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EDWARD M. ESBER, JR.

13430 Country Way

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Office: (650) 917-0770

Fax: (650) 917-0900

Email: edesber@esbergroup.com

 Summary 

Over thirty years experience in the computer industry working for IBM, Texas Instruments and as CEO of Ashton Tate and COO of Creative Labs.  He was either a founder, executive or board member of several startups including VisiCorp, Creative Insights, SoloPoint, Motion Computing, Blue Roads Software, Poqet Computer and Pocket.com.   As a PC industry pioneer, he pioneered the marketing and distribution of retail, packaged software and developed the marketing strategies for two of the world’s best selling PC software packages of the 1980’s.   He marketed the first spreadsheet, the first office suite and the first Wintel graphical user interface. After pioneering work in personal computer software, he did seminal work on the integration of computers and multimedia at Creative Labs, the integration of computers, toys and learning at Creative Insights, the integration of computers, communication and telephony at SoloPoint, the mobilization of email and internet access at Pocket.com and personal computer mobility first at Poqet Computer and then at Motion Computing, a tablet-PC company.  He has served on the board of directors of over twenty-five public, private and non-profit boards.  He currently serves on the board of directors of Quantum Corp, Blue Roads Software, Legacy J Software and Case Western Reserve University.  His education includes a B.S. Computer Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, a M.S. Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.  

   EXPERIENCE

The Angels' Forum (TAF) is an early-stage investment organization comprised of 25 private equity investors who are supported by a professional financial services management team. TAF applies the rigor, structure, and portfolio management of traditional venture capital investing to earlier stage angel investing. The private equity investors affiliated with TAF (the "Angels") are all successful business executives and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds who share an interest in investing both time, as board members and advisors, and capital in promising early-stage companies.

·    Founding member, invested in over 55 companies to date. 

·    Member of Halo Fund Management and helped raise a Angel’s Forum Halo Fund of approximately $25M.  Halo Fund co-invests in companies that receive Angel Fund investments.

The Esber Group was formed in 1990 to meet the consulting needs of technology companies.  The Esber Group specializes in mentoring, strategic and marketing consulting for technology companies offering computer, peripheral, software, information or service products in the computer industry.  The Esber Group will also make investments in certain companies it works with and is willing to take active chairmanships, interim CEO and other executive positions where appropriate.  Clients include Cranks Software, Crosspoint Ventures, Gold Disk Software, INMAC, Lone Wolf, Mentalix, Newtek, Pocket.com, Poqet Computer and WinFormation Software.

Chairman (1998-Present)

President and CEO, Director (1995-1998)

Recruited to turn around a troubled company.  SoloPoint was founded to meet the increased communications needs of mobile, communications dependent individuals by providing state of the art personal communications products that connect people more intelligently.  Drove the Company's initial product out the door, recruited a new management team, secured financing and closed a strategic marketing alliance with PacBell (a Regional Bell Operating Company). Integrated Computer, communications and telephony services, leveraging the company’s extensive technology, to expand the product line.

Chairman, Founder and CEO

Founder of the first "Computer Toys Company", Creative Insights, Inc., and the "Toy Company of the Computer Age."  A Computer Toy is a creative, compelling piece of hardware, which plugs into a standard multimedia personal computer and is aimed at a specific purpose, to be brought to life with equally compelling multimedia software, aimed at the same purpose.

President and COO

When Mr. Esber joined Creative Labs, Inc. it was viewed as a "market laggard", the "current market share leader', not an innovator (MediaVision was viewed as the leader).  Creative's intellectual property was not protected; it’s relations with Wall Street, the Press and its stockholders had deteriorated; it had few strategic alliances with industry players; there was no product marketing department; no product strategy; no chip strategy; and it had not created a long term strategic plan.  Integrated Multimedia technology with computers to establish a leading position in computer peripherals and upgrades.

Vice Chairman (1990-1991)

Chairman and CEO/President and CEO (1984-1990)

EVP, Worldwide Sales and Marketing (1984)

Mr. Esber took over Ashton Tate and made it one of the three leading personal computer software companies of its time (The 1980’s PC Software Oligopoly of Ashton Tate, Lotus and MicroSoft).  He turned dBase into one of the longest running standards in the personal computer software industry and jointly introduced SQL Server with MicroSoft.

Digital General Corporation

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Blue Roads Software (2003-Present), Case Western Reserve University  (1988-Present) and Quantum, Inc.(OTC: 1988-Present). Past public boards include Pansophic Systems (sold to Computer Associates), Integrated Circuit Systems Technology (sold to Bain & Co), SonicBlue (OTC: 2001-2003) and Activision.

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RECOGNITION

AngelsInvestors.org 2001 Angel’s Annual Award: Internet/Software

BusinessWeek,  "25 Executives to Watch,” April 15, 1988.

Computer Reseller News, 1985 &1986, "Industry's 25 Most Influential Execs."

Esquire Magazine, 1986 Register Honoree, Business and Industry.

So Ca Executive,  "The Southland's 100 Outstanding Leaders in 1986."

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EDUCATION

PERSONAL

Married. Three children.  Interests include racquetball, skiing, music, reading, consumer electronics and personal computers. 

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