SMBnation Spring 2010 Speakers

	Harry Brelsford ("SMB & VoIP Dude") - Harry Brelsford is the CEO of SMB Nation (www.smbnation.com) from Bainbridge Island, WA. He is a long-time SMB channel partner who has served customers and mentored other partners (SMB Nation has over 35,000 tribal members who are SMB technology consultants). He oversees the popular SMB Nation worldwide events including Webinar, workshops and multi-day conferences. He holds an MBA (and numerous certifications such as MCSE, MCT, CNE, et al) and is the author of 17-books. He is also the publisher of SMB Partner Community magazine. His 20-years of SMB technology experience were supplemented by teaching 12+ years at night as an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University and other higher-learning institutions. Harry is a frequent speaker at industry events. Harry’s recent books include the Microsoft Response Point Primer and Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 Blueprint. My Sessions: TBA

	Amy Babinchak- Amy Babinchak is owner of Harbor Computer Services a local small business specialist in Michigan founded in 1999 as an MSP. She is also Managing Partner of Third Tier, a company that provides advanced support to IT professionals and consulting firms. In addition to supporting her staff and keeping both business growing, she finds time to teach ISA to 4th year B.S. students at a local college, organizes or presents 2 or more webcasts a month, keep two blogs rolling, participates in many technical newsgroups and squeezes in some technical writing when the opportunity presents itself. My Session: GS103 Backup here, backup there, backup everywhere

	Bill Heinz - Bill is one of the founders of TampaBay DSL, an Internet Service Provider, and PBX-Change, a Hosted PBX Provider. PBX-Change has been proving Hosted PBX services since 2005. Initially on the Sylantro platform, and more recently on the Broadsoft Broadworks platform, PBX-Change offers both retail services in the Greater Tampa area and wholesale services nationwide using a geographically redundant Broadsoft deployment with hardware in Tampa and Atlanta. One of Bill’s responsibilities is the wholesale market. Leveraging soft-switches in Tampa and Atlanta, PBX-Change has wholesale customers in 5 States in the Southeast. My Session: BS107 From (A) to (B): How one IT netoworking consulting firm transformed into a successful VoIPer!

	Dana Epp - Dana Epp, Scorpion Software Corp's founder and CEO, researches software security and sets the vision in the convergence of information security principles and practices with digital information asset protection for small business. As a computer security software architect, Mr. Epp has spent the last 15 years focusing on computer programming with a particular emphasis on security engineering to offer a safer computing environment for business. His latest research has been on risk-based authentication, focusing on strong two-factor authentication for small business. My Session: GS102 Delivering secure remote access solutions for the SMB with Windows Server 2008 R2 GS104 Windows 7 in the real world

	Daniel Williams - Founder of Xpedeus, Inc and PinnaCall Technologies, LLC. Daniel has a 22 year career of being a technology and process change evangelist. Starting at General Motors on the advanced IT staff in 1988, Daniel learned that true productivity gains from technology use comes through the refinement of business processes that use the technology. In 2001, Daniel founded Xpedeus Inc., a Microsoft Certified IT consulting firm. In late 2004 Xpedeus started developing and implementing a VoIP strategy to market to it's IT consulting clients. From 2005 until 2009, Business VoIP was a sideline to provide a bit of additional recurring revenue. In 2009 Daniel co-founded PinnaCall Technologies to specifically market and sell business VoIP solutions. Over the past 5 years Daniel has had experience with various business models for offering VoIP services to customers. These business models include: Partnering with existing VoIP providers such as Packet 8 or Speakeasy Sales and installation of local VoIP equipment such as Microsoft ResponsePoint Sales and connection of SIP Trunks through a trunking partner such as bandwidth.com Sales of hosted PBX solutions + PSTN connectivity through a hosting platform partner such as pbx-change.com My Session: BS107 From (A) to (B): How one IT netoworking consulting firm transformed into a successful VoIPer!

	David Schafran - David S. Schafran, President of Transformation Strategies (www.TransStrat.com), is a consultant working with MSPs, IT consulting and support companies to integrate or enhance managed services within their offerings, increase revenue, reduce service delivery costs and position their managed services to scale. Schafran has developed a strong reputation in the managed services industry as a consultant and speaker through his work with a variety of MSPs and vendors, in managed services sales, marketing, operations and technology. In 2008 and 2009 he was named to ‘The MSPmentor 250’, an annual listing of the top 250 executives and leaders shaping the managed services ecosystem. His approach to managed services has influenced best practices in many aspects of the industry. Prior to establishing Transformation Strategies in 2007, Mr. Schafran worked for twenty years within IT consulting and support firms as a network and systems engineer, an executive and an owner. Schafran began focusing on managed services at the beginning of their introduction to IT integrators in 1999 and since 1987 has worked with hundreds of clients, large and small, across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, encompassing many vertical markets. My Session: BS104 How to choose a partner (Master MSP / RMM)

	Doug Wilson, General Manager GFI MAX RemoteManagement - Doug graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University, one of Canada’s leading business schools. In 1986 he began his career with NCR Financial Systems in Toronto, working through senior sales and product marketing positions. At 28, he was promoted to the post of Global Product Marketing Manager for NCR’s $2bn worldwide ATM business in Dundee, Scotland. He later became NCR’s UK Director for Massively Parallel Systems for the insurance industry and in 2000 he was recruited as CEO of an affinity marketing company. He co-founded HoundDog Technology in 2003 and in 2005, completed the Marketing Innovative Technology Program at the Harvard Business School. In 2009 HoundDog Technology was acquired by GFI Software and rebranded GFI MAX RemoteManagement. My Session: GS106 The easy way to make money from Managed Services

	Eriq Neale - Eriq Oliver Neale is a small business technology specialist based in Denton, Texas. He was the lead author for two books on Small Business Server and a contributor to a number of other technical publications. Eriq has been helping to prepare IT Professionals for supporting Small Business Server 2008 through conference and user group presentations, as well as through the monthly SBS 2008 webinars hosted by Third Tier. Eriq maintains two blogs and has a weekly internet radio program on small business technology that has been running for three and a half years. Eriq has also been recognized as an MVP for Small Business Server since 2006. My Session: GS101 Alternative Solutions in the SMB Space

	Gary Pica - Gary Pica is a pioneer in the managed services field. His company, Dynamic Digital Services, was “early to market” in the MSP arena. It quickly became one of the fastest growing MSPs in the country, with over 7,000 endpoints under management. Gary’s company was acquired by mindSHIFT Technologies in 2005 and he has since launched TruMethods, a coaching and mentoring firm aimed at helping IT solution providers reach their full potential as MSP’s. TruMethods provides a proven, repeatable process to transform your business by demonstrating the right approach to leadership, solution packaging, sales process and results tracking via online tool and webinars. My Session: BS102 Breaking through Business Plateaus!

	George Sierchio - George Sierchio, also know as The Consultant’s Coach, is an electrical engineer by formal education and a serial entrepreneur by nature. Before founding Action Business Partners, Inc. in 2003, George had over 11 years of experience owning and operating several successful businesses including a 7 figure IT & Engineering company. George has personally started 5 businesses from scratch as well as negotiated the buying and selling of businesses for himself and clients. His coaching and advice revolves around the 4 P’s of a successful business (Positioning, Processes, Pricing, Profits) that maximizes money earned and value generated to the business owner. Besides his coaching/advisory work to technology business owners, George is an accomplished speaker, guest university lecturer, frequently contributes to a variety of publications, and has written a popular book among technology business owners entitled B.Y.O.B- Build Your Own Business, Don’t Be Your Own Boss. My Session: BS106 6 Systems Your Business Can't Live Without

	Joe Cistaro - Joe Cistaro is the Vice President of Sales and Operations at CATS Technology Solutions Group based in East Brunswick, NJ. Mr. Cistaro earned his bachelor’s degree at Marist College in Business Administration with a Minor in Information Systems. Joe’s strong business background and wide breadth of IT knowledge are keys to the success of driving all goals at CATS. Joe Cistaro and CATS Technology ensure that all your technology needs are met. CATS Technology is a Microsoft Gold Partner, with technicians in New Jersey, Dallas and Los Angeles to serve all of your IT needs. My Session: GS106 The easy way to make money from Managed Services

	Kevin Royalty - Since 1986, Kevin has been satisfying the needs of clients as an IT professional. As a highly successful author and consultant, with both a programming and network engineering background, he is a frequent public speaker at industry conferences and public computer shows. Kevin serves as President of the Cincinnati Network Professional Association, President of the Cincinnati Small Business Server Users Group, Member of Microsoft’s Small Business Specialist Advisory Board, Member-at-large of the IAMCP Cincinnati chapter, and sits on the board of the Information Technology Advisory Team for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and CincyTechUSA. Kevin has been recognized by Microsoft as a leading expert on their Small Business Server product line since 2006. The “Most Valuable Professional” (MVP) designation is a rare honor that is bestowed on a small number of people each year. It recognizes product expertise, community leadership, and willingness to help others. Kevin is a nationally known Small Business Server expert, author, and regular speaker at industry conferences. Kevin is a Computer Science graduate, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and is certified by Microsoft for support of their Small Business Server products. My Session: GS103 Backup here, backup there, backup everywhere GS107 Leveraging Windows Home Server in a small business

	Oliver Sommer \| MVP Microsoft Germany Senior Presales Consultant, MCITP \| MCTS \| MCSE \| MCP I \| MCP Oliver is the CEO of Trinity Computer an IT consulting company in Germany focused on SMB customers. For most of their smaller customers they are the full service provider for all IT related concerns. Oliver founded his company as Trinity Computer Systeme GbR more than 14 years ago in 1995. Oliver is know as a high rated speaker on national and international IT conferences speaking about SBS and EBS related topics as a technical speaker. Oliver has been rewarded the yearly Microsoft Most Valuable Professional \| Windows Server System Small Business Server Award since 01.01.2006 for the third time now. On January 2009 Microsoft rewarded Oliver as MVP but switched his Competency and made him one of the first two Windows Essential Business Server MVPs. My Session: GS108 Hyper-V 101 for Small Businesses

	Robert Cioffi - Robert graduated Iona College in 1990 with BS Computer Information Science. He started the first of 3 years of his professional career working at GE Capital Services, but yearned to answer a lifelong entrepreneurial calling. In 1993, he pursued his dream and co-founded Progressive Computing, Inc. As Director of Technology, Robert is focused upon keeping Progressive Computing and its’ clients ahead of the ever-changing technology curve. He devotes a lot of time toward business development, sales, marketing and account management. He also continues to support staff and customers whenever his technical experience is required. My Session: B103 Confessions of a Successful Partner: Organic Marketing Strategies

	Sergio Galindo - Robert graduated Iona College in 1990 with BS Computer Information Science. He started the first of 3 years of his professional career working at GE Capital Services, but yearned to answer a lifelong entrepreneurial calling. In 1993, he pursued his dream and co-founded Progressive Computing, Inc. As Director of Technology, Robert is focused upon keeping Progressive Computing and its’ clients ahead of the ever-changing technology curve. He devotes a lot of time toward business development, sales, marketing and account management. He also continues to support staff and customers whenever his technical experience is required. My Session: CSB1 The Hybrid Model On-premise Plus Cloud-based Solutions

	Stuart Selbst - Stuart Selbst is known in the channel as a partner advocate, advisor and business coach. His ongoing effort to help IT firms get organized to grow and become profitable has positioned him as an expert and trustworthy resource. Stuart owns Stuart Selbst Consulting, a vendor neutral consulting and business training company offering business development and executive level coaching to MSPs of all sizes. Our coaching program aligns sales, marketing and business processes along with goal setting to achieve success. In 2009, the partners that Stuart coached had an average of 68% growth in revenue and some clients achieved over 300% in revenue growth. Stuart continues to play an active role as a channel advocate working to make MSP’s successful and assets to their clients. He has spoken and presented at many industry events including CompTIA Breakaway and MSP Summit, MSP Revolution, SMB Nation Fall ’09 and in March 2010, Stuart and his company put on Spring Training for Business. In 2010, Stuart was named by MSP Alliance as the first endorsed MSP Advisor. Stuart can be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stuartselsbt, Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachstu and on his popular blog. To find out more about Stuart and his company Stuart Selbst Consulting, go to www.stuartselbst.com. Join Stuart in his session, “Selling IT Services, how NOT to suck at it!” Enjoy SMB Nation Spring My Session: BS101 Selling IT Services, how NOT to suck at it!

	Susan Bradley - Susan started her career in computing with IBM 8088 computers and Compaq "luggable" portables. To this day she is convinced that her right arm is longer than her left arm because she lugged those dang "luggables" for an entire summer at an audit job. Now she practically has an RJ45 connection growing out of her body. My Session: GS104 Windows 7 in the real world

	Todd Colbeck - Todd Colbeck, MBA, is an industry veteran and business coach. He specializes in helping business owners grow their practice by increasing client loyalty and getting clients to actively promote their business. He helps clients build their businesses organically through using multiple (at least 3) referral systems. My Session: BS105 - The 12 Best Referral Systems for Trusted Business Advisor's