CONTRIBUTORS

Manel Sweetmore - Tech Sweet Spot

Manel has always been an early adopter of technology. He has been online since modem speeds were 200 bps. Throughout his business career he has always combined his passion and understanding of technology with his business acumen. Personally he loves to explore new technologies to find ways to enhance his business and personal life. In this column, Manel will share technology solutions that will enhance the entrepreneur and mobile executive. The target audience for this column will be entrepreneurs and business executives that are comfortable with technology and want to leverage technology in their business and personal lives.

Manel is currently CFO of California Cryobank, a health services company focused on the reproductive and cord blood banking markets. He is responsible for all finance, Accounting, IT, MIS & Marketing functions. Manel has extensive strategy, finance, and business development experience with early stage companies. He was President of Mangos International, a branded footwear company, which he acquired in partnership with a fashion designer. He developed proprietary software, streamlined manufacturing processes, and grew revenues more than seven fold in the 24 months of leadership. He headed up business development at Yopa, a wireless infrastructure software company, where he created an extensive deal pipeline with Industry leaders before a successful acquisition by X-Drive. Manel was a member of the executive team that took eteamz.com from launch to the #1 participatory sports website and Forbes “Best of the Web” for its category, before it was successfully sold to Active.com. Prior to eteamz Manel was a Manager at Braxton Associates (Deloitte Consulting Strategy Group), where he focused on Technology and Telecommunications. He developed market entry plans for new businesses at Fortune 100 companies such as Motorola’s Satellite Group, SBC Wireless, BellSouth, and several small start-ups. Outside of technology, Manel has investment banking experience at Solomon Smith Barney’s Mergers & Acquisitions group, and strategic planning experience as the manager of several operations and planning groups at General Motors. Manel holds an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, a Masters in Technology Management from the University of Western Ontario, Canada and a BSME from Kettering University (GMI).

Daniel A. Shmalo, Esq. - Legal Corner
Business Lawyer & Entrepreneur

Daniel A. Shmalo is the founder and managing partner of 360 Venture Law, a specialized law firm working with start-up and fast-growing venture-backed companies and their investors. Dan practices in the areas of corporate law, securities, mergers and acquisitions and technology licensing. Dan formerly practiced law with Holland & Knight, LLP, one of the largest international law firms in the country, and with Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, a prominent technology and venture finance firm.

Mr. Shmalo is very active in the business community as a lawyer and business coach. He is the Chairman of the Board and a past President of SERIS, and he is a frequent guest-lecturer on venture capital for The Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Management and the University of Georgia. He was the recipient of a community contribution award from TechLINKS in March 2004 and he has been a speaker at numerous business, legal and technology events, including the Venture Capital Transactions seminar for the ICLEGA (2003, 2005).

Dan serves on the board of advisors for companies including Vesdia Corporation and Reaction Marketing Group. He is a marathon runner and mentor with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Team In Training” program. Dan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Boston University in 1988, received his J.D., cum laude, from Tulane Law School in 1992, and his LL.M. (Securities and Financial Regulation) from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1999.

Contact Information:
Daniel A. Shmalo, Esq.
Managing Partner
360 Venture Law of Shmalo, LLC
845 Spring Street NW, Suite 509
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
www.360vLaw.com

404.575.4360 office
404.420.2169 fax
404.664.5196 mobile
dshmalo@360vLaw.com