I am the visionary partner and co-founder of world class plant physiologist and controlled environment agriculture expert Dr. Ricardo Hernandez, research professor at North Carolina State. We aim to change the way agriculture systems of today grow their crops, one plant at a time, using our Phlora Platform. The Phlora Platform uses proprietary vertical indoor farming technology to grow flowering plant starts, seedlings, and clones faster, bigger and stronger than any other method, producing a greater yield for our partners. We ask all growers...Why grow seeds and not plants?Why not have a superior plant to any other plant you can possibly grow?Why not have them every day of the year?Why not have them for cheaper and more sustainably grown than you can do it yourself? Why not have them grow faster, produce more, and easier to harvest? With Phlora they can!As climate change, water use, food safety, and labor shortages negatively impact all growers; the world’s population continues to grow. New food production systems must be developed and the push of the 4th Industrial Revolution into agriculture is here today. Access to conditioned, high quality, consistent young plants to feed both manual and mechanical production is critical to the success of our agricultural systems of tomorrow. The Phlora Platform eliminates the risk associated with the first 1/3rd of a crops life cycle producing superior young plants in a protected controlled environment, reducing cycle times, increasing yield, and improving harvesting efficiencies while using less water, nutrients, resources, and labor than any other method. Led by a team of passionate plant people, Phlora will continue to empower growers of all kinds to grow the best crops with the best young plants that are good for their business, good for the environment, and good for the people.

The Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation (ACABI) is a university-wide "innovation engine" developed to further unlock the creative capabilities of the University of Arizona. As Assistant Director, I work directly with ACABI Director, Dr. Marvin Slepian, and other ACABI researchers, colleagues, and inventors to facilitate the ideation, development, and commercialization of innovative University technology to solve the worlds unmet needs.

Grafted Growers is a high density, small footprint, closed system propagator of commercial quality plants for the commercial grower market. Derived from cutting-edge controlled environment agriculture technology, Grafted Growers Delivers the highest quality vegetable seedlings to market, faster and with less resources than any other method today. Led by a team of plant physiologist experts from the University of Arizona's controlled environment agriculture department, Grafted Growers produces the highest quality grafted vegetable transplants available for commercial and hobby vegetable growers.

The McGuire Center, a pioneer in entrepreneurship education, continues to be recognized as one of the nation’s elite entrepreneurship centers, offering a variety of rigorous and enriching educational opportunities to more than 1,100 students from across the University of Arizona each year. Named the "crown jewel" of the University of Arizona by USA Today/The Princeton Review, the McGuire New Venture Development Program is a globally recognized program open to UA undergraduate and graduate students from all fields of study. I provide instruction, experience, and insight in the areas of critical thinking and persuasion within an entrepreneurial context to develop students expertise in effective and strategic communication of entrepreneurial ideas to key stakeholders.

Educator; Retailing and Consumer Sciences in the Norton School of Family and Consumer SciencesCoursework includes Supply Chain Management delivered in a case study format to provide student with real world examples of the integration and utilization of Supply Chain strategies in business development. Integration of current events relative to Supply Chain Management will also be used through out the course to provide real time situations of Supply Chain strategy, decisions, and partnerships that result in successful and unsuccessful businesses opportunities.

I presently oversee the Business Intelligence Unit conducting industry research analysis and market strategy recommendations for The University of Arizona technology commercialization department, Tech Launch Arizona. Building on work completed in partnership with other TLA Tech Transfer team members, I managed and executed the aggregation and interpretation of high quality, actionable business intelligence in the forms of market analysis, commercial feasibility, and market strategy for Tech Launch Arizona technologies.

•Analyzed intellectual property Proof of Concept proposals for the University of Arizona’s research developed technologies to develop effective strategies aligning IP concept, opportunity in the marketplace, proof of concept, and potential commercialization opportunities. •Developed a business intelligence framework for business case development, proof of concept analysis and resource allocation; delivering the required research, domain expert analysis and market insight strategically throughout Tech Launch Arizona’s commercialization process. •Generated comprehensive market analysis and strategic commercialization plan for innovative technologies in the areas of; Optics, Photonics, Ophthalmic Diagnostics, Bio-technology, Materials Science Engineering, Neurology, Agriculture and Chemical Engineering.

• Investigated current product lines internal and external constraints in order to determine the best allocation of company’s capital expenditures to maximize efficiencies, reduce bottlenecks and increase throughput. • Evaluated critical outside service provider’s impact on growth including ability to handle increase demand, development of strategic locations, and cost of vertically integrating services altogether. • Analyzed factors of variable costs as well as fixed costs, both direct and indirect, in order to determine the impact of strategic decisions regarding the company’s current capacity and future capital expenditure allocation. • Developed an analysis tool allowing for company to assess key factors in determining the best placement of large capital equipment to strategically position themselves for optimal growth.

• Developed and managed a team of MBA and Doctoral candidates to engage in the process of developing a new venture start-up firm facilitating a market entry strategy, customer acquisition strategy, positioning, operational process, 5 year financial projections and thorough business plan for execution and launch. • Executed the necessary research, both quantitative and qualitative, to insightfully engage in the process of new venture development including; idea generation, problem definition, solution development, market identification, customer validation and venture implementation. • Perfected team management skills directed at focusing the efforts of members from diverse cultural, educational and professional backgrounds for the common goal of the team while maintaining a high quality of work and exceeding all deliverable requirements of the program.

• Revamped sales marketing strategy of the Tucson office to focus on viable long term partnerships in newly targeted service sectors generating a 124% increase in gross operating income in 2011. • Designed and implemented focused sales strategies driving high margin / low cost clients increasing the Tucson office branch net operating income by 328%. • Developed candidate inventory system increasing the Tucson offices order fill rate by 27% and decreasing order fill time by 16% generating an additional $198,000 in gross profits. • Nurtured relationships with vested clients by setting the companies standards for client retention and generating organic growth accounting for over 80% of the clients in the Tucson market. • Recognized by Intermountain Staffing as the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Top Sales Manager by leading the company in gross profit generation and garnering the award of the Presidents Round Table. .

• Development and implemented sales and marketing strategies for products and services to the Phoenix market creating internal and external sales processes that produced a consistent image to employees and clients generating an increase of 27% in gross revenues first year. • Coached and practiced a consultative sales approach providing solution driven products and services increasing business to business sales volume by 45%.• Cultivated, Trained and developed a staff of 6 employees in positions varying from customer service, sales and operations by creating a training and development program that has improved company attrition by 53%. • Sourced, tested and introduced new products to the companies present offering allowing for increased add on sales generating an increase of 38% in total add on sales revenues for 2008.

• Managed the top overall producing office in the country for Nationstar Mortgage in 2006 & 2007 based on the categories of units closed, units per loan officer, volume, total revenue, averaging $2,500,000 in net operating income, and winning the Presidents Round Table Award.• Utilizing cost control management, aggressive product pricing, and understanding of employees as a vital resource to company success, I raised production levels for units by 33%, volume by 21% and pricing by 26% to record levels in the Tempe Retail office. • Spearheaded Nationstar Mortgages Partner Plus program which promoted business to business relationship development for retail branch locations with community, regional and state chartered banks and increased bank originated referral business by 23%.

• Accepted into Centex’s Manager in Training Program after my first year of employment learning effective people management, office management and fiscal management practices where I graduated as one of the top talents in my class.• Top overall producing representative with Centex for the Western Region averaging $1.2 million in closed volume per month, winning the annual CHEC Looking for Aces incentive based on unit’s closed, gross volume, net revenue, and overall pricing.

• Formed and managed Miller Michael & associates entertainment consulting division by developing, contracting and managing entertainment marketing operations generating an increase of 62% of the company’s overall client base. • Cultivated relationships with new client base of Casinos, Hotels, Professional Sports Teams, Colleges and Universities for Miller Michael & Associates generating new business revenue volume of $1.5 million in the first year. • Developed Miller Michael & Associates entertainment branding strategy for Native American Casinos driving an increase in client growth of over 120% and a segmented revenue increase of 105%. • Created and spearheaded marketing campaigns aimed at professional sports teams’ entertainment segment gaining entry into a new market while increasing our company’s presence in a fresh, profitable arena.