Founder

Al brings to Telaric Ideas a broad background in innovation, marketing, strategic planning, and business financing, product development, and international business - resulting from over 20 years in executive positions with both large and small companies and over five years of consulting with business owners and CEOs. Al has led marketing, sales, business development and product development teams and has extensive experience raising financing for small to mid-sized companies. During his career, he has been recognized for his ability to quickly understand complex issues and cut to the core of a problem.

His education includes a B.S. in Pharmacy and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Due to his passion for innovation, Al brings new ideas and perspectives to almost any business situation; especially in the areas of business strategy, new product development, product positioning and marketing campaigns - always with the goal of strengthening a company's sustainable competitive advantages.

He has an exceptional ability to lead group sessions in new idea generation, plan development, and financial forecast modeling and to provide team training in business growth topics. Al thrives on opportunities to solve complex business problems.

Al is naturally curious and can quickly get up-to-speed on a project through his probing questions and listening skills. He has a clear, strategic thought process and is always looking for new, innovative ways to do things better. Al's unique ability to communicate with both engineers and sales/marketing people make him a natural liaison role between these two groups.

Special Expertise

Marketing

• Direct response advertising
• Direct response marketing
• Internet based marketing
• Market research

Strategic Innovation

• Idea generation
• Product development strategy
• Customer research

Financial Guidance

• Business plans/placement memorandums
• Deal structure
• Pre-due diligence audits

Relevant Experience

• Directed marketing departments for three companies, with responsibility for marketing strategy, market research, product management, pricing, forecasting, sales tools, customer service, and all forms of promotion.
• Managed several global product introductions, from concept development to product launch; including the world's first automatic defibrillator
• Supervised a national sales team, with responsibility for sales strategy, recruiting, coaching, sales team training, sales compensation programs, technical service and distribution channel development
• Extensive international market experience - Canada, Europe, Japan
• Led team to redirect company's business strategy for $100 million company
• Coordinated development of annual business plans and 3-year strategic plans
• Raised angel, venture, debt and grant financing
• Developed over 10 private placement memorandums
• Sold through a wide range of distribution channels
• Negotiated several patent licensing agreements; led several strategic alliance/acquisition initiatives
• Extensive experience with FDA and ISO 9000 programs
• Broad intellectual property experience

Employment History

• Founder, Telaric Ideas, LLC and Vistelar, LLC
• Chairman, Vigilo - angel funded medication management start-up
• President, MicroPulse - venture funded pressure ulcer management start-up
• General Manager, Meridian Medical - $40 million cardiology electronics manufacturer
• President, Growth Associates - high-tech business consulting
• Marketing Director, Marquette Electronics - $350 million medical electronics manufacturer
• Strategy Director, Physio Control - $150 million medical electronics manufacturer
• Product Manager, Eli Lilly - $5 billion pharmaceutical company

Education

• Extensive follow-on education in innovation, marketing, strategic planning, and business financing
• MBA - Wharton School (Kaiser Foundation Fellow)
• B.S., Pharmacy - Washington State University (Phi Beta Kappa)

Community

• Vice President - Wisconsin Innovation Network - Milwaukee
• Member - Licensing Executive Society
• Metro - Milwaukee Association of Commerce