North Florida Innovation Labs Advisory Group

North Florida Innovation Labs’ Advisory Group consists of subject matter experts who bring unique knowledge and skills to augment the background of the Director of North Florida Innovation Labs in order to more effectively guide the organization.  The Advisory Group serves to provide key information and/or make recommendations for the betterment of the program.

The Advisory Group may assist with the following:

• Program Refinement
• Client Selection
• Public Relations
• Prospecting
• Serving on subcommittees

Director of the Tech Transfer Office at Florida A&M University

Reis Alsberry is a United States Patent Agent with several years of patent portfolio management experience. He was the Technology Transfer Associate at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia for four years.  While at ODU, he was tasked with managing the engineering and physical sciences portion of the portfolio.  During this experience, he helped to broker the largest IP deal in ODU’s history.

Reis Alsberry has been the Director of Technology Transfer at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) for four years.  There he obtains and commercializes everything patentable that is researched on FAMU’s campus.  He has finalized several patent license agreements that bear income in the form of royalties to FAMU.

Fellow at Danfoss Turbocor Compressors

William Bilbow is a Senior Advisor, Fellow and Mentor at Danfoss Turbocor compressors, a pioneer and manufacturer of the world’s first and most widely applied oil-free magnetic bearing compressors for the HVAC industry.  His role includes providing expert guidance for turbomachinery design and business development, specifically with new and developing technologies.

William has over 37 years of strategic planning, business and technology development, product and project management experience in the Aerospace, Refrigeration and Renewable Energy industries.  He has two patents with several others pending, and has written white papers and trade journal articles.

In addition to his work at Danfoss, William is the Vice-Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Council at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, and has served as both mentor and judge for the College’s Senior Design Projects.

William received his Aerospace Engineering degree from St. Louis University.

Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Vitality

Drew Dietrich is the Deputy Director for the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality. He is committed to bringing an innovative and customer-focused approach to business engagement, and is focused on providing the best possible business assistance for local companies and organizations. With over 10 years of experience in community and economic development in Oregon and Texas– Drew brings a national perspective to economic vitality in Tallahassee-Leon County.

Drew earned his Bachelor degree from Queens University of Charlotte, and his Master in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University, and earned a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. Born and bred in Tallahassee, Drew is excited to be back in his hometown, cheering on the Noles and rediscovering all the hidden gems Tallahassee has to offer.

Director of the Office of Commercialization at Florida State University

Brent joined Florida State University Office of Commercialization in September of 2013. His principle responsibilities management of the Office of Commercialization and encompass the commercialization of Intellectual Property developed at Florida State University. He has worked at the University of Utah Technology Commercialization Office for nine years and was the Director of Patents and Licensing at Old Dominion University before coming to Florida State University.  His experience includes six startup companies, four of which he was a founder of and involved in initiating.

He has a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in Molecular Genetics and postdoctoral research experience in plant genetics and gene expression at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.  He also earned an M.B.A from the University of Colorado Denver.

Registered Patent Attorney at Hollimon P.A.

Bill Hollimon is a registered patent attorney and mediator. His practice focuses on patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Bill is an experienced litigator, and regularly appears in state and federal courts. He is also involved in administrative litigation at the state and federal levels.

Bill has litigated patent, trademark, and copyright disputes, and has experience in other complex litigation including class actions and proceedings before the Florida Public Service Commission. He also assists clients in cancellation and opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and in domain name disputes before ICANN.  His mediation practice concentrates on complex commercial disputes and disputes involving intellectual property.

Hollimon also enjoys helping small businesses and start-ups think through all aspects of their business strategies, and is faculty member for the Jim Moran Institute’s Small Business Executive Program, and has previously served as an adjunct Professor of Copyright Law at FSU College of Law.  Hollimon was a member of Leadership Florida Class XXX, and served as an appointed member of the Florida Elections Commission from 2008-2011, including 2 years as Vice Chairman.  Prior to beginning his legal career, Bill practiced as an engineer in the electric utility industry in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Hollimon is admitted to practice before all Florida State Courts, all Florida Federal District Courts, the United States Court of Claims, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal.  Hollimon also served on the City of Tallahassee’s Independent Ethics Board.

Entrepreneur, SBIR Winner and Research Engineer at the National MagLab

Thomas Painter is a mechanical engineer and senior research associate at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory with over 30 years of experience in high field superconducting magnets.  Tom has worked on many types of superconducting magnets over his career starting in 1989 when he helped fabricate the US-Demonstration Poloidal Coil (US-DPC) for MIT as part of the US Department of Energy fusion energy program’s collaboration with the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute.  Tom came to the newly established National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, FL in 1992 where he worked on the design, fabrication and testing of the cable in conduit outsert magnet for the 45 T Hybrid Magnet, which still holds the world record for highest continuous DC magnetic field.  Tom continued to work on other flagship high field magnets at the National MagLab including the Ultra-Wide Bore 900 MHz NMR magnet, the 36 Tesla Series Connected Hybrid, the 32 Tesla all superconducting magnet and now the newly initiated 40 Tesla all superconducting magnet project.

Tom also embarked on an entrepreneurial venture as owner of High Performance Magnetics for six years starting in 2010 where he setup a jacketing facility at the Tallahassee airport to integrate high current Nb₃Sn superconducting cables into a stainless steel jacket.  Throughout his career Tom has gained experience in project management, owning and running a high tech business, and presently focuses on analysis, fabrication and testing of high field magnet systems.  Tom received his Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1986 and his Master’s degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1988.

Director of the InNOLEvation® Center for Student Engagement and Instructional Specialist for the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University

Wendy Plant is the Director of the InNOLEvation® Center for Student Engagement and Instructional Specialist for the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University.  Along with teaching, Ms. Plant consults with entrepreneurship students from across the FSU campus; and she also manages the InNOLEvation ® Challenge business model competition, Greenhouse student incubator, JM Micro Grants, speaker events and the new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Living Learning Community.

She received an MBA from the University of Tampa where she was on the team that started the Entrepreneurship program on their campus.  Ms. Plant has a Certificate in Incubator Management from the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), and she managed technology business incubators in Pinellas County, Florida and the University of South Florida’s research park before moving to Tallahassee.

Manager at Beresford Ventures, LLC

Amy is a Manager with Beresford Ventures, LLC, a Florida based investment firm with holdings in over fifty early stage companies worldwide. Amy has been involved with early stage investing including serving on the board of the Tallahassee Chapter of the Florida Angel Nexus and on their state-wide screening committee. Amy believes that investing in early stage companies is a foundational element that drives economic progress in local communities. Based on this belief, Amy was one of the pioneers in promoting angel investing in Tallahassee and has served on corporate boards and as an advisor and mentor to local start-ups. Since 1994, Amy also served as the manager of a Texas based closely held investment company focused on investing in early stage companies. Holding a BA in Computer Science, Amy began her career in the corporate arena with various Fortune 500 companies including Monsanto and Edward Jones.

CEO of the Florida Technology Council

James Taylor is CEO of the Florida Technology Council (FTC).  The Council is Florida’s only statewide association focused exclusively on the needs and priorities of the technology sector. Operations for Taylor include working with Florida C-suite tech executives, State legislators, agency heads and CIOs, as well as cyber divisions of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI.  Representing Florida’s tech industry, Taylor’s voice provides unbiased guidance to state legislators, agencies and staff to advance technology in Florida.

Taylor served as the technology industry representative for the Cybersecurity and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Legislative Work Group in the Florida House of Representatives, is the creator of Florida’s annual Tech Day at the Capitol and is the 2019 recipient of Government Technology’s National 2019 Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers Award for individuals using advancements in technology to improve state government.