Sunday, October 9, 2011

Business deals like Solyndra don't make themselves happen do they?


Deals like Solyndra don't just make themselves happen! They have to have really, really great people behind it to appreciate the finely tuned opportunity that Solyndra was. People with experience. Business savvy. The ability to pick winners from losers. Skills in innovation appreciation. Democratic experience. Let's take a cruise on over to LinkedIn shall we?
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Steve Spinner's Summary
Experienced business executive with 17+ years of cleantech, media, entertainment, retail & consumer and government expertise. My current passion involves helping teams of engineers, scientists, physicians with starting their entrepreneurial ventures - advising them with all aspects (incorporation, product development, financing, hr, partnerships, sales and marketing) of starting and growing their businesses.
Specialties
angel (sic) & venture financing, federal and state government initiatives, strategy formulation, early business plan development, negotiations, partnering, business development, M&A, building teams, organizational behavior.
Steve Spinner's Experience

Investor/Advisor Cleantech and Internet companies
Venture Capital & Private Equity industry
October 2010  Present (1 year 1 month)
Angel Investor and/or Advisor - working with >10 companies to support their financing, government initiatives, strategic partnerships, business development, customer acquisition, and organizational development efforts

Senior Fellow Center for American Progress Nonprofit; Think Tanks (sic) industry
October 2010  Present (1 year 1 month)
CAP is pioneering progressive, 21st century policy proposals to transform our nation and our economy in ways that protect the global environment, boost global prosperity, and create sustainable sources of clean energy to reduce the world’s reliance on dirty, carbon-based energy. Our low-carbon policy priorities encourage comprehensive upgrades in the efficiency of energy production and consumption as well as environmentally safe and sustainable energy diversification. And our commitment to sound scientific energy and environmental technology innovation exemplifies progressive ideals and pragmatism at work.

Loan Programs Advisor, Recovery Act Team & Chief Strategic Operations Officer, Loan Programs U.S. Department of Energy Government Administration industry
April 2009  September 2010 (1 year 6 months)
Reporting into the Office of the Secretary, was responsible for the strategic operations of the >$100B in loans and loan guarantees programs within the DOE. Program areas include automotive, nuclear, fossil, transmission & distribution, industrial energy efficiency and renewables generation and manufacturing (solar, wind, hydrogen, biomass, geothermal, etc.). Program announced 20 deals for $25B during 18 (sic) appointment tenure. Portfolio expanded beyond Small Business in September, 2009. DOE lead representative on the WH Business Council, WH Innovation Cohort, and WH Automotive Communities Task Force.

TIGR Team Member
Obama-Biden Transition Project
Government Administration industry
November 2008  January 2009 (3 months)
Member of Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform (TIGR) working group, focusing on the Innovation & National Priorities efforts

 National Finance Committee Member Obama for America
Nonprofit; Political Organization industry
January 2007  March 2009 (2 years 3 months)
Helped lead fundraising efforts in Northern California for Obama For America. Spearheaded campaign's efforts to work with Silicon Valley technology companies. Point for West Coast Technology and VC/PE executive endorsements. One of the co-authors of Campaign's Technology Policy delivered at Google (Nov 2007).Founder, Entrepreneurs for Obama. Member, Technology Media Telecommunications (TMT) Committee

CEO
Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Health, Wellness and Fitness industry
February 2002  November 2006 (4 years 10 months)
Founder of start-up sports sciences and educational services company, spearheading our nation’s efforts to combat the obesity crisis that is affecting our youth and our society.  Drew up initial business plan, orchestrated two financing rounds, grew organization to 25 employees, developed two innovative products, and introduced them to the marketplace.

3 comments:

  1. "Think Tanks" is considered an "industry" now? Oh my god, we are so f-ing doomed.

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  2. Christ, I just looked into this a little more. Talk about "failing forward"... thanks for posting this information, Ketchup Chips - this really gives all students with a "D-" GPA hope for future success.

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  3. you are right. I wanted to go harder on him but was a little scared off given his political connections. Notice that before being a top notch advisor to gov't his only business was running a fat camp that went belly (pun intended) up.

    I wonder what law firm did all the contract work on these complex business deals. Why it was his wife's! How could I have guessed at that?

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