Winston Benedict

Winston is an Executive Coach of New Enterprise Forum. He has CIO, CTO and Executive Leader with technology strategy and delivery experience across Advertising, Automotive, Pharma, Utilities, Aerospace, Professional Services and Transportation industries. He has deep experience establishing scalable enterprise architectures and leading transformational and turn around initiatives. Results delivered through developing people, leading large-scale lean process changes and intelligently leveraging emerging technologies (when appropriate) to shave costs, boost revenue and maintain competitive advantages.

 Diana Dimitroff

Diana Dimitroff has extensive experience in all aspects of starting and running a successful business. She grew up in a family business; upon completion of college, she began a career in sales for a Fortune 500 company and earned a Master’s Degree in Business. She opened her first business almost 30 years ago and has run 4 profitable businesses successfully over the years. Implemented an extensive training and education program for new staff, successfully training more than 30 staff members a year. Lectured at Madonna University and Schoolcraft College in entrepreneurship and gourmet food-related topics.
In 2015, she began facilitating workshops for the SBDC and over the years became more involved in assisting start-ups and small businesses, consulting them through all stages of business. Then in 2018, became a Senior Business Consultant and worked primarily in the city of Detroit on a special grant program for underserved communities. Diana has a B.S. Degree in
Food Systems Management from Michigan State University and a Master of Arts in Management from Central Michigan University.

John Tran

John Tran is a startup investor with the Michigan Rise and Red Cedar Ventures team, where he focuses on helping founders build high-tech, high-growth companies. He has co-invested alongside premier venture funds like Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy, Khosla Ventures, and Alumni Ventures. John has played a key role in his team’s investment of over $2.5M into early-stage startups, guiding the entire financing process from sourcing and due diligence to supporting founders as they become active portfolio companies.

Before joining the venture capital fund, John partnered with founders at a startup accelerator, transforming initial ideas into thriving businesses with strong customer bases. His background includes technology commercialization and early-stage startup experience, where he helped build a global open innovation platform connecting corporations with researchers worldwide. John holds a PhD from Michigan State University, where he was a University Distinguished Fellow, bringing a deep scientific foundation to his investment process.

Dennis Carmichael 

Dennis is co-founder and President of Cimulus, Inc., a custom software company in Ann Arbor. With a BS in Electrical Engineering and Coherent Optics from Kettering University, the common thread across all of Mr. Carmichael's careers - which range from machinist, concert roadie, real estate investor, tech entrepreneur and more - is using software to solve problems in creative and efficient ways. Outside of work, he can be found climbing at Planet Rock, running on Michigan's many trails, or working on his home in Dexter.

Pierce Fitzpatrick

Pierce is a 2018 graduate of EMU's MBA program. He started his career with the outdoor retailer, Recreational Equipment Inc (REI), then interned in Reykjavik, Iceland for the outdoor camping retailer, Fjallakofinn. During his MBA program, he founded backpacking and expedition garment company High Route Gear and in 2019 helped German wearable tech company, ProGlove, enter the US market. Pierce is currently co-founder of No Dirty Earth, an environmentally sustainable product incubator, with products receiving international recognition from Fast Company Magazine as a 2021 World Changing Idea. He is also co-founder of the Portage-based company, Blu Technology, creating off-grid water treatment systems for vehicle-based adventures.

 Gary Hessenaur

Gary Hessenaur, President and owner of Hessenaur Associates, 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, helps counsel businesses through various other business organizations and regular speaker at SPARK business start up programs. He is very well networked in the startup and financing community. Gary is also a proud EMU alum.

Ravi Nigam

Ravi is the owner of the Law Offices of Ravi K. Nigam. He is a legal adviser and counselor for startups and small businesses assisting with company formation, business law, contracts, data privacy and security issues, immigration and business planning.

Alain Piette

Mr. Piette is the MI-SBTDC Technology Team manager. In his most recent assignment, Alain was president of an advanced manufacturing company. The company was a technology spinout from a large automotive supplier. Alain has also worked in Europe, Southern Africa, Central and South America for international corporations such as DuPont, Sherwin Williams and Kongsberg Automotive. He has also been involved with turn-around, startup and M&A activities. Alain brings his extensive experience in organizational development, manufacturing, R&D, market development, technology transfer and international expansion to the team.

Mr. Piette is also an avid farmer. He is passionate about agronomy and entrepreneurship in the agricultural field. He has taken a very visible position at the Michigan State University Agricultural Incubators and evaluates agricultural translational research projects which can be supported by MTRAC which is funded by the State of Michigan. He is also involved with AcreAGTech, an emerging independent business accelerator in the State of Michigan by providing strategic reflection and leadership guidance.

Alain earned and BSBA and MBA from Wayne State University.

Kory Scheiber

Kory Scheiber is currently a Business Consultant for the Greater Washtenaw Region of the Michigan Small Business Development Center. Whether it is one-on-one consulting or facilitating workshops, Kory works with all types of clients, through a spectrum of industries, to help them plan and grow their businesses. He has been teaching entrepreneurship with The Business Side of Youth for over ten years, and is part-time faculty at Washtenaw Community College. Kory also serves as the Board Treasurer for Digital Inclusion, a non-profit refurbishing technology for underserved communities in southeast Michigan. Recently, he was the Business Development Representative for the Detroit Micro-enterprise Fund Corporation where he assembled loan packages, presented to the Loan Committee, maintained relationships with the local community development corporations, local businesses, and training programs. He took applicants through the loan process from business planning through launch and growth. He holds four degrees through his MBA with undergraduate and graduate concentrations in Entrepreneurship. He has worked two and a half years in Retail as a Certified Lawn and Garden Specialist. He also spent twelve and a half years in Design and Build to Order Manufacturing where he served as; Assembly Technician, Tool Crib Supervisor, Shipping Receiving Manager, Project Manager, and Repair Department Manager.

Chao Sun

Chao’s financial expertise will be counted on to support CapStone Holdings, Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries with setting strategic goals, directing operational activities for continued growth, evaluating investment opportunities and risk analysis, as well as portfolio management. Chao will also have responsibilities for entrepreneurial initiatives in Southeast Michigan, including developing strategic partnerships and alliances with local innovation hubs, universities, and venture groups.

Prior to joining CapStone, Chao was an organizational development consultant at Sensei Change Associates and the co-founder and chief financial officer of The Back Office Studio, a co-working space in Ypsilanti. As a first-generation immigrant, he came to the United States from China for his master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Organizational Development in 2010. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Chao is a part-time lecturer at the College of Business and gives back to the community through being the board member of the Neighborhood Theater Group and other efforts.

Bill Taylor

Bill Taylor is an experienced Marketing, Sales, and Strategy executive with over 35 years in innovative marketing, product management, sales, and strategic operations for technology companies in telecom, information technology, life science, and healthcare. With engineering providing a solid technical background, he has achieved a consistent track record of developing strategies that drive consistent and managed growth for high technology companies. He has been successful in companies ranging from a 30 person start up, through mid-sized public companies, all the way to a two year assignment as an IBM strategist. He is a seasoned team builder, who has attracted, developed and retained high-performing marketing, sales and BD talent. His passion is helping technology companies achieve profitable, sustainable growth