Honorary Award Winners

Sal Buccieri & Founders' Awards

The Sal Buccieri Venture Memorial Impact Award

The Sal Buccieri Memorial Venture Impact Award is awarded to an individual in the venture capital and entrepreneurial community who exemplifies the passion towards seeing early stage entrepreneurial opportunities succeed and flourish. This individual is one who has clearly impacted early stage technology and fast growth venture opportunities by providing the essential capital, extensive counseling and necessary vision to allow such companies to win in today�s competitive environment. The recipient of this Award is one who strives to create a better environment for all so that entrepreneurs achieve their dreams and attain success. This award is bestowed upon an individual who goes beyond what is considered the norm in creating and supporting a community conducive for such early stage companies. He or she is one that is clearly identified with the early stage entrepreneurial community and is regarded in the highest professional, ethical and human regard.

The Sal Buccieri Memorial Venture Impact Award is named in memory for Salvatore Buccieri. Sal passed away in December 2000 after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was 39. Sal was a partner at Arthur Andersen in the Growth Company Practice that he joined in 1984 after graduating from Drexel University. He worked extensively throughout his career assisting early stage companies with financial and business issues. Sal was closely involved with Early Stage East and is missed by all.

2004 Recipient � Frank A. Bonsal, Jr.

Frank Bonsal is a well-known and highly regarded venture capitalist with significant experience in helping start-up companies become successful. Mr. Bonsal is a co-founding partner of New Enterprise Associates (NEA), one of the largest venture capital firms in the United States. Since founding NEA in 1978, he has focused on the development of its early stage companies.

NEA, with $6 billion under management, is the leading start-up venture capital firm in the country. For more than 25 years, NEA has practiced classic venture capital by investing in early stage companies and working with management to nurture and build companies of lasting value. NEA has invested in more than 400 companies, of which more than 130 have gone public and more than 150 have been successfully acquired.

2003 Recipient � Howard Ross

Howard Ross is a founder and currently a partner in LLR Equity Partners, L.P., a $260 million private equity fund. From 1984 to October 1999, he was a partner at Arthur Andersen LLP, in-charge of that firm�s Growth Company Practice in the Greater Philadelphia marketplace. Mr. Ross holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated summa cum laude. Howard currently serves on the Boards of CyberShift, Inc., excelleRx, Inc., InnaPhase Corporation and Taratec Development Corporation.

2002 Recipient � Stephen M. Goodman

Stephen M. Goodman is a partner in the Business and Finance Practice of the Philadelphia office of Morgan, Lewis LLP and is co-chairman of the firm's worldwide Technology Practice Initiatives. His legal practice focuses on representing emerging growth companies. He coordinates all aspects of the representation of such companies and concentrates his practice on legal aspects of corporate finance and acquisitions.

Mr. Goodman has served as a member of the Advisory Board to the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Mr. Goodman served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. and Chief Judge David L. Bazelon of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit after receiving his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

2001 Recipient � Frederick J. Beste III

Fred Beste has never had a real job. His career began in 1968 with Greater Washington Investors, Inc., a publicly-held venture capital firm, where he was Vice President and Treasurer. He then joined Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation, a private venture, capital development firm, where he was Vice-President and, ultimately, President and Chief Executive Officer. He joined Mid-Atlantic Venture Fund in 1984 as the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of its first general partner. During the course of his career, Mr. Beste has served on the boards of directors of dozens of companies, and has advised and worked with thousands of entrepreneurs. He has been widely published on the subjects of venture capital and entrepreneurship, and has done extensive public speaking on both subjects as well. He was the Inaugural Honorary Chairman of Early Stage East, Chairman of the 1994 Mid-Atlantic Venture Fair, and the recipient of the Greater Philadelphia Venture Group's 1995 Blair L. Thompson Memorial Award for career achievement. Mr. Beste received his B.A. in Economics from Stetson University.

The Early Stage East Founders� Award

The Early Stage East Founders� Award is awarded to an individual who has shown outstanding commitment, leadership and support of the venture capital community as a whole. This individual is committed to the growth of the overall venture capital community and has shown a belief in and commitment to this region in the development of venture capital and entrepreneurial activity.

2004 Recipient � R. Christopher Klemm, Ph.D.

R. Christopher Klemm, Ph.D. has helped plan and implement Early Stage East since its inception. He was instrumental in developing the model for the Conference as well as the Coaching Session. Christopher has served as the leader of the Coaching Session for Early Stage East and the Bio-Life-Tech Conferences for the last two years, as the Coaching Co-Chair.

Christopher is the director of the Center for Technology Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington, in Seattle.

Christopher is an accomplished speaker and presenter with extensive experience designing and presenting executive education seminars in strategy, facilitating strategy interventions, and leading executive retreats. His customized simulations for highlighting and addressing strategic challenges are recognized for their creativity, insight, and effectiveness. His articles have been published in Human Relations, the National Productivity Review, and university texts. He is a former strategy columnist for the Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal and has contributed to nationally syndicated publications.

Christopher earned his Master�s and Doctoral degrees in Management from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds an M.A. from the University of Rochester and a B.A. from Trinity College.

2003 Recipient � Senator Thomas Carper

Tomas Carper became Delaware�s junior Senator in January, 2001, this after serving two terms as the state�s Governor, five terms as it Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives and six years as State Treasurer. As Senator, he has become a member of the Senate Democratic Leadership. As a member of the four person �Executive Committee� Senator Carper has emerged as a leading moderate voice in his party, advising the Leader and helping to devise, coordinate and implement strategy for the Democratic caucus. As Governor, Senator Carper balanced the state budget eight years in a row, created record levels of jobs, and dramatically reduced the growth of state debt, earning Delaware its first-ever �AAA� credit rating. Before being elected Governor, Tom Carper was elected to and served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a Congressman, he chaired the House Subcommittee on Economic Stabilization and was a member of the Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee and the Merchant marine and Fisheries Committee. As Treasurer, Senator Carper began his solid record of financial responsibility. He developed Delaware�s first cash management system and played a key role in improving the state�s credit rating from worst in the nation to a respectable �AA� rating. Senator Carper served in the Navy for five years as a Naval flight officer during the Vietnam War. He retired from the Naval Reserve after 18 years as a Captain. Senator Carper has been a part of Early Stage East, in both his roles as Governor and Senator since it inception.

2002 Recipient � M. Scott Albert

M. Scott Albert has been involved with Early Stage East as the conference�s North Carolina Ambassador since its inception in 1998. Mr. Albert, with over ten year experience in the venture capital industry, is currently responsible for most of the information technology investments as General Partner of The Aurora Funds Inc. Mr. Albert is the co-founder of The Aurora Funds, a leading venture capital fund located in North Carolina investing in early stage life science and information technology companies, primarily in the Southeastern United States. Previously, he was the Chief Investment Officer of the North Carolina Technological Development Authority, Inc. ("NCTDA"), a state funded corporation that supports technology-based entrepreneurial companies in North Carolina where he led the new venture investment efforts and performed portfolio company monitoring for their extensive statewide portfolio. Prior to serving at the NCTDA, he was at Criterion Venture Partners in Houston, Texas, as a General Partner for a $30 million pool of capital. In addition, he has served as President of a venture-backed start-up company.

2001 Recipient � Warren V. �Pete� Musser

Warren V. �Pete� Musser is Founder and former Chairman of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE: SFE). Mr. Musser led Safeguard Scientifics since its inception in 1953 and has helped guide hundreds of companies towards success. He has both financially and with his time and energy supported community activities, education, and the arts. Mr. Musser serves on a variety of civic, educational and charitable boards of directors including Boy Scouts of America, The Eastern Technology Council, and as chairman of the Pennsylvania Partnership on Economic Education.