Advisory Board
Gilles M. Lisimaque
Mr. Lisimaque is one of the leading US experts on Smart Cards and application of Smart Cards, working on various US government projects as technical advisor and smart card standard expert. Prior to joining IDTP Mr. Lisimaque worked at Gemplus, a company he founded with four other co-founders, and was part of the Business Development Group, responsible for special projects in North America. In this position, he contributed to various groups including prospects and customers, providing technical and business guidance for the design and application of Gemplus smart cards, hardware and systems, and customized services. Prior to joining the Gemplus team, Mr. Lisimaque was technical marketing director in SGS-Thomson's research and development group. He was the architect of the company's family of smart card components and helped develop the first chip operating system for smart cards. Additionally, he was MIS manager of the SGS-Thomson MOS facility called Eurotechnique, a joint venture between Saint-Gobain and National Semiconductor. There he developed an integration system connecting HP mini-computers, IBM mainframes and DEC semi-conductor test equipment. Mr. Lisimaque holds multiple patents on smart card security and smart card OS design and has high level seats with numerous Smart Card and Security Forums and Associations. Mr. Lisimaque is an honor graduate of the French engineering school, "Arts & Métiers", where he specialized in automation and electronics.
Mel Baiada
Mel Baiada has emerged as one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs in the last 10 years. From the start-up of Bluestone in 1989, through its IPO in 1999, and the eventual sale to Hewlett Packard in 2001, Mel has demonstrated a superb ability to recognize business opportunities, attract capital and talented employees, and profitability exit an information technology company investment.
Mel founded BaseCamp Ventures in 2000 and is the author of its investment vision.
BaseCamps early successes can be attributed to Mels commitment to entrepreneurial business. He has played a significant role in the growth of the high-technology community in Delaware Valley over the last fifteen years. Operating successful product and service-based information technology companies has given him a broad and seasoned perspective of the information technology industry.
Mel has made a number of contributions to the Greater Delaware Valley area to promote technological growth in the community. As an alumnus of Drexel University, Mel has made a generous donation to Drexel University for the establishment of The Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology. Recently, the Greater Philadelphia Venture Group awarded Mel the prestigious Year 2000 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In addition, in 2001 Mel was recognized by the New Jersey Technology Council with its High Tech Hero Award, its most prestigious recognition of contribution to the growth of the technology community in New Jersey.
Mels road to success began when he founded Bluestone, Inc. in 1989 to provide information technology expertise to Fortune 1000 companies. Under his direction, Bluestone rapidly grew to a multi-million dollar company, earning Bluestone inclusion in the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held companies in the U.S. for three straight years, from 1994 to 1996. One year later, Bluestone split into two separate entities, Bluestone Software, Inc. and Bluestone Consulting, Inc. Bluestone Software accomplished a successful IPO in 1999 and has achieved industry recognition in the Web application server marketplace with its flagship product, Sapphire/Web. In 2001, Hewlett Packard acquired Bluestone Software at a valuation in excess of $450 million.
Bluestone Consulting, Inc. is now Sengen, a private company following Bluestone Software's pattern of rapid growth under Mel's guidance. Sengen is an internet consulting firm that specializes in streamlining business processes through the use of technology. Mel currently serves as its Chairman.
In addition, Mel serves as Vice-Chairman of the New Jersey Technology Council and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Drexel University. Mel lives with his wife and two children in Moorestown, New Jersey.
Steve Howard
Mr. Howard has over 23 years of experience with Information Technology. The most recent seven years brings general management experience in marketing, business development, and product and program management. Success in these areas was born on a wealth of technology experience from sixteen years in software, systems engineering and information security covering both commercial and government sectors. His breadth of experience spans public key cryptographic solutions, biometric technology, expertise in the smart card systems industry, and large scale IS/IT infrastructures. Key application areas are high assurance identity solutions, financial payment systems and computer aided design systems.
Mr. Howard was previously responsible for the global market development of the Account Based Digital Signature model and sales of aSureteesm Technologies on behalf of First Data Corporation. He was the key driver for strategic business relationships critical to launching and sustaining the aSuretee Groups business. Mr. Howard has been a speaker at Information Assurance Technical Framework Forum (IATFF), CardTech/SecurTech, The Smart Card Alliance, CTST ID, Public Key Solutions, CTST Defending Cyberspace, M-commerce Australia, I-Sec Australia and Smart Card Alliance events.
Mark P. Loschiavo
As President of First Serve Strategies, Senior Executive-in-Residence for the LeBow College of Business, and Executive Director of the Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology at Drexel University, Mark Loschiavo is a seasoned executive skilled in business formation, change management, and turn-around; with leadership experience in General Management, Strategy, Marketing and Finance. He is experienced in the start-up and growth of companies and organizations that quickly become profitable and cash positive. His Industry experiences include virtually every segment of the high-tech industry from manufacturing and development to marketing and service.
As Senior Executive-in-Residence for the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University, Mark is a professor in the Executive and Corporate MBA programs. His primary areas of focus are Strategic Management and Executive Leadership. He is also Executive Director for the Laurence A. Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship in Technology, a state-of-the-art business incubator. Under Marks leadership the Center incubates ideas, entrepreneurs and companies.
As President, First Serve Strategies, Mark works with companies in the areas of Strategic Management and leadership. Previously, Mark was President of Akcelerant Space, a General Partnership incubator between Akcelerant, LLC and Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN). At the same time he acted as General Manager and CTO for e-Tenants, LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of Brandywine Realty Trust, Marks responsibilities included Profit & Loss, business execution, strategy, product development and business development.
Earlier, Mark was founder and CEO of Cenero, LLC. Cenero is a leader in audiovisual system engineering and consulting, providing integrated IT/audiovisual solutions that enhance clients strategic competitiveness. The company achieved profitability and became cash positive within the first 12 months of operation. Mark still maintains ownership and a Board position in the company.
Previously, Mark was one of the twelve original members of Technology Service Solutions (TSS), a joint venture between IBM and Eastman Kodak. He was instrumental in building TSS into the largest independent Services provider for Desktop Computer, Workstation, and Point of Sale Systems in the US. TSS was a private label company with over 7000 people nationwide. As head of Strategy and Business Development, Mark was responsible for each of the companys Lines of Business. Later, TSS was acquired by and integrated into IBM Global Services, where Mark was instrumental in the transition process.
Mark has extensive experience in financial analysis, business reengineering, marketing and strategic planning through his many assignments with IBM over a 15-year career. As CFO, IBM Delaware Valley/Central, Pennsylvania, Mark had fiduciary responsibilities for a $1 billion retail profit center, and management responsibilities for a 340-person organization. His responsibilities included P&L, Marketing, Business Planning, Operations and Administration, Expense and Resource Management, Information Technology Support, Quality, Communications, Community and Government Affairs. During that time he led a yearlong effort to re-engineer the methodologies and processes for identifying market opportunities, defining and developing customer solutions, and determining appropriate marketing and distribution channels that became a model throughout IBM North America. Mark also held positions within IBM in Kentucky, Colorado and New York. Over the years he has developed an expertise in building and reengineering businesses.
Mark has been active in civic organizations such as the Pennsylvania Economy League where he has served as Treasurer, and Chair of Finance and Audit Committee. He was twice elected one of the Outstanding Young Men of America by the U. S. Jaycees and was nominated to be IBM White House Fellow. Mark has been an adjunct instructor for the Fox School of Business at Temple University, and has lectured at the Wharton Small Business Development Center. Mark has a B.S. and M.S. in Economics from the University of Kentucky, is a graduate of IBMs Advanced Management School, and resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania with his wife Jill and their two children.