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Curated Collection Of The Best Interviews From Our Sandy Springs Studio





Michael Beinenson with Workforce Matters

ABRMichael Beinenson/Workforce Matters

Michael Beinenson CPP, over 17 years in payroll and tax incentives field. Started my own company six months ago to change the world of payroll. There are over 30 companies working in the Atlanta Market and all of them run the same model when it comes to you Employee/Employer relationship. Workforce Matters was created with the Employee in mind, because at the end of the day your “workforce matters” to you and us!

Brian Dally and Nick Bhargava with Groundfloor, Jennifer Falk and Annika Garbers with Girls Get IT, and Denise Reese with WIT

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Brian Dally and Nick Bhargava/Groundfloor LinkedinTwitterFacebook

Brian Dally is a co-founder of GROUNDFLOOR and serves as CEO. He is responsible for marketing as well as setting long term direction and goals for the company. Brian has 15 years of disruptive technology startup experience in Silicon Valley, Boston, London and the North Carolina Triangle region. Previously, he led the launch of Republic Wireless to take on the big four cellphone carriers to international acclaim. As a result, millions more Americans can now afford a smartphone. Brian has a JD from Harvard Law School, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia.

Nick Bhargava is a co-founder of GROUNDFLOOR. He leads for product development and is responsible for regulatory strategy. An expert in securities law, Nick was heavily involved in the JOBS Act as an early pioneer who advanced the concept of crowdfunding. Nick and Brian met through Groundwork Labs at Durham startup hub the American Underground. His years in finance have included work for the Financial Services Roundtable, SEC, FINRA, TD Waterhouse and RBC Financial Group. Nick received his LLM at Duke University School of Law and holds a BS in Biological Sciences and Business from the University of Alberta.

Jennifer Falk/Scintel

Jennifer Falk is with Scintel and sponsored Girls Get IT – WIT.

Annika Garbers/Girls Get IT

Annika Garbers was selected as this year’s WIT Girl of the Year.

Annika is a high school student who plans to attend a technical college for degrees in systems engineering and project management.

She co-captains and serves as lead programmer on a Girl Scout-sponsored FIRST Robotics team which has represented Georgia at the FIRST World Championship and has been in the top three teams in the state for the past three years.

Annika also serves as Editor-in-Chief for two online magazine websites, and has presented instructional sessions at DrupalCamp Atlanta since 2010.

Denise Reese/WIT Twitter

Denise Reese is Director, Business Development with Macquarium Intelligent Communications, a premier Strategy and Experience Design Firm in Atlanta, GA. In her role, Denise manages relationships with some of Macquarium’s top Enterprise Customers across multiple industry verticals. Denise is also responsible for New Business, Strategic Alliance and Channel Partner Development.

Denise is passionate about serving in the community and embodies the qualities of a true Servant Leader. She served as Board Chair of the University Community Academy Board of Directors from 2009-2012. She is serving her second term as Vice President for The Women in Technology (WIT) Foundation Board, the philanthropic arm of Women In Technology, Inc. Additionally; she serves as Executive Advisor to WIT’s “WIT on Campus “ Program and is also responsible for developing Strategic Relationships for The WIT Foundation. Denise also had the honor of being a contributing author to WIT’s leadership book CLIMB: Leading Women in Technology Share Their Journey’s to Success. Additionally, Denise serves on the Board of Directors for Cool Girls, Inc. where she has held positions as both Board Development and Resource Development Chair. She was also Event Chair for Cool Girls’ signature fundraiser, Hot Pink Party 2013. She also had the privilege of being a 2012 Girls, Inc. “Strong Smart and Bold” Award Nominee and was recently bestowed the honor of serving on the Judges Panel for Distinguished Young Women’s (formerly Junior Miss) 2013 National Finals. Denise was also a Founding Board Member and Director of Development for the Greater Atlanta Professional Chapter of Women MBA’s International, formerly known as NAWMBA – National Association of Women MBA’s.

 

Special Edition: TiE Atlanta

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Raj Rajan/TiEAtlanta 

Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan is currently the co-founder, Chairman & CEO of Virima Technologies, Inc., an IT Operations and Datacenter software developer serving the fortune 5000 companies. He brings more than 15 years experience in the technology industry and combines a deep understanding of current technologies with the ability to articulate the application of these technologies in various business contexts and models. A highly versatile and proven entrepreneur, he has co-founded several ventures including, Vigilar, Inc, a leading network security technology firm; eLaunchpad, LLC, an early stage venture capital firm/incubator focusing on Internet infrastructure and network security technologies; and Resourcis, an executive recruiting firm. During his tenure at Vigilar, he conceived the company’s business plan and methodology, raised venture capital funding, recruited a talented management team and grew annual revenues from $0 in 2000 to $32M in 2005 in probably the most difficult technology industry climate. Another previous success, VerticalOne, a financial aggregator; was sold to S1 in 1999 in a deal valued at $166 million.

Mr. Rajan serves on the Board of Directors of the above companies and as well on the advisory boards of several early stage technology firms around the country. A leader in the business community, he is also involved in several professional and community related organizations. Mr. Rajan was instrumental in establishing the Atlanta CEO Council, a non-profit networking group of more than 1000 CEOs, CxOs, and investors in the Southeast. Mr. Rajan served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CEO council from 1999 through 2011 and is currently one of its Board members. Mr. Rajan also co-founded and is the current President of the Atlanta Chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE), a national mentoring organization for entrepreneurs.

Karen Robinson/NanoLumens LinkedinTwitter

Karen Robinson is the EVP – Business Development with NanoLumens.  Karen leads the sales team and oversees all new business development and marketing at NanoLumens, a privately held corporation engaged in the research, product development, marketing and sales of unique flexible and fixed large-format LED displays that address a yawning technology gap in the $14 billion digital display industry. NanoLumens technology is not constrained by standard sizes and shapes, or by the weight, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products. Robinson has been instrumental in the planning, strategy and growth of NanoLumens.

Karen is a serial entrepreneur who has been CEO of four different high-growth, venture or angel-backed companies over the last 20 years. Most recently, Karen was president and CEO of Prime Point Media, one of the largest alternative out of home advertising companies in the United States which she successfully led to a lucrative exit when it was acquired by a publicly traded company in 2006.

In 2012, Karen received the Inspiritor Award presented by Turknett Leadership Group. She has been recognized by Atlanta-based Women in Technology when she won its Woman of the Year in Technology Awards in 2000, and is the incoming President of the Atlanta chapter of TIE, an organization that fosters entrepreneurship globally. Karen also serves as the Governors Chairman and board member for Opportunity International, the largest faith-based microfinancing organization serving over 20 countries.

Karen is also an investor and board member at numerous private and public companies in the United States and Canada. Her passions are her family and her involvement in micro-lending in both Sub-Saharan Africa and Central America.