2011 Panel

Linda Hall Keller

Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Carlson School of Business, University of Minnesota

Linda Hall Keller, PhD is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence and adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management as well as the University of Minnesota Rochester. She has been a business consultant for Mayo Clinic since 2009 and is currently leading the Rochester Talent Development in Entrepreneurship initiative. Previous engagements include Children's Heartlink and BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota.

She is a corporate director for R-Clinic, based in Finland, and serves on the advisory boards of Primex and General Blood.

She also serves on 4 non-profit boards including the Minnesota Women's Economic Roundtable, Minnesota Women Corporate Directors, the InterOrganization Network and the Board of Governors for Opportunity International.

Linda is best known for having launched retail healthcare as CEO of MinuteClinic from 2002-2005 preceding its $200 million sale to CVS/Pharmacy.

She has served as a director for 3 public companies over the past 15 years, including HealthFitness Corporation and August Technology until their successful mergers and 11 years on the MTS Systems board until her term expired. She has chaired Governance, Compensation and Nominating committees, served as a member of Audit and held the role of Lead Director. She also served on the board of a Chicago-based venture backed start-up, BrillStreet+.

Keller is a former director of the 9th District Federal Reserve Bank, National Association for Corporate Directors (NACD) Minnesota Chapter, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Zoological Society.

Esperanza Guerrero-Anderson

President, Guerrero Anderson Inc

Esperanza Guerrero-Anderson is the founder and president of Guerrero-Anderson, Inc., a management consulting firm that specializes in creating exceptional boards for privately held companies. Previously she was CEO of Milestone Growth Fund, a Minnesota-based venture capital fund of which she is the founder. During her 16 years at Milestone, she represented the fund on the board of directors of many of its portfolio companies and assisted in establishing boards of directors for several of those companies.

Currently she serves on the boards of Great Lakes Educational Loan Services Inc., M&I Bank Minnesota, the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors, and the Bush Foundation. She also has served on the boards of Leeann Chin Inc., National City Bancorporation, Reell Manufacturing Precision Co., Center of the American Experiment, Guthrie Theater, Walker Art Center, and many other successful organizations. She teaches Business Ethics and Organizational Governance in the Executive MBA Program at the University of St. Thomas.

Ms. Guerrero-Anderson’s extensive education credentials include Yale University’s Executive Management Program and a master’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Minnesota.

Barb Stinnett

Barbara Stinnett is a seasoned operating executive with over 25 years experience in both the technologies enterprise and consumer markets, having P&L experience globally, building start ups to running businesses in excess of $4B with 3,000+ employees globally. She is recognized for building strong customer facing organizations, having the ability to create strategies with crisp sales execution plans, being customer centric, leading change management while incorporating operational best practices, and bringing innovation to the companies served. She has a successful track record in transitioning businesses from being product oriented, to value added providers of global solutions, giving companies a competitive advantage in their markets, delivering profitable, consistent results.

As a keynote speaker and advisor to several firms in the technologies market, she is a motivational leader, who’s developed best practices while at Hewlett Packard, and has expertise that has progressed through her career, holding positions including CEO, President, COO, CSO, EVP, and Founder of her own firm. She has held executive roles and board seats on firms such as HP, Sybase, Oracle and Cisco, and several midcap software and consulting companies.

In addition, she has led multiple emerging companies through challenging transitions, small and large, including leading the integration effort for HP/Compaq, and directed global business units, determining where it makes sense to use direct resources, and where to build out and engage partner firms, such as VARs, SI’s, OEM’s and ISV’s. . Understanding how to expand companies internationally is a unique skill that is called upon regularly in her business.

Barbara has extensive practical knowledge, a pragmatic approach, and content expertise in global marketing, sales & services, including subject matter expertise in business intelligence & analytics, social collaboration, unified communications, media and entertainment, and global supply chain and manufacturing. She has led and managed geographic, multi-industry, and cross business segment teams in consumer, commercial, and government sectors.

Barbara holds degrees in Computer Science and International Business (languages and negotiations focus) from the University of Wisconsin. She continues to serve on both public, private and nonprofit boards, is chairwoman for the CEO Council of Silicon Valley (CEC), certified by the National Association of National Directors (NACD), an active member and mentor as part of the Women’s Corporate Directors, and of Watermark, formerly, the Women’s Forum for Entrepreneurs & Executives (FWE&E)

Panel Facilitator

Beth Leonard

Managing Partner, Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP

Beth Kieffer Leonard is the managing partner of Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP. In her role, Beth has led the Firm's sponsorship and support of business opportunities for a wide-range or clients. Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Company, LLP has a strong entrepreneurial culture and Beth continues the tradition through her leadership.

With her energetic approach to strategic partnerships, valuable insights, business development skills, and her vast network of advisors, Beth consults with her clients to help them achieve their goals. Her areas of expertise are as varied as the businesses in our community.

Active in several civic organizations, her leadership role has won recognition from numerous national and regional associations including: “Women in Business Champion" for the Small Business Administration—Minnesota and the Advocacy Award from the Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago. Beth received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting at the University of Minnesota—Carlson School of Management. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants.