Tom Witkin
Eclectic entrepreneur / marketing guru with a passion for renewable energy and early stage ventures. Active flight instructor in gliders. Jazz drummer. Sports weekend warrior. Harvard undergrad and Stanford MBA.
| Headline: | Entrepreneur |
| Work status: | On Sabbatical |
| Website: | http://tomwitkin.wordpress.com/ |
| Industries: | Biotech, Cleantech, Computing, Internet, Nanotech |
| Skills: | Business, Copy Writing, Design, Editing, Entrepreneurship, French, Guerrilla marketing, Human-Computer Interaction, Languages, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Negotiation, Product design, Public Relations, Public speaking, Recruitment, Viral marketing, Writing |
| Next step: | Complete my transition from the enterprise software / Web 2.0 sector to the renewable energy world. |
| Location: | Sudbury, MA |
| Groups: | Ignite Clean Energy (ICE) |
| Visas: | any |
| Interested in: | Advising startups, Brainstorming, Consulting opportunities, Employment opportunities, Finding business partners, Finding cofounders, Finding team mates, Giving back, Growing my group, Helping friends, Helping members of my groups, Joining a startup, Meeting new people, Mentoring, Offering Expertise, Participating in a competition, Partnering with other groups, Professional opportunities, Providing services to startups, Raising money, Starting a company |
| Tags: | alternative energy, biofuel, clean tech, Cleantech, conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, smart grid, solar, wind |
| Schools: | Harvard University, Stanford Business School |
FULL BIO
Enterprise Marketer & Product Strategist for Emerging Technology
Innovative marketing manager with a 20+ year track record of moving new technologies and products into enterprise markets. Launched and managed web-based communities, wikis, blogs, social networking and other Web 2.0 devices to build customer demand and product acceptance. Rare combination of technical and business/sales experience. Successful project work identifying and quantifying markets for a spectrum of renewable energy technologies and conservation measures. Proven record in product marketing, strategic partnering, technology commercialization, solution development, business analysis and planning at Lotus Development, Texas Instruments, Atlanta Express Airlines, Booz, Allen & Hamilton, and McKinsey & Co.
Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA, Harvard College A.B.
Member of the New England Clean Energy Council and REBN.
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | The Sage Network, Carlisle, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Consultant |
| Time period: | November 2008 - Present |
| Description: | Community of entrepreneurs that accelerates the growth of start-up and existing companies. Simplified Sage’s positioning and redesigned web messaging. Provided expertise related to a proposed partnership with a European web collaboration company. |
| Employer: | The Discovery Museums, Acton, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Member, Board of Directors and Chairman, Technology Committee |
| Time period: | August 2005 - Present |
| Description: | Helping to drive incorporation of energy and environmental sustainability into the new master plan for this children’s science museum. Managing search for a new Executive Director. |
| Employer: | Greater Boston Soaring Club, Sterling, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Safety Officer |
| Time period: | February 2002 - Present |
| Description: | Safety Officer and volunteer flight instructor for this 140-member solar / wind powered flying club. |
| Employer: | Support Sudbury, Sudbury, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Sub-Committee |
| Time period: | December 2008 - November 2009 |
| Description: | Sub-Committee for Internet Communications to help this Political Action Committee get a budget override on the ballot and passed in support of the town’s school committees, and to counter inappropriate blogging. |
| Employer: | Speaklike, Inc., New York |
| Position: | Interim Chief Marketing Officer |
| Time period: | March 2008 - November 2008 |
| Description: | Early stage company provides a web-based platform that enables business quality language translation. Repositioned the venture and increased investor and customer traction. Used business social networking to triple the customer base and grow its global workforce. |
| Employer: | Sitescape, Inc., Maynard, Massachusetts |
| Position: | VP of Marketing |
| Time period: | April 2007 - January 2008 |
| Description: | Nine-year-old venture-backed provider of web-based, on-demand and real-time collaboration solutions was acquired by its principal OEM partner, Novell, Inc., in February, 2008.
Successfully launched ICEcore, a new-generation open source technology competitor to Microsoft Sharepoint, on a shoestring budget. Kicked off the company’s first Internet marketing initiatives based on social networks, and created the website. Responsible for building user and partner communities, web presence, product marketing, demand generation, and sales support. Designed investment presentations and a virtual data room to support the acquisition process. |
| Employer: | Sitescape, Inc., Maynard, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Director of Market Development |
| Time period: | March 2004 - April 2007 |
| Description: | Drove definition and delivery of horizontal and vertical solutions for business, government and non-profit customers. Acting Director of Sales Engineering. |
| Employer: | The Speedwork Company Inc., Sudbury, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Co-Founder & President |
| Time period: | February 1998 - March 2004 |
| Description: | Developed and marketed project collaboration applications for workgroups and enterprises. Launched a best-in-class product. Directed the product life cycle through three major releases. Managed requirements definition, pricing, business development, marketing communications, branding and partnering. Led multi-channel sales operations, integrating direct, ASP and reseller programs. |
| Employer: | Youth Sports, Sudbury, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Coach, Little League Baseball and youth soccer |
| Time period: | August 1997 - May 2008 |
| Employer: | Market Contact Software Inc., Sudbury, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Co-Founder & Managing Director |
| Time period: | February 1986 - January 1998 |
| Description: | Enabled client companies to reach and manage markets and customer relationships more effectively through technology. Designed and implemented processes, software and systems. Developed, marketed and sold add-on products for ACT! and ACT! for Lotus Notes software. |
| Employer: | Lotus Development, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Position: | Senior Product Marketing Manager |
| Time period: | June 1985 - February 1986 |
| Description: | Championed efforts to connect Lotus Symphony to mainframe data resources for large enterprise users. Managed joint development with other software vendors. |
| Employer: | Texas Instruments, Inc. |
| Position: | Strategic Marketing Manager |
| Time period: | December 1981 - November 1985 |
| Description: | Helped kick-off TI’s exploration of the photovoltaics market. Defined business requirements and market strategy for leadership semiconductor products. Led a cross-functional team to develop business cases to commercialize “wild hare” technologies. Founded a start-up telecom products group and joint venture. |
| Employer: | Atlanta Express Airlines, Inc. |
| Position: | Co-Founder & Director of Planning |
| Time period: | December 1980 - November 1982 |
| Description: | Successfully planned and implemented start-up phase of a regional airline based on energy-efficient turboprop aircraft. Negotiated financial and infrastructure agreements with major corporations, municipalities, state and Federal agencies. |
| Employer: | Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Inc. |
| Position: | Practice Manager |
| Time period: | December 1978 - November 1981 |
| Description: | Energy & Environment Division. Managed business operations of the Alternative Energy Technology practice. Sold and managed major consulting contracts for government and commercial clients. Worked with clients' senior management to model and develop market opportunities for emerging technology areas such as energy storage systems, large and small wind systems, solar thermal and electric conversion, industrial energy conservation, and alternative automotive power sources. |
| Employer: | McKinsey & Company, Inc. |
| Position: | Research Analyst, Technology-Based Business Group |
| Time period: | December 1974 - November 1977 |
| Description: | Researched ways for chemical and fossil fuel companies to align R&D with business goals and compete more effectively. |
EDUCATION
| University: | Stanford Business School |
| Time period: | 1979 |
| Degree: | Marketing, MBA |
| University: | Harvard University |
| Time period: | 1974 |
| Degree: | Special Studies - Technology and Public Policy, BA |
INFORMATION
| Sports: | Cycling, tennis, skiing, sailing, swimming, scuba |
| Hobbies: | Soaring, jazz and blues. Commercial pilot and flight instructor in gliders and airplanes. Drummer in jazz and Latin ensembles. |
| Clubs: | Greater Boston Soaring Club |
Tom is Following (3)
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Positive Energy
Helping states and utilities give people the information they need to reduce their home energy consumption.
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Tom's Contacts (2)
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Michael Hawes
Chemical engineer with Graduate diploma in Marketing. 25 years of successful track record in broad General Management roles, with focus on marketing and business development, across Asia, Pacific and US, now transitioning into clean tech.
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Helen Fairman
Cleantech strategic marketing and program development. Current projects include Co-Directing the New England Clean Energy Council Clean Energy Fellowship, the Governor's Clean Energy Challenge, and REBN (national). Also cleantech client B2B marketing