Chris Surdi
Business Marketing graduate from San Jose State University, currently working as Marketing Specialist at PowerBeam.
| Headline: | Entrepreneur |
| Skills: | Business, Marketing |
| Groups: | Entrepreneurial Society of SJSU, Silicon Valley Business Plan Competition 2010 , Silicon Valley Neat Ideas Fair- (SVNIF) SJSU 2009 , Women 2.0 |
| Interested in: | Brainstorming, Finding business partners, Finding cofounders, Finding team mates, Meeting new people, Professional opportunities, Promoting my startups, Recruiting for my startup |
| Schools: | Bryant College, California State University System - San Jose State University |
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | PowerBeam, Sunnyvale, CA |
| Position: | Marketing Specialist |
| Time period: | August 2007 - Present |
| Description: | Start-up company that developed a method for transmitting wireless electricity.
• Responsible for all Sales and Marketing for new product • Responsible for Market Research efforts to discover the “beachhead” product o Contacted and discussed new technology with over 300 companies worldwide to seek point of market entry for new technology o Created relationship with a Fortune 100 Company that will be the first customer for the new product. Helped create product definition (MRD) for first product o Led team which wrote a comprehensive Exploratory Research Report valued at $20K • Created PR campaign aimed at increasing the company’s profile o First article in SJ Mercury News (Dean Takahashi) led to $600K seed round and creation of my position o Managed PR campaign for CES 2009 which led to stories in The Economist, ABC News, the Observer, Forbes, etc. (www.powerbeaminc.com/press.php) • Conceived and developed website, marketing videos, PPT’s and all related marketing materials • Created and established a vast Rolodex of high-level decision makers in the Consumer and Commercial electronics industry both internationally and domestically • Engaged in numerous Public Speaking opportunities to present PowerBeam to various audiences |
| Employer: | Global Educational Program, San Jose, CA |
| Position: | Investor/Advisor |
| Time period: | July 2006 - Present |
| Description: | Start-up company which manages business development tours for foreign executive and student groups
• Co-founded the company upon graduating SJSU in May of 2006; bootstrapped funding • Established customer base of repeat clients which generates approx. $150K in revenue per year o All based on Word of Mouth • Created a vast Rolodex of Silicon Valley contacts ranging from large Fortune 500 companies to start-ups to government officials which are required to arrange business development tours o Visited such companies as Google, HP, Cisco, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, etc. • Established strategic, long-term partnerships both locally and globally to generate sales leads • Hired contractors to take over the business and manage the day-to-day operations in Sept. of 2008 |
| Employer: | The Grill on the Ally, San Jose, CA |
| Position: | Food Server |
| Time period: | August 2006 - January 2007 |
| Description: | Food Server at a high-end restaurant that required years of server experience
• Lead-server that interacted with the guest to deliver first-class meal service • Back-server that supported the lead-server to ensure best in class customer service • Passed exams on food quality and knowledge of high-end food and service |
| Employer: | Target Corporation, San Jose, CA |
| Position: | Summer Internship |
| Time period: | June 2005 - August 2005 |
| Description: | Ten week management internship at a Target store that focused on professional development with management responsibility.
• Developed intrapreneurship skills by researching and presenting original store improvement ideas • Exposed to each department within the retail store • Developed working knowledge and growth in a large corporation |
| Employer: | Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship (SVCE), San Jose, CA |
| Position: | Internship |
| Time period: | June 2004 - November 2004 |
| Description: | Assisted the Director with research and development for a strategic marketing plan for the upcoming academic year’s events.
• Events Coordinator and on-campus marketer for the Neat Ideas Fair (NIF) and SVCE Workshops • Developed a formal marketing plan to include all necessary elements for running a successful marketing campaign • Conducted descriptive research to discover the level of interest in entrepreneurship at SJSU • Implemented marketing plan during the summer and the fall semester • Liaison with the business community and Alumni as SVCE representative |
| Employer: | Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship (SVCE), San Jose, CA |
| Position: | Internship |
| Time period: | June 2004 - November 2004 |
| Description: | Assisted the Director with research and development for a strategic marketing plan for the upcoming academic year’s events.
• Events Coordinator and on-campus marketer for the Neat Ideas Fair (NIF) and SVCE Workshops • Developed a formal marketing plan to include all necessary elements for running a successful marketing campaign • Conducted descriptive research to discover the level of interest in entrepreneurship at SJSU • Implemented marketing plan during the summer and the fall semester • Liaison with the business community and Alumni as SVCE representative |
| Employer: | SJSU Entrepreneurial Society, San Jose, CA (e-society.org) |
| Position: | President |
| Time period: | March 2004 - November 2005 |
| Description: | A professional student organization that serves as the student support group for the Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship and a student resource that promotes entrepreneurship
• General Manager overseeing all operations of the club • Re-designed club infrastructure and increased membership from 8 to over 50 (increase of 525%) members within a single semester • Conceived and implemented marketing strategies that increased event attendance an average of 43% • Conceived and implemented several new programs such as the Mock Business Program, Self-Evaluation Program and Business Plan Program • Redesigned the management style to increase morale, participation and comradeship among club officers |
| Employer: | The Cheesecake Factory, San Jose, CA |
| Position: | Food Server/Designated Trainer |
| Time period: | October 2003 - May 2004 |
| Description: | Food Server at a fast-pace, nationally branded restaurant while attending school at SJSU
• Was part of the opening team that opened the South San Jose restaurant • Passed several intense exams to qualify my knowledge of the over 200 food items , over 50 cheesecakes and numerous drinks offered • Escalated to Designated Trainer within 6 months • Served on average 17 tables per shift • Typically worked the “weekend warrior” shifts |
| Employer: | Phastcash, LLC, Greenville, RI |
| Position: | Co-Founder and President |
| Time period: | July 2002 - October 2003 |
| Description: | Started an internet recruiting company that recruited college students for paid clinical studies within the academic and pharmaceutical research industry.
• General Manager with focus on human resources, marketing and sales management • Developed truly original Marketing Campaigns unique to our niche market • Developed Sales Packets (SIP) used to acquire customers such as Brown University, C.N.S. Research and The Allergy and Asthma Center of Providence • Created a LLC partnership with peers that complimented each partners strengths • Company fully funded by partners, turned profit on April 9th 2003 |
| Employer: | Lake Pearl Luciano’s, Wrentham, MA |
| Position: | Banquet Server |
| Time period: | February 2002 - August 2003 |
| Description: | Part-time server while full-time student at Bryant University at fine dining function hall
including corporate and private events of distinction • Learned and developed fine dining skills and etiquette for banquet serving • Trainer – trained new servers during their training program • Typically worked the weekend shifts |
EDUCATION
| University: | California State University System - San Jose State University |
| Time period: | 2004 - 2006 |
| Degree: | Business Marketing |
| University: | Bryant College |
| Time period: | 2001 - 2003 |
| Degree: | Business Marketing |
PUBLICATIONS
| Articles: | • “Developing the Talent Pipeline,” Fall 2004 Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO)
National Newsletter |
INFORMATION
| Memberships: | • Founder of the SJSU College of Business Silicon Valley Connections program.
• Global Technology Initiative, SJSU: May 31st – June 14th 2005, a study tour of Taiwan and China • Committee member, The Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurship at San Jose Sate University • Student liaison, The College of Business Alumni Association at SJSU • Active member, The Italian American Student Organization (club) at San Jose State University • Passive member, AIESEC Bay Area (international club) at San Jose State University • Active member, The Young Italians of San Jose (social club) • Active member, Leadership Honors Society |
| Awards: | • 2nd place in the 2006 Silicon Valley Business Plan Competition at SJSU; $5,000 prize
• SJSU College of Business 2006 Diridon Leadership Award; $1,000 prize • 1st place in the 2005 National Elevator Pitch Competition sponsored by C.E.O.; $2,500 prize • 3rd place in the 2005 Neat Ideas Fair at SJSU Executive Summary Competition • SJSU College of Business 2005 Leadership Impact Award; $1,000 prize • SJSU College of Business 2005 Outstanding Entrepreneurial Society Member; $500 prize • SJSU 2005 Donna Ellis Outstanding Student Award – Certificate of Recognition • 2nd place in the 2004 Neat Ideas Fair at SJSU Executive Summary Competition • 2nd place in the 2004 Neat Ideas Fair at SJSU Elevator Pitch Competition • 2003 Entrepreneurial Advocate Award; Bryant College, Global Entrepreneur Program • 3rd place in the 2003 New England Collegiate Entrepreneur Competition; $500 prize • 1st place in Bryant College 2002 Best Idea Challenge |
