SPEAKER: Purnima Voria

Founder/CEO of the National US INDIA Chamber of Commerce

Purnima Voria is the Founder/CEO of the National US INDIA Chamber of Commerce whose mission is to build bilateral trade through business relationships. She is the member of the 2005 and 2006 Presidential Business Club under President George W. Bush. She is also the Honorary Chairman for the National Republican Congressional Business Advisory Council featured in Wall Street Journal as 2005 BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR.

 Ms Voria is recognized by the National Republican Congressional Committee as the Local Business Leader to Receive 2005 Ronald Reagan Republican Gold Medal. She was also chosen as a 2006 Congressional Medal of Distinction winner for outstanding leadership in business and contributions to the US Economy.

On Sept.19th 2005 the US India Chamber of Commerce was officially recognized by Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh's office with a formal letter stating support for the chamber's efforts to further Indo-US relations and business opportunities.

With a stellar community service record, Ms Voria is a shining example of a person willing to devote her time and energy to the betterment of the community.  She have been affiliated with several organizations locally, nationally and internationally including Ambassador for Peace IIWPF, United Nations Association of USA, Governor Owen's Asian Advisory Council, Mayor Hickenlooper's Asian Advisory Council, Chamber of Americas, Asian Chamber of Commerce, India Association of Colorado, Sister Cities International, Tie Rockies Association, and Welcome to Colorado International Club to name a few.

Her work has made her a frequent subject of magazine and newspaper articles. She has also made several live television appearances.

MODERATOR: Mike Cote

Editor of ColoradoBiz Magazine

Mike Cote is the Editor of ColoradoBiz Magazine. He has spent more than 20 years in the media industry as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Florida and Colorado, and now at ColoradoBiz magazine in the metro Denver area. He has also taught reporting and editing at the University of Colorado, where he earned his master's degree in journalism.

Before joining the team at ColoradoBiz, Mike served as both the City Editor and the Business Editor at the Boulder Daily Camera.

PANELIST: Raj Asthana

Founder of Innovative Global Services

Raj Asthana is the owner and founder of Innovative Global Services, LLC, an IT services company. Innovative Global Services provides low cost custom IT solution to small and medium sized companies in the Denver metro area in Portals, CRM, ERP and Business Process Management.  Innovative Global Services also builds Web 2.0 products in health care, financials among other things. Innovative Global Services leverages sourcing strategy from around the world to reduce it’s clients IT development and deployment foot print.

Raj has in his corporate life, worked in the various IT domains ranging from custom development, setting up an offshore development center for Qwest as well as process improvements relating to CMMI.  He has over 18 years of IT experience with fortune 500 companies.

PANELIST: Sridhar Talanki

President of Pandit View Software LLC

Sridhar Talanki is President of Pandit View Software LLC (PVSL) located in Centennial, Co.  Sridhar holds a Masters in Technology degree in Industrial Engineering from Anna University, Madras, India.  He started his career with Larsen & Toubro Limited and has over 14 years of experience in Logistics execution systems including 10 years of experience in SAP R/3 modules. He served as a Board of Director for many SAP implementation companies.  He was a lead WM consultant of SAP implementation including Lucent Technologies  in Westminster, CO, DuPont Textiles and Interiors, and Insight Inc. He is also advisor to Gerson Lehrman Group, New York, USA in the area of ERP.  Sridhar is currently serves on the board of Indo American Eye Care Organization and SEWA International Inc.

Sridhar is married and has three children.    

PANELIST: Vic Ahmed

Serial Entrepreneur

Vic Ahmed is a serial entrepreneur who has built several startup companies from scratch. Vic has the gift of translating visions and foresight into companies designed to exploit specific and sizeable business opportunities. In addition, he has demonstrated the commitment and energy needed to raise angel, venture and private equity funding and assemble world-class teams to execute these visions into reality.

Throughout his career, both in large corporations as well as startups, Vic has developed the reputation of a visionary, able to articulate concepts and plans to investors, employees, partners, and customers alike. A hands-on, results-oriented leader with technical skills and experience, Vic is at home in a high-growth, high-tech business environment. His career clearly demonstrates his ability to quickly adjust to market changes and create a balance between strategic planning and focused execution. Having raised tens of millions of dollars and managed hundreds of employees Vic is well versed in the challenges of growth organizations.

Vic represents a top management executive with outstanding technical, business, and professional credentials, who combines vision with execution. Vic is a past Chairman of the Colorado Software and Internet Association (CSIA) and past Board member of KidsTek and the past President of TIE-Rockies.  He also serves on the Board of ICAST, a non profit focused on sustainable development in underserved communities.

Vic earned BSC degrees in Computer Science and Systems Engineering from Washington University in St Louis, MO, and has participated in numerous management programs including Stanford University’s Executive Leadership program.

HOST: Brian Tsuchiya

Founder of Startup Guru

Brian Tsuchiya is the founder of StartUp Guru and started his entrepreneurial journey 18 years ago and has since launched ten startups. Startup Guru is the culmination of this extraordinary journey. He has openly shared for the first 40 years of his life he primarily served himself and lived a life without purpose.  Then in June of 2006 he read a book that would change his life forever.  He embarked on a journey that connected his life purpose with his entrepreneurial career.  Through this work he understood his patterns and defined his life in a way that revealed his purpose.  Forged in him was the way of the entrepreneur.

HOST: Steve Baker

Senior Fellow, Business Advisor and Author

In addition to being a Senior Fellow at DaVinci Institute, Steve Baker is President and co-founder of International Wellness Resorts Inc., serenely located in Placencia, Belize.

Steve has been a founder of successful businesses, a corporate executive and a business advisor to startups. With proven leadership in every phase of business cycle from startup to exit, Steve has the unique ability to generate immediate and sustainable improvements in business. He directs strategic marketing and business development and has taken companies from startup to millions of dollars in revenues in such diverse industries as international travel, financial software, casinos, manufacturing, cosmetic surgery, and ergonomics.

In a former corporate life, he was co-founder and Executive Vice President of WorldGroup Inc. and developed 300 franchise travel agencies with revenues of $500 Million.

Always the entrepreneur and Startup Junkie, Steve is a well known speaker and author of the award winning book PUSHING WATER UPHILL With A Rake, as well as being an avid poor golfer.