Cheryl Mayberry McKissack is the founder, Chairman and CEO of Nia Enterprises, LLC, a Chicago-based database, systems integration and marketing services firm founded in January 2000. Nia Enterprises provides opt-in permission based marketing data solutions related to the growing and specialized market of African American Women and their families. The company provides the largest Consumer Advisory Panel of African American women and their families. This opt-in permission based panel offers companies a direct link into the buying habits and consumer preferences of the largest ethnic buying power group. The company operates through strategic business units including their on-line platform NiaOnline (www.niaonline.com) and Nia Access, which provide development and implementation of system integration solutions. These solutions include their proprietary product offering called "Simple Sampling," a research-sampling tool designed for the ethnic sampling market.

Nia Enterprises Ms. Mayberry McKissack have received several recognitions, including the top 25 Chicago Women in technology award and one of the 25 companies selected to present at the 2001 Springboard venture forum. Nia Enterprises was also named one of Chicago's Top 50 emerging technology companies for 2001. Ms. Mayberry McKissack has also spoken at a variety of universities and business conferences including: Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management BMBA, Microsoft, Tavis Smiley's Blacks in Technology and the African American Women on Tour (AAWOT). Prior to founding Nia Enterprises, Ms. Mayberry McKissack enjoyed a 23-year career in technology holding positions such as World-Wide Senior Vice President and General Manager for Open Port Technology. She was also a founding member of the Network Systems Division and Vice President for the America's for 3Com, (formerly U.S. Robotics). Ms. Mayberry McKissack started her technology career with the IBM Corporation where she enjoyed a 14-year career in sales, marketing and management positions.

Ms. Mayberry McKissack, a native of Seattle, Washington, received her B.S. from Seattle University completing the four-year program in 2.5 years and her MBA from Northwestern's J.L. Kellogg School of Management. Ms. Mayberry McKissack serves as a Director of the Deluxe Corporation, NYSE (DLX), former Chairperson and current board member of the Information Technology Resource Center, board member and sponsor for the LINK Unlimited organization and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago.

For the last fifteen years Mr. Weinstein has worked in a variety of management positions in the technology field, both in the public and private sectors. Previously, he was president of David Weinstein & Associates, LLC. (DW&A) a Chicago-based consulting and advisory service firm specializing in assisting businesses extend their technology services and products to the public sector.

Mr. Weinstein also was president and chief executive officer of BlueMeteor from 2000 to 2001 and was responsible for developing and implementing the company's strategic vision and corporate growth to $5 million in annual revenues with 110 employees. Mr. Weinstein led the technology firm in successfully raising over $30 million of venture capital and executing strategic alliances with major technology providers and equipment manufacturers that included: Oracle Corporation, TIBCO Software, Sun Microsystems, Exodus Communications, Storage Networks and EMC.

Prior to BlueMeteor, Mr. Weinstein worked in government for four years from 1996 to 2000. He was technology advisor to the mayor of the City of Chicago, Richard M. Daley from 1998 to 2000. In this role he managed the City’s Technology Development Initiative and helped form the Mayor's Council of Technology Advisors.

Throughout Mr. Weinstein’s work life, he has been active in the local Chicago community and was recently appointed by the mayor to be a member of the Chicago Plan Commission. He also participates on the board of directors for the Chicago Cultural Center Foundation, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Citizens Advisory Board, M5 Artist Collective, the Target Group Inc., and the Mayor's Council of Technology Advisors. David was recognized for his work with technology entrepreneurs and received the 2006 City Lights Award from the Illinois Information Technology Association and has also been named to Crain's Chicago Business' 2006 "Who's Who in Chicago Business".

Mr. Weinstein is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, receiving his degree with honors and distinction from the Phi Kappa Phi National All-University Honors Society and the Golden Key National Honors Society. He earned his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Mr. Wood was selected as the second recipient of the Draper Richards Fellowship, has twice been chosen for the Skoll Foundation award for social entrepreneurship, and has led Room to Read to three consecutive selections for the prestigious "Social Capitalist" by Fast Company magazine and the Monitor Group. In 2004, he was named as one of Time Magazine's "Asian Heroes" - the only non-Asian ever selected to receive this award. He is also the author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World (Harper Collins; September, 2006).

Mr. Wood is an active public speaker, especially to business audiences, on the subjects of corporate social responsibility and building a world-class non-profit organization. His work has been profiled by Bloomberg Television, CNBC, CNN, Fast Company, Newsweek, The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and USA Today. John holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Northwestern University and a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Finance from the University of Colorado.

Risk Management. Reinsurance. Human Capital Consulting.

Patrick G. Ryan is founder and executive chairman of Aon Corporation, a global leader in risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human capital consulting and outsourcing. He started as an entrepreneur and founded an insurance agency of five persons in 1965, which grew to become Aon, with more than 500 offices in 120 countries.