who would you
like to see here?

who has
inspired you?

who might
inspire some others?

She had just earned her Spanish certfication when she decided to start making donuts in her kitchen, since it better suited her passion, and she was unable to buy donuts as good as she could make them. The rest is history.

Cindy Thompson, founder of Transformit
www.transformit.com

Cindy Thompson began making artistic fabric structures for festivals and corporate events in 1985, under the name “Fabric Transformations”. She quickly changed the name to the more active “Transformit”. The company’s first home was a loft/ studio/ warehouse where she lived with her dog Marvel. Here she created many installations, including the company’s largest-ever structure, without the aid of computers or any (human) employees.

Since then, Transformit has grown considerably in size and sophistication. Cindy has collected an array of artists, designers, craftspeople and stagehands who help to bring her artistic visions into reality. As customers have grown more sophisticated, the company has responded by adding capabilities and services. In-house product development and prototyping, private label, digital printing, project management and service programs have kept Transformit at the cutting edge of our industry.

Tony Boffa, founder of the Tony Boffa Band
www.tonyboffa.com

Tony Boffa graduated from Cheverus High School in 1968. He somehow knew at age 15 that music would be his life. While learning the pop tunes of the times, he was also intrigued by the improvisational styles of the great be-bop players. Music in various styles was the only thing that motivated him. His natural urge to entertain led to the development of his unique musical personality. Under the tutelage of local educators Don Doane and Thomas Bucci, Tony graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1973. Tony earned his way through college, teaching privately, instructing at Bowdoin College,and playing extensively as a sideman in show and jazz bands. Frustrated with the leadership skills of many of his employers Tony began leading his own ensembles. Tony credits Don Doane, Tom Bucci, and Commercial band leaders Larry Bisso(Massachusetts) and Arnold Most (New Haven Connecticut) with helping him combine schooled musicianship with entertainment skills. This combination is what makes The Tony Boffa Band so consistent and successful.

Tony's educational life is a tribute to once again Don Doane and Tom Bucci who gave their advice and knowledge unselfishly. Tony would also like to mention Bill Leavitt. Bill was the head of the guitar department at Berklee College of Music. These men gave so much to him for so little in return, he learned the magic of good teaching. In a world of lowering standards and tolerating instead of teaching he is trying to restore honesty and energy to teaching. Tony states, "All I have to do is be as good an influence to others as the great influences in my life were to me and I can't miss"!

Don Gooding, Maine Center for Enterprise Development, Executive Director

Don Gooding was a telecommunications market analyst and venture capitalist for fifteen years, founded and ran a global specialty music business for sixteen years, and has invested as an angel since the late 1990s. In addition, he is Manager of the state-wide USM Student Business Plan Competition, and a member of the Maine Angels.

As Research Partner for Accel Partners (1986-1996), he investigated new telecom and networking markets, finding and evaluating new investment opportunities. Don authored a monthly column in Communications Week, was co-chair of the annual Accel/Stanford Center for Telecommunications Symposium, and was the first webmaster in the venture capital industry. He worked closely with companies such as UUNET, Teleos, Clear Communications and PictureTel.

As a member of Maine Angels he has invested in early stage technology companies, including Ocean Renewable Power Company, Emergent Music, Axon Labs, Neuroptix and IW Financial. His most successful angel investment to date was backing his longtime friend Jay Borden in Granite Systems, a New Hampshire software firm serving telecom carriers, for which he was the first outside director. Don received his B.A. from Yale University cum laude with distinction in Economics in 1981, concentrating on the economics of data transmission.

Catherine Bickford, Artascope Playworks, LLC
www.artascope.com

Catherine Bickford is an Emmy award television producer who launched Artascope Playworks, LLC in 2000. In 2008 Catherine was invited to participate in the VC 101 program at the Center for Women & Enterprise in Boston where she began to refine her revenue model and develop her strategy for growth. At the culmination of this six-month course, Catherine was asked to present her company at the CWE annual Access to Capital event at MIT in Cambridge. In 2009, Catherine was awarded a MTI seed grant to conduct market research. She was also one of thirty awarded a “Partners of the Americas” fellowship in community development sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation during which she traveled throughout the US, South America, and Caribbean over the course of three years to complete her Fellowship.

Joshua is a media production specialist experienced in event management, audio production, video editing and printing. He has managed sound for events a the Portland Museum of Art, the University of Southern Maine, the Stone House and more. He designs, implements and delivers audio solutions, full-color print materials, and engaging video productions for events of all kinds. He has worked with such clients as NAACP, Gestalt Institute, Angus King and more, providing on site video, editing, streaming video for live events, streaming video compression for the Web, DVD design and production, duplication and conversion.

Becky McKinnell, Founder and President, iBec

www.ibeccreative.com

 McKinnell is a leader of the next generation of Internet marketers. Formally trained in the arts and entrepreneurial studies, she brings a technically-savvy and fresh sense to marketing design and the application of multi-media. Becky's clients benefit from her depth of knowledge and common-sense drive for results. She focuses her resources on raising her clients' online profiles while promoting their unique brands. Becky is an award-winning businesswoman, graduating from University of Southern Maine in the top of her class with a Bachelor's Degree in Art and Entrepreneurial Studies and is pursuing certifications in Google© Adwords and Google© Analytics. She was named one of the Top 25 Entrepreneurs Under 25 by BusinessWeek.

Jeff Shaw, founder and director, Maine Academy of Modern Music
www.maineacademyofmodernmusic.org

Jeff Shaw is the founder and director of the Maine Academy of Modern Music, a nonprofit music school dedicated to teaching the music of today.  Since its inception in 2007, Jeff has overseen all program development, marketing, community outreach, fundraising, staffing and business development activities for MAMM. Jeff graduated from the University of Maine at Machias in 2000 with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts and Psychology and has 13 years of experience in music education, including experience teaching at-risk adolescents at the Long Creek Youth Development Center and Spurwink Services.  In 2006 Jeff won an award by the National Association of Music Education for his work at Spurwink. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Portland Music Foundation and was recently named one of the city's "Most Influential People" by the Portland Phoenix. 

Ryan Beaumont, sole proprietor, RM Beaumont Corp

www.rmbeaumontcorp.com

In high school, during the hours and hours spent playing computer games, being a techie in the school theater, and working at the local pizza shop, Ryan never guessed that one day he would be designing tidal turbine components in Eastport, Maine, or testing racing surfaces for the safety of thoroughbred jockeys, or studying turbulent blood flow in stenosed arteries.  Ryan’s broad background and commitment to problem solving attracts all sorts of interesting problems.

While at the University of Maine, Ryan worked in a structural testing lab, painstakingly setting up test specimens to be studied while being smashed and broken.  During the time spent at the University, his courses ranged from thermodynamics to artificial intelligence.  After graduating from the University of Maine with a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Ryan wanted to maintain the contacts he had made at the University while continuing to work the same variety of challenging projects.

So, in 2006, Ryan began working as a sole-proprietor, taking all the risks and all the glory of being self-employed straight out of college.  After two years of success, he founded his company R.M. Beaumont Corp. in Maine, which now has two part-time employees and will be looking to grow through the next few years.