NEF Members
This page is a partial listing of NEF members. Our members are industry leaders with extensive experience across numerous fields. Want to have your listing shown among those already here - become a member!
Lee Gorman is an insightful, results-oriented executive with over 25 years of diverse experience in strategic, business, and product planning, implementation, marketing and leadership. She has particular expertise in assisting start-up and early stage companies develop their businesses, and in coaching their founders and leaders in the business aspects of bringing their ideas to market.
Ms. Gorman has done extensive work for local non-profits and early-stage companies, including serving as Director of the Automotive Business for Coherix, Inc., and COO for WriteSteps, LLC. She now works with Ann Arbor SPARK’s Business Accelerator services to connect start-ups with the resources they need, and provides coaching through organizations including New Enterprise Forum (NEF) and Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest (GLEQ). In addition to being a frequent judge for business plan competitions, Lee enjoys mentoring entrepreneurs and others interested in small business and has done so through UM’s Center for Entrepreneurship, the Cleantech Open, and Shifting Gears.
Prior to establishing Barton Consulting Services, LLC, Ms. Gorman’s employment included being Chief Engineer, Town Car and Product Planning Director, Sport Utility Vehicles at Ford Motor Company; Manager, Strategic Planning at Allied Signal Automotive; and Consultant with The Carroll Group. She has also held various positions in finance, marketing, engineering, and program management.
Ms. Gorman holds both an MBA and a BBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a BSME from Lawrence Technological University. Professional education included Ford’s Strategic Marketing Program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
whs-consult provides advisory and interim executive services to companies in the low volume, high margin capital equipment space with focus on growth - top and bottom line, organically and inorganically.
Wiebke's experience leading a multimillion-dollar air pollution control equipment business (which under her leadership turned into the most profitable business unit within the global division) combined with her understanding of air pollution control technologies and customer market segments make her a valuable business development advisor for organic and inorganic growth strategies.
She is an experienced M&A consultant in the air pollution control equipment manufacturing space and has been involved in several due diligence processes.
Passionate about problem solving and increasing profitability through process optimization whs-consult guides organizations to realize their improvement potential and to recognize opportunities to increase sustainability.
Previously, Wiebke was active in industrial catalyst R&D – alumina as refinery catalyst carrier, environmental catalysts, methanol catalyst - with focus on the development and scale-up of new materials from lab to pilot to full-scale plant.
Wiebke holds a PhD in Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry from Hamburg University/Hamburg, Germany.
Assessing, advising, mentoring, and directing emerging companies and start-ups. An independent advisor using experience and discipline to turn passion into value.
Additional Profile: http://www.interslicestudios.com/GaryHazen/
Consultant to healthcare software companies with expertise in strategic product marketing, software product management, content marketing, software design and strategic product planning. Deep experience with healthcare analytics and business intelligence technologies. Management experience in both Fortune 20 companies and small start-ups. Successful track record in helping companies of all sizes launch new software products and grow new revenue streams.
<p>Gary Hessenaur, President and owner of Hessenaur & Associate, C.P.A., P.C.. The firm provides a full range of accounting, tax, consulting and part time CFO services. The firm focuses on small to mid-size businesses with a specialty in start ups and technology businesses. Start up business clients have been funded through owner funds, grants, angel and VC investors. Gary is board member and business coach for the New Enterprise Forum, mentor at SPARK boot camps, SPARK Accelerator consultant, helps counsel businesses through Michigan SBTDC and regular speaker at SPARK business start up programs. He is very well networked in the startup and financing community.</p>
I am a vascular surgeon with previous experience in electrical and biomedical engineering as well as in medical device development. Since finishing my MBA in 2019, I have been working with multiple young companies in the biomedical world to improve their technology commercialization abilities as a way of improving future patient care.
Arbormoon Software is Michigan’s premier mobile app developer. With over a 15 years in business, our apps have been recognized with industry awards and featured at SXSW, the App Store, and Google Play. We celebrate tech communities in SE Michigan. What can we build for you?
Jen Laidlaw is the owner of TeamWerks Talent Development and Consulting where she thrives on helping people build confidence and skills to make their work lives more effective and enjoyable. She has spent the majority of her career working for a mid-sized digital agency, gaining experience in areas such as leadership development, communication, creating and maintaining a people-focused culture, sales development, project management, and workforce agility. Her training consistently engages participants for effective learning and has practical and meaningful outcomes for the businesses she supports.
David Maas is recognized as a brand smart marketing leader and a street smart general manager with his 20-plus years at the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency and five years at Federal-Mogul Motorparts.
Presently, teaching as a mentor and learning as an intern, he is helping to position, build and grow early-stage businesses for rapid scale-up and equity financing in the startup communities around Detroit and Ann Arbor.
David has won eight EFFIE Awards in recognition of business-building ideas that work in the marketplace and a team that works together. He has been an EFFIE judge and EFFIE moderator for both Round One and Final Round judging.
