Who's in the film?
Ryan Allis
At the age of 24, Entrepreneur, author, and CEO Ryan Allis has worked with his co-founder and team members to build iContact from zero to over $12 million in sales. In 2003, Ryan co-founded iContact, the leading provider of email marketing tools for small and mid-sized businesses. Ryan wrote and published his first book, “Zero to One Million” (Mc-Graw Hill) to help aspiring entrepreneurs understand the process of building a company. The book explains Ryan’s 10-step process to obtaining $1 million in sales, as well as recommendations on subjects like management tips and how to do business internationally. Ryan is committed to giving back to those less fortunate. He is on the boards of several humanitarian and non-profit organizations, including Nourish International (www.nourishinternational.org) and Advocates for Grassroots Development in Uganda (www.agradu.org).
Michael Roberto
Michael Roberto is the Trustee Professor of Management at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI, where he teaches leadership, managerial decision-making, and business strategy. He joined the tenured faculty at Bryant after serving for six years on the faculty at Harvard Business School. He also has been a Visiting Associate Professor of Management at New York University's Stern School of Business. His new book, Know What You Don’t Know, is due out February 10, 2009 (Wharton School Publishing). His previous book, Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes For An Answer, was named one of the top 10 business books of 2005 by The Globe and Mail, Canada's largest daily newspaper. Professor Roberto has taught in the leadership development programs and consulted at a number of firms including Apple, Morgan Stanley, Coca-Cola, Target, Mars, Wal-Mart, Novartis, The Home Depot, The World Bank, Johnson & Johnson, Bank of New York Mellon, Level 3 Communications, Royal Caribbean, and Edwards Life Sciences.
Professor Roberto also serves on the faculty at the Nomura School of Advanced Management in Tokyo, where he teaches in an executive education program each summer.
Alison Barnard
With a lifelong interest in fashion, Barnard used the skills she learned while attending Babson's business school to start her own retail store, centered around the one must-have clothing item for women: the perfect-fitting pair of jeans. Barnard stocks the store, which is located in Boston's newest hip neighborhood, the North End, with more than 30 brands of jeans in order to accommodate the many body types and personalities of her customers. When Barnard isn't at her flagship store helping women find their perfect fit, she's down the street at Twilight, her newest store, which opened in March 2008 and specializes in both formal and casual dresses.
Matthew Wilson
Matt Wilson graduated Bryant University after leading the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization to becoming the world’s #1 entrepreneurship organization and earned personal accolades as National Student Leader of the Year. Hungry for more, Wilson decided he had found a niche bringing together smart, innovative, passionate people and co-founded Under30CEO a website dedicated to giving young entrepreneurs the tools and resources they need to succeed. Wilson has used social media to create huge buzz online around the brand, landing U30 on the homepage of BusinessWeek.com. His personal mission is to inspire young people to use technology to create opportunity and become leaders.
If Matt is around he will be easy to spot as his long luxurious hair is generally flowing freely in the breeze. Check him out at Under30CEO.com or his personal blog Mattwilson.tv
James C. Segovis, Ph.D.
James C. Segovis serves as a member of the Department of Management for Bryant University as the Executive-in-Residence. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Organizational Change. Dr. Segovis has published in leading academic journals on workplace stress and human resource issues. In 2008, he received the “Excellence in Teaching” Award for Bryant University.
He has served as the Principal Investigator for Bryant University’s major studies of defense conversion and technology transfer for the Department of Defense. He has also led numerous professional development programs in leadership and management for private and public organizations. He has consulted with businesses on issues of strategic planning, business growth, and family business. In addition, Dr. Segovis has been a speaker at state and national conferences, as well as international universities.
Dr. Segovis helped create the Center for Design & Business as a joint venture with the RI School of Design, as well as led the establishment of the Verizon-Bryant University Telecommunications Center and the Global Link Videoconference facility. In addition, Dr. Segovis assisted faculty members in building international programs within the Newly Independent States and China. He also oversaw the development of the K-12 outreach programs: the Linking International Trade Education, the GE Mathematics Accelerated Program, and the Balfour Summer Leadership Institute.
Prior to coming to Bryant University, Dr. Segovis co-founded the Office of Education for the Federal Home Loan Bank System, later the Office of Thrift Supervision for the US Treasury Department. The purpose of this office was to train federal regulators during the savings and loan crisis. The start-up involved building an innovative national training system and corporate university. During this time, he worked on the Federal Home Loan Bank System Chairman’s Task Force to privatize the savings and loan regulatory system. Dr. Segovis has served on a number of non-profit boards, including the RI Manufacturing Extension Service, the William Davies Career & Technical High School, and the RI Episcopal Diocesan Council. He serves as Chair of the William Davies Board of Trustees. In 2002, Governor Lincoln Almond appointed Dr. Segovis to the RI State Ethics Commission and he has just completed his five year term.
Adam S. Rubin, MBA
Adam Rubin is a member of the Department of Management at Bryant University and currently the coordinator for the freshmen Introduction to Business program. He has taught courses in Entrepreneurship, Management Practices and Principles, and Introduction to Business courses for standard and honors level students. In 2007 he was honored with the “Excellence in Teaching Award” for Bryant University. He is also the co-faculty advisor to the Bryant University SIFE chapter (Students in Free Enterprise).
His main focus at Bryant University has been the revamping and continuous improvement of both the honors and standard-level Introduction to Business programs. Several programs that have been implemented have been student created business plans as well as having outside entrepreneurs and small business owners partner with the students to allow them to create real-world marketing programs for them at no cost while exposing the students to the life or death scenarios that business people face on a daily basis.
Prior to beginning his career at Bryant University, his undergraduate alma mater, he and a fellow Bryant University graduate began an entrepreneurial venture in marketing and brand building. The company is Image Identity LTD and he is proud that his business partner is still finding great success. This company examines the intricate and often overlooked multiple contact points that exist between the client and its current and potential advocates.
Before joining Image Identity, Adam worked for his family’s manufacturing business in Brockton, MA for 10 years, serving as the Executive Vice President. It was during this time that he was exposed to the intricacies of running a family enterprise as well as international and domestic business practices. UPI was started by his grandfather and passed down to his father. Employing uncles and cousins, Adam was provided many life lessons in dealing with the difficult decisions of a family business; how to be profitable and respect the family that relied on the company for survival. From material sourcing to motivational strategies, Adam was exposed to all the facets of business ownership and takes these into his consulting business today.
Adam received his BS in Marketing from Bryant University and his MBA from North Eastern University.
James Shea
James Shea founded Professional Roofing in 1975 at the age of 21 years old with only a high school diploma. The company started with 1 employee and today Professional Roofing has 12 full time employees. James decided to keep the company small; he says that this allows him to keep control over projects while providing an extremely professional and personalized service to the customer. Professional Roofing has been extremely successful through the years. The company has never borrowed any money, has never had any debt, and has never had an unprofitable year. James is still running Professional Roofing and remains it’s CEO to this day. James has also been involved in another entrepreneurial venture with his three brothers. 15 years ago they created the Wax Museum in Salem, which is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Massachusetts.
Stephen J. Lockwood
Bio currently unavailable
