Judges

Judges 2012

Round Two:

Mr. Ed Callahan, Creative Strategist & Co-Founder, Planit

Edward Callahan is the creative leader and cofounder of Planit. Mr. Callahan’s vision for cutting-edge creative has shaped successful print, broadcast, and online programs for Planit’s clients. With more than 15 years of industry experience, he has worked with clients including CitiFinancial, Crayola, Under Armour, National Geographic, and a variety of other local, regional, and national brands. His creative leadership at Planit has led to multiple awards, including American Corporate Identity awards, regional and national Addys, Communicator Awards of Excellence, Midas Awards, and Webbys. Recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of “40 Under 40” rising stars, Mr. Callahan sits on the board of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Mr. Callahan is a graduate of Towson University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in visual communications.

Mr. Jack Lewin, Vice President, M&T Bank Commercial Banking

Jack Lewis

Mr. Lewin is a senior relationship manager for commercial lending at M&T Bank in Baltimore, where he manages approximately $400MM in bank exposure to commercial companies. Previously, Mr. Lewin was a member of the management team of a $200MM international telecommunications company responsible for organic and acquisitive growth within the African continent. Mr. Lewin also held various finance and corporate development positions for a mobile satellite system, successfully securing over $400MM in vendor financing and over $80MM in equity raises. He serves as a director of The Technology and Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO), a quasi public private partnership named as the #1 funding source by Entrepreneur magazine. Mr. Lewin also serves as an Advisor to TowsonGlobal Business Incubator. Mr. Lewin was recognized by Smart CEO magazine as a top banker in 2011. He received his MBA from University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and received his BA cum laude with distinction from The Colorado College.

Ms. Lissell Paredes, B.A. in International Business, Towson University (July 2010)

Lissell Paredes is a graduate and continuing education student of Towson University, with a Bachelor of Science in International Business, received in July 2010. She currently serves as a Junior Research Assistant at Towson University’s Regional Economic Studies Institute assisting with marketing and research activities. During her studies she started as a marketing and research intern at TowsonGlobal Business Incubator, where she conducted market analysis for member companies like Transcending Cosmetics and Study Abroad Counselors. Earlier in her career she served as an Assistant Manager for D’Farah Salon & Spa in Lima, Peru, where she managed a staff of 25 people. She also attended Universidad del Pacifico in Peru, where she was an economics major, before transferring to the United States to pursue a business degree.

Mr. Sean Sands, MBA, Principal, SC&H

Sean is a Principal of SC&H Capital, specializing in transaction advisory services, including mergers & acquisitions and capital raising. He is also responsible for advisory engagements focused on strategic planning, optimization of capital structure, and maximizing shareholder value. Sean has more than 23 years of financial services experience, having represented a broad range of mid-sized private and publicly held businesses in the areas of capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, risk management, and other comprehensive financial solutions. During his career, he has closed transactions totaling over $5 billion. His diverse industry experience includes manufacturing, distribution, business services, consumer & retail, technology and IT services, and healthcare. Prior to joining SC&H Capital, Sean was most recently with a Fortune 100 Investment firm. There he was responsible for consulting with public and private companies regarding strategic and financial objectives, evaluating alternatives, and recommending and executing a broad range of financial solutions, including debt and equity financing transactions. Sean was recognized by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of the “40 Under 40” business leaders in the Baltimore Business community. Sean has been actively involved in a number of business and community organizations, including the Association for Corporate Growth Independent College Fund of Maryland, the American Flag Foundation, and he has served as leader for Loyola University in capital campaigns and in alumni relations. Sean earned his Masters of Business Administration in Finance and Bachelors in Business Economics both from Loyola University, having graduated with honors.

Mr. Vince Talbert, Vice President of Merchant Services, PayPal - eBay, Inc.

Vince Talbert

Mr. Talbert has 20 years of marketing, Internet and credit card experience. Currently, Vince is the VP of Merchant Marketing at PayPal, an eBay company. He joined eBay through the acquisition of Bill Me Later, Inc. in October 2008 where he was the VP of Marketing. At Bill Me Later, he was part of the founding team to develop, launch and grow the flagship Bill Me Later product. In just 8 years, Bill Me Later went from an idea to over $100 Million in revenue with 4 million consumers making purchases at over 1,000 retailers’ websites, call centers and stores. Bill Me Later was acquired by eBay for $1 billion. As a founding member and member of the executive team, Mr. Talbert was a key participant in the fund raising activities of the company which raised over $300 million in private equity. He earned his MBA from The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and his BS in Economics and Finance from Towson University.

Mr. Tim Watkins, President & Chief Executive Officer, Renegade

Tim Watkins

Tim Watkins is President and CEO of Renegade. He joined the company in 1991 and has since turned the once small production firm into a multi-faceted strategic advertising agency and production company. His background in finance and accounting combined with a strong work ethic have resulted in a thriving media company that serves national clients such as the Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Under Armour, Black & Decker and McCormick – among many others. As Renegade’s most senior client contact, Tim’s leadership and vision, in-depth understanding of cable and other key client industries, as well as a wealth of marketing communications experience, make him a valuable resource to client management as well as the Renegade team. In 1995 Tim founded Leo McWatkins Films, a production company that focuses on long-form programming and documentary filmmaking. Among his many roles, Tim is also a producer and director. He directed and produced the four-time, award-winning documentary In the Face of Evil: Regan’s War in Word and Deed. His other credits include: Distant Signals, and the award-winning short film PUSH. Recently, Tim was selected as one of the 2012 Baltimore SmartCEO magazine’s Future 50 Award winners and Renegade is the 2012 video partner of the magazine. Among his most recent works are The Blood and The Rose, a film on the liberation of Mexico featuring the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the continuation of Grace Before Meals, a movement co-founded by Tim and Fr. Leo Patalinghug whose goal is to get families back together using meal preparation and family dinners. Grace Before Meals and Renegade were highlighted in the June 2011 edition of “Legatus” magazine. Outside of the business realm, Tim is an avid participant in charitable organizations, recently participating in the creation and development of the Adult Autism Center at Towson University. He runs his company like he lives his life; having fun and working hard but always remembering where he came from. Tim serves as an example to his employees and has made Renegade one of the best places to work. When he’s not working, Tim is at home in Westminster with his wife Susan and their three children - Megan, Timothy and Brian.

Ms. Bonnie Wilhelm, Vice President & CFO, G.1440

Bonnie Wilhelm is Vice President and CFO of G.1440. She is responsible for financial operations, human resources, legal and administrative functions for all business entities in the organization. Bonnie joined G.1440 in 2000 as Director of Finance and Operations. She was appointed Vice President and CFO in 2004. Prior to joining G.1440, she served as Corporate Business Manager of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc where responsibilities included building a corporate accounting department to support corporate growth, working with external auditors and working on the due diligence team for acquisitions of television groups and IT companies. Her financial career began in public accounting at Arthur Andersen, LLP where her clients included several IT and fortune 500 companies. Bonnie holds both a bachelor's degree in Accounting and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Loyola College in Maryland. Bonnie is a CPA in Maryland and has served in GBTC’s CFO roundtable and Operations roundtable and has been a member of Financial Executives International. Bonnie has participated in mentorship programs for minority owned small businesses in the Baltimore area.