The following members of the Rhode Island business community have volunteered to participate as judges in the 2010 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition. All are highly regarded by their peers and all have extensive business development experience.
M. Cary Collins
Director, The Global Entrepreneurship Program, Bryant University  Cary Collins, experienced in entrepreneurial financing, was invited in 2007 to create a new entrepreneurship academic program at Bryant University as The Trustee Professor of Entrepreneurship, where he also is associate professor of finance. In early 2003, Cary orchestrated the sale of Risk Management Solutions’ technologies to a third-party provider. The following year he negotiated & closed a deal for the migration of RMS’ consulting clients andremaining technologies to ERS Group. As a principal in ERS Group, he oversaw the development, marketing, partnering & strategic positioning of ERS Group’s offerings with financial services firms. He also previously served as a trust investments officer, managing a $300 million portfolio. He earned a BSBA degree in finance from Concord College, an MBA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and a Ph.D. from The University of Georgia.
Larry Davidson, CPA
Principal, Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., Ltd.  Larry Davidson has more than 35 years of experience in public accounting, including extensive experience serving clients in venture capital and private equity. His responsibilities at KLR include the coordination of all services to a variety of entrepreneurial companies, specializing in financial needs of closely-held, venture-backed, and publicly-owned companies. Larry is also responsible for all Sarbanes-Oxley related services. Larry’s career in public accounting began in 1968 with the Boston office of Ernst & Young. He was a resident with Ernst & Young’s National Office of Accounting and Auditing before transferring to Providence in 1983 as a partner. He has served on the boards of the Better Business Bureau, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Rhode Island Historical Society, United Way Campaign, Urban League of Rhode Island, and the Providence Children’s Museum.
Scott DePasquale
Partner, Braemar Energy Ventures
 As a partner at Braemar Energy Ventures, an early to growth stage energy venture capital fund with offices in Boston and New York, Scott brings more than 15 years of industrial and financing experience in the global energy industry, ranging from renewable technologies to infrastructure and upstream oil and gas. Prior to joining Braemar, he was a senior vice president at GE Energy Financial Services, where he led the group’s Boston-based venture capital activities. In this capacity, Scott worked closely with scientists and engineers across GE’s corporate R&D center, as well as executives from various internal businesses, to identify and finance game-changing energy technologies. He currently serves on the board of Grid Net and has previously served as a director or board observer in a number of other clean tech start ups including A123 Systems, Danotek Motion Technologies, Beyond Compliance, and Advent Solar. Scott holds an M.S. in finance from Suffolk University, and a B.S. in business administration from Bryant University.
Sixcia Devine
Providence Regional Director, Rhode Island Small Business Development Center  Sixcia Devine provides one-on-one counseling sessions, develops and teaches business related workshops, provides loan assistance, and works with business resources partners throughout Rhode Island. She is also the founder of SpeakNow! Spanish, a two-day Spanish immersion program designed for executives looking to become immersed in the culture and language without leaving the country. Sixcia was formerly the Training and Development Specialist at the Center for Women & Enterprise in Providence. In 2007 she was named one of 40 Under 40 Young professionals of the year by the Providence Business News. In 2006 she was named the SBA Woman in Business Champion of the Year. She is a member of the Leadership Rhode Island Recruitment Committee, and a member of the board of the Providence Latin American Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Frank Duchala
Associate Professor, College of Business, Johnson and Wales University  As associate professor in the College of Business, Frank focuses on entrepreneurial studies and management. An accomplished educator, he has received awards for outstanding performance and teacher. He also has been recognized for helping students at Johnson & Wales to gain practical experience and knowledge through various seminars and programs. In addition to teaching at J&W, Frank has served as an instructor at Brown University. He also served as a national performance management consultant for Cox Communication where redesigned Cox University, the company’s on-line learning network. Frank received his BA degree in history from State University of New York, College at Oneonta and master’s in education and master of public administration, both from the State University of New York at Albany.
Margaret D. Farrell
Partner, Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP  Peggy Farrell chairs the Hinckley, Allen Securities Practice Group and focuses her practice in the area of corporate and securities law. She advises both public and privately held companies regarding organization, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged recapitalizations and reorganizations, as well as personal and business tax planning and general corporate matters. She has extensive experience in handling public and private equity and debt securities offerings and venture capital financings, ongoing SEC regulatory compliance and reporting and investment company, investment adviser, and broker-dealer registration and regulation. Peggy is also knowledgeable in computer and other high technology law, including software licensing and copyright and trademark protection. She is chairman of the board of trustees of Women & Infants Hospital, a trustee of Butler Hospital, and a director of Care New England Health System.
 Katharine Flynn
Director of Business Development, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation
Katharine joined RIEDC in 2004 as a business development manager specializing in consumer goods and design, and was promoted to director in 2006. At RIEDC she is responsible for a team of business development specialists who help businesses large and small in Rhode Island as they grow. Prior to joining RIEDC Katharine worked in investment banking in New York City for more than 20 years. She currently serves on the board of Moses Brown School as well as on the advisory board for Year Up Providence. Katharine has a bachelors degree from Brown University in mathematical economics.
Ann-Marie Harrington
Founder and President, Embolden  Ann-Marie Harrington launched Embolden in 1998 and has developed it into a leading and award-winning web development and consulting firm based in Pawtucket, RI. Today, the firm services 150 local and national clients in the nonprofit, philanthropic, educational, life sciences, and financial services sectors. Ann-Marie, a native Rhode Islander, launched Embolden following successful careers in public policy and social services. She and her team have grown the company by providing unmatched expertise in new and emerging Internet technology, highly personalized service, and a sound business development strategy. Ann-Marie earned a degree in business administration from Bryant College and a Master of Social Work from Rhode Island College.
Garrett B. Hunter
Founder, Rhode Island Business Plan Competition  Garrett Hunter, who retired in 2009 from the Business Development Company of Rhode Island (BDCRI) after having served as its president for 20 years, was instrumental in establishing the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition in 2000. At the BDCRI, he provided direct, mezzanine, and equity financing to more than 200 Rhode Island businesses that collectively created, preserved, or enhanced more than 8,000 jobs in the state. Since 1998, he led a major effort to bring venture capital investors to Rhode Island, which made available tens of millions of dollars to local emerging companies. In 2005, he co-founded Cherrystone Angel Group, Rhode Island’s first angel investment group. Garrett has been a board member of Atlantek, Inc. and Andera, both Rhode Island companies, and Lab-Volt Systems, Inc., an education technology company. He continues to serve on the board of several companies and philanthropic organizations. Garrett earned a B.A. from Brown University and an MBA from New York University.
Stephen Lane
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Ximedica  Stephen is a founding partner and CEO of Providence Rhode Island based Ximedica. Under his leadership, Ximedica has grown into a full-service product development firm with over 100 professionals of diverse expertise spanning research, strategic planning, industrial design, mechanical, electrical and manufacturing engineering, and clinical QA/RA capabilities. Ximedica is IS0 certified and FDA registered as a medical device developer, partnering with several of the industry’s top 30 brands. Stephen brings deep entrepreneurial and executive experience to Ximedica, where he defines and executes corporate and long-range planning initiatives, and spearheads business development, capitalization, and strategic partnering activities. Prior to founding Ximedica, he earned degrees in fine arts and industrial design from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where he has continued to serve as an adjunct faculty member since 1995.
John Mutkoski
Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP, Corporate and Technology Companies Groups  John Mutkoski concentrates in general corporate and securities law and has significant experience in public offerings (representing issuers and underwriters), venture capital and corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, SEC compliance, and technology licensing and joint ventures. He represents publicly and privately held corporations in a variety of industries including software, hardware, communications, life sciences and information technology services. He also represents private equity and venture capital firms in connection with their portfolio investments in operating companies. John frequently speaks on matters relating to corporate finance, venture capital and entrepreneurship. He earned a B.A. from Boston University and a J.D. from Cornell Law School.
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