Steve Tessler - Chairman of the Board
Executive Vice President and Director of Sales for California Bank of Commerce more

Steve reports to the Chief Executive Officer and is a member of the Bank's Executive Management Committee. Mr. Tessler joined the Bank in August 2007. Before joining the Bank, Mr. Tessler spent three years as Manager of Business Development and Marketing for Diablo Valley Bank. As a member of the management team at Diablo Valley Bank, Steve spearheaded sales and marketing while helping the bank grow to nearly $250,000,000 in assets in just over three years. Steve has also worked for City National Bank, CivicBank of Commerce and Wells Fargo Bank. In addition, Steve has ten years of public accounting experience with a focus on serving the diverse needs of small to mid-market companies.

Hank Holzapfel
Principal, Pragmatic Business Solutions and previously a Senior Executive with Owens-Illinios more

Hank has over 30 years of operating, executive management, and consulting experience. Prior to joining PBS, Mr. Holzapfel spent 27 years in various senior positions with Owens-Illinois, Inc., a global packaging and Fortune 200 company. He has extensive senior management experience serving in general management and executive positions within all divisions of Owens-Illinois. These included Vice President roles for its Glass Container Division (marketing, new product development, sales and sales service administration, and industry managers), Label and Carrier Divisions (general manager), Closure and Specialty Divisions (VP sales & marketing). He has acted as a change agent in reengineering businesses resulting in improved operations and profitability and has grown businesses through creative new product development, acquisitions, strong strategies, and new customer acquisition. His proven leadership abilities have been instrumental in developing and managing numerous successful, results-focused businesses. Hank earned a BBA from Ohio University and an MBA from Bowling Green State University and has served on numerous associations and boards.

Dr. Tom Kennedy
Retired Vice President of Quality for Solectron more

Tom is the retired Vice President of Quality for Solectron, a leading global provider of electronics manufacturing and integrated supply chain services. Tom directed all corporate quality initiatives including their internal Baldridge process and the Solectron Total Quality Excellence Award program.

Bruce Kern
Executive Director of the Economic Development Alliance for Business more

The Economic Development a public/private partnership comprised of 600 business, labor and civic leaders promoting economic development and quality of life in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Bruce has served on the Manex Board since its inception.

George Lotti
Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of Heat and Control, Inc. more

George is the Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary for Heat and Control, Inc., one of the world's leading manufacturers of food processing and packaging equipment systems. He brings over 17 years of financial leadership and expertise in Manufacturing and Consulting, driving financial performance and prudent business practices. Prior to joining Heat and Control, Inc., George worked with Hood & Strong LLP in their audit and tax department. George is also on the Board of Trustees for CMTA boilermaker Employee Trust Board of Directors and is on the Board of Directors for Unconditional Love Animal Rescue and Placement. He holds a BS in Accounting from Santa Clara University.

Brent Meyers
President and CEO of The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence, Manex more

Brent has been President and CEO of The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (Manex)since May, 2005. He brings 20 years of leadership and consulting success in developing and cultivating profitable business across a wide range of industries. He previously has served as US Managing Partner of Strategy Consulting at Grant Thornton, where he also was Chief Strategy Officer for their consulting division and a member of the firmwide Leadership Committee. Prior to Grant Thornton, Brent was Pacific Region Director of Strategic Consulting for Andersen. Brent holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA in Economics and Busness Law from the University of California at Berkeley.

Bruce Nagle
CEO and Founder of RW3 Technologies, Inc. more

Bruce is CEO and Founder of RW3 Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of performance measurement and workflow optimization for the Consumer Goods (CG) industry. Prior to launching RW3, Bruce served as Chief Financial Officer for Carey Ahrens, a leading food broker, where he negotiated the successful sale of the company to Kelly-Clarke, Inc. Bruce has dedicated over two decades to the CG industry and continues to be an active leader, contributing articles to the leading industry groups, including GMA Forum, Consumer Goods Technology, Sales Force Automation, Brand Marketing, Enterprise Solutions and Field Force Automation.

John Nelson
Chief Manufacturing Officer, American Licorice Company more

John is the Chief Manufacturing Officer and Chairman of the Executive Committee for American Licorice Company, the world leader in the manufacture of extruded candy products, including Red Vines. He brings 25 years of manufacturing expertise and leadership driving strategic and operational practices for increased productivity and competitiveness.

Bruce (Tab) Wilkins, Jr.
Senior Technology Advisor and Account Manager, NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership more

Tab has extensive experience leading local, regional and state organizations as well as working with federal agencies supporting technology-based economic development. He helped developed New York’s nationally recognized SBIR effort, led the development of New York’s industrial extension service and helped to develop and manage New York’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. He subsequently helped found and then direct CONNSTEP, the Connecticut MEP while also leading a national study on MEP benchmarking and metrics. After moving to Seattle he joined the Washington Technology Center, where he helped develop a new vision for the organization, led the way in securing federal grants, private sponsorship and growing private service fees for WTC business lines supporting regional angel investment networks, SBIR support and university-industry cooperative research programs.