FCC Capitalization Strategies Workshop
Office of Communications Business Opportunities
Federal Communications Commission
Friday, November 12, 2010
9:00am until 5:00pm
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db1012/DOC-302016A...
See updated info here:
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db1101/DOC-302517A...
The workshop will focus on capital acquisition both for developing entrepreneurs and for women and minority-owned businesses.
The workshop is free and open to the public.
Panel discussions in the morning and breakout sessions in the afternoon.
BREAKOUT SESSION PARTICIPANTS
Interested parties who wish to participate in the breakout sessions must sign up in advance and identify their top two choices of panelists with whom they desire to meet during the breakout sessions. In order to participate in the breakout sessions, you must e-mail your selection of panelists together with your business plan, or pertinent business information, to Karen Beverly, Consumer and Industry Affairs Specialist, OCBO, no later than Monday, November 1, 2010. Karen may be reached at Karen.Beverly@fcc.gov or by phone at (202) 418-0990. There will be a limited number of breakout sessions. However, we will make every attempt to accommodate your preferences to the maximum extent possible. The workshop will provide you with an opportunity to exchange contact information with the panelists so that you may arrange future meetings.
BREAKOUT SESSION PANELISTS
Allison Alexander (SCI Ventures). SCI funds and assists talented minority and women
entrepreneurs in emerging domestic markets. SCI invests in markets that have been historically
under served by private equity funding sources. Though SCI works most within the continental
United States, they will consider unique investment opportunities anywhere in the world. Their
offices are located in the Mid-Atlantic Region. For more information about SCI see www.sciventures.
com
Mark Levine (Core Capital). Core Capital primarily focuses on the types of core technologies
enabling or enhancing data and communication, with successful investments in a wide range of
information technologies. Core Capital looks to invest in large, rapidly growing markets. Core
Capital's initial investments are typically in the $3-$7 million range, with an expectation of $10-
$15 million in total capital over the life of the investment. Core Capital often serves as the lead
investor, working with other leading funds to build, or participate in, investment syndicates for
nearly every investment. See www.core-capital.com/
Jerry Johnson (RLJ Equity). RLJ Equity seeks to identify and invest in high quality
companies led by motivated and skilled executives. RLJ Equity then aligns both short and longterm
interests by providing management teams with meaningful ownership stakes in the
businesses they lead. While RLJ Equity will actively pursue opportunities across a broad range
of industries, they seek certain characteristics within each investment, including, but not limited
to, companies valued between $50 million and $200 million, and equity investments of $20
million to $45 million. See www.rljequitypartners.com
Anita Stephens Graham (Opportunity Capital). Opportunity Capital's primary investment
focus is providing capital to later stage companies seeking acquisition and expansion financing.
Opportunity Capital focuses primarily on businesses in the areas of communications, including
media broadcasting and wireless, applied technology and traditional manufacturing segments.
Opportunity Capital invests in companies with exclusive licenses or franchises, proprietary
products or processes or other unique features and characteristics that provide a clear and
sustainable competitive advantage. Opportunity Capital invests only in companies with
experienced, compatible management teams that adequately cover each of the businesses' key
functional areas. Their preferred investment range is $2,000,000 to $10,000,000. See
www.opportunitycapitalpartners.com/
Richard Blewett (SBA). The U.S. Small Business Administration was created as an
independent agency of the federal government and formed to aid, counsel, assist and protect the
interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and
strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA recognizes that small business is critical
to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United
States compete in today's global marketplace. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow
businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and
private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto
Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam. For a description of SBA's loan programs, see
www.sba.gov
Maureen Lewis (NTIA). The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is
an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the executive branch agency
principally responsible for advising the President on telecommunications and information
policies. In this role, NTIA frequently works with other Executive Branch agencies to develop
and present the Administration's position on these issues. In addition to representing the
Executive Branch in both domestic and international telecommunications and information policy
activities, NTIA also manages the Federal use of spectrum; performs cutting-edge
telecommunications research and engineering, including resolving technical telecommunications
issues for the Federal government and private sector; and administers infrastructure and public
telecommunications facilities grants. For more information about NTIA, please visit
www.ntia.doc.gov/
Gary Bojes (USDA RUS). USDA'S Rural Utilities Service provides programs to finance rural
America's telecommunications infrastructure. The Broadband Loan program provides loans to
fund the costs of constructing, improving and acquiring facilities to provide broadband service to
eligible rural communities. The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program brings electronic
educational resources to rural schools and improves health care delivery in rural America. The
Community Connect Grant program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will
provide broadband in unserved areas to provide public safety services and foster economic
growth. For more information about RUS, please visit www.usda.gov/rus/telecom
Jim Pastoriza (TDF). The Telecommunications Development Fund (TDF) is a Washington DC
based venture capital fund focused on the communications sector. TDF partners with talented
entrepreneurs and seeks to build competitive and innovative technology and services companies.
TDF's focus is driven by investment themes that share several qualities: large and important
problems in communications, an ability to add value through management's investing and
operational experience, and the Fund's location and relationships in Washington DC. TDF's
commitment to competitive and emerging communications technologies and entrepreneurs is
extended through the TDF Foundation. Designed to create a long term and measureable impact,
TDF Foundation is a platform to extend communications related opportunities across
underserved rural and urban communities. For more information about TDF, please visit
http://www.tdfund.com
Robert L. Greene (SYNCOM). Syndicated Communications, Inc was founded in 1977 with a
mission to diversify the ownership of media in the United States. Today, Syncom Venture
Partners is a market leader at investing venture capital in specialized segments of the media and
communications industry. Syncom manages capital in excess of 400 million dollars. For more
information about Syncom, please visit: http://www.syncomfunds.com
Carlos Guzman (MBDA). The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is part of the
U.S. Department of Commerce. MBDA is the only federal agency created specifically to foster
the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America. MBDA is an
entrepreneurially focused organization committed to wealth creation in minority communities.
The Agency's mission is to actively promote the growth and competitiveness of large, medium
and small minority business enterprises. MBDA actively coordinates and leverages public and
private-sector resources that facilitate strategic alliances in support of its mission. The vision is
to function as an entrepreneurial organization serving entrepreneurs. For more information about
MBDA, please visit: http://www.mbda.gov
David Grain (Grain Communications Group, Inc: GCGI). GCGI's primary business focus is
the acquisition, building, ownership and management/operation of tower sites specifically
developed for federal, state, and local government wireless systems. GCGI competes for large
government contracts to build and operate communications towers. As a part of GCGI's
commitment to being the wireless infrastructure choice for governmental and private entities,
GCGI strives to partner with, hire, and do business with other small and diversified businesses.
The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Sarasota, Florida. For more information
about GCGI, please visit www.gcgi.com