Our Leadership Team
The IP2Biz' team of proven professionals is uniquely qualified to help you navigate the IP path to commercialization. With more than 50 years of experience between John Bacon and James Throckmorton, the melding of skill sets, practical application and expertise is bountiful. From emerging and enabling technologies to patenting and proving innovations for commercialization, IP2Biz has the right leadership for early stage technology development.
John C. Bacon
John Bacon is a founder and CEO of IP2Biz LLC. He has spent his entire career involved with early stage technology, creating early markets for breakthrough technologies. John was an executive for 17 years with Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., in a variety of roles including serving as managing director of the company’s United Kingdom operation, building and marketing satellite communications equipment in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and Group Executive of Satellite Communications. During his tenure at Scientific-Atlanta, revenues increased from approximately $10M to $1B. He was a software entrepreneur for more than 15 years, running several venture capital-backed companies and taking two of them public, one in the United States and one in Europe, after raising close to $40 million from seven venture capital firms. John was CEO at a company which was based entirely upon a dense cluster of IP which had been invented at a major research university, but which wasn’t making commercial progress. His experience there in creating a roadmap into commercial markets, coupled with a period of venture investing, created the framework to understand the challenges and opportunities which led to the founding of IP2Biz.
He is vice-chairman of the Board of the Georgia Tech Research Institute and a member of Georgia Tech Ireland, a new company working with agencies of the Irish Government to do translational research in Europe. He has served on the Boards of Directors of the Technology Association of Georgia, Business and Technology Alliance, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and many civic, arts and community organizations. He holds a degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology (BS, Industrial Engineering) and has completed advanced management development work at Harvard Business School and the Wharton School of Business. Contact John Bacon.
James Throckmorton
James Throckmorton is a founder and President of IP2Biz LLC. He has advised CEOs of manufacturing and technology companies for more than 15 years. As an operating executive and an advisor, he has worked with boards of directors of both private and public companies. James has worked with university researchers while analyzing technologies and has conducted more than 50 market, industry and technology analyses in the energy, biomedical and enabling technologies spaces. The process of discovery at the intersection of markets, industries and technologies provides the foundation for the IP2Biz process. Previously, he held a broad range of senior management positions including marketing, sales, operations, materials management, purchasing, new product development and finance in the US and Europe. He was an instructor at Ohio State and holds degrees from Ohio State University (BS, Mathematics; MS, Computer and Information Science) and the University of Minnesota (Executive MBA).
James is the president of the board of the Atlanta Chamber Players and serves on the board of ProArte Chorale. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling to unique places to watch birds.
Contact James Throckmorton.
Dennis Mitrano
Dennis Mitrano is a business executive with over 25 years experience bringing technologies and companies to market. He has a broad background in telecommunications, outsourced business services and consumer marketing. Dennis is well known for his corporate and board leadership; his domestic and international sales, marketing and operations successes include conceiving and executing mass consumer campaigns and Fortune 100 partnership development. Dennis has held officer-level positions at Dliveo, Premiere Global Services, Intelispan, Enrev Corporation, and ICG Communications. He was a key member of the executive team at Sprint and National Data. He has navigated venture-funded and public companies to decision points for over fifteen years.
Dennis holds an MBA from George Washington University, majoring in Finance and International business, and received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Tech. Contact Dennis Mitrano.
Deborah Farrell
Deborah Farrell is a veteran of product management and sales with over 24 years experience. She has been instrumental in the early adoption of breakthrough software technologies as a sales leader, evangelist and chief strategist. Prior to IP2Biz, she was Vice President, Business Development & Product Management at WebTone Technologies in Atlanta. Deborah has also served as Vice President of Business Development at electronic commerce software companies CoreCommerce and XOU Technologies, Inc. Prior to that, she led key account strategies at Microsoft. She has served on the board of the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA), and is an active member of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and the Microsoft Alumni Network. Ms. Farrell lives with her family in Alpharetta, Georgia, coaches high school and junior Olympic volleyball -- and maintains ties to her Minnesota heritage as a youth hockey enthusiast. Contact Deborah Farrell.
John Hitt
Dr. John Hitt is an experienced healthcare leader practicing and managing various specialties. Prior to IP2Biz, he worked as VPMA for the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics and as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dr. Hitt also worked for VHA in coordinating regional and national quality efforts and on aspects of clinical supply chain management. He began his work as a physician executive at Caremark International as Medical Director.
Dr. Hitt is a graduate of the University of Virginia (BA, Biochemistry and BA, Economics). He attended Veterinary School at the University of Georgia and received his Medical Doctorate from the Medical College of Georgia in 1984 (AOA honors). Dr. Hitt completed his Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease Fellowship training at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics in 1991. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Hitt completed his MBA at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in 2003. Dr. Hitt is the proud father of seven children. Contact John Hitt.
Tom L. Smith
Tom Smith is a global sales & business development executive and management consultant known for driving rapid execution of services, software, and hardware revenue growth strategies. His leadership track record includes consistent delivery of superior year-on-year growth of revenue, profit, and new business bookings in roles ranging from leading a $140M P&L IT services and consulting business, to a global role yielding over $500M in annual revenue while at IBM. Tom has 30 years of domestic and global operating experience building and leading teams of 10 to 250. He is adept at leading into new regional and international markets, including India and China, with extensive knowledge of building go-to-market partnerships between high-tech companies and multi-national corporations. He is known for gaining rapid access to client prospects through an extensive personal relationship network with small to enterprise companies, venture capital, private equity, and service provider firms globally. He holds a degree from Lincoln Technical Institute in applied technology, and is continuing his education with studies in global leadership at DePaul University. Contact Tom Smith.
Robert D. Brown III
Robert Brown is an experienced decision strategist with over 13 years experience. He provides advanced decision guidance, risk management, and business analytics to help executive decision makers gain deep insights into complex and risky investment opportunities, system behavior, and planning exercises. His experience spans diverse industrial and commercial fields such as telecommunications, IT, energy, utilities, logistics & transportation, pharmaceuticals, electronics manufacturing, and commercial real estate. Robert is a graduate from the school of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Contact Robert Brown.
Jimmy Lin
Jimmy Lin has more than 12 years of experience leading product management strategies, developing strategic approaches and analyzing new markets. Prior to IP2Biz, Jimmy led global product management initiatives at UPS Supply Chain Solutions for the $700M Post Sales service portfolio. Jimmy was a Consulting Manager for Manhattan Associates, a leading supply chain software company, where he successfully led teams implementing supply chain solutions for clients in a variety of industries including high-tech, pharmaceutical and CPG. He holds an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School and a bachelor's degree, with honors, in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida. Contact Jimmy Lin.
Al Etheridge
Al Etheridge is an engineer, technologist and entrepreneur with more than 15 years experience developing technology from concept to practice in technology development and entrepreneurship in and between public, private, academic and government settings. Prior to joining IP2Biz, he worked for the University of Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute developing and implementing a program to foster innovation in small and medium sized technology companies. As an engineer, he worked for Northrop Grumman Electronic Sensors and Systems (ESSS) developing next generation sensor platforms before joining a venture-backed start-up community developing optical-based technologies. He holds degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology (BS, Mechanical Engineering; MS, Mechanical/Materials Engineering). Contact Al Etheridge.