Nashville Technology Council

Nashville Technology Blog Post (4/30/10)

Lately, it appears venture capital investments are seeing an upgrade of their own — a 13% increase in investments was made in Q1 2010 alone according to a story out today in Mashable quoting Dow Jones Venture Source. In all markets except Europe, VC seems to be slowly crawling up from the all-time lows of the recession.

An earlier report that confirmed VCs were getting more funds than they had received since the beginning of the 2008 market crash. We wondered if this recovery would trickle down to investments in tech startups. Today’s report from Dow Jones gives us more cause for optimism — while Q1 2010 amounts and deals aren’t as rosy as the figures seen in Q4 2009, year-over-year numbers show a definite if modest rise.

Not only are VCs’ funds being replenished, they’re also making more deals than they were in previous quarters. Globally, 919 venture capital deals were inked in Q1 2010. These investments totaled $7 billion. The U.S. market accounted for the majority of both deals made (65% of the worldwide total) and dollars invested (67%).

Locally, we have seen two recent investments by TNInvestcos including: New Day Pharmacy and onFocus Healthcare.  It does look brighter, but is it enough to rejuvenate a whole sector?  Only time will tell.

The data show that in the U.S., tech deals account for more of the total than other types of investments, and that the trend toward smaller, more cautious dollar amounts for financing rounds continues.

Click here for more information and charts.

Jason Grant has more than 20 years of leading both business and technology efforts and finding ways to transform business with the appropriate use of technology.  Most recently, Jason led the major business transformation effort at Healthways to improve how the company plans and operates its integrated suite of solutions.  Prior to this project, he helped develop and manage the Government business unit at Healthways which served the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the Medicare Health Support program.

Jason spent more than 10 years in the management, business, and technology consulting business with The North Highland Company and Covansys.  His roles included starting and building practices in Healthcare and Technology as well as delivering projects to clients.  During this time he also founded the Nashville HIPAA Forum and the Nashville Business Intelligence Forum.  He also spent 7 years at EDS where he was the CIO for the Management Consulting Services division and led a major business transformation project which resulted in massive growth and profitability for a business unit at EDS utilizing the latest technologies and process improvement techniques.

Jason has a BS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.  He is Treasurer of Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee and a founding member of the Catholic Business League.

JOHN KEPLEY is CEO and Principal of Teknetex, Inc., a national technology talent acquisition firm headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. As a successful serial entrepreneur and award-winning sales professional, Kepley is a recognized leader in human resources for information systems consulting, assisting hundreds of companies and individuals, and matching talented professionals with technology projects.

Kepley is a Middle Tennessee native, growing up in Portland, Tennessee on a large farm learning what work really is from his father and grandfather.  Kepley’s education background included the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Volunteer State College and Tennessee State University.

During his 15 year career thus far he has spent the majority of his time in the staffing space.

Earlier in his career, Kepley was first employee on board and Director of Business Development for Sysgenix Resources, multi-year winner of the Nashville Chamber Music City Future 50 Award; and he also won the Allegis Group Sales Award for his work at Maxim Group. His satisfied clients have included some of the largest and most well know companies in the country but his passion is predominately assisting entrepreneurs get their business’s off the ground.  Kepley was also owner and franchisee of Small Cellars™ of Nashville, the first in the country outside of the corporate headquarters in Alabama.

Kepley is a proactive member of the local business community, a Tech Titan Member of the Nashville Technology Council and an active member of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.  He is the Co-Chair of the Work Force and Education Committee and leads the T3Tech initiative that assists students, both college and high school, understand how technology can be a career choice in Middle Tennessee.  Kepley is also an executive board member of Tennessee HIMSS and is a co-chair for their membership initiative.  Kepley is an EO (Entrepreneur Organization) member which is a national organization made up of young CEO’s and Principals of aggressively growing companies.

John Kepley resides in Nashville with his wife of 3 years, Brooke, and their daughter, Sloane.

Steven Howard Smith

President & Chief Executive Officer

Steven Howard Smith has nearly a quarter century of leadership experience in the IT consulting industry with responsibility for multi-million dollar projects in the commercial and government sectors.

As Zycron’s President and CEO, he is responsible for the company’s day-to-day management operations, profitability, setting corporate goals, and implementation of the company’s strategic growth plan. Reporting to him are the Sales, Recruiting, Project Management Office, Human Resources and Finance organizations. He has full oversight for revenue generation, P&L and budgeting, Business Development, Account Acquisition, Client and Vendor relations, contract negotiation, market segmentation, and proposals/presentations to senior client executives.

Steven, a native of Memphis, Tenn., brings extensive experience providing IT services to mid-level and Fortune 500 companies. Prior to his tenure with Zycron, he worked with a publicly traded firm for 18 years, performing numerous executive roles including that of Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President responsible for all revenue generation. He grew revenue from $2 to $125 million. He also formed a State Government Services Division directing efforts with more than 20 state governments.

Steven has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences and has been recognized by the State of Louisiana and the University of Memphis for his speaking ability.

Steven’s experience in leading companies to higher productivity and profits made him ideal for Zycron in its commitment to expansion into other national markets.

At the Tech Council, we think just one holiday party is not enough.  Celebrate with us again, at this Annual Networking Event.

July 22, 2010
5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Red Rooster
1530 Demonbreun Street | Nashville, TN

Click Here to Register

The Naked Hospital is a super roundtable, half day event being held August 26th, 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Jamison Hall in The Factory at Franklin.

Transparency has become even more important in the past year as we begin the healthcare reform discussion. The Naked Hospital is the fist event in Nashville to bring quality, marketing, transparency, and technology in health care together. We will focus on how and why health systems and hospitals should focus on quality reporting as well as financial reporting. At the end of the day,this level of reporting puts additional strains on the information systems and resources deployed by most health systems and hospitals. How will they cope? What is the next step? The Naked Hospital will take the user experience from high level strategy through national and state legislative issues through practical, hands on tools to walk away with.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS ARE:
– Congressman Jim Cooper
– Miriam Paramore (SVP, Emdeon)
– Dr. Stephanie Bailey, MD, MSHSA (Former Chief of Public Health Practice, CDC)
– Michael Boroch (CEO, Smart Room)
– Bill Brown (CEO, Entrada)
– Janet King (Nashville Health Exchange)
- Sean Cassidy (SVP, IBM Global Health Services)
-David Jarrard (Jarrard, Phillips, Cate, & Hancock)

Admission is $50 for NTC members, $75 for non-NTC members, and $200 for a member table of 8. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

Click Here to Register

Naked Hospital is Underwritten by:

Breakfast Sponsor

Lunch Sponsor

Track Sponsors

Nashville Tech Story (4/27/10)

Technology Nashville is a celebration of the thriving technology industry in Tennessee, and its purpose is to highlight the region’s technology companies, to showcase tech innovation, talent, entrepreneurship and employment. This full day conference features two industry renowned keynote speakers, a CEO Panel presentation, and breakout sessions highlighting technology from both an enterprise perspective and an entrepreneur perspective in 4 key regional industries: health care, transactions, music/publishing and retail.

Speakers include:

Zach Wamp, Gubernatorial Candidate
Cory Gierman, Founder of MuzikMafia
Jay Frank, Senior VP of Music Strategy, CMT
Tim DuBois, VP & Managing Executive, ASCAP
Mark Bengel, CIO, State of TN
Don Enfinger, Managing Director, BNYMellon
Ron Samuels, CEO, Avenue Bank
Scott Blanchette, CIO, Healthways
Christopher Parks, CEO, change:healthcare

Join us after the conference for an afternoon of connecting and enjoying Nashville’s Summer weather.

The Bus, sponsored by Career Builder, will serve as a shuttle around historic Nashville. The shuttle will be running from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is free to ride on. A happy hour reception will take place at the Cha Chas, located across the street from the Curb Center. Continue your afternoon at the Technology Nashville Golf Outing. The group will have a shotgun start of 2:00 p.m., and will compete for prizes such as closest to the pin and longest drive.

Purchase a Technology Nashville Conference and Golf Outing package, and enjoy the a full day of festivities for only $135. Other options include: Team of 4 Conference & Golf Outing Package, Table of 10 Individuals & Golf Outing Package, or if you can’t make the morning conference and only want to golf, then you can purchase an Individual Golfer Spot.

Click Here to Register

Nashville Tech Story (4/22/10)

Join us for Margaritas as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, 2010.  This year’s Margarita Mixer will take place at the ICON in Nashville’s Gulch District.  For only $5, you will receive margaritas, wine and mexican beer.  Last year, this event hosted more than 150 technology enthusiasts and this year we have a space to fit more.  Check out our President & CEO, Tod Fetherling’s top 10 list to drink margaritas:

1. The French Lost
2. Drink Margaritas
3. Network with fellow Techies
4. Meet new people
5. Find a date for later that evening
6. Join the Nashville Technology Council
7. Become a Mixologist
8. Everyone needs 20 g of sodium a day 
9. White Queso Dip comes as a side dish
10. See the ICON pool deck

Mix and mingle with Nashville’s business leaders and members of the local technology community.

May 5, 2010
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
ICON in the Gulch | 600 12th Ave. South, Nashville, TN

Click Here to Register

Known as a dynamic and visionary leader in East Tennessee for many years, Zach Wamp is now offering his energy, tenacity and executive leadership to all Tennesseans. From education, economic development and preventive healthcare to commanding the Tennessee National Guard, Zach is ready to lead Tennessee to an even brighter future. Zach serves our nation’s veterans and active military as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, which funds our military installations at home and abroad and resources the important benefits for our nation’s 23 million veterans.

For 10 years, Zach has served on the Energy and Water subcommittee, which oversees and funds our national missions at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex and the replacement of the Chickamauga Lock on the Tennessee River. Over his 14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Zach Wamp has set the highest of standards for effective representation and strong leadership.

Sometimes called the “Region’s Mayor,” Zach established the Tennessee Valley Technology Corridor in 1995. Over the last 14 years, nearly 20 regional technology “summits” have been held advancing a manufacturing and technology based economic development agenda. This award winning regional economic development effort won the National Department of Commerce Award for regional economic development along with the renowned Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.

Zach is proposing this same aggressive approach in promoting regional cooperation across Tennessee by creating a new “Defense Corridor” running along I-24 and I-65 from the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal in North Alabama to the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Center near Tullahoma to Fort Campbell on the Kentucky line.

Zach envisions an opportunity to connect and leverage Tennessee’s regional assets to help create a powerful new economic engine – a Defense Corridor – that will help make our economy even more resilient and create thousands of new jobs in Tennessee during tough economic times.

A Chattanooga native, Zach spent twelve years as a small businessman and commercial real estate broker before being elected to Congress. He and his wife, Kim, have a son, Weston, and a daughter, Coty, in college at the University of Tennessee. Zach’s family actively attends Red Bank Baptist Church, where he has helped lead an adult Sunday school class for nearly two decades.

How do you sustain an efficient and affordable environment, while creating a positive impact on both you business and the environment? Join us, as we discuss green technologies and the essential issues and trends that enable companies to operate more efficiently.

June 3, 2010
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Junior Achievement
120 Powell Place
Nashville, TN  37204

Register Here

sponsored by:

Panelists include:

Mike Sole, Director of Business Development, Trinisys

Mike Sole is currently the Director of Business Development at Trinisys, which is a local company that focuses on forms and integration software solutions.  Mike has over 15 years experience in Information Technology ranging from project management to datacenter operations.  Mike previously was Vice President of Technology for PICA Group, a professional liability company and was also the project lead for deploying imaging and workflow solutions at PICA.

Vic Hatridge, CIO, Nashville Electric Service (NES).

Vic Hatridge oversees both Information Services and telecommunications for the TVA power reseller, which is an independent operating agency of Metro/Nashville Government.  As CIO, Hatridge is enabling NES steadily to upgrade infrastructure, while maintaining a lean IT departmental staff. In summer ‘02, NES blessed Transforming to Excellence (T2E), the utility’s business process and work-management transformation strategy.  Hatridge serves on the Mincom North American Advisory Council. All in all, at 58, Hatridge has plenty of targets for his three decades’ experience, as well as for his MBA and his Industrial Engineering and Management degree, both earned at Oklahoma State.