Sure, these days everyone’s on the internet, but most companies still only do online advertising. Some think that because their site uses Flash, they’re applying 21st century technology. The fact is, the companies that are riding the internet to increased revenues and bigger profit margins have gone far beyond animated ads. No, it’s not a bunch of Silicon Valley tech shops – it’s companies in classic industries that are located right here in Rochester! We’re bringing you a panel that will share their insights and inspire you to Break the Mold in your industry!

Retail may seem like the obvious industry that's moved to the internet, but when you learn of the comprehensive set of business support functions that Mark Burmeister employs to run SavingLots.com's high-efficiency online operations, you'll understand what we mean by turning an industry on its ear!

We hear the music industry talking a lot about piracy and illegal internet file sharing, but what they're not talking about is the way the internet can remove traditional distribution channels from the release process. Bands are not just marketing themselves on the internet; they are releasing their own work directly to the public and bypassing the need to be picked up by a major label. Fred Dewey will talk about these industry trends and the specific steps that the rock band, Hadlock, is taking to "go big" with the help of the internet.

Some people think that the internet will put an end to traditional print media, but David Mammano will tell you that the strategic work he did for Next Step Magazine's web presence only increased the circulation and ad volume for his print publication. Thanks to the internet, his business has expanded revenues and increased profits.

The internet allows Lobel's of New York to leverage its highly regarded Madison Avenue reputation and serve high end clients not only in Manhattan, but all across the country. With the internet creating an enterprise without walls, production no longer needs to be done in the City's high rent district, but moves it to upstate to Rochester. Meet the conductor of these sophisticated operations, Steve Fraum.

Independent filmmaker Angelo Mancuso will be screening American Harvest at the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival on May 4th. He'll talk about the internet as a platform for film and video producers, including his company, White Hot Films.

What could - should - the internet be doing for your business? Join us on May 1st for the next event in our Knowledge Upgrade series and expand your thinking.

[Register below]

Date: Thursday, May 1, 2008
Time: 7:30am - 9:30am
Location: Inn on Broadway
26 Broadway, Rochester, NY
AV Support: Hamilton AV

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AGENDA

7:30-8:00	Grab a coffee and a pastry, meet panelists, fellow attendees and sponsors
8:00-9:00	Panel Discussion
9:00-9:30	Q&A And Door Prize Drawings! Win 1 of 5 copies of Microsoft Office from ExtraDev!!

PANEL

RETAIL	Mark Burmeister, President SavingLots.com
MUSIC INDUSTRY	Fred Dewey, Promoter & Business Manager of the rock band, Hadlock
FOOD & BEVERAGE	Steve Fraum, vice President and General Manager Lobel's of New York
PRINTING & PUBLISHING	David Mammano, CEO, Founder & Publisher Next Step Publishing
FILM/VIDEO PRODUCTION	Angelo Mancuso, Producer and Director of American Harvest by White Hot Films

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

ExtraDev

The team at ExtraDev can help take your business to the next level with technology solutions that deliver a clear competitive advantage! ExtraDev, Inc. is Upstate New York’s Microsoft Gold Partner specifically certified in Data Center Management and Information Delivery. They provide a combination of help desk services and technology solutions designed specifically for your business and delivered with enterprise process. Now your business can benefit from solutions once afforded only by the Fortune 500. Use the same tools as the “big guys” without making the investment that they do. Let them show you how progressive businesses are fighting back. The best part… you don’t have to spend a lot of up-front capital, rely on expensive resources, or worry about system maintenance.

ExtraDev provides predictable, affordable technology for companies that want to concentrate on their business, not the management of information delivery.

xDefenders

xDefenders is a local Internet Security firm that serves clients across the USA. They help organizations implement best "e-security" protections and best "e-security" practices. Your business is vulnerable to SQL Injections, Cross-Site Scripting, Denial of Service Attacks, Malware and Identity Theft. For best e-commerce security, you want to eliminate vulnerabilities and attacks to your web application software, web servers and database servers. Get expert help from the pros at xDefenders!

ABOUT OUR PANELISTS

Mark Burmeister

When Mark Burmeister founded SavingLots.com nine years ago, it represented a logical intersection of interests – skill in software development, a degree in business administration and a passion for electronics. As the business grew, Mark was the chief architect for an internet-based enterprise solution that supported 5X revenue growth over a five year period - with no increase in staff. The business has expanded beyond electronics and appliances to include marine supplies and outdoor equipment. At the moment, he’s enjoying the benefit of SavingLots being one of eight internet suppliers of coupon-eligible TV converter boxes named on the government’s $40 discount coupons!

Mark began his career at NationsBank in Charlotte, NC, returning to Rochester to work at J&J, Bausch & Lomb, Empire Solutions and Fresher Information. Mark worked nights and weekends to get SavingLots off the ground and continued to work two jobs during the early years of the business. Prior to moving to a full time commitment as the president of SavingLots, Mark was a software engineer at Xelus, an international software company, where he was part of a team that ported the flagship product to a web-based application.

Mark is the father of two active boys who let him come along to Cub Scout activities, Little League baseball games and paddling adventures on the canal. He is a long time supporter of Digital Rochester, both with donations and as a regular at DR events.

Mark has a BA in Business Administration from SUNY Fredonia.

Fred Dewey

Fred Dewey is a 20-year veteran engineer, entrepreneur and executive. He has started and run several software companies, as well as worked for several successful startup companies. As an engineering executive at Sun Microsystems, Fred performed a variety of assignments including responsibility for an entire release of Sun's world-class operating system, Solaris.

In the 1990’s, Fred served as VP of Worldwide Technical Sales at Portal Software where he started a sales force and expanded it to include 110 sales consultants in 25 countries, producing a 300% increase in revenue every year for 3 years in a row. In his position at Portal, he was instrumental in taking the company from $5 million to $250 million in annual revenue by 2001. Mr. Dewey retired from Portal in 2001.

Since 2001, he has been a Venture Coach at the Lennox Technology Center, Rochester’s technology startup incubator. He has served on the Board of Directors and/or worked with Dynamic Eye, Flowtonics, I-Dashes, LiquidPixels, Velox Logic, Webharmonics/ExtraDev and Scoutfire, all technology startups where he helped with strategy and revenue growth.

In 2004-2005, he led a group of investors to acquire bankrupt CPI Business Groups, a Rochester-based order fulfillment and packaging company, renamed it Complemar Partners, and then served as its President, turning the company around and then handing the reins to his successor.

Fred's most recent projects include being President of LifeStream Rochester, a company that delivers high impact seminars that allow people to transform their effectiveness at work and at home; and being the CEO/Business Manager of a rock band called HADLOCK that is working with a Grammy and Platinum award winning producer in Los Angeles.

Steve Fraum

Steve Fraum is vice president and general manager of Leon Kastner Wholesale Meats, where he oversees purchasing and production. He directs the fulfillment operations for Lobel’s of New York’s e-commerce business. Steve was formerly with Dean Witter Reynolds in Chicago, where he designed a hedging program for use with beef processors. He has a B.A. from Oberlin College and has pursued graduate studies at Northwestern University.

David Mammano

As CEO, president and founder of Next Step Publishing, Inc., a company that helps students with college, career and life planning, David is responsible for daily operations, including supervising and mentoring his staff, student volunteers, advertising sales, editorial; and long-term strategic planning.

David expanded the company’s core product, The Next Step Magazine, from 10,000 copies and Rochester, N.Y. distribution in 1995 to more than 1 million readers and Web users in more than 20,000 U.S. high schools and at www.nextSTEPmag.com. In 2006, The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) gave Next Step Magazine two Distinguished Achievement Awards, in Whole Publication Design (Young Adult) and Most Improved Publication (Young Adult).

David also produces a quarterly newsletter, Brand University, which helps educational professionals learn more about effective branding, advertising and marketing. In 2004, David published his first book, 101 Things You Can Do To Become an Outstanding Young Adult. He also recorded an audio CD for college-bound teens and their parents, “College Planning in 30 Minutes.”

A Rochester, N.Y. native, David graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1991 with a bachelor’s in communications/advertising. He is also a graduate of the human relations training at the Dale Carnegie Institute.

David’s board activities include chapter founder of YEO Rochester (Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization) and Nazareth College’s Entrepreneurial Partnership. Volunteer activities include Junior Achievement and offering resources to the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center and Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Angelo Mancuso

Angelo Mancuso is a Rochester native and the owner of White Hot Films. He began his career as an actor and apprentice at Theatre West in LA. Since then, he has worked on several feature films and has written, produced and directed shorts, commercials and PSAs over a 13-year career including work on the Miramax film After Image starring John Mellencamp.

As an accredited member of the Toronto International Film Festival press corp he provides a unique insight into the world of film and the commercial and business trends of the motion picture industry.

In 2007 he was asked to produce a video for the Boy Scouts of America Otetiana Council that was to be used as a part of their annual fund raising event, which netted $245,000 in pledges. Angelo continues to develop documentary and fictional narrative films and writes the music for many of his projects.

He makes his feature film directorial debut with American Harvest which is screening May 4th at 12:30pm in the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival.

REGISTRATION

Although the Digital Rochester Knowledge Upgrade series is free of charge, registration is required. Please fill out this form and click "Register" at the bottom of the page. You'll receive a confirmation email shortly after you register.