Gregory S. Hopper   

9650 Strickland Road, Suite 103-256, Raleigh, NC  27615-1937

Phone (919) 846-3608       e-mail:  ghopper (at) netanium.com

Visionary, experienced, self-starting executive with broad experience in corporate strategy and marketing of technology-based solutions.  Utilize a unique set of technology and marketing skills combined with creative insights to design results-oriented business plans.  Focus on creation and implementation of innovative market-making strategies that will drive sustainable competitive advantage. Excellent teamwork, communication and presentation skills. 

Seeking to bring my creativity, experience, and passion for success your high-growth enterprise.

Management Skills

• Corporate Strategy
• Business Model Development
• Portfolio Management
• Product Management               
• Technology Transfer
• Cross-functional Management
• Financial Administration                                   

Marketing Skills 

• Strategy Development and Implementation
• Customer Requirements Definition
• Product Positioning and Differentiation
• Activity-based Segmentation
• Market Research and Analysis
• "Three Q's" Approach

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

NETANIUM STRATEGIC CONSULTING, LLC (Raleigh, NC)

Founder and Principal  (1999 - present )

Develop and implement strategies to interact with rapidly changing technologies and markets, serving a variety of clients in a range of industries.  Selected engagements include:

Master of Engineering Management Program, Pratt School of Engineering

FUENTEK, LLC  (Cary, NC)
Senior Consultant (2002 - 2008)

Assist university, corporate and government clients derive maximum benefit from intellectual property, focusing on market needs.  Assess potential of new technologies, manage patent portfolio, assist in making investment decisions. Develop and implement go-to-market plans for a variety of patented technologies. 

CHAPEL HILL LEASING, Inc.  (Chapel Hill, NC)
Member, Board of Directors (2006 - present)

Assisting fast growing firm expand and diversify its customer base.

VISITING INTERNATIONAL FACULTY PROGRAM   (Chapel Hill, NC)
Interim Chief Operating Officer (2004 - 2005)
Member of Board of Directors (2000 - present)
Management Consultant (1999 - present)

Elected to Board of Directors for term starting in June 2000 to assist in leading the premier education and cultural exchange company in a period of high growth, with a particular focus on the application of information technology within the overall business strategy.  

Named Interim Chief Operating Officer to guide the company's global sales, marketing, recruiting and fulfillment operations during search for permanent COO.

Private intellectual property software and services firm (Raleigh, NC)
Chief Operating Officer  (2005)

Responsible for driving growth of professional service and software start-up revolutionizing the patent analytics business.  Company served corporate, government and university clients. Designed and implemented innovative product delivery process, staffing model, and product menu.  Transformed marketing approach to focus on customers interested in capturing the hidden value in their portfolio.  Managed operations, fulfillment, marketing, business development, customer satisfaction, and human resources. Rebranded and relaunched company in September, 2005. 

Public Enterprise Software Company (Austin, TX)
Management Consultant to CTO and VP, Research and Development (2003 - 2004)

Assisted in the development of growth strategy outside existing business to provide maximum shareholder return.  Activities include strategic analysis, growth opportunity analysis, and merger and acquisition strategy recommendations.

Venture funded Internet Performance Software Company    (New York, NY)   
Management Consultant to  EVP of Global Sales and Marketing;
Interim VP of Product Marketing  (2000-2001)

Developed comprehensive strategic marketing plan for 2001, focusing resources and defining value proposition. Refined product menu. Developed unique channel strategy and partnership program, including all collateral.  Provided Product Marketing, Market Strategy, and Channel Management practices for leading Internet performance software company.

IBM Corporation (Austin, TX)
Management Consultant to VP of Global Marketing, Web Server Group (2000)

Provided market management tools for Independent Software Vendor program, including portfolio management and forward looking trend projection.  

Performed extensive scenario analysis around core technologies, resulting in wide ranging recommendations that well exceeded expectations and opened significant new market opportunities.

Responsible for all marketing activities in North and South America.  Responsible for over $85M in annual revenue.  Developed and implemented end-user focused marketing plan for legacy operations.  Implemented routes to market methodology, overhauled product positioning, created relevant messaging, and introduced efficient programs that maximized profitability of mature product set.  Grew share in consolidating market.  Excellent rapport with sales team.

WASHINGTON-ERVING MOTORSPORTS  (Lexington, NC)
Technology Advisor (1998-1999)

Provided local area network, remote access, and Internet connectivity to Washington-Erving Motorsports, a NASCAR Busch Grand National stock car team.  Provided first time implementation of in-pit, real-time race monitoring technology for improved strategic race decisions.  Key technology was provided by IBM as part of its small business initiative.

Co-founded Netpliance to deliver the first complete, easy to use Internet solution for consumers.  Wrote business plan and raised $10M to launch company in Austin, TX.  The company raised $144M in its March, 2000 IPO.  My complete understanding of customer needs and marketplace dynamics were essential ingredients of Netpliance’s initial first mover advantage.

Responsible for developing and marketing of industry-specific computing solutions based on PC technology.  Implemented new business models and routes to market.  Developed innovative, integrated offerings from across IBM and strategic partners.  Introduced the IBM PC Small Business Network Offering in January 1998.  Introduced high-visibility Young Explorer^TM product for daycare centers through a partnership with Little Tikes in April 1998.  Created a variety of solutions for very small businesses.  Sample technologies: Update Connector^TM, computer telephony integration, SmartCards, collaboration, speech recognition, video conferencing, pointing devices, handwriting recognition, e-books, and network computing. 

Responsible for leading the development and implementation of a long-term commercial strategy for the IBM PC Company, with international scope.  Drove vision of Information Appliances, including innovative industrial design.  Developed new business models, solution types and routes to market that complement and extend brand strategies. Managed laboratory for prototyping of new design concepts for customers, media and industry.  Developed strategic relationships with IBM Business Partners, and leaders in complementary areas.  Range of markets served included commercial, mobile, consumer, and new business opportunities. 

Responsible for identifying and developing strategic emerging technologies in personal computing and communications for consumer, mobile and commercial markets.  Pioneered innovative customer-oriented market research.  Generated new insights into consumer behavior about new technologies.

Manager responsible for a variety of technology and process development groups.  Managed product and technology qualification for advanced glass ceramic with thin film redistribution substrate technology, recognized with an IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award.  Drove development of a new, high performance, reliable, easy to manufacture cooling technology that is still used across IBM’s computer line.  Reduced design cycle time and saved $500,000 per year using an advanced workstation network.  Contributed to IBM East Fishkill ISO 9001 certification. Developed and implemented first-of-a-kind strategy to market business-to-business, high margin IBM technical services by exploiting core competencies outside traditional markets, quickly exceeding $1M in revenue. 

Lead engineer for development and production of first-of-a-kind IBM/AVX ceramic capacitor.  Developed high yield, low cost process and brought up a manufacturing facility to produce one million units per year.  Responsible for product reliability qualifications.  Initiated improved accelerated life testing, field-to-lab models, and advanced detection of latent defects for reduced product cycle time.  Coordinated activities across international locations.  Identified world’s first evidence of electromigration induced dopant depletion in polycrystalline silicon.  Responsible for modeling and verifying electronic performance of Petosky-44 ceramic packaging using ASTAP modeling.

• Article in October, 2004 issue of LinuxWorld Magazine: "The Perfect Storm of Disruption"
• Article on DesktopLinux.com (February 5, 2003): "Linux Beyond the Desktop"
• Article in June 8, 2001 Triangle edition of The Business Journal:  "Marketing Success - Paving the Way for New Product Rollout"
• Article on AllNetDevices.com (June 22, 2000): "Who Needs a PC?:  Why Internet Appliances Will Thrive -- Despite Faulty Business Models"
• Six external technical publications; three papers delivered at conferences
• Thirteen publications in the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin
• Six IBM Technical Reports and papers
• Seven United States Patents held
• Member, Licensing Executives Society
• Senior Member, IEEE
• Member, IEEE Engineering Management Council

AWARDS AND ACTIVITIES

• Member, Board of Directors, Greenwave Sciences, Inc.
• Member, Advisory Board, Anyware Radio, LLC
• Guest Lecturer, "Marketing Technology Innovations" class for "Commercializing Technology Innovations" course, Duke University Masters of Engineering Management Program (2005 - present)
  
• IBM Patent Achievement Awards
• IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award for introduction of glass ceramic packaging technology
• Member, Pi Gamma Mu

• BSEE, Lafayette College, Easton PA
• Completed coursework for MS in Materials Science at Columbia University 
  
• Masters of Entrepreneurship, Western Carolina University, May 2008