Paul Adams is Senior Vice President, Engineering, at Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines and a unit of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). He assumed his current role in 2006, having joined Pratt & Whitney from Williams International in 1999.

Mr. Adams has more than 25 years of leadership experience in management and engineering, with extensive global experience in the aircraft engine industry. In his current position, he has overall responsibility for Pratt & Whitney’s engineering, technology, and technical strategy. The results of his efforts and leadership contribute significantly to the year-over-year productivity improvements enjoyed by the company. Previously, he was Vice President of Engineering Module Centers. At Williams International, he held a variety of engineering and program management positions with increasing responsibilities.

He is a board director for Infotech Enterprises Limited, an engineering services company based in Hyderabad, India, and for IAS engineering services, a joint venture of Infotech and Pratt & Whitney based in Puerto Rico.

Kevin Bouley is President and CEO of Nerac, Inc. (Tolland, CT), a global technology and IP advisory research firm. A recognized leader in the information industry and Connecticut native, Mr. Bouley has been with Nerac for over 25 years, beginning his career in sales immediately after graduation. He holds a B.S. in Finance (’80) from the University of Connecticut. Mr. Bouley acquired the company through a management buyout in January 1999. Since then, he has been credited with doubling the revenues of the company and Nerac has been recognized by Deloitte & Touche in five of the past 10 years as among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Connecticut. Mr. Bouley has served on the boards of ASIDIC, the Connecticut Technology Council, CBIA, ICSTI, and NFAIS, and is an active member of the Tolland Economic Development Commission as well as the President of the Tolland Community Economic Development Corporation.

As a thought-leader for the Tolland Technology Corridor, he has taken the lead in supporting and encouraging entrepreneurial studies in the UConn School of Business and School of Engineering. In addition to providing ideas for new curriculum to challenge the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, he has provided a stream of seed money for a select number of students’ ventures/products whose development was encouraged through programs that function as entrepreneurial incubators for students. Mr. Bouley has also focused his attention on hiring interns and graduates from UConn, encouraging them to pursue opportunities in Connecticut.

Al Brockett is Vice President, Engineering - Module Centers at Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines and a unit of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). He assumed his current role in 2009.

Mr. Brockett has over 32 years of engineering experience at Pratt & Whitney. During his tenure, he has held positions of increasing responsibility in systems and module center engineering. He was responsible for the development of the first production single stage high pressure turbine and was nominated for the UTC Mead award in 1996. He has also held positions in operations, leading Cooled Turbine airfoil operations through restructuring in 2000. Mr. Brockett was recognized as the ASME engineer of the year in 2002.

Most recently, he was Director, Engineering - Turbine Module Center (TMC), where he led the creation and implementation of process certification standard work, drove the development and production implementation of refractory metal core technology, and led the development and production acceptance of reverse engineered IGT and Global Material Solutions (GMS) turbine airfoil products.

Mr. Brockett is a member of the Georgia Tech University School Aerospace advisory board. He is a also a board director for IAS engineering services, a joint venture of Infotech and Pratt & Whitney based in Puerto Rico.

Mr. Brockett has been a Professional Engineer since 1982, and holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University. He resides in Connecticut with his wife and their two children.

Dennis Bushnell is a Chief Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, which he joined in 1963. During his 46-year career with Langley, he has contributed to the national Sprint, Gemini, Apollo, X-15, SST/HSCT, RAM, VIKING, F/A-18E/F, Shuttle, NASP, Space Exploration, Submarine/Torpedo, America’s Cup and Maglev Train programs. His technical specialties include viscous flow across the speed range, flow control, hypersonic airbreathing propulsion, advanced aerospace configurations and revolutionary energetics.

He was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 1998 and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and Royal Aeronautical Society. Mr. Bushnell has received numerous honors, including the Lawrence A. Sperry Award (‘75), the AIAA Fluid and Plasma Dynamics Award, the AIAA Dryden Lectureship, USAF/NASP Gene Zara Award, Royal Aeronautical Society Lanchester, Wright and Swire Lectures, NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement and Outstanding Leadership Medals and Distinguished Research Scientist awards. At UConn, he has been honored with the School of Engineering’s Distinguished Alumni Award (1997) and was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers (2003). He holds six patents, has 250 major publications and presentations, and given 320 invited lectures. He is also a reviewer for 40 journals and organizations, and consults for the national security community on future technology and nature of future warfare.

Mr. Bushnell earned his B.S. degree with distinction in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut in 1963, earning highest honors and University Scholar status. He received his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Virginia in 1967.

Jeffrey D. Butler is the President and Chief Operating Officer of The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P), a subsidiary of the Northeast Utilities System (NU) and Connecticut’s largest electric utility. He is responsible for all company operations and for ensuring that customers receive safe and reliable energy.

Prior to joining CL&P, Mr. Butler spent 27 years at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in San Francisco, CA. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President—Energy Delivery, where he was responsible for all aspects of electric and gas utility operations for approximately10 million gas and electric customers. Mr. Butler’s diverse background and extensive experience also includes leadership and management positions in Energy Delivery, Transmission and Distribution, Maintenance, Construction, Customer Field Services and Metering activities at PG&E.

During his career with PG&E, Mr. Butler represented the company on the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, American Gas Association, Edison Electric Institute and California Utility Emergency Association. He has also served on the Board of Directors for both the Bay Area American Red Cross and the Northern California Junior Achievement.

Mr. Butler is a registered Professional Engineer and earned his B.S. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from California State University, Chico. He and his wife, Susan (Sam), reside in Avon, CT.

Michael Cantor is a Partner in Cantor Colburn LLP, a leading national firm specializing in intellectual property law. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Patent Law Association, American Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association, International Trademark Association, and Tau Beta Pi. He is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. He also teaches patent law and procedure as an Adjunct Professor in Patent Law at the University of Connecticut School of Law.

After graduating with his J.D., Mr. Cantor joined the firm of Fishman & Dionne. Within five years, he was named a Partner and the firm evolved into Fishman, Dionne & Cantor. Today, Cantor Colburn LLP has more than 90 attorneys and patent agents, with offices in Hartford, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Detroit. Cantor Colburn’s clients include Fortune 100 companies, select high tech start ups, universities, and numerous mid-size companies in the US, Japan, Korea, Europe, Israel and the Americas. Mr. Cantor has represented businesses from a broad range of industries, including high-technology, entertainment, and consumer products, and is a frequent speaker and author on intellectual property issues.

Mr. Cantor has been actively involved in educational outreach geared to introduce school-age children to engineering and the world of invention. He serves on the boards of the Connecticut Development Authority, the Connecticut Technology Council, and the University of Connecticut’s Institute of Material Sciences.

Mr. Cantor graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.S. with honors in Chemical Engineering / Materials Engineering in 1980. He received his J.D. from the University of Connecticut in 1983.

Dave Carter leads Hamilton Sundstrand's worldwide engineering organization as Vice President, Engineering & Technology.

Prior to joining Hamilton Sundstrand in February 2009, Mr. Carter served more than 20 years at Pratt & Whitney, where he held positions of increasing responsibility. As Vice President, Engineering -- Pratt & Whitney Module Center, Mr. Carter provided leadership to achieve F135 STOVL flight clearance and technology readiness for the Geared Turbofan engine family. Mr. Carter also played a significant role in development of the F135 and GP7000 engines. He also fostered collaborations with worldwide engineering sources and universities to improve technology readiness. Previous positions include general manager, Compression Systems Module Center; CIPT leader, PW4000; and manager, PW4098 programs.

Mr. Carter received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia.

Michael Curtis is a Senior Vice President at Fuss & O'Neill Consulting Engineers in Manchester, CT. His background includes five years with the Connecticut DEP Bureau of Water Management's Planning Section followed by two years at the University of Connecticut - Civil Engineering Department. Upon joining Fuss & O'Neill in 1986, Dr. Curtis concentrated in municipal and industrial environmental issues, including wastewater treatment, waste minimization and pollution prevention efforts, Dr. Curtis has managed numerous municipal and industrial study and design projects throughout the region and participates heavily in regulatory review and development committees. Increasingly, these projects involved facility and energy management and since 2001, Dr. Curtis created a diverse set of services ranging from cutting-edge facility energy management, lean manufacturing and EHS assistance to nearly all facets of facility design and construction. This has most recently included a highly recognized, innovative practice in large facility energy management.

A three-time alumnus of the University of Connecticut, Dr. Curtis earned his B.S. degree in Biology, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in environmental engineering.

Heidi Seifert Douglas ’77 (CLAS) is the managing partner of Nuventus LLC, a professional services firm focused on lead generation, sales and marketing of innovative, high tech and life sciences products. She is also a director with Decision Options LLC, an advisory services company applying economic value-based decision making, risk management and portfolio maximization. Prior to her affiliation with Nuventus, Ms. Douglas was Co-founder, President and CEO of MysticMD Inc., a company specializing in advanced materials. Earlier in her career, she was a principal at Deloitte Consulting, the international professional services firm, where she was an engagement partner in the company's high-technology industry practice, managing some of Deloitte’s largest projects at Fortune 100 companies. She began her career in the pharmaceutical industry, accelerating into managerial positions at Pfizer Inc., the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company, and Syntex Inc. (now Roche Bioscience), an innovator and founder of oral contraceptives.

She holds a B.S. in Biological Science from the University of Connecticut, a M.S. degree in Computer and Information Science from the University of New Haven and an MBA in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Ms. Douglas received the University of New Haven's Distinguished Alumni award for 2009 and serves on Board of Governors. In 2006 and 2009, she was named a Women of Innovation award finalist by the Connecticut Technology Council.

Ms. Douglas and her husband, Joel Sterling Douglas '77 (CEE) reside in Groton, CT with their irreverent pound puppy, Rocke.

Joel S. Douglas is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of eGen LLC which is developing a low-head hydro energy generator. Mr. Douglas is also a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of MysticMD Inc., an advanced materials company located in Groton, CT. Earlier in his career, Mr. Douglas founded two medical device companies: Amira Medical, developer of the first alternate site glucose meter, and Sterling Medivations, developer of a series of insulin delivery devices. He currently holds 76 issued U.S. patents, 29 FDA product clearances and numerous foreign patents.

Mr. Douglas earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in Computer and Information Science from the University of New Haven. He was honored by the UConn School of Engineering in 2005, when Mr. Douglas was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers. Early in his career, he held various positions at LifeScan, Komag, General Dynamics and United Nuclear.

Chris Fuselier is the President & CEO of Progeos, a Tolland-based company that utilizes Web and geospatial information system (GIS) technology to provide map library services to universities and land, property, permit, public works, zoning and code enforcement services to municipalities.

Mr. Fuselier is a graduate of Michigan State University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with master’s degrees in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering. He retired from General Electric (GE) at the end of 2007. At GE, he held a variety of engineering, marketing and sourcing positions in the company’s aerospace, corporate, factory automation and industrial systems operations. He spent the last 10 years as Engineering Leader of the GE Industrial division and as the GE Executive for the University of Connecticut.

He is also on the board of Ensign-Bickford Industries and the Chairman Emeritus Board of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. His hobbies include golf and travel.

Elliot Ginsberg currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT). Prior to his present position, he served Congressman John B. Larson (D-CT) as his Chief of Staff. Other prior positions include teaching non-profit and human services administration at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work; serving as a Family Support Magistrate for the Superior Court of Connecticut; Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources, managing the state-wide human services department; Executive Director to the state-wide training and advocacy organization of the legal services programs in Connecticut; and Senior Manager of Connecticut Legal Services. Mr. Ginsberg is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College (B.A., Economics) and of the University of Connecticut School of Law (J.D.).

Peter Halvordson is Vice President of Engineering at General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT. He joined Electric Boat in 1979 as a career-development shipbuilding trainee and progressed through a variety of engineering and managerial positions, including Seawolf-Class program manager, Vice President of Operations and other roles. He received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Vermont in 1979 and his MBA from the University of New Haven in 1984. Mr. Halvordson has been a strong advocate for the engineering profession and engages in outreach efforts aimed at enhancing awareness of engineering contributions to the development of society, including serving as the keynote speaker for the 2007 Connecticut Invention Convention. Mr. Halvordson has been a staunch supporter of Senior Design collaborations linking UConn’s Mechanical Engineering students and Electric Boat, and he was instrumental in the company’s decision to offer its employees electronic access to the Master of Engineering (MENG) degree program as a means to enhance the skill set of the company’s engineers.

John Krenicki is Vice Chairman of GE and President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Energy. This business segment includes Energy Services, Oil & Gas, and Power & Water. Prior to his current position, Mr. Krenicki served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Energy, a role he had held since July 2005.

Mr. Krenicki's GE career began in the Technical Marketing Program. He held a number of leadership roles with GE’s chemicals and materials businesses before assuming top-level positions at various GE businesses, including Vice President of the Americas for Lighting, Vice President of Superabrasives and President and Chief Executive Officer of Transportation.

In 2003, he was named a Senior Vice President of GE and President and Chief Executive Officer of GE’s Plastics business. A year later, the Silicones and Quartz businesses were combined with Plastics to form GE Advanced Materials, and Mr. Krenicki was named President and Chief Executive Officer. He held this role until 2005.

He is a member of GE’s Corporate Executive Council and the GE Capital Board of Directors.

Mr. Krenicki earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut. He received an M.S. degree in Management from Purdue University.

Peter Longo is President and Executive Director of Connecticut Innovations (CI). Mr. Longo joined CI in 1995. He manages CI's array of initiatives, including its venture capital investments, laboratory infrastructure fund and support service initiatives. Under his leadership, CI introduced the Pre-Seed Support Services Program, Connecticut Clean Tech Fund and CTech, an entrepreneurial assistance initiative. Additionally, Mr. Longo oversees the administration of the ratepayer-funded Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.

Mr. Longo has invested in over 20 early-stage investment opportunities across a variety of technology sectors, leading CI investments in Achillion Pharmaceuticals, CYA Technologies, Nufern, Perimeter eSecurity, Post-N-Track and Transaction Methods. He serves on the boards of CYA Technologies, ExeCue and Post-N-Track. He is a board observer of Perimeter eSecurity and Transaction Methods.

Before being named to his current position in 2007, Mr. Longo was a member of CI’s investment team, serving most recently as chief investment officer. Prior to that, he served as CI's controller.

Mr. Longo is a certified public accountant and a chartered financial analyst. He earned a B.S. in business administration from the University of Connecticut and holds a M.S. degree in business administration from the University of Hartford. Mr. Longo also served six years in the Connecticut Army National Guard.

Tom A. Martin was born in Great Bend, KS. He received his B.S. (Engineering Science '63) from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ; M.S. (Math '69) from Trinity College, Hartford, CT; and M.S. (EE '71), Ph.D. (EE '74) and MBA ('81) degrees from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. His Ph.D. dissertation was on the application of microwave network theory to the analysis of acoustic devices.

From '64 to '65, he was a systems analyst with IBM's Advanced Systems Development Division, Yorktown Heights, NY. He then joined Andersen Laboratories, Bloomfield, CT (‘65-’80), where he was Vice President and Technical Director.

In 1982, Dr. Martin co-founded Phonon Corporation, where he is President and Chairman of the Board. Phonon is a leading manufacturer of custom high performance SAW microelectronic devices and subsystems for the military and space electronics markets. His primary responsibilities are strategic direction and business development, and he remains deeply involved in R&D, engineering and marketing work.

Dr. Martin is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and the IEEE.

Joan McDonald was appointed Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) on May 9, 2007. DECD is the lead state agency responsible for business recruitment and retention as well as responsible development, encompassing housing, brownfields and community development.

The following year, Ms. McDonald was appointed Chair of Connecticut Innovations (CI), Connecticut’s quasi-public authority that provides venture capital to emerging businesses.

Ms. McDonald's experiences in government and the private sector have made her a driving force in the Governor’s economic strategy. She understands the challenges businesses face in today’s dynamic environment, and she is focused on stimulating entrepreneurship and encouraging high-tech innovation so that businesses and industries are competitive in today’s global marketplace.

Ms. McDonald sits on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Development Authority, Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Bradley Airport, and the University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees.

J. Michael McQuade is Senior Vice President for Science & Technology at United Technologies Corporation.  His responsibilities include providing strategic oversight and guidance for research, engineering and development activities throughout the business units of the corporation and at the United Technologies Research Center.  He also provides leadership to UTC Power, UTC’s business unit responsible for the research, design, commercialization and aftermarket support of stationary and transportation fuel cells.

Dr. McQuade has held senior positions with technology development and business oversight at 3M, Imation and Eastman Kodak.  Prior to joining UTC in 2006 he served as Vice President of 3M’s Medical Division.  Previously, he was President of Eastman Kodak’s Health Imaging Business. Earlier in his career, Dr. McQuade held technology and business leadership positions at Imation Corporation after its spin-off from 3M in 1996.  His early career at 3M was focused on research and development of high-end acquisition, processing and display systems for health care, industrial imaging and remote sensing.  He has broad experience managing basic technologies and the conversion of early stage research into business growth.

Dr. McQuade holds Ph.D., M.S. and B.S. degrees in physics from Carnegie Mellon University. He received his Ph.D. in experimental high-energy physics for research on hadronic charm quark production performed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

Dr. McQuade is a member of the American Physical Society and is a member of the Boards of Directors of the Connecticut Science Center, the Connecticut Technology Council and the advisory boards of the Schools of Engineering at Yale University, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Connecticut and the Institute for Energy Efficiency at the University of California at Santa Barbara.  He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Center for Excellence in Education and Board of Directors of Project HOPE.

Sharon Nunes is currently Vice President of Big Green Innovations at IBM. This organization was commissioned by IBM’s chairman in November 2006 and was given the mission to launch new businesses for IBM using the company’s information technology expertise, and materials and processing expertise to solve critical problems around environmental issues. For the past two years, Dr. Nunes has led a world-wide team of IT and domain experts who are developing solutions in carbon management, photovoltaics and water management. Together with clients and partners, IBM is demonstrating how information technology plays a critical role in managing the world’s critical resources.

Dr. Nunes has held numerous executive positions leading new growth initiatives in IBM. She spent one year on special assignment in corporate headquarters as Vice President of Technology, working with IBM’s Chairman and the senior executive team to set the technical agenda for the company. She has held many management positions in IBM in research and development, including hardware and software development. Dr. Nunes launched and led IBM’s Computational Biology Center in 1997, and she was one of the executive leaders of the Life Sciences business unit that was launched in 2000.

Dr. Nunes received her Ph.D. in Materials Science in 1983 from the University of Connecticut. She has held numerous academic advisory board positions, and a member of the Board of Directors for the University of Connecticut Foundation and the Board of Advisors for the USC Marshall Center for Global Innovation. Dr. Nunes was a National Academy of Engineering “Frontiers of Engineering” fellow and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering “Engineer of 2020” advisory board. In 2006, she was inducted into the University of Connecticut Academy of Engineering for distinguished engineers.

Dr. Nunes has been a strong advocate for women in technology for over a decade and is a recipient of several awards recognizing her leadership in this area. In 2004, She was awarded IBM’s Fran Allen Mentoring Award and in 2006, Dr. Nunes was named a NAFE “Women of Excellence” national award winner for her impact in mentoring technical women. In 2009, she was recognized as a Women’s History Month Honoree as one of the “Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet” and was inducted into the WITI (Women in Technology International) Hall of Fame.

Dr. Nunes is a leader in IBM Global Women’s Council and co-chair of the global “Women in Technology” committee at IBM.

Judith K. Resnick serves as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association Education Foundation. In that capacity, she manages initiatives designed to help the state’s businesses become more competitive by developing a skilled workforce. These projects look to establish best practices, building effective partnerships between business, government and the workforce development system. Ms. Resnick is also the project director for CBIA’s US DOL Advanced Manufacturing High Skill Job Training Initiative, a $1.75 million grant to help increase the competitiveness of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts manufacturers by expanding the capacity of the Community College System to provide industry-driven training and education to current and future workers. The project includes the development and implementation of new credit certificate programs in lean manufacturing and supply chain management and the implementation of web-delivered CNC training. She also staffs the Connecticut Energy Workforce Development Consortium.

Ms. Resnick serves on the Department of Higher Education Advisory Committee on Accreditation, the Senior Human Resources Task Force of the Metro Hartford Alliance, and the Quinnipiac University Advisory Board College of Professional Studies.

While at CBIA, Ms. Resnick has also served as project director for two U.S. Department of Labor grants (an H1-B Grant in the Biosciences and an Incumbent-Dislocated Worker Training Demonstration Grant in Manufacturing) and for a Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Training Networks Program. She has also managed the Employer Services Contract for Capital Workforce Partners.

Prior to joining CBIA, Ms. Resnick was the director of Strategic Planning and Workforce Development at the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services. She founded the Business & Industry Services Network for the Connecticut Community College System and served as its state director for 12 years. She also served as the director of marketing for America Works of Connecticut.

She has a B.A. degree in Education from the University of Michigan, and an M.S. in Higher Education from Indiana University. She also holds a Certificate from Harvard University, Institute for the Management of Lifelong Education and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Hartford Class of 1989.

George Reynolds is a 30-year veteran of Westinghouse Electric/Northrop Grumman. His responsibilities include establishing key strategic relationships with universities for long-term research, business and recruitment partnerships. He is also responsible for introducing new initiatives such as factory modelling, simulation and Lean Thinking into the engineering and manufacturing organization.

Mr. Reynolds has served as industry liaison for the Lean Aerospace Initiative at MIT since its inception in 1992. He is the Lean point of contact for Northrop Grumman Corporation. He holds a B.S. in engineering from Howard University, an M.S. in Engineering Administration from George Washington University and is a graduate from the Program for Management Development at Harvard University. Mr. Reynolds is a Johns Hopkins Fellow in the Management of Change.

Mr. Reynolds is the chairman and/or a member of numerous Engineering Advisory boards for major universities and is the past Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association’s Engineering Management Committee.

In 1991, Mr. Reynolds was selected as the National Black Engineer of the Year for Professional Achievement in Industry. In 2008, he received a second National Black Engineer of the Year award for Corporate Support of Engineering Education. He is one of three people in the nation to receive two of these national awards.

Mr. Reynolds has a “black belt” in six sigma and is considered to be a subject matter expert in “Team Thinking.”

Mr. Reynolds also holds a commercial pilot’s license with multi-engine and jet ratings.

Douglas Shidler was named Vice President Army Programs for Sikorsky Aircraft in 2008. He joined Sikorsky Aircraft as an engineer in 1984. He supported the development of the MH-60K Special Operations aircraft program in several capacities and then assumed the engineering manager role. He became the UH-60Q chief engineer for the development of the MEDEVAC BLACK HAWK derivative aircraft, and then moved on to become the Chief Engineer for the BLACK HAWK Product Line. Mr. Shidler became Director, Air Vehicle Design in 2000. He was promoted to the position of BLACK HAWK Program Manager, responsible for all BLACK HAWK core programs in 2002. In 2006, Mr. Shidler was assigned Vice President Marine Corps Programs, which included the VH Fleet, support of the CH-53D/E aircraft and the new CH-53K Development Programs. In February 2008, Mr. Shidler was assigned Vice President Army Programs, which included U.S. Army Programs and International BLACK HAWK Programs.

Mr. Shidler received a B.S. degree in Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1984. He was recently inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers at UConn. He received his M.B.A. from the University of Bridgeport in 1989. He is the Connecticut Chapter President for Army Aviation Association of America and is a member of the American Helicopter Society and the Association of the United States Army. In addition, he co-founded and mentors a local high school FIRST Robotics program for students.

Mr. Shidler and his wife, Trish, have three children.

Paul Singer is currently the Technology General Manager for GE Industrial Systems, where he leads the global engineering teams for GE’s electrical distribution businesses. GE Industrial Systems is a world-leading provider of power distribution, monitoring, and control equipment with $2 billion in revenues and operations in over 50 countries. GE Industrial’s products distribute and control electrical power for cities, factories, commercial facilities, and homes.

Mr. Singer started his career as an aerospace design engineer at Chandler Evans Control Systems Co., developing fuel control and flight avionics systems. In 1993, he joined GE’s Electrical Distribution & Control division as a New Product Introduction Program Manager where he went on to develop a series of products for the electrical industry. Over the next 10 years, he progressed through several technology leadership roles, including assignments in Product Quality, NPI leadership, and Six Sigma. In 2003, he was named the Technology Manager for GE Power Delivery & Control in Chicago, IL. There, he managed the engineering teams for GE Zenith Controls, Transmission & Distribution, and Electrical Equipment. In 2005, he was promoted to Technology Manager, Industrial Electronics & Systems based in Louisville, KY, where he led the engineering teams for GE Multilin, Electrical Equipment, & GE Digital Energy. In this role, he was instrumental in creating global design Centers of Excellence for GE’s critical power business and driving a four-fold increase in new product introductions for this high growth segment.

In 2007, he was promoted to his current position as General Manager and returned to Connecticut, where he leads GE Industrial’s engineers in developing and supporting electrical infrastructure products and projects around the world.

Mr. Singer earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an M.B.A from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He serves as the GE Executive for the University of Connecticut and is active in several electrical industry associations.

Joe Triompo, Pesident of Aerospace Power Systems at Hamilton Sundstrand, is responsible for the Electric Systems business, headquartered in Rockford, IL, which includes the Elektronik Systeme GmbH business in Nordlingen, Germany. Mr. Triompo also holds responsibility for the Air Management Systems business based in Windsor Locks, CT, including the HS-Nauka division in Moscow, Russia. In addition, he oversees the Nord-Micro business located in Frankfurt, Germany and Page Aerospace Limited with sites in Sunbury, UK and Bremen, Germany.

Prior to this position, Mr. Triompo was President of Engine & Control Systems at Hamilton Sundstrand. He oversaw the design, development and integration of aerospace engine controls, ground-based fuel controls, auxiliary power units and heat exchangers.

Mr. Triompo has extensive engineering, technical and management experience. Since joining Hamilton Sundstrand in 1979, he has served in positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President and General Manager, Engine Systems from 1999 to 2001.

Mr. Triompo is co-chairman of Hamilton Sundstrand’s Working Together Team, which supports the company’s ACE (Achieving Competitive Excellence) operating system, a customer-focused process to improve operating systems and quality.

He is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the American Helicopters Society. In addition to serving, he is a member of the University of Hartford Board of Visitors for the College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture.

Mr. Triompo holds a B. S. in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of Connecticut. He completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan Fellows Program, receiving a master’s degree in business management.

Mark P. Vergnano is Executive Vice President for DuPont. In this role, he is responsible for 6 of the 13 businesses within DuPont and also the sustainability, marketing, sales and communications functions across the company.

He joined DuPont in 1980 as a process engineer in the former Fibers Department in Richmond, VA., where he held a variety of manufacturing and technical assignments. In 1985, Mr. Vergnano relocated to Wilmington, DE, where he had several assignments in marketing and business strategy. In 1991, he relocated to Geneva, Switzerland, as Marketing Manager and in 1993, Mr. Vergnano was appointed European Regional Business Manager, DuPont Nonwovens. In 1996, he relocated to Richmond, where he assumed the role of Global Business Manager for the Teflon® fiber business. Mr. Vergnano became Global Business Director for the Nomex® business in 1998 and then was appointed Global Business Director for Tyvek®/Typar® in March 2001, relocating again to the Wilmington area. He was named Vice President and General Manager – Nonwovens in 2003 and Vice President and General Manager - Surfaces and Building Innovations in 2005. He was named Group Vice President for DuPont Safety and Protection, one of the five operating divisions of DuPont, in June 2006. He was named to his current position in October 2009.

Born in Hartford in 1958, Mr. Vergnano received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Vergnano is a member of the University of Connecticut School of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Engineers and Hall of Fame, serves on the Board of Directors for the Delaware Council for Economic Education, the Board of Directors for the National Safety Council and on the Advisory Boards for the University of Connecticut School of Engineering and the University of Delaware Lerner School of Business and Economics.

Diane S. Wallace began serving as Chief Information Officer for the State of Connecticut Department of Information Technology in February 2005. She was appointed by Governor M. Jodi Rell.

Ms. Wallace is the former Vice-President, Information Technology for CNA Financial Corporation in Chicago, where she managed technology programs for claims, operations and underwriting in the U.S. and Europe.

For 28 years, Ms. Wallace served at Aetna, Inc., ultimately as CIO, with responsibility for application development and support services. She directed an e-Business strategy and delivered initiatives that provided Aetna with a competitive advantage. She has demonstrated a career-long commitment to nurturing talent and potential in others.

Ms. Wallace received her degree in Education from Salem State College, Massachusetts.