operational teams. Steps To is an industry leader working in concert with entrepreneurs; we add value by providing strategic guidance, sharing operating experience, industry specific knowledge, team-building skills, and an in-depth understanding of both private and public financings. In addition, our broad network of industry experts are valuable resources for entrepreneurs

Since launching his career with IBM, Don has partnered with venture-backed companies, managed multiple mergers, led various acquisitions and secured over $400 million dollars in funding through numerous financial offerings, including three IPOs; Computer Depot, Inc. (1984), Physician Computer Network, Inc. (1991) and drkoop.com, Inc. (1999). Additionally, Don has completed over twenty acquisitions such as 1-800-Doctors, myDNA.com and UcomparHealthcare. Don currently sits on the Round2 Inc, Vitals.com, Inc. and 1-800-Therapist, LLC board of directors.

“To achieve measurable economic results, new solutions must leverage innovative technologies to create work-flow efficiencies that reduce costs and improve financial performance. We invest our time and experience to empower great entrepreneurs to build successful companies.”

Dr. Alexander Cavalli

Dr. Alexander Cavalli is a thought leader and authority on the Physics of Business and other strategic principles. Dr. Cavalli is a founding board member of the Digital Convergence Initiative, an evolving regional commerce model.

Prior to the creation of DCI, Dr. Alexander Cavalli was the deputy director of the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. He was responsible for the day to day operations and, in collaboration with the Institute’s Director Dr. John S. Butler and Founder Dr. George Kozmetstky, helped to set its strategic direction.

Before 2002, Dr. Cavalli was co-director of the E–Learning and Training Labs at IC2. The mission he carried out included the research, development and deployment of workforce training and development systems and tools that utilized the latest multi-media technologies and educational pedagogies.

Dr. Cavalli has been in the Austin high-tech community since 1984. In the late nineties he founded Face to Face Communications, a consulting firm dedicated to helping professionals and organizations become better communicators. The practice specialized in individual and corporate communications, presentation work, vocal training and long-term strategic planning.

In the early nineties, while leading architectural design of MCC’s Enterprise Integration Project, Dr. Cavalli and his staff created the foundation for much of what is now recognized as the Internet. Working with leading universities and corporations and supported by U.S. government funding, the EINet project was designed to demonstrate how electronic commerce would work and what network infrastructure was necessary to support it.

This seminal work included the creation of the first Internet search engine, introduced in January 1994. Called EINet Galaxy, it became the model for every search engine (Yahoo, Infoseek, Excite, etc.) that followed. Dr. Cavalli’s team also developed the first commercial quality web browsers that introduced many of the features found today in Netscape and Microsoft browsers. The team also developed the first Virtual Private Network that operated as the Internet’s first Certification Authority, a function now embodied by companies such as VeriSign and GTE CyberTrust. In addition, Dr. Cavalli and his team, in collaboration with CitiCorp, devised new electronic payment mechanisms for use by businesses engaged in electronic commerce.

Dr. Cavalli speaks regularly on a wide range of universal topics that encompass technology, leadership and strategic outlook. As a leading authority, he frequently speaks on emerging market trends, product launch timing and business development strategy, and the creation of key communications. He is also an accomplished, professional actor who performs one-man shows around the world.

Dr. Alexander Cavalli holds a PhD in Physics from Dartmouth College and a BS from Dickinson College.

Rick Frishman

Rick Frishman, the founder of Planned Television Arts, www.plannedtvarts.com, has been one of the leading book publicists in America for over 33 years. Working with many of the top book editors, literary agents and publishers in America, including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Wiley, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books, he has worked with best-selling authors including Mitch Albom, Bill Moyers, Stephen King, Caroline Kennedy, Howard Stern, President Jimmy Carter, Mark Victor Hansen, Nelson DeMille, John Grisham, Hugh Downs, Henry Kissinger, Jack Canfield, Alan Deshowitz, Arnold Palmer, and Harvey Mackay.

Rick is publisher at Morgan James Publishing in New York. In 2009 “MJ” published over 190 books. Morgan James only publishes non fiction books and looks for authors with a platform who believe in giving back. Morgan James gives a portion of every book sold to Habitat for Humanity.
www.morganjamespublishing.com

Rick has also appeared on hundreds of radio shows and more than a dozen TV shows nationwide including OPRAH and Bloomberg TV. He has also been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Selling Power Magazine, New York Post and scores of publications.

He is the co-author of eleven books, including national best-sellers GUERRILLA PUBLICITY, NETWORKING MAGIC, and WHERE’S YOU WOW. “GUERRILLA MARKETING FOR WRITERS”- 2nd edition is being published in January of 2010.

He is the co-host (with attorney Richard Solomon) of the radio show Taking Care of Business, which airs every Thursday from 2:00-3:00 pm on WCWP-Radio in Long Island, New York. ( www.tcbradio.com ) Rick has a B.F.A. in acting and directing and a B.S. from Ithaca College School of Communications and is a sought after lecturer on publishing and public relations and a member of PRSA and the National Speakers Association.

Rick and his wife Robbi live in Long Island with their three children, Adam, Rachel and Stephanie, and two Havanese puppies Cody and Cooper.

Go to www.rickfrishman.com for more information and to get Rick’s “Million Dollar Rolodex.”