Panelist Bios:
Peter C. Quittmeyer
peter.quittmeyer@sutherland.com
Partner, Sutherland
Peter primarily represents technology-related companies in corporate, contract and intellectual property matters.
Peter has extensive experience with technology transactions, including e-commerce, ERP solutions and "asp" processing, outsourcing, domestic and international licensing and distribution, licensing and transfer of technology or other assets, corporate finance and reorganization plans. He is a leading authority on the subject of computer software transactions. He has advised "end-user" companies in their dealings with technology in a host of industries, including agribusiness, utilities, metals, biomedical, internet and communications. He has extensive experience with Georgia's no-compete and trade secret laws. He works closely with litigation attorneys to represent clients in defending or prosecuting litigation (or negotiating settlement) in many technology-related matters, including computer system failures.
Peter has helped many clients develop and execute patent strategies by working in tandem with patent attorneys in such matters. He has done significant work licensing or cross-licensing patents and other forms of intellectual property.
Peter has served as an adjunct professor of law at Emory Law School (in 1996, 1998 and 2000) where he taught computer law. He has also lectured in graduate classes at Emory University, Georgia State University, and Georgia Tech. Peter is lead author of Computer Software Agreements: Forms and Commentary, which was originally published in 1987 and is now in its third edition. Published by the West Group, the treatise is one of the publisher's top three publications in the area of intellectual property. Peter has published articles on trade secrets and no-compete law in the Georgia Law Review, the Mercer Law Review and the Georgia State Bar Journal. He has served as a lecturer at more than 20 Bar, ICLE, and PLI programs on corporate, no-compete, and technology-related issues. In his third year of practice as a lawyer, he was the Reporter for the White Paper on No-Compete Covenants issued by the Corporate and Banking Section of the State Bar of Georgia. The White Paper is widely recognized for its impact on the development of no-compete law in Georgia.
In addition to his IP practice, Peter has a very active practice in corporate, finance and acquisition matters, particularly in the technology industry. Peter has served as lead attorney representing companies or investors in over 50 "venture capital" transactions. Peter currently serves as principal counsel for three chemical distribution cooperatives, requiring negotiation of large-volume distribution, supply, marketing and license agreements. He has served as lead attorney in the completion of over 50 mergers or acquisitions, many of which involved complex technology or intellectual property considerations. He serves as principal counsel for a high-profile "turnaround management" group based in Atlanta. In that capacity, he was engaged in 1996 as primary corporate counsel to First American Health Care of Georgia, Inc., the largest privately held home health care company in America. First American had revenues of over $450 million per year, entered bankruptcy as a result of a Medicare fraud conviction in February 1996, and was successfully reorganized and sold for $330 million in October 1996. The transaction was named "Turnaround of the Year" for 1996 by the National Turnaround Management Association.
In college, Peter was a National Merit Scholar, an Echols Scholar and a member of the Raven Society. While attending law school, Peter taught two sections of undergraduate accounting at UVA.
Peter is volunteer general counsel and board member for two charities, the Georgia Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and Community Life Concepts. In 2005, he received the top volunteer award of the Georgia Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
Peter is listed in Marquis' Who's Who in the World and was named a "Georgia SuperLawyer" in 2006.
Glenn McGonnigle
General Partner, TechOperators
McGonnigle was most recently Chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based VistaScape Security Systems, a leading provider of enterprise intelligent video surveillance software. McGonnigle was recruited by the company’s board to raise capital and grow the business. He subsequently oversaw the successful sale of the company to Siemens Building Technologies. An authority on IT and physical security convergence and a frequent contributor and expert speaker for numerous industry publications and events, McGonnigle helped shape President Bush’s 2005 National Strategy for Maritime Security.
Previously, McGonnigle was a co-founder and top executive of Atlanta-based Internet Security Systems (ISS) where he helped raise initial venture capital and launch the business. For 7 years, he led the business development team in developing sales channels and entering the managed security services market. During his tenure, the company grew from startup to revenues of over $225 million and was recently acquired by IBM for $1.5 billion.
Prior to ISS, he was President and co-founder of Data Integrity Services Corporation, an early-stage provider of WAN-based data management services. Throughout his 24 year career, McGonnigle has remained focused on emerging technologies and has held a variety of sales and marketing executive positions during the high growth stages of EMC, Epoch Systems, Borland, and Wang Laboratories.
He is an active member of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and sits on the board of Venture Atlanta and advisory board of Georgia Tech’s Tennenbaum Institute and several privately held companies. In addition, he has served as Entrepreneur in Residence and CapVenture coach supporting Georgia’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). McGonnigle holds a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.
Alan W. Urech
Managing Partner, Stoney River Capital Partners
Mr. Alan Urech is a Senior Executive with 30 years experience in successfully developing and commercializing companies. He has grown multiple businesses by using strong strategic, tactical and operational leadership skills, methodologies and best practice expertise to help them understand and implement appropriate strategies. These organizations include HBO & Company where he was part of a team that saw the organization’s expansion from initial start-up to about $180 million dollars in revenue within 12 years. During this period, he was instrumental in developing successful healthcare product lines which significantly grew the Company’s overall profitability. HBOC was sold in 1998 for US$13.8 billion to McKesson Corporation, starting their information technology division. Currently he is the Managing Partner and Principal at Stoney River Capital Partners LLC, an Angel-backed consultancy that has cultivated over 600 capital sources that place appropriate investment into high growth companies. SRCP provides senior level management guidance on investment funding strategies, corporate growth planning and plan implementation, business directions and exit strategies. This guidance transforms successfully growing entrepreneurial companies into growth businesses that attract investment capital. His practice focus is to “coach” strong young entrepreneurial seed, start-up and expanding companies so they successfully communicate the company’s business proposition to the investment community. He is also an Adjunct Professor in Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. He teaches entrepreneurship and family business in the Herman J. Russell, Sr. International Center for Entrepreneurship. Mr. Urech also writes a column entitled “Entrepreneurs’ Corner” for the Business Post, an Appen Newspaper.
He has authored numerous articles on Private Equity Investing including thoughts of an Angel Investor. Mr. Urech is based in Atlanta, GA.
Peter C. Quittmeyer
peter.quittmeyer@sutherland.com
Partner, Sutherland
Peter primarily represents technology-related companies in corporate, contract and intellectual property matters.
Peter has extensive experience with technology transactions, including e-commerce, ERP solutions and "asp" processing, outsourcing, domestic and international licensing and distribution, licensing and transfer of technology or other assets, corporate finance and reorganization plans. He is a leading authority on the subject of computer software transactions. He has advised "end-user" companies in their dealings with technology in a host of industries, including agribusiness, utilities, metals, biomedical, internet and communications. He has extensive experience with Georgia's no-compete and trade secret laws. He works closely with litigation attorneys to represent clients in defending or prosecuting litigation (or negotiating settlement) in many technology-related matters, including computer system failures.
Peter has helped many clients develop and execute patent strategies by working in tandem with patent attorneys in such matters. He has done significant work licensing or cross-licensing patents and other forms of intellectual property.
Peter has served as an adjunct professor of law at Emory Law School (in 1996, 1998 and 2000) where he taught computer law. He has also lectured in graduate classes at Emory University, Georgia State University, and Georgia Tech. Peter is lead author of Computer Software Agreements: Forms and Commentary, which was originally published in 1987 and is now in its third edition. Published by the West Group, the treatise is one of the publisher's top three publications in the area of intellectual property. Peter has published articles on trade secrets and no-compete law in the Georgia Law Review, the Mercer Law Review and the Georgia State Bar Journal. He has served as a lecturer at more than 20 Bar, ICLE, and PLI programs on corporate, no-compete, and technology-related issues. In his third year of practice as a lawyer, he was the Reporter for the White Paper on No-Compete Covenants issued by the Corporate and Banking Section of the State Bar of Georgia. The White Paper is widely recognized for its impact on the development of no-compete law in Georgia.
In addition to his IP practice, Peter has a very active practice in corporate, finance and acquisition matters, particularly in the technology industry. Peter has served as lead attorney representing companies or investors in over 50 "venture capital" transactions. Peter currently serves as principal counsel for three chemical distribution cooperatives, requiring negotiation of large-volume distribution, supply, marketing and license agreements. He has served as lead attorney in the completion of over 50 mergers or acquisitions, many of which involved complex technology or intellectual property considerations. He serves as principal counsel for a high-profile "turnaround management" group based in Atlanta. In that capacity, he was engaged in 1996 as primary corporate counsel to First American Health Care of Georgia, Inc., the largest privately held home health care company in America. First American had revenues of over $450 million per year, entered bankruptcy as a result of a Medicare fraud conviction in February 1996, and was successfully reorganized and sold for $330 million in October 1996. The transaction was named "Turnaround of the Year" for 1996 by the National Turnaround Management Association.
In college, Peter was a National Merit Scholar, an Echols Scholar and a member of the Raven Society. While attending law school, Peter taught two sections of undergraduate accounting at UVA.
Peter is volunteer general counsel and board member for two charities, the Georgia Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and Community Life Concepts. In 2005, he received the top volunteer award of the Georgia Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
Peter is listed in Marquis' Who's Who in the World and was named a "Georgia SuperLawyer" in 2006.
Glenn McGonnigleGeneral Partner, TechOperators
McGonnigle was most recently Chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based VistaScape Security Systems, a leading provider of enterprise intelligent video surveillance software. McGonnigle was recruited by the company’s board to raise capital and grow the business. He subsequently oversaw the successful sale of the company to Siemens Building Technologies. An authority on IT and physical security convergence and a frequent contributor and expert speaker for numerous industry publications and events, McGonnigle helped shape President Bush’s 2005 National Strategy for Maritime Security.
Previously, McGonnigle was a co-founder and top executive of Atlanta-based Internet Security Systems (ISS) where he helped raise initial venture capital and launch the business. For 7 years, he led the business development team in developing sales channels and entering the managed security services market. During his tenure, the company grew from startup to revenues of over $225 million and was recently acquired by IBM for $1.5 billion.
Prior to ISS, he was President and co-founder of Data Integrity Services Corporation, an early-stage provider of WAN-based data management services. Throughout his 24 year career, McGonnigle has remained focused on emerging technologies and has held a variety of sales and marketing executive positions during the high growth stages of EMC, Epoch Systems, Borland, and Wang Laboratories.
He is an active member of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and sits on the board of Venture Atlanta and advisory board of Georgia Tech’s Tennenbaum Institute and several privately held companies. In addition, he has served as Entrepreneur in Residence and CapVenture coach supporting Georgia’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). McGonnigle holds a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.
Mark Grace
President, Beyond Via
Mark Grace quickly builds profitable product lines and businesses. As founder and “rainmaker” for Thinkage, LLC, he revolutionized food supply chains by providing manufacturer’s for McDonalds, Wal-Mart, and other restaurants/retailers complete real-time visibility and control of their products’ state. With GE Energy, he led the creation and global launch of a software suite of products that optimize assets at large electric and gas utilities. At BOC Gases, his legacy of equipment product launches and support exceeded $1B in value. In a joint venture with DOW Chemical, he launched a long term service business changing the structure of the global industrial gas business. And with Exxon, USA, the team launched high octane gas and new motor oil and waxes.
He has an uncanny ability to build strategic, visionary relationships benefiting both the customer and the supplier. He has spent the last 20 years simplifying massive amounts of data into easy to use real time Decision Tools for users to effectively Visually Talk.
Always investing in the future, he is often quoted by publications as a thought leader, he has donated a research facility to Georgia Tech, and he participates on profit and nonprofit Boards. As inventor, he has 7 patents, many trademarks and international technology awards. He earned an MBA from Washington University and a chemistry degree from St. Louis University.
Alan W. UrechManaging Partner, Stoney River Capital Partners
Mr. Alan Urech is a Senior Executive with 30 years experience in successfully developing and commercializing companies. He has grown multiple businesses by using strong strategic, tactical and operational leadership skills, methodologies and best practice expertise to help them understand and implement appropriate strategies. These organizations include HBO & Company where he was part of a team that saw the organization’s expansion from initial start-up to about $180 million dollars in revenue within 12 years. During this period, he was instrumental in developing successful healthcare product lines which significantly grew the Company’s overall profitability. HBOC was sold in 1998 for US$13.8 billion to McKesson Corporation, starting their information technology division. Currently he is the Managing Partner and Principal at Stoney River Capital Partners LLC, an Angel-backed consultancy that has cultivated over 600 capital sources that place appropriate investment into high growth companies. SRCP provides senior level management guidance on investment funding strategies, corporate growth planning and plan implementation, business directions and exit strategies. This guidance transforms successfully growing entrepreneurial companies into growth businesses that attract investment capital. His practice focus is to “coach” strong young entrepreneurial seed, start-up and expanding companies so they successfully communicate the company’s business proposition to the investment community. He is also an Adjunct Professor in Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. He teaches entrepreneurship and family business in the Herman J. Russell, Sr. International Center for Entrepreneurship. Mr. Urech also writes a column entitled “Entrepreneurs’ Corner” for the Business Post, an Appen Newspaper.
He has authored numerous articles on Private Equity Investing including thoughts of an Angel Investor. Mr. Urech is based in Atlanta, GA.