Executive level experience in start-up through public companies:

• Developed a 250-person international business unit: Full P&L responsibility for creating and leading a major business unit from inception to eight-digit revenue in 2 years.
• Top 2% of Global 500 corporation.
• P&L responsibility for programs ranging from $10,000 to $20 million, generating over $8 million in profits in two-years.
• Northrop intrapreneur, responsible for developing & vetting ventures.
• High-tech start-ups: Developed business plans, built Boards of Directors and found funding.
• Improved time to market delivery, generating five times expected revenue ($25 million) in 2 years.
• Doubled number of client's customers in three months.
• Saved owner over $400,000 in two months by strategic directional shift.
• Transformed company to a profit-generating web-enabled e-business, in 1996.
• Embedded software company: improved profits > 50% to $1 million. 3 months.
• Worked with over 100 client organizations, large & small: several industries.
• Interim COO: Full P&L responsibility; Increased company operating cash from $150K to $1.4 million (30% of gross revenue) and increased revenue over 60% within two years. Stock increased 3.8x during 18 months – now worth 15x due to profit generation, while entering e-commerce space. Responsible for Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Finance, Production, Product & Project Management. Implemented organizational and process improvements, resulting in company’s 34% growth while developing eight new products in 18 months. (Product Development Roundtable case study). Product selected for Pacific NW Software Quality’s 1998 Software Excellence Award as a direct result of process and organizational improvements.
• Reduced product development cycle from 24 to 14 months, saving over $2 million annually. Stock increased from $3/share to over $12/share. 14 months.
• Interim executive work: CEO, President, COO, VP of Marketing & Sales.
• Increased acquisition value of "25-year old start-up" 20x in 6 months, due to strategic advice and interim executive work in marketing, sales, operations and project management: from prior offers of $1 million, to $20 million.
• Owned marketing strategies / tactics, marcom, PR, web site administration, and tradeshows & other events: Obtained DM response rates of 25%.
• Saved six months on a two-year project, which resulted in over $4.5 million revenue in five years.
• Led a team of over 50 people on a complex software-controlled electro-optical "skunk-works" project, reducing delivery schedule from 18 months to 5-1/2 months.  

Senior executive positions held by Mr. Paul include:

   l   Managing Partner, Synergy Consulting Group, LLC (1998-Current)
   l   Chief Executive Officer, Phoenix Management, Inc. (1989-Current)
           Consulting: Strategic Marketing / Product Development /
           Project Management / Business development / Leadership

   l   Director of Programs, Northrop Corporation (1979-1989)
           Defense technology

  Interim assignments:
   l   Chief Executive Officer, HydroVersant, Inc.
           Distributed computing / Wireless applications

   l   Chief Operating Officer, Chrome Data Corporation
           Software for Automotive Industry. Transformed to OnDemand Solutions

   l   President & CEO, NxGen Networks, Inc. (OTC listed)
           Telecommunications / VoIP for Domestic and International Markets

   l   President, Imagina Software, Inc.
           Solutions for Internet Service Providers

   l   VP of Programs, Marketing & Sales, US Software, Inc.
           Embedded software solutions for multiple industries

Selected Accomplishments:

Business Development

Entrepreneur/Executive-in-Residence at Oregon's Technology Incubator. Provide advice and council to several companies. Developed incubator's Acceptance Process & Criteria, Quarterly Progress Review Process, and Graduation Policy & Guidelines. (2006 - present). International business development: Asia & Europe, 1983 - 1989. Built Board of Directors to position a company (and located) first round financing, 1998 - 1999. Board member of four start-ups, 1998 - 2006. Board of Advisors, several technology companies.

"How to Attract Significantly More Customers" (book) - to be published Q2, 2008. "Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide" (book) - 2/2001, 2nd edition - 7/2003 (greatly updated 2nd printing, 8/2007), for business leaders taking their companies to their next level.:Leading Your Company: Real Solutions," Monthly "how-to" articles syndicated in several publications across the United States, 1998 - 2001. Published articles on leadership effectiveness: Advanced Management Techniques in Florence, Italy, The Business Journal, The Times, Oregon Business Magazine, Automotive News, Chevy Preview, Software Development Forum and other publications. Renewable Energy Blog.

Guest lecturer: University of Phoenix (MBA capstone project), Portland State University (MBA, e-Marketing course & Lab2Market series), North Hertfordshire College, England (Internet Distribution), Oregon State University (Capstone Ag-Business course). Keynote Speaker for University of Portland’s Entrepreneur’s Challenge & Lab2Market. Guest speaker at functions sponsored by: Oregon Entrepreneur’s Forum/Network, Software Association of Oregon, American Electronics Association (AEA), American Marketing Association, Society for Technical Communication, Small Business Development Center, Electronics Manufacturing Association, Project Management Institute, and Northcon. Invited guest, KBNP radio, DreamBuilders TV. Board-level & Military Chief of Staff presentations.

Built business in Asian and European markets, 1983 - 1989. Selected to join Governor Kitzhaber’s international trade mission to England, 1999. Selected by Oregon Business Magazine as Management Advisory Panel member, 1995.

Founder and Chairman of the Software Association of Oregon’s Product Development Special Interest Group, 1991. Founding member, AEA’s Competitiveness Group’s TQM Partnership for Competitiveness, 1992. Supported the Project Management Institute and the American Society for Training and Development in various roles, 1989 - 1992. Case Study #1 for the AEA’s Innovation NOW Conference, 1996. Selected as finalists for the PNWSQC’s Software Excellence Award, 1997. On Oregon Entrepreneur’s Forum/Network Start-up Services Committee, which helped hundreds companies improve their businesses, 1998 - 2006. President’s Council for the American Marketing Association, 2002.

Elected GP of troubled operations – able to return $640,000 (100%) of investor’s funds, 1984.

Renewable Energy / Environmental Support

Hydrogen-production client (2003). Primary research into the renewable energy "industry" & technologies (2003-). On the board of a bio-diesel company (2002). Support of Oregon Environmental Council (2008-). Efforts to develop Renewable Energy Technology Accelerator (2007-).

Creativity

Software-controlled electro-optical sensor device:
Patent # 4,631,583. Identified as a "Renaissance Man." Played various instruments in various bands over the years. Produced several CDs. Last band (1997 - 2004): aphasia.

Education

Bachelor's in Physics, University of California, Irvine - 1978.
(Obtained 5 years after the oil embargo of 1973 - because I wanted to solve the world's energy problems. Still on the To-Do list!)

Post-graduate studies: Cal-Tech & Cal State Fullerton.
Extensive leadership training.

What others say

"Mark is the guy you need if you want to quickly get to the core reasons why your business is not firing on all cylinders. I hired him while at a software company and he hit it right on all counts. He can step in and help any organization from an executive, operational or sales & marketing perspective."
– Doug Van Riper (CEO)

"Mark Paul is the 'real deal'. Make no mistake: Mark alone provided more viable, valuable content and direction to three diverse companies than I had seen from companies the size and caliber of PWC or M2. Startlingly effective and on target. Mark gets the job done, and you enjoy the process right along with him." – Mark Effinger (Serial entrepreneur)

"Mark has an exceptionally keen eye in helping clients find value in a broad spectrum of business. Mark's razor sharp business acumen is coupled with impeccable ability to work closely with senior management. I'd recommend Mark to any company looking to launch a new business or improve an existing one." – John Skardon (CEO)

"Mark approaches companies' challenges with energy and excitement. He asks the right questions, is a good listener, and gives thoughtful, valuable advice. His sense of humor doesn't hurt either." – Sven Haarhoff (Marketing executive)

"Mark is a class act. He is an independent thinker and very self directed. He is very client driven having the skills and knowledge to identify, formulate and implement marketing strategies." – Peter Paskill (Business owner)

"In addition to his thoroughness and endeavor to create value in business, Mark is deeply concerned about being the very best, and most productive, person he can be in life. He is continuously improving himself, which benefits his professional colleagues, both through performance and the example he sets." – Ron Brown (Entrepreneur)

"Mark is a strategic thinker, adept at creating opportunities to improve or turn-around businesses. He's a straight-shooter who can make tough decisions but who does so in a humane manner. Mark is a renaissance-man with interests ranging from preserving the earth's resources to playing great music."   – Janet Johnson (Marketing executive)

"Mark is an inspiration to the networking world. His vast background lends to his ability to adapt to others needs and assist them in improvements. Being a fellow author it is apparent that Mark cares for his fellow business associates."
– Cleon Cox III (Business owner, author)