Join us for a unique opportunity to learn from three business intelligence experts.  Our panelists will engage in a lively conversation and debate around the strategy and tactics that make business intelligence and data centric marketing an increasingly critical component of how companies compete locally and globally.

A former Cognos Premier Partner, Rich has spent his career researching and defining how decision-making information should be designed and developed to have the greatest impact on overall business performance.  His expertise is in developing Business Intelligence solutions that focus on the business drivers turning information into Performance Insights resulting in more effective decision making.  He has extensive experience in advanced analytics, performance management, multi-dimensional models and performance dashboards.  Rich was formerly Vice President of Finance at Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, parent of TGI Friday’s and Pick Up Stix, where he developed and built a business intelligence solution at Pick Up Stix that included dashboards, scorecards, multi-dimensional applications, data mining and basket analysis.  Prior to joining Carlson, Rich was Vice President of Business Analytics and Business Intelligence at Fairfield Residential and Vice President of Business Intelligence at the Catalina Restaurant Group. Prior to joining the restaurant industry, Rich was Vice President of Business Intelligence International, a global business and technology consulting firm specializing in improving business performance by enabling enterprise-wide execution through the use of a dynamic alignment framework.  He also spent six years with PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Rich has recently designed and developed a business analytics simulation game for IBM that is being deployed throughout the world.  Rich is on the Board of Directors of the La Costa Canyon High School Foundation, Board of Directors of the Carlsbad Library and Arts Foundation, a member of the Technomic, Inc. Advisory Board and a frequent speaker at San Diego State University Hospitality College.

Randy Ilas
VP of Product Development and Marketing, Harte Hanks
Randy Ilas is the Vice President of Product Development and Marketing for Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence.  Randy is the driver of Harte-Hanks’ product development strategies and has over fifteen years of experience in developing marketing information products. His expertise and focus are on understanding what drives and motivates the business buying market and then translating those observations into programs that drive marketing and sales results for Harte-Hanks’ clients.

Steve Thesing
Vice President, Liberated Intelligence and Analysis

Steve Thesing is Vice President, Sales and Business Development for LIA (Liberated Intelligence and Analysis). Steve is an accomplished business executive with over 20 years of international management and marketing experience. His areas of product expertise include data management and security software, enterprise systems/storage, mobile/wireless, healthcare, and Social Media/Internet. Most recently, Steve was Vice President of Channel and OEM Sales for Anakam, a San Diego company, where he forged strategic sales partnerships with HP and IBM. Anakam was acquired by Equifax in October of 2010.
Steve has a proven track record in leading cross-functional teams, building startups through strategic partnerships, and closing Major Account deals. He has gained significant insight and experience working for leading companies like HP, Symantec (formerly Veritas Software), and Sun Microsystems. He has utilized this knowledge and experience to successfully build several startup companies as well as startup divisions within larger companies.

Reid Carr is the President of Red Door Interactive, a premier strategic Internet Presence Management firm that manages clients’ online presence. Clients include Cricket Wireless, Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, Petco, ESET, Overstock.com, Charlotte Russe and La Quinta Inns & Suites. Prior to founding the company in 2002, Carr was the Director of Interactive and Advertising for the San Diego-based Marketing agency, McQuerterGroup. In that role he was responsible for forming the iGroup, the interactive arm of the organization. Previous to this endeavor, Carr was in Los Angeles working for PBJ Digital and TBWA/Chiat/Day. Reid writes a monthly column for iMedia Connection and is a Fast Company Expert Blogger. He was honored with the San Diego Metropolitan’s “40 Under 40” award in 2005, the San Diego Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award in 2007 and 2009, was a Finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young in 2009. In 2010, he was named to the New Leaders Council’s 40 Under 40 list, as well as named a San Diego Daily Transcript’s Young Influencer. His civic pursuits involvement included membership on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Venture Group,  membership in Rotary International’s Club 33 and is a 2010 graduate of INFLUENCE San Diego.

Questions? Contact Michele Yoshioka at michele@commnexus.org