Join us August 23 when we welcome Jim Lavelle, the founder of Cotelligent Group, Inc. and current CEO of LightBeam Energy, Inc. LightBeam Energy, Inc. is an independent power producer of clean and renewable energy in the United States.  It's focus markets include distributed generation of solar and wind power and large-scale energy efficiency programs for municipalities and special utility districts in the State of California.

From 1991 through 2007 Mr. Lavelle was founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cotelligent Group, Inc. an information technology services and digital media company.  Cotelligent was the first and most successful consolidation company in information technology services at that time. Through Mr. Lavelle’s leadership, within two years of its initial public offering on the NASDAQ Stock Market in February 1996, Cotelligent Group, Inc. was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and acknowledged by Business Week magazine as one of the 100 fastest growing public companies in America and 3rd in earnings performance.  During Mr. Lavelle’s tenure the company grew to 32 offices around the world with over 3,500 employees and a market capitalization exceeding $500 million.

Mr. Lavelle is a director of several private companies and has also served as advisor to the Chancellor of University of California Irvine and member of the Advisory Board of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University where he has been honored in the University’s Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame.  He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Business and Leadership at Dominican University of California and serves on the Steering Committee of Venture Greenhouse.

6:00 - Networking and Pizza

7:00 - Fireside Chat

8:00 - Questions and More Networking

Startup Grind is an event series and website designed to help educate, inspire, and connect local entrepreneurs.  Each month we welcome an amazing speaker who shares their story with our community and tells us what worked, what didn't, and what they'll do differently next time.  It's an amazing opportunity to learn from the best, network with other members of the startup community, and improve your chances of entrepreneurial success.

For more information visit www.StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

John Stayton - Director of Startup Grind North Bay    

     In 2000, John cofounded the world's first graduate program in sustainable business that, in 2002, became known as the GreenMBA.  In 2010, John cofounded the Venture Greenhouse and now serves as its Director.  He is also a sustainable enterprise consultant and a doctoral candidate at Grenoble Ecole de Management.