Defining L.A.'s prototypical techie.

The typical mover and shaker in the Los Angeles County high-tech industry is 41 years old, works 55 hours a week, makes $125,000 a year and has a net worth of more than $500,000.

The vast majority of the industry's top players are male and college graduates. But a fairly sizable number - more than 10 percent - do not have college degrees.

These are some of the findings of the Los Angeles Business Journal's first Who's Who in High Technology, which provides details about the lives and careers of L.A.'s 100 most influential high-tech professionals.

The top pros' educational backgrounds are tremendously diverse, ranging from aerospace engineering to philosophy and journalism.

And that diversity has continued in their professional lives. Far from being a mere collection of computer whizzes, the Business Journal's Who's Who includes top high-tech talents from a broad spectrum of industries - entertainment, law, environmental services, energy, transportation, publishing and more.

There are several multimillionaires in the Who's Who, but there are also a few who plead relative poverty - with annual salaries of less than $70,000 and net worth under $100,000.

A significant number of L.A. high-tech wizards also don't like publicity - several industry heavyweights refused to participate in the survey.

"You have to remember something about this industry and that is that a lot of the people in it just aren't the flamboyant type," noted Randal Walti, president of Torrance-based Oaktree Consulting, a high-tech industry consulting firm. "A lot of these people are engineers and such, and they just don't feel comfortable blowing their own horn."

Many duck questions

In compiling the Who's Who in High Technology, the Business Journal identified dozens of influential people in the industry, and sent questionnaires to qualified candidates - informing them that they had been selected as a candidate for inclusion in the Who's Who publication.

Research conducted for some of the earlier Who's Who publications created by the Business Journal triggered aggressive lobbying by industry professionals and their representatives. This was especially true for the Who's Who in Commercial Real Estate and the Who's Who in Law, when candidates rushed to complete and submit survey materials and lobbied aggressively to be included.

By contrast, the high-tech industry's response to the Who's Who was noticeably more guarded.

Bill Manassero, president of the Software Council of Southern California, an industry trade group based in Torrance, confirmed that many people in the high-tech business shy away from publicity.

"You know, some of these people are making a tremendous amount of money, and they just don't want the notoriety. They don't want financial planners and such bothering them. Also, a lot of them are involved in different deals, and they don't want any publicity," he said.

Another local industry expert, Michael Terpin, who operates the Terpin Group, a Marina del Rey public relations and consulting group specializing in the high-tech industry, offered another theory. He said people in the industry are extremely busy.

"I bet if you look at the number of hours some of these people work, you'll see that they are really busy and just don't have the time for these kinds of things. If you look at your survey, I'll bet you see a lot of these people work a lot of hours," said Terpin.

Long hours are common

Indeed, the movers and shakers do work a lot of hours, according to information they provided in the questionnaires. With survey respondents citing an average work week of 55 hours, many in the group noted that they work 80 or more hours a week. A 60-hour work week is common; a 40-hour work week is uncommon.

The question about the typical work week was among several more-personal questions asked to help the Business Journal create a demographic profile of the prototypical high-tech professional in Los Angeles County. Respondents were assured of personal anonymity, and were assured they would not be excluded from consideration for inclusion in the Who's Who if they decided not to answer the demographic questions.

To further encourage participation, these demographic questions were of the multiple-choice variety, with each choice covering a range of numbers, rather than a specific number.

Some specific information gathered from the questionnaires included:

* The average L.A. high-tech professional has an annual income in the range of $100,000 to $150,000 and a net worth of between $500,000 and $1 million.

* Eighty-four of the 100 included in the Who's Who reported having earned at least a bachelor's degree, and 12 said they are not college graduates.

* Thirty-nine have at least one master's degree; 12 have doctorates and seven have law school degrees.

Local industry watchers said the average age of 41 reflects the fact that the local industry is comprised of two distinct groups.

Those two groups are young people drawn to high tech through the area's entertainment business, and an older group comprised of veterans of the county's defense and aerospace industry, said the experts.

Concerning the scarcity of women in the industry, the local experts said that is due to the predominance of men in such fields as engineering and computer technology. The experts added, however, that more women are becoming involved in the high-tech industry.

EDWARD "PETE" ALDRIDGE JR. President and CEO, The Aerospace Corp. El Segundo [phone] Age: 56 Resident of: Declined to state Native of: Houston, Texas Education: B.S., Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas (1960); M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta (1962) Career highlight: Declined to state

Aldridge heads the nonprofit Aerospace Corp. Prior to joining Aerospace in 1992, he was president of McDonnell Douglas Electronics Systems Co. in McLean, Va. He served as under-secretary and secretary of the Air Force during the Reagan Administration, during which time he developed the first comprehensive space policy for the Air Force. He also trained as a payload specialist to fly on the first shuttle flight from the West Coast, which was scheduled for July 1986 but was canceled after the Challenger exploded in January of that year.

PHILIP ALFORD President, Tekelec Calabasas [phone] Age: 41 Resident of: Malibu Native of: Poole, England Education: B.A. in finance, City of London College, London (1974) Career highlight: Engineering Tekelec's financial turnaround from a 1993 loss of $18.5 million into a 1994 profit of $4.5 million, which was accompanied by a 31 percent increase in revenues, to $61.9 million. Also, ending 1994 with record quarterly results for amount of orders, revenues and profits.

Alford is president of a telecommunications company with two divisions, Network Diagnostics and Network Switching. The company has 300 people worldwide, with subsidiaries in Japan and Canada. Fifty percent of its business is in foreign markets. Some of Alford's accomplishments in the high-tech industry include: undertaking an initial public stock offering for Tekelec in 1986; acquiring Protocol Technologies of Raleigh, N.C. in 1988; putting together a joint venture with NICE in Israel in 1989; setting up a Japanese subsidiary in 1985; and, as acting vice president of marketing, developing the CHOPEN concept for integrated diagnostic solutions.

PAUL ANGLES Partner, Baby Mogul Interactive West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 28 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Kansas City, Mo. Education: B.A. in business, Rice University, Houston, Texas (1988) Career highlight: In three weeks, created a massive multimedia presentation that successfully positioned DIMAC - a small, L.A.-based advertising agency - as a cutting-edge techno-creative force and its main competition, a huge multinational, as "a dinosaur."

Angles conceptualizes and produces multimedia presentations to use in marketing his firm to potential clients and strategic alliance partners, and for use at seminars, and trade shows. He co-founded Baby Mogul Interactive with a particular emphasis on interactive marketing. It has become a full-service multimedia production company specializing in large-scale presentations, interactive kiosks and trade show displays, CD-ROMs, and Internet services.

C. MICHAEL ARMSTRONG Chairman and CEO, Hughes Electronics Corp. Los Angeles [phone] Age: 56 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Detroit Education: B.S. in business economics, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio (1961); Graduate Degree, Dartmouth Institute, Hanover, N.H. (1976) Career highlight: Declined to state

Before joining Hughes in 1992 as chairman, Armstrong spent his entire working career at International Business Machines Corp. He began working at IBM as a salesman and moved up through the ranks as a sales engineer, systems manager, market operations executive, group executive and division president. He has helped Hughes make the conversion from defense to commercial applications.

DAVID BARON Director of Strategic Relations for the Entertainment Industry, Microsoft Corp. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 30 Resident of: Venice Native of: New York City Education: B.A., Yale University, New Haven, Conn. (1987) Career highlight: Working with non-technical individuals and showing them the opportunities, both creative and business, brought about by new technologies.

Baron is Microsoft's entertainment industry ambassador. He was the first director of the Digital World Conference and was associate editor of Digital Media Newsletter from 1990 to 1994.

PAUL BAVITZ Vice President and Center Manager - Advanced Technology & Development Center, Northrop Grumman Corp. Century City [phone] Age: 47 Resident of: Northport, N.Y. and Marina del Rey Native of: Nanticoke, Pa. Education: B.S. in aerospace engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa. (1967); M.S., Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Brooklyn, N.Y. (1972) Career highlight: Declined to state

Bavitz leads the technology and development front end of Northrop Grumman. The Advanced Technology & Development Center is the focal point and leads in positioning Northrop Grumman to win new weapons, systems and aircraft programs. Some of his accomplishments in the high-tech industry include: configuration development work on the F-14 fighter jet from concept definition through first flight; pioneering work in the field of computational fluid dynamics; vehicle design of the Gulfstream III Business Jet; playing a leading role in development of several new aerospace concepts, including work as team vice president of Grumman-Boeing-Lockheed AX Team.

MARTIN BEHRENS Director - Interactive Features, Sony New Technologies West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 37 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S. in physics, University of California, Irvine (1980); M.F.A. in film and television, University of California at Los Angeles (1993) Career highlight: Successfully combining his creative, technical and business talents so that he may now participate in the new media revolution.

Behrens oversees, develops and produces interactive motion pictures for release in specially equipped theaters throughout the United States. He was the first production executive on the first studio-produced interactive theatrical motion picture. He was also an electronic designer of telecommunications products and telemetry. He was a marketing and sales director for telecommunications systems in the "Australasian" market.

LON BELL Founder, Chairman and CEO, Amerigon Inc. Monrovia [phone] Age: 52 Resident of: Pasadena Native of: San Francisco Education: B.S. in mathematics, M.S. in rocket propulsion, Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (1962, 1963, 1968) Career highlight: Declined to state

Bell formed Technar Inc. in 1967 and served as its president until 1986, at which time he sold a majority interest in that company to TRW. He sold the remaining interest in 1991. He then formed Amerigon Inc., a developer of advanced automotive technologies for conventional and electric vehicles. In 1993, Amerigon completed a successful initial public stock offering. Bell holds more than 30 U.S. and foreign patents. As president of TRW Technar, he received Toyota's Award for Technology and Development Excellence, as well as numerous quality and technology awards from BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen. He is one of the rounding members of Calstart, a California nonprofit consortium developing advanced transportation technologies, and he currently serves on its executive committee.

JEFFREY BERG Chairman and CEO, International Creative Management Inc. Beverly Hills [phone] Age: 47 Resident of: Pacific Palisades Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A. in English, University of California, Berkeley (1969); Master of Liberal Arts, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1980) Career highlight: Declined to state

Berg heads a major talent and literary agency representing clients in the fields of publishing, motion pictures, television, music, theater and news and public affairs. He joined Creative Management Associates, one of ICM's predecessor agencies, in 1969 as a literary and film agent and was named president of the company in 1980. He is one of the leading agents in the entertainment industry. His experience in representing artists and production companies applies to both the U.S. and foreign markets, and he has worked extensively with global media, entertainment and telecommunications companies. He presently serves as co-chairman of the California Information Technology Council, and he has lectured on management and finance in the arts at Columbia University and UCLA.

RICHARD BERNACCHI Partner, Irell & Manella Century City [phone] Age: 56 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S.C., University of Santa Clara (1961); LL.B., University of Southern California Law Center, Los Angeles (1964) Career highlight: Co-authoring the book "Bernacchi on Computer Law," which was published in 1986 by Little Brown & Co.

Bernacchi is a partner in the high-tech/multimedia/intellectual property practice group of the law firm Irell & Manella. He specializes in legal and business problems and opportunities arising from advanced technologies, including development, acquisition and protection of proprietary ideas, products and technologies, licensing, marketing, joint ventures and other development and distribution arrangements, strategic planning and financing, acquisitions and mergers, contracts for the acquisition of computer systems and other advanced technology products and services and related contract disputes. He is vice chairman of Committee R (International Computer and Technology Law) of the International Bar Association's Section on Business Law; a member of the Advisory Board, former director and past president of the Computer Law Association; and a frequent lecturer.

NORMAN BRUNELL Partner, Robbins Berliner & Carson Downtown Los Angeles [phone] Age: 48 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Worcester, Mass. Education: B.S.E.E., Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass. (1968); J.D., Suffolk University Law School, Boston (1973) Career highlight: Successfully defending the world's largest seismic exploration company in patent litigation brought by a former vendor over the invention of underwater oil exploration - by recreating, 20 years after the events, a detailed history of the experiments that led to the development of underwater oil exploration.

Brunell's expertise is in computer hardware and software patents and other high-tech fields, including network performance monitoring, integrated circuitry, and radio frequency communications. As an engineer, he hand-built some of the first hybrid integrated circuits flown in satellites in the 1960s. While working as a corporate patent attorney, he developed and executed successful strategies for building portfolios of patent assets beginning in the 1970s for software-related inventions in the process control, medical instruments, seismic exploration and Global Positioning System fields. In addition to substantial patent prosecution experience, he has negotiated settlements of major international intellectual property matters relating to night vision goggles, methanol barges for alternate fuels and early transcutaneous pre-natal monitoring equipment.

BRIAN BUEL Partner, Baby Mogul Interactive West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 35 Resident of: Van Nuys Native of: Akron, Ohio Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Being producer and director of "Stress and the Supervisor," a critically acclaimed documentary that examined the burgeoning phenomenon of industrial stress-related work accidents.

Buel co-founded Baby Mogul Interactive, an interactive marketing company that conceptualizes and produces CD-ROMs, Internet services, large-scale multimedia presentations, interactive kiosks and trade shows. He is in charge of analyzing the interactive needs of clients and providing innovative technological solutions that can be leveraged over time to keep up with the changing media landscape. He produces graphics, videos, and audio, and combines them into interactive works.

THOMAS BRANCATI President and CEO, Whittaker Corp. West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 59 Resident of: Westlake Village Native of: Queens, N.Y. Education: B.S. in mathematics, Long Island University, Long Island, N.Y. (1964) Career highlight: Leading Whittaker's transition away from defense technology and into telecommunications and image processing.

Brancati's accomplishments in the high-tech industry include being: president of Whittaker Electronic Systems Group; president of AMEX Systems; executive vice president of Teledyne Systems; F-14 weapon system manager and F-14 program director.

RICHARD BURLAGE President and CEO, LIVE Entertainment Inc. Van Nuys [phone] Age: 52 Resident of: Calabasas Native of: Osage, Iowa Education: B.B.A. in accounting, University of Toledo, Ohio (1972) Career highlight: Declined to state

Burlage was named CEO and president of LIVE Entertainment in December 1993. He most recently served as CEO and president for TriMark Holdings Inc. for four years. Under his leadership, TriMark increased its annual revenues from $26 million in 1989 to more than $60 million in 1993, with a corresponding increase in profits. Prior to joining TriMark in 1989, Burlage was chairman and owner of Los Angeles-based Entertainment Services Group, which assisted independent producers in arranging financing, production and distribution for their projects.

He was one of the founding executives of New World Entertainment prior to organizing Entertainment Services Group. As president and chief operating officer of New World from its inception in February 1983 to February 1987, Burlage was responsible for sales growing from $8 million to $190 million over a four-year period. This growth was matched by similar growth in profits, which exceeded $10 million in 1986. Before joining New World, Burlage held various management and executive titles at Avco Corp., its subsidiary, Avco Embassy Pictures, and its successor company, Embassy Pictures, where he was senior executive from 1977 to 1983.

AUBREY CHERNICK Owner and CEO, Candle Corp. Santa Monica [phone] Age: Declined to state Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S.C. in chemistry, University of Manitoba, Canada Career highlight: Declined to state

Chernick is the founder and head of Candle Corp., a systems management software company.

SANFORD CLIMAN Talent Agent and Co-head of Creative Artists Agency Advisory Group, Creative Artists Agency Beverly Hills [phone] Age: 38 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Bronx, N.Y. Education: B.A. in chemistry, Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. (1977); M.B.A., Harvard Business School, Boston (1979) Career highlight: Pioneering the agency's expansion into corporate representation, a first for a talent agency. He is most proud of the professional team now assembled at CAA, whose skills span financial, consulting, entertainment, and multimedia expertise.

For the past 10 years, Climan has worked closely with Michael Ovitz to build CAA's corporate group from its inception. He helped formulate and execute the plan which brought Bell Atlantic, Pacific Telesis and NYNEX together with CAA to create a new broadband video dial tone network. He and Bob Kavner are co-heads of the company's corporate group and jointly spearhead CAA's multimedia initiative. He brokered the first interactive deal between Microsoft Corp. and movie star Kevin Costner, under which Microsoft licensed the CD-ROM rights to "500 Nations," Costner's miniseries on the history of Native Americans. He helped negotiate the Sundance Channel's affiliation with Showtime and worked on the original structuring of Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Film Center in New York.

DAVID COLE Executive Vice President, Product Support and Development, Chinon America Inc. Torrance [phone] Age: 28 Resident of: Torrance Native of: Winter Park, Fla. Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Declined to state

Cole's responsibilities include product conceptualization, product acquisition and specification, assessing competition and market demand, coordinating development, launch-phase product fulfillment, marketing interface, product maintenance management and technical public relations.

He is involved in direct computer information equipment product design and development. He assembled funding for and established Studiotronics of Winter Park, Fla., as a Subchapter S corporation. He assembled the development team for the commercial computer software product Colorset and directed product development and production. Also, he developed the curriculum for and instructed accredited computer graphics courses at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Fla. He participated in the development and management of a large-scale electronic publishing project, now known as Donnelley Publishing Systems, at Dun & Bradstreet Information Services. He was responsible for the analysis of computer systems and cross-platform local area networks, training and management of computer engineers and non-computer literate commercial artists, and communication of project goals and milestones to upper-level management.

JANICE DAVIDSON President and Founder, Davidson & Associates Inc. Torrance [phone] Age: 50 Resident of: Palos Verdes Estates Native of: Frankfort, Ind. Education: B.A. in communications, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. (1966); Master's in communications, Ph.D. in American literature. University of Maryland, College Park, Md. (1968, 1972) Career highlight: Having had the opportunity, as president and founder of Davidson & Associates, to positively influence children's learning experience. At some point in their learning career, whether it be at school or home, millions of students across the country will benefit from Davidson products.

Davidson is responsible for product development, strategy and management. Since 1982, the company has been a pioneer in introducing state-of-the-art technology to the learning process. In the early 1980s, it was the first company to incorporate games into educational software with the Math Blaster and Word Attack programs. Then, more than a decade later, the company's award-winning Kid CAD was the first children's program to combine interactive, 3-D technology in a learning environment.

ROBERT DAVIDSON CEO and Chairman, Davidson & Associates Inc. Torrance [phone] Age: 51 Resident of: Palos Verdes Estates Native of: Hudson, N.Y. Education: B.S., Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. (1964); J.D., George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (1967); M.B.A., University of California at Los Angeles (1972) Career highlight: With a total investment of $6,000, no outside capital, and no debt, built a public company with a market value of $500 million.

Davidson is responsible for overall direction and strategy of the company. He is a leader in educational and entertainment software, as is his wife and business partner, Janice.

SKY DAYTON President & CEO, EarthLink Network Inc. Los Angeles [phone] Age: 23 Resident of: Toluca Lake Native of: New York City Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Fulfilling the company's intended corporate mission of making Internet access easy for non-technical people. Also, managing the company's growth and not falling victim to the 'too much too fast' syndrome that often defeats successful high-tech startups.

As president and CEO, Dayton is responsible for strategic planning and corporate vision and implementation. He rounded the company at the age of 22. Within six months, the staff expanded from two to 24 employees. The company's subscriber growth rate is 60 percent per month, and has increased as much as 30 percent in one week. He was named to the MicroTimes Top 100 Computer Industry Professionals his first year in business.

NICK DEMARTINO Director, Strategic Planning, Advanced Technology, American Film Institute Los Angeles [phone] Age: 47 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Louisville, Ky. Education: B.A., University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. (1970); M.A., Antioch College, Baltimore, Md. (1972) Career highlight: Providing impetus that has transformed hundreds of careers in the digital era.

DeMartino is in charge of leading AFI's effort to re-engineer its provision of services and education in moving image arts to take advantage of new technologies, markets and opportunities.

He led AFI's effort into creative advanced technology training and research and development for the film and television industries, impacting more than 6,000 professionals at the dawn of Hollywood-Silicon Valley courtship.

DONALD DE SANCTIS President and CEO, SDI Industries Inc. Pacoima [phone] Age: 62 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: New York City Education: B.S.I.E., New York University, New York City (1960) Career highlight: Nurturing SDI's ability to adapt and integrate the constant technological and logistical advances of systems integration and manufacturing services into a total solution for its clients.

De Sanctis is responsible for both day-to-day and long-range operations at a company with more than 400 employees. His duties include directly negotiating, designing and implementing high-tech project installations for clients, corporate fiduciary planning and administration, as well as overseeing daily operations of an international consulting, engineering and manufacturing firm.

RICHARD DOYON Partner, Vice President of Production and Development, Bright Light Productions Santa Monica [phone] Age: 46 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Manchester, N.H. Education: B.A. in sociology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass. (1971); M.A. in sociology, Ph.D. in sociology, University of Washington, Seattle (1974, 1980) Career highlight: Being an invited lecturer at the Soviet Academy of Sciences and for the Soviet Association of Artificial Intelligence in 1991 - speaking on high-technology business development, marketing, and artificial intelligence. Also, being the keynote speaker at the Joint Soviet-American Conference on Artificial Intelligence in 1991.

Doyon designs and develops interactive CD-ROM products for Macintosh and Windows platforms. He has developed a prototype for THINK!, an interactive educational product aimed at developing critical thinking skills for children in grades 412, and he is developing other educational games.

He designed and developed numerous business and multimedia software applications, including FastTouch, one of the first touch-screen point-of-sale systems, and SimPat, one of the first computer simulations of urban police patrol. He is the founding director and chairman of the Northwest Artificial Intelligence Forum, a professional organization sponsoring seminars and publications on real-world applications of new technologies.

RICHARD EDLUND Chairman, Boss Film Studios Marina del Rey [phone] Age: 54 Resident of: West Los Angeles Native of: Fargo, N.D. Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Declined to state Edlund has won four Academy Awards for visual effects. He has advanced the use of visual effects by becoming one of the entertainment industry's most accomplished visual effects artists. His works include the feature-length movie "Alien 3" and the television series "Young Indiana Jones."

J.P. ELLMAN President, Los Angeles Board of Public Works Los Angeles [phone] Age: 45 Resident of: Reseda Native of: Philadelphia Education: B.A., George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (1971) Career highlight: Expediting negotiation of an interdepartmental and interjurisdictional agreement which allowed creation of the largest water reclamation plant specifically constructed for water reuse in the United States.

As part of her job overseeing the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Ellman handles several high-tech-related projects. Among those are: converting Hyperion Treatment Plant to full secondary sewage treatment; utilizing state-of-the-art microwave recycling technology for street resurfacing; utilizing advanced optics in street lighting; creating a comprehensive computerized geographic information system for the City of Los Angeles; and putting to beneficial use all bio-solids from the Hyperion Treatment Plant.

DANIEL FISHER Editor, Online Services, Los Angeles Times Downtown Los Angeles [phone] Age: 53 Resident of: La Crescenta Native of: Bedford, Ohio Education: B.A. in journalism, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis. (1963) Career highlight: Being a Pulitzer Prize finalist for foreign reporting in 1981 and helping to launch TimesLink in October 1994.

Fisher directs an editorial staff of 22, who are responsible for all content (design, functionality, news and other information) on TimesLink, the online service of the Los Angeles Times.

TOD FOLEY Independent Game Designer, Writer and Producer Panorama City [phone] Age: 31 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Producing an interactive theater piece called "World of Ideas" for the residents of P.A.T.H., a homeless shelter in L.A., which was an empowering experience for both participants and game staff. For that project, he helped create a living, breathing fictional world in which participants were allowed and encouraged to take control of their destiny by acting out such things as product manufacturing, sales and marketing, international trade, political campaigns, etc. Many participants reported that the game had given them ideas which provided much-needed motivation.

Foley's responsibilities include game design and consultation, interactive narrative design and engineering, project management, research and editing. He has designed several multimedia game titles, including "Ocean Planet Explorer" (Times Mirror Magazines). He is co-author of "Tricks of the Internet Gurus," and he is senior editor of Pix-Elation, a virtual reality magazine. He has been a lecturer and panelist at many Southern California digital industry trade shows, including CyberArts, Digital World, Showbiz Expo and New Media Expo. He is the writer and producer of "Ghosts in the Machine," an interactive multimedia theater production featured at CyberArts III.

CARL FROMM Chief Engineer, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. Pasadena [phone] Age: 45 Resident of: Altadena Native of: Czernuvitz, Ukraine Education: B.S. in chemical engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit (1973) Career highlight: Successfully completing more than 80 projects in the pollution prevention field.

From manages the environmental engineering department, and is responsible for technical leadership, training, and oversight of projects in the environmental field. He has helped to develop and establish key concepts and tools for industrial waste minimization and pollution prevention.

JOHN GARCIA President and CEO, NovaLogic Inc. Calabasas [phone] Age: 45 Resident of: Malibu Native of: La Coruna, Spain Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, De Paul University, Chicago (1972); Post-Graduate Degree, London Film School (1974) Career highlight: Leading and building a successful company.

Garcia manages both NovaLogic Inc. and its U.K. subsidiary, NovaLogic Ltd. His primary focus is on business and product development. He was vice president of software at Datasoft Inc. from 1983 to 1985. While at Datasoft, he was responsible for two game-development facilities, one in Chatsworth and one in Milpitas, Calif. He founded NovaLogic in 1985. NovaLogic is considered a leading-edge game and technology company.

JACK GORDON President, Lockheed Advanced Development Co. Palmdale [phone] Age: 53 Resident of: Declined to state Native of: Whittier Education: B.S. in mechanical engineering, M.S. in mechanical engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. (1962, 1963); M.S. in electrical engineering, University of California at Los Angeles (1976)

In his position at Lockheed, Gordon helped design the SR-71, U-2 and F-117 aircraft.

RICHARD HACKENBERG Account Director - Interactive Advertising, Chiat/Day Inc. Advertising Venice [phone] Age: 58 Resident of: Palos Verdes Native of: Fargo, N.D. Education: B.A., DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind. (1958) Career highlight: Leading the development team that produced the Nissan Interactive Computer Diskette featuring the Altima sedan, an integral component of the Nissan Profile Kit. The diskette was one of three pieces cited in the December 1994 Communications Arts Advertising Annual, and is a finalist in the Interactive Media and Marketing Awards competition at the New Media Expo in Los Angeles.

Hackenberg is responsible for developing interactive, multimedia advertising programs for the agency's clients. He is also chairman of the agency's interactive team of 12 advertising professionals. The team is responsible for creating integrated applications for online services, the Internet, interactive television, computer disks and CD-ROMs. In working with the Nissan Marketing Team, he organized and implemented a comprehensive multi-platform, interactive advertising test program to learn how consumers use and adapt to new media. He produced one of the first interactive television commercials for GTE/Discovery Channel Test in Cerritos in 1993.

STUART HALPERIN Executive Vice President - Marketing, Hollywood Online Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 31 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Brooklyn, N.Y. Education: B.F.A. in film and television, New York University, New York City (1985); M.B.A., Columbia University Graduate School of Business, New York City (1989) Career highlight: As a co-founder of Hollywood Online, playing a vital role in building the company from a start-up, two-person operation into its current position as an industry leader in online interactive entertainment information. Halperin is in charge of marketing, client relations, production coordination and general management. Hollywood Online is the online source for entertaining and informative interactive multimedia, covering the latest in movies, television, music and home video. In addition to producing cutting-edge multimedia, Hollywood Online distributes the information on leading services, such as America Online, CompuServe, Delphi and eWorld and on the World Wide Web.

JERRY HAMBY President, Broadband Multimedia Woodland Hills [phone] Age: 45 Resident of: Woodland Hills Native of: Lenoir, N.C. Education: Associate's degree in computer science, Catawba Valley Technical Institute, Hickory, N.C. (1969) Career highlight: Being among the first group of people to devote their careers to the business of interactive media. Hamby is responsible for producing interactive CD-ROMs for private companies and publishing titles for his own company. He has produced and/or published five CD-ROM titles.

KEVIN HAMILTON CEO, Prime Matrix Wireless Communications Calabasas [phone] Age: 39 Resident of: Agoura Hills Native of: Wenatchee, Wash. Education: B.S. in business management, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah (1979); M.B.A., University of Washington, Seattle (1983) Career highlight: Successfully merging with Matrix Cellular Resources Inc. Hamilton is founder of Prime Cellular Inc., a leading cellular telephone reseller in California.

TIMOTHY HANNEMANN Executive Vice President and General Manager, TRW Space & Electronics Group Redondo Beach [phone] Age: 52 Resident of: Palos Verdes Estates Native of: Chicago Education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Master's degree in electrical engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (1964, 1966) Career highlight: Providing systems to the federal government that have played significant roles in providing security for the country and the winning of the Cold War. Maintaining TRW Space & Electronics Group as a vital, contributing company in the face of the immense defense budget turndown.

Hannemann is responsible for the leadership, management, performance and overall direction of the Redondo Beach-based TRW Space and Electronics Group, an organization of about 7,300 people. The group is a leader in space systems, space-borne electronic subsystems and other advanced technologies for national security and civil space. Its products address such mission areas as surveillance, communications/relay, missile defense, space science and commercial telecommunications.

He has held increasingly important technical and management positions in support of critical national programs since joining TRW in 1969. He has headed TRW Space & Electronics Group since 1993. Prior to that, he was executive vice president of TRW Space & Defense Sector until its dissolution in 1992. He was named vice president and assistant general manager of the Electronic Systems Group in 1987, and became general manager in 1989. Earlier in his career, he served as vice president and general manager of ESG's Defense Communications Division, assuming that position in 1985. In 1984, he was named manager of the Electronic Development Operations of ESG's Space Communications Division.

JOHN HEGEMAN Vice President of Marketing Administration, MGM/UA Distribution Co. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 32 Resident of: Westlake Village Native of: Yonkers, N.Y. Education: B.A. in communication arts, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (1985) Career highlight: Appealing the NC-17 rating of "Boxing Helena" to the Motion Picture Association of America and getting it overturned to an R rating while heading Orion Classics.

Hegeman is involved in strategic planning and research, online and Internet services, and marketing administration. He was involved in the first ever web site solely devoted to the theatrical release of a motion picture - "Stargate."

DAVID HERSCHMAN President, Virtual Vegas Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 27 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: New York City Education: Bachelor's degree in philosophy, University of California, Berkeley (1989) Career highlight: Having his company's product, Virtual Vegas-Volume One: Blackjack, and his company's views on the future of interactive gaming featured on CNN.

Herschman created Virtual Vegas, a multimedia company, from scratch. He manages a staff of more than 60 people in high-tech development. He has also spoken on numerous interactive gaming panels and at seminars. He currently manages the sales and marketing efforts of Virtual Vegas Inc., and interviews and selects potential strategic and financial partners.

RICHARD HOEFER Chairman, Digital Bayside Los Angeles [phone] Age: 37 Resident of: Westwood Native of: New Orleans Education: B.A. in film and television production (1980) Career highlight: Taking Digital Bayside from concept to fruition in less than one year, by providing guiding vision, organization and leadership.

Hoefer is one of four co-founders of Digital Bayside, a high-tech industry group devoted to establishing a multimedia business district for Los Angeles. One year after its inception, Digital Bayside has created an information resource for the entire multimedia community with its Internet World Wide Web site, and it has established alliances with Silicon Studio, Interactive Age magazine, the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, the High Technology Council of the Economic Development Corp. of Los Angeles County, and the Anderson Graduate Business School at UCLA.

Hoefer recently completed converting video, graphic, audio and text content into programming code for a Disney family CD-ROM product at Pacific Interactive. This is expected to be the first commercial release of a product coded in ScriptX, the advanced cross-platform programming language created by Kaleida Labs.

Some of his accomplishments in the high-tech industry include: being a development producer for GO-TV, a full-service network in Orlando, Fla.; producing "Sample & Hold," a music career simulator CD-ROM series for RockWorld Ventures, in collaboration with game designer Tod Foley; being co-founder and current chairman of Digital Bayside; being co-designer of Digital Bayside's Internet World Wide Web site; being a participant in Mayor Riordan's New Media Task Force to create multimedia business incubator sites in L.A.

VAN HONEYCUTT President and CEO, Computer Sciences Corp. El Segundo [phone] Age: 50 Resident of: Palos Verdes Native of: Harrisburg, Pa. Education: B.S. in business administration, Franklin University, Columbus, Ohio (1971) Career highlight: Helping the company enter the outsourcing marketplace with one of the largest outsourcing wins in the industry: a 10-year, $3 billion pact with General Dynamics. Since then, billion-dollar pacts have also been signed with British Aerospace and Hughes Aircraft.

Honeycutt oversees the day-to-day operations of the company and promotes cross-divisional work among the company's six groups. He established the company as a leader in the outsourcing field.

ROBERT HOOD President, Douglas Aircraft Co. Long Beach [phone] Age: 62 Resident of: Orange County Native of: Pennsylvania Education: B.A., University of Pittsburgh Career highlight: Becoming president of Douglas Aircraft Co. Hood is responsible for executive leadership at Douglas Aircraft Co.

WILLIAM HOOVER Chairman, Computer Sciences Corp. El Segundo [phone] Age: 65 Resident of: Rolling Hills Native of: Bingham Canyon, Utah Education: B.S. in mathematics, M.S. in mathematics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City (1953, 1954) Career highlight: Building annual revenues from $128 million when he became president in 1972 to $3.1 billion today. Leading the company's direction away from government-based technology and into commercial-sector work, which currently accounts for 55 percent of the company's revenues.

Hoover is currently chairman of the company. He successfully led one of the early computer software companies into global leadership in the computer services industry.

DON IWERKS Vice Chairman and Chief Technical Officer, Iwerks Entertainment Burbank [phone] Age: 65 Resident of: Burbank Native of: Los Angeles Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Successfully starting a company with four employees in 1986 and growing it into one with more than 200 employees. Enabling people worldwide to enjoy the experiences his company's products provide. Those products are films supplied to approximately 400 theaters worldwide.

Iwerks is in charge of prototype design and is an advisor on film-related technical matters. He was employed by Walt Disney Productions for 35 years, where for 25 years he was manager of the Technical Engineering and Manufacturing Department. In that post, Iwerks was responsible for all automated film projection equipment design and manufacturing for the Disney Theme Parks until 1986.

BILL JEFFRIES President, Jeffries Technologies Inc. West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 28 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S. in business administration, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1989)

Career highlight: Building a value-added reseller organization that services some of L.A.'s most reputable firms. Also, helping to establish the company's new "briefcase" online system.

Jeffries is in charge of general operations of the company. He handles corporate account sales to key verticals markets - advertising, entertainment, legal and accounting, marketing strategy and development, Internet consulting, groupware, new media, etc. He co-founded the company in 1989 with two partners, both of whom are no longer actively involved in running the company. Jeffries and his current partner, Derek Norton, both of whom are under 30, have built the company from net sales of $500,000 in 1989 to a projected $10 million in net sales for 1995. The company has at least doubled its revenues every year since its inception. The company is a value-added reseller, consultant and service provider for Apple, Compaq, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Asante, and other computer companies. He plans to expand the company to San Francisco in 1995.

JAMES LARKIN JONASSEN Managing Director, Chairman and CEO, Larkin Associates/Micro J Systems Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 37 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Chicago Education: B.A. in political science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill. (1980); B.A. in Spanish, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Career highlight: Being able to provide employment opportunities and to be associated with 15 world-class associates at Micro J, a software company, and Larkin Associates, an executive search firm. Also, he is the founder of the Los Angeles New Media Roundtable Economic Development Technology Council, also known as Lawnmower, and a member of Mayor Riordan's Multimedia Roundtable.

Jonassen is chairman and CEO of this vertical market software publisher serving the staffing industry. He is managing director of a five-person executive search firm specializing in interactive multimedia. He has co-authored two software applications for the executive search industry and has built a multimedia software firm. He has placed more than 100 high-technology professionals.

ED JONES President and CEO, Cinesite Digital Film Center Los Angeles [phone] Age: 40 Resident of: Burbank Native of: San Francisco Education: B.A. in media/theater arts, Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont. (1972) Career highlight: Winning 'an Academy Award for visual effects for the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" in 1989. Jones is responsible for overseeing all global operations, capital expenditures and strategic planning for Cinesite. He oversaw complete digital restoration of "Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs." He currently serves as president of the Technology Council of the Motion Picture- Television Industry Association.

FLAVIO KAMPAH President, Kampah Visions Venice [phone] Age: 32 Resident of: Venice Native of: Parma, Italy Education: Graphic Art Diploma, Teacher of Art, lnstituto Statale D' Arte P. Toschi, Parma, Italy (1982) Career highlight: Pushing technology to a higher level, allowing him to create and bring forth his "visions."

Kampah is in charge of designing, directing, editing and composing top-of-the-line commercials utilizing Macintosh technologies for his company's clients. Some of his accomplishments in the high-tech industry include producing and broadcasting for the first time ever broadcast-quality video in the Macintosh.

ISAAC KAPLAN President, Global Geochemistry Corp. Canoga Park [phone] Age: 65 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Wellington, New Zealand Education: B.S., M.S., Canterburg University, New Zealand (1951, 1953); Ph.D., University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1961) Career highlight: Holding academic position as a professor of geology and geochemistry at UCLA between 1965 and 1993. Gaining international recognition in his field. Founding Global Geochemistry in 1975 and solving important scientific problems.

Kaplan is a technical director for new methods development. He applies sophisticated analytical methods developed in the basic sciences to solve forensic environmental problems. The methods are especially useful in assessing responsibility for spills of oil-based fuels and for other chemical pollutants.

MARC KARZEN Director and Designer, Karzen Communications Hollywood [phone] Age: 38 Resident of: Beverly Hills Native of: Nevilly-Sur-Seine, France Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Creating 2,000 "title bumpers" over 10 years for NBC's Late Night with David Letterman in New York. A title bumper is an on-screen image used as a "visual transition" from a television show to a commercial.

Karzen is the owner and creative director of a 10-person digital, creative production company, which is the first fully digital, Radius-based creative production company in Hollywood with in-house, online capabilities.

STEVEN KATINSKY President, Hollywood Online Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 36 Resident of: Marina del Rey Native of: Cherry Hill, N.J. Education: B.S., Rutgers College, New Brunswick. N.J. (1981) Career highlight: Founding Hollywood Online and pioneering the use of commercial online services to deliver multimedia and digital video information to customers, on demand.

Katinsky is involved in management, production, new technology, distribution and Internet services at the company. He was an early pioneer of multimedia delivery via online information services. The service provides entertainment information and is pervasive across major online networks.

ROBERT KAVNER Co-head of Creative Artists Agency Advisory Group Beverly Hills [phone] Age: 51 Resident of: Brentwood Native of: New York Education: B.S., Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y. (1965) Career highlight: Declined to state Kavner joined Creative Artists Agency in June 1994 to co-head the agency's corporate consulting group and will lead CAA's entry into new interactive media markets. Prior to joining CAA, he was an executive vice president at AT&T and CEO of its Multimedia Products and Services Group. He joined AT&T as CFO in 1984. Before joining AT&T, he spent 18 years with accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand, where he was a general partner and co-chairman of the firm's Information Industry Practice.

STANLEY KINSEY Chairman and CEO, Iwerks Entertainment Burbank [phone] Age: 40 Resident of: La Canada Native of: Garrett, Ind. Education: B.A. in mathematics, DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind. (1976); M.B.A., Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. (1980) Career highlight: Declined to state

Kinsey is co-founder of Iwerks Entertainment, which was formed in 1986. He is the former head of operations and new technologies for Disney Studio.

LEONARD KLEINROCK Professor & Co-Chairman, University of California, Los Angeles Westwood [phone] Age: 60 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: New York City Education: B.S.E.E., City College of New York, Manhattan, N.Y. (1957); M.S.E.E., Ph.D.E.E., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. (1959, 1963) Career highlight: Being known as a "father of the Internet."

Kleinrock is a professor and co-chairman of the Computer Sciences Department at UCLA. He developed the basic principles of packet switching a decade before the ARPAnet was deployed, thus providing the fundamental underpinnings for the technology which led directly to establishment of the Internet.

PAUL KOSS Manager of Automation Technology, Bechtel Corp. Norwalk [phone] Age: 48 Resident of: Fullerton Native of: Spokane, Wash. Education: B.S. in civil engineering, M.S. in civil engineering, University of Washington, Seattle (1968, 1970) Career highlight: Making technology a key part of his company's business strategy. Receiving recognition from his clients and from CEO Riley Bechtel for automation technology's contribution to the business success of the company. In 1992, Koss received the Bechtel Management and Business Development Recognition Award for his contribution to the winning of the ARCO clean fuel projects.

Koss is the manager responsible for automation technology, including: operations, software development, project implementation and support, consulting projects in Italy, Japan and Mexico. He also fostered and promoted the development of advanced graphics software for the engineering and construction industry.

ROBERT KOTICK Chairman and CEO, Activision Inc. West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 32 Resident of: Brentwood Native of: Roslyn, N.Y. Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Helping to turn around Activision.

Kotick is in charge of managing Activision, a leading interactive entertainment company. The company introduced the first consumer CD-ROM, "The Manhole," in 1987, and has sold more than 1 million copies of its "Return to Zork" CD-ROM product.

KENT KRESA Chairman, CEO and President, Northrop Grumman Corp. Century City [phone] Age: 57 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: New York City Education: B.S., M.S., E.A.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. (1959, 1961, 1966) Career highlight: Declined to state

Kresa was elected president of Northrop Corp. in 1987, CEO in January 1990, and chairman in September 1990. His professional career began in 1959 when he joined AVCO Research and Advanced Development Division as a senior scientist with responsibilities in the aerodynamic design of re-entry nose cones. From 1961 to 1968, he was associated with MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, where his work involved ballistic missile defense research. In 1968, Kresa joined the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. During his seven-year tenure, he served as deputy director of the Strategic Technology Office with responsibilities that included research efforts in high-energy lasers, bomber and ballistic missile early warning, advanced missile systems, strategic optics, space surveillance, ballistic missile defense technology, and re-entry physics. As DARPA's director for tactical technology from 1973 to 1975, he was responsible for broad applied research and development programs for general purpose military forces. He joined Northrop Corp. in 1975 as vice president and manager of the company's Research and Technology Center.

JOHN LEONIS President and CEO, Litton Industries Inc. Woodland Hills [phone] Age: 61 Resident of: Declined to state Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S. in electrical engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. (1959) Career highlight: Declined to state

As CEO, Leonis heads an aerospace/defense company with annual revenues of approximately $3.4 billion and operations located throughout the U.S. and in parts of Germany, Canada. and Italy. Prior to assuming his current position in March 1994, Leonis was a corporate senior vice president for the company's Navigation, Guidance & Control Systems Group. He has been with Litton for 34 years, serving primarily in a number of key engineering and operating management positions with the company's Guidance & Control Systems Division. During that time, he served as vice president oF engineering before he became president in 1986. He was elected a corporate vice president in January 1988 and promoted to group executive of the Navigation, Guidance & Control Systems operations in March 1988. In June 1990 he was elected a senior vice president of Litton Industries.

MATTHEW LESHER Agent, Marion Rosenberg Office Los Angeles [phone] Age: 30 Resident of: Beverly Hills Native of: Pittsburgh Education: B.F.A., Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh (1986) Career highlight: Declined to state

As a talent agent, Lesher's clients include LeVar Burton Interactive, Spring Board, RARE, OnRamp, and Adam Curry Net Site Metaverse.

ROBERT LINDSTROM Publisher & Editor, ImagiMedia La Canada [phone] Age: 42 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A., University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif. (1974); MA, University of California, Santa Barbara (1977) Career highlight: Authoring a best selling book, "The Business Week Guide to Multimedia Presentations" and receiving the Los Angeles Press Club Award for Business Reporting.

Lindstrom is publisher and editor of the Multimedia Presentations Report, a monthly newsletter covering the techniques, technologies and trends in multi-media business communications. He is an award-winning journalist and author and a recognized expert on multimedia technology applications for business communications.

HOWARD LIPSON President, First Interactive Recruiting Century City [phone] Age: 48 Resident of: Declined to state Native of: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Education: B.A., Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass. (1967); Ph.D., M.S., Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. (1975) Career highlight: Completing executive searches on behalf of Telemundo which resulted in that Hispanic broadcasting network hiring a total of 32 minority executives.

Lipson owns and operates a 10-year-old executive search firm specializing in the areas of entertainment, broadcasting, multimedia/interactive, cable operations and consumer products. He has located key executives for Turner, Saban, Sierra Online/Dynamix & Disney Interactive, Microsoft, Western Publishing and has been working with Knowledge Adventure.

RICHARD MACNEAL Chairman and CEO, The MacNeal-Schwendler Corp. Los Angeles [phone] Age: 72 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Warsaw, Ind. Education: B.A., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (1943); M.S., Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (1947, 1949) Career highlight: Developing the MSC/NASTRAN finite element library. MacNeal is founder of the company and the developer of the NASTRAN and MSC/NASTRAN computer programs.

WILLIAM MANASSERO Executive Director, Software Council of Southern California Torrance [phone] Age: 39 Resident of: Redondo Beach Native of: San Diego Career highlight: Spearheading development of what is expected to be Southern California's first comprehensive software and multimedia testing center, the Software Development Center. Also, spearheading the formation of the "New Media Forum," a multimedia group that is part of the Software Council of Southern California.

Manassero oversees development and growth of this software industry trade organization. He acts as a sole representative to various media, government entities and other organizations, speaking on behalf of the software industry. He seeks to help the industry thrive in Southern California. He has successfully united a diverse and rapidly changing industry, which includes PC-based, Unix-based and multimedia-based companies.

LEONARD MARSHALL CEO, Marshall Electronics Culver City [phone] Age: 49 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: New London, Conn. Education: B.S., San Diego State University (1969) Career highlight: Moving the company into the emerging multimedia, high-tech universe of computer imaging, telecommunications video interfacing and invisible surveillance applications, especially into the world's smallest video camera on one ultra-tiny integrated circuit.

Marshall is in charge of management for a high-technology company employing 30 people with specialized skills in R&D and production. He was involved in the development of a market niche in cables, cameras, connectors, adapters, microphones and microscopes for the audio-visual industry in entertainment and security.

STEVE MCBETH President, Disney Interactive Burbank [phone] Age: 39 Resident of: Declined to state Native of: Declined to state Education: Declined to state Career highlight: Declined to state

As president of Walt Disney Co.'s new multimedia and interactive entertainment division, McBeth is responsible for all worldwide operations of Disney Interactive. He was previously executive vice president of Disney Consumer Products for the United States and Canada. As the senior executive in North America, he was responsible for operations covering merchandise licensing, publications, records, music publishing, audio entertainment, computer software, and educational videos. Under McBeth's direction, Disney Consumer Products established Disney Computer Software, launched four new book publishing companies and a magazine group and developed a program of licensed Disney merchandise brands that is unique in the entertainment industry. During his 14 years with The Walt Disney Co., he has held a number of positions with the consumer products group, including that of vice president of sales and marketing for the record company.

KEVIN MCGRATH President and CEO, Hughes Communications Inc. El Segundo [phone] Age: 42 Resident of: Rancho Palos Verdes Native of: Arlington, Mass. Education: B.A. in biology, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. (1975); M.B.A., Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. (1977) Career highlight: Declined to state McGrath began his career in 1977 in the treasurer's office of General Motors Corp., the parent of GM Hughes. He moved up through the financial side of the business. He worked for various units of GM, in the United States and Europe, until 1987, when he was selected to be Hughes Communications' chief financial officer. Now, as CEO and president, McGrath is in charge of about 450 Hughes employees responsible for selling transmission time to satellite users, designing new commercial uses for satellites, and servicing and operating the current in-orbit fleet. He travels extensively to close deals because customers want to meet with the top person. Specifically, McGrath meets with programmers who use the company's satellites to transmit broadcasts, as well as government officials in countries where such activities are regulated.

LAWRENCE MILLER Creator and Editor-in-Chief, Go Digital Interactive Magazine, Electromedia Productions Santa Monica [phone] Age: 27 Resident of: Malibu Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A. in environmental studies, University of California, Santa Barbara (1991) Career highlight: Developing a product which left so many people satisfied, in a market that so often disappoints.

Miller is the creator of Go Digital Interactive Magazine, a CD-ROM and Internet-based prototype for interactive television. Go Digital features cutting-edge multimedia stories on the world of music, interactive entertainment, the Internet and pictorials of the state of 1990s' sexuality. USA Today called it "Cutting Edge," and Consumer Electronics News said that "Go Digital pioneers the way in which future interactive magazines will head." Miller is in charge of overall creation of the concept and vision of Go Digital, including production coordination and the direction of stories, art and interactivity.

CRAIG MOODY Chief Operating Officer, Time Warner Interactive Burbank [phone] Age: 37 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Pacific Palisades Education: B.S., University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1979) Career highlight: Being involved with the "hyper" growth of Merisel Inc. (formerly Softsel Computer Products) from a small startup company to a major corporation with $650 million in annual revenues. Also, turning around troubled companies, such as Kensington Microwave, Tiger Media and Warner New Media.

Moody is involved in product development, marketing and sales for Time Warner Interactive Entertainment Division. He was a founder of Merisel, and has been involved with CD-ROM product development since 1988.

PATRICIA NETTLESHIP Chairman and CEO, The Nettleship Group Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: Declined to state Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Santa Barbara Education: A.M.P., Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration (1986) Career highlight: Developing an organization comprised of competent, committed individuals. Leading a thriving "learning team" since the mid-1970s - "long before anyone knew that was a desirable objective."

Nettleship's company is a technology consulting firm engaged in management of advanced technologies for major infrastructure environments. The firm focuses on the leading edge of automation integration, performing technology program management oversight, providing "beta" test facilities for evolving technologies, and engaging in joint application development with market-leader technology vendors to deliver specialized products for the capital program market. She is vice chairman of the federal Transit Cooperative Research Program, which has the task of selecting and overseeing technology research projects funded under federal ISTEA legislation. Also, she is chairman of Mayor Riordan's Special Advisory Committee on Technology Implementation.

RICHARD NEUSTADT President, DCT Communications Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 47 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Washington, D.C. Education: B.A., J.D., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (1969, 1974) Career highlight: Creating companies which employ in excess of 500 people.

As a telecommunications entrepreneur, Neustadt has co-rounded or restructured U.S. Telcom, El Dorado Communications, DCT Communications, ShopperVision, Executive Communications and America's Health Network. He also advises companies on strategic partnerships. In addition, he is the senior adviser on satellite technology to the director of the Voice of America. From 1983 to 1988, he was co-founder and senior vice president of Private Satellite Network Inc., which developed the concept of "Business Television" for Fortune 500 corporations. He had line responsibility for the company's marketing and operations groups. From 1981 to 1983. Neustadt was a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Wiley Rein and Fielding, specializing in communications law. From 1977 to 1981, Neustadt was associate director for the White House Domestic Policy Staff. He was responsible for policy development in telecommunications and regulatory procedures. He has written numerous articles and one book, "The Birth of Electronic Publishing."

RUSSELL NISHIDA Vice President - Business Development, Davidson & Associates Inc. Torrance [phone] Age: 35 Resident of: Palos Verdes Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S. in business administration, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1981) Career highlight: Declined to state

Nishida explores and produces new business opportunities for the company. He has been successful in bringing personal computer software products to the mass market.

JEANNINE PARKER President, International Interactive Communications Society Culver City [phone] Age: 31 Resident of: Culver City Native of: Hollywood Education: B.A. in philosophy and mathematics, St. John's College, Santa Fe, N.M. (1989) Career highlight: Helping to successfully reinvent the Los Angeles Chapter of the IICS as the chapter's president in 1993. In 1992, after a nine-year history, the local chapter was about to go under. But during her local chapter presidency, Parker was instrumental in increasing both the group's membership and its volunteerism by more than 500 percent in that one year. IICS/LA has become the nexus for a vibrant interactive community in Southern California, and Parker built the team that accomplished that.

Today, as president of the entire organization, Parker manages a worldwide association of more than 5,000 interactive industry professionals. She has served as judge or juror for several interactive awards competitions. She helped launch the Multimedia and Digital Technologies program at UCLA Extension, and she taught the first broad overview of interactive media there. In addition, she produced the "Internet Experience" exhibit, a hands-on guided tour of the Internet and World Wide Web for novices, at the New Media Expo. She is pioneering the "Creative Care" at Digital World with the Writers Guild of America and assisting in the launch of the Children's Interactive Media Festival with ATAS and AIAS.

DANIEL LEWIS PAUL Vice President - New Media, Turner Home Entertainment Century City [phone] Age: 30 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Denver Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Introducing the widespread use of Apple computers in the entertainment industry and building Apple AFI Lab for video and film makers.

Paul is responsible for moving Turner into the interactive world. He was an entertainment liaison for Apple Computer and assistant to John Sculley, chairman and chief executive officer of Apple Computer from 1983 to 1993.

HIKARU PHILLIPS Co-CEO and Director, Virtual Vegas Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 27 Resident of: Malibu Native of: Los Angeles Education: Bachelor's degree in marine biology, University of California, San Diego (1989) Career highlight: Being where he is at in his career.

Phillips oversees production and technological development for Virtual Vegas a cutting-edge, interactive multimedia publishing company focused on developing custom interactive CD-ROM games and online services. He is also in charge of developing strategic relationships, financial management and handling the development of key partnerships, as well as strategic financing. He has developed technologies that are defining new standards for interactivity, entertainment and immersive virtual reality.

MIKE PICKETT Chairman and CEO, Merisel Inc. El Segundo [phone] Age: 47 Resident of: Pacific Palisades Native of: Downey Education: B.S. in business administration, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1969) Career highlight: Overseeing Merisel's growth from a startup to a Fortune 500 company.

Pickett is responsible for overall management of the company and its international subsidiaries, international expansion and strategic direction. In addition, he maintains relationships with Merisel's strategic customers and manufacturers throughout the world. In April 1990, he executed a major merger between Softsel Computer Products and Microamerica, two of the 'industry's top computer products distributors. In 1994, he played a critical role in acquiring Computer-Land Corp.'s $1 billion U.S. franchise and distribution business, positioning Merisel as the industry's largest master distributor of computer hardware and software products.

HOWARD POSTLEY President, Ideal Point Inc. Marina del Rey [phone] Age: 31 Resident of: Westchester Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S., University of California at Los Angeles (1984) Career highlight: Designing an award-winning interactive music education software product, Maestroware.

Postley is involved in product design, business development, research and development, financial management and marketing. Some of his accomplishments in the high-tech industry include being chief architect for the IBM Columbus Project and being the architect of ground-breaking designs for AT&T, Ameritech, Synapse Technologies, R/GA, Wait Disney Interactive, Pacific Interactive and many others.

LYNNE PRESLO Senior Vice President Technical Programs, Earth Tech Long Beach [phone] Age: 37 Resident of: Lafayette, Calif. Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S. in applied earth sciences, M.S. in hydrogeology, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. (1979, 1980) Career highlight: Being one of five hydrogeologists in the entire country to be appointed to the National Academy of Sciences Committee for groundwater cleanup alternatives. This committee examined the thorny issues of whether or not groundwater can ever really be cleaned up, identifying and developing viable clean-up alternatives, etc.

Preslo is the senior vice president responsible for technical services network and programs within Earth Tech, including technical communications, applied research and development, monitoring program and discipline networks. She was most recently appointed to National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Committee on Groundwater Cleanup Alternatives, Committee on Environmental Cleanup Technologies, U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board. She is the author of several books and other publications.

MICHAEL PROHASKA Senior Administrator - Interactive Contracts, Screen Actors Guild Miracle Mile [phone] Age: 43 Resident of: Redondo Beach Native of: Los Angeles Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Having worked in the field of national defense and aerospace, developing high-tech films with the government, and being a part of this new part of the entertainment industry. Prohaska talks and works with producers and title developers doing multimedia productions and hiring performers. He worked on the first negotiated Screen Actors Guild contract in the interactive and multimedia production community and has managed that area for SAG since 1993.

ERIC PULIER CEO, Digital Evolution West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 28 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Teaneck, N.J. Education: B.A. in visual studies and computer science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. (1988) Career highlight: Developing the only facility on the West Coast with a complete in-house interactive television "test bed."

Pulier pioneered the new method of digital video interface design - from conceptualization to actualization. He forges strategic alliance partnerships, conceives of new directions and new technologies, manages in-house projects and maintains robust research and development efforts.

KUMAR RAJHA Managing Director, SystemLogic Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 29 Resident of: Culver City Native of: Rajapalayam, India Education: Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, REC, Trichy, India (1986); M.S. in computer science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1990) Career highlight: Being one of the 15 executives invited by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown to Washington, D.C., in January 1995 to advise the U.S. Department of Commerce on matters relating to technology transfer, joint ventures, and investments in South Asia in the areas of information technology, software development and telecommunications.

Rajha co-founded SystemLogic Inc., a rapidly growing software and development firm that specializes in the areas of client/server technology, multimedia applications and internationalization. Its clients include Walt Disney, Time Warner, Nestle, Rockwell and others. He is responsible for business development, marketing and establishing strategic relationships with other companies. Also, he is in charge of overseeing the consulting group that provides specialized software services to multimedia companies.

YOSEF ROSEN CEO, L3 Interactive Inc. Santa Monica [phone] Age: 27 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Los Angeles Education: No college degree earned Career highlight: Having the drive to become an entrepreneur from the beginning of his professional career.

Rosen is involved in developing and maintaining the overall vision of the company. He approves all financial obligations and seeks business opportunities and strategic alliances with other companies and organizations. His other responsibilities include planning, developing and establishing policies and objectives for the business organization, in accordance with the board of directors. In addition, he directs and coordinates financial programs to provide funding for new or continuing operations. Previous to co-rounding L3 Interactive, Rosen rounded two successful software companies.

WOLFGANG ROTH Principal Engineer, Dames & Moore Downtown Los Angeles [phone] Age: 51 Resident of: Topanga Native of: Graz, Austria Education: M.S., Ph.D., Technical University, Graz, Austria (1967, 1973) Career highlight: Helping to develop in 1984 the nonlinear numerical modeling technique developed for earthquake-stability analysis of the L.A. Department of Water & Power's Pleasant Valley Dam. This development marked a first in the geotechnical consulting practice, starting a new trend nationwide.

Roth leads Dames & Moore's research and development efforts and practical applications in numerical modeling of complex soil-related structures including dams, tunnels, building foundations, industrial and port facilities.

LOIS SCALI Partner, Irell & Manella Century City [phone] Age: 46 Resident of: Brentwood Native of: Brooklyn, N.Y. Education: B.A., Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, N.Y. (1970); J.D., University of California at Los Angeles (1986) Career highlight: Transitioning from the traditional entertainment sector to the multimedia sector, as well as learning the new area of high technology. Another highlight has been forging alliances between entertainment and high-tech communities, including those in international markets.

Scali is a partner in the multimedia and entertainment groups at the firm. She is responsible for developing new business, training new associates, negotiating strategic alliances and other relationships related to multimedia and entertainment projects. She has developed strategic alliances in the multimedia/high-tech and entertainment industries and has negotiated cutting-edge agreements for consumer-oriented projects. both in interactive television and CD-ROM markets.

RICHARD SCHLESINGER President and CEO, Bio-Technics Laboratories Inc. Los Angeles [phone] Age: 69 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Kansas City, Mo. Education: B.S., University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. (1947); M.S., Ph.D., University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1962, 1969) Career highlight: Founding Bio-Technics Laboratories, rounding the Bio-Medical Division of the American Society for Quality Control, rounding and being a charter member of the Consulting Chemists Association, as well as publishing numerous papers on toxicology, statistical quality control and validation techniques.

Schlesinger is involved in administration of the company. He consults with the industry on toxicology, industrial hygiene and regulatory affairs.

ROHIT SHUKLA Executive Director, Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance Downtown Los Angeles [phone] Age: 38 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Bombay, India Education: M.A., Christ's College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England (1977); M.A., Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles (1983) Career highlight: Developing and organizing the Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance, an innovative program to assist high-tech companies in the five-county L.A. region, in a matter of one year. It now has viable programs and a constituency of well-served companies and organizations one year after its inception, an important achievement in a community fractured by multiple programs.

Shukla is in charge of developing and managing programs of information services - grants, partnering opportunities, online access, etc. He is also involved in advocacy/visibility endeavors - providing local technology companies a visibility they had previously lacked. He also coordinates various types of funding, including venture capital and public funding. He advocated successfully for a statewide program and helped write enabling legislation. In addition, he has demonstrated leadership in helping defense and non-defense companies to build alliances.

SARINA SIMON President, Philips Media Home and Family Entertainment West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 44 Resident of: Lake Hollywood Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A., Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y. (1970); M.A., Columbia University, New York City (1972) Career highlight: Being executive producer of "Voyeur," a ground-breaking cinematic game, which is acknowledged industrywide for excellence; being executive producer of "Crayon Factory," which features puppeteer Shafi Lewis; and creating the widest array of name brand multimedia software in the business.

Simon oversees all operations of this multimedia software company, which has a catalog of more than 100 titles that are sold in more than 2,000 retail outlets throughout the United States. She is also responsible for children's software in Europe, Asia, and South America.

She is a pioneer in multimedia product development and has won more than 30 awards for product excellence, including the International Emma, CineGolden Eagle and Innvision awards. She is responsible for having developed more than 75 CD-ROM titles.

JACK SMITH Senior Vice President - New Media Research, ASI Market Research Glendale [phone] Age: 54 Resident of: Woodland Hills Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A., California State University, Los Angeles (1964); M.A., Annenberg School for Communications, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1980) Career highlight: Being commencement speaker at the 1992 Annenberg School graduation ceremony. Another highlight was pioneering long-form television newscasts for CBS - the first two-and-a-half-hour local news in the country.

Smith has been a pioneer in developing market research techniques for interactive media. He is involved in pay-per-view and other technologies. He spear-headed major market studies for interactive test beds, such as the GTE Cerritos test. He is currently developing testing procedures for Bell South's Atlanta interactive test.

BARBARA SNYDER President, e-Girl Interactive West Los Angeles [phone] Age: 32 Resident of: West Los Angeles Native of: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Education: B.A., Pomona College, Claremont (1984); M.B.A., Anderson School of Management, University of California at Los Angeles (1994) Career highlight: Successfully forming a consortium of leading an museums and conservation laboratories that are involved in electronic imaging.

As a consultant to the Getty Conservation Institute, she researched how electronic imaging is used in a variety of fields, and then identified ways the technology could benefit the world of art conservation. She brought together key people to develop a research and development agenda and to find ways to diffuse these technologies in the field. She also assisted the Getty in selecting imaging projects to co-develop, and she presented and published information on the consortium and its imaging projects at conferences and meetings. What was so satisfying about this project was being instrumental in diffusing a useful, new technology in a field that had many applications for the technology, but very little resources for acquiring and exploiting it. Her goal now is to be even more instrumental in bringing great software to girls.

Over the past two and a half years, she has focused strictly on multimedia products and services. She has acted as a marketing consultant, primarily in multi-media market research and analysis, and as director of market development for Image Smith, a publisher of children's entertainment titles. She is now working as an advisor to UCLA, with the goal of assisting the university to become a leading force in multimedia publishing. She is also working on her own software publishing initiatives under e-Girl Interactive. She is dedicated to publishing quality software specifically for girls in their teens and early adolescence, a population that has been virtually ignored by the industry.

WILLIAM SOADY President and CEO, Showscan Entertainment Culver City [phone] Age: 50 Resident of: Calabasas Native of: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Education: Declined to state Career highlight: Having engineered a major turnaround at Showscan this year. For the first time since its rounding in 1984, the company expects to achieve a break-even or to be modestly profitable this fiscal year.

Soady led Showscan to increase the installed base of Showscan attractions and to develop a high margin of recurring revenues via an expanding Showscan film library. As chief financial officer and president of the company, he led the turnaround of this pioneering special-format, film-based theater attraction company. He oversaw restructuring of the management team, which has resulted in projected annual revenues of $16 million for fiscal 1995, which would mark a 300-percent increase over the prior fiscal year. Soady was also instrumental in developing a strategic alliance and sale between Showscan and United Artists Theatre Circuit to develop a minimum of 26 simulation theaters in UA multiplexes in North America and Malaysia. Showscan uses computer-generated imagery, which is the highest quality available, to create movie-based attractions.

CHRIS SPEER President and CEO, New Media Hollywood Inc. Hollywood [phone] Age: 34 Resident of: West Hollywood Native of: Tucson, Ariz. Education: B.A., University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1985) Career highlight: Employing 26 people and providing a positive working environment.

Speer developed patented laser technology in 1981. He surfed the Internet in 1972 and developed uplink for data from Madrid, Spain to Los Angeles. In addition, he built the premier multimedia dealership in California.

ROBERT STEINBERG Partner, Irell & Manella Century City [phone] Age: 34 Resident of: Pacific Palisades Native of: Philadelphia Education: B.S. in science and engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (1982); B.S. in economics, Wharton School of Business, Philadelphia (1982); J.D., Georgetown University Law School, Washington, D.C. (1986) Career highlight: Authoring Stac Electronics Inc.'s data compression patent, which was the centerpiece of the successful $120 million patent infringement verdict and injunction against Microsoft Corp. in 1994.

Steinberg's practice is eclectic, combining the benefit of his engineering, business and law background in all facets of negotiations, complex transactions, litigation and rights acquisitions involving technology, particularly multimedia technologies. In 1982, he designed for Control Automation of Princeton, N.J, the first vision-inspection station for chips, dips, sips and arrays on printed circuit boards, implementing the concept of artificial intelligence for the first time. Since then, he has authored some of the first and most significant computer software patents in the industry for companies, including The Walt Disney Co., Lucas Arts Entertainment, Eastman Kodak Co., Stac Electronics and Intuit.

DAVID STEVENS Acting General Manager and Vice President - Indirect Distribution and Marketing, Los Angeles Cellular Telephone Co. Cerritos [phone] Age: Declined to state Resident of: Rancho Palos Verdes Native of: Altadena Education: B.S. in industrial engineering/operations research, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. (1969); M.B.A., University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1971) Career highlight: Growing a company and its support structures to be a very large entity while maintaining the company's entrepreneurial spirit and attitude. Stevens is responsible for managing a broad range of sales and marketing functions within one of the largest regional cellular operating companies. Recently, he assumed the role of acting general manager. He has been involved with managing complex direct and third-party distribution pricing and product activities in regulated and non-regulated environments and balancing high growth against bottom line profitability.

JILL STRAWBRIDGE Independent User Interface Specialist Los Angeles [phone] Age: 35 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A., University of California at Los Angeles (1982); Ph.D., Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (1988) Career highlight: Bringing to the multimedia design process and application an appreciation for taking the behavioral and cognitive characteristics of users into account in the design.

Strawbridge applies the principles of learning theory, human performance, cognition and perception to the design of interactive multimedia products. She is also involved in directly translating this information into screen design and content organization and navigation. She has been the senior user interface designer at Philips Interactive Media, user interface design consultant for multimedia developers and publishers, and the head of IICS user interface design SIG.

BARRY STULBERG Partner, Samaha Grogin & Stulberg Pasadena [phone] Age: 33 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A. in psychology, University of California, Berkeley (1983); J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (1987) Career highlight: Serving on the boards of directors of various publicly held companies and non-profit organizations.

Stulberg represents technology, consumer products, film and music clients in domestic and international transactions and litigation involving the acquisition, protection, production, development, licensing, employment, consulting, joint venture, and distribution agreements. He prosecutes and defends trademark, copyright, patent, trade secret, rights of publicity and privacy litigation. He provides legal and business counsel and assistance on a variety of business matters, including the formation and operation of business entities and alliances, locating and obtaining business financing and investment capital. He advises clients on operations and human resource matters. He is a frequent lecturer to high-tech industry groups, including the Southern California Software Council, and he is legal counsel to software developers, publishers, and distributors ranging in size from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of multimedia, business applications, and networking.

ELAN SUSSER President, ELAN Software Corp. Pacific Palisades [phone] Age: 30 Resident of: Santa Monica Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.S., California State University, Northridge (1985) Career highlight: Managing and developing a high-technology company that has been doubling its revenues each year and which provides Los Angeles with a strong economic and employment base.

Susser is in charge of overall corporate management and development of the company. He created and marketed an award-winning software program that facilitates greater productivity and communication in the business environment.

JOANNA TAMER President, SOS Inc. Marina del Rey [phone] Age: 44 Resident of: Los Angeles and Springville, Calif. Native of: Detroit Education: B.A. in literature and creative writing, B.S. in philosophy, Oakland University, Pontiac, Mich. (1971) Career highlight: Staying ahead of the learning curve and ahead of changes in the marketplace for multimedia consumer titles.

Tamer is head of a consulting firm specializing in distribution and market-entry strategies for the new-media community. She was widely acknowledged as the leading consultant in distribution channels strategy for software and hardware from 1981 to 1991. In addition, she has been the leading industry consultant in distribution channels strategy, business development and market-entry strategies for CD-ROM publishers, distributors, retailers, developers and manufacturers since 1991.

MICHAEL TERPIN President, The Terpin Group Inc. Marina del Rey [phone] Age: 38 Resident of: Manhattan Beach Native of: Buffalo, N.Y. Education: B.A. in journalism and English, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y. (1978); M.F.A. in creative writing, State University of New York at Buffalo (1982) Career highlight: Generating four articles in Business Week in a five-week period surrounding Christmas for Media Vision, a client of the Terpin Group. Another highlight has been helping to build the Global Internet News Agency into a service that is now accessed daily by more than 1,000 editors.

Terpin concurrently holds positions as president of The Terpin Group, and as chairman and CEO of Global Internet News Agency, also known as GINA. At the Terpin Group, he is responsible for planning and executing public relations activities for the agency's clients and supervising a staff of 12 in Los Angeles. He recently opened a San Francisco office. At GINA, he oversees technical, planning and management aspects of the business. He began the world's first Interact PR distribution and services company and staged the first-ever Hollywood premiere for an interactive movie - Media Vision's "Quantum Gate/Critical Path." He was involved in high-profile launches for America Online and Knight-Ridder's electronic learning fair.

SAMUEL UNGER Principal Engineer, Jacobs Engineering Group Pasadena [phone] Age: 43 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Los Angeles Education: B.A. in biochemistry, M.S. in chemical engineering, University of California, Berkeley (1973, 1976) Career highlight: Being co-inventor of several U.S. and Foreign patents regarding toxic waste encapsulation.

Unger is the principal engineer overseeing remediation selection and design for the U.S. Department of Defense and private-sector sites in the Western U.S. His accomplishments include designing innovative remediation and waste treatment systems and developing waste encapsulation machinery.

DAVID VAN BUREN President and CEO, Applied Solar Energy Corp. City of Industry [phone] Age: 46 Resident of: Newport Beach Native of: Kingston, R.I. Education: B.S., University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Ill. (1971); M.A., Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (1975) Career highlight: Being jointly responsible, along with Brig. Gen. Claude Bolton, for managing the integration and first flight of the B-2 bomber in 1989. Another highlight was being responsible for a major turn-around of Applied Solar, converting a company that was 95 percent defense-based in 1992, and which is presently 60 percent commercial. The turnaround has resulted in the company now having the highest profits and backlog in its 40-year history.

Van Buren is the head of Applied Solar, a world leader in space power. The company has 98 percent of the worldwide market share for gallium arsenide-powered satellites. Its only competitors are Hughes, Daimler-Benz and Sharp. It is also the sole source for an iridium contract valued at nearly $100 million. Positions formerly held by Van Buren include: program manager at USAF Sidewinder Missile SPO, vice president and B-2 deputy program manager at Northrop Corp., and project manager for classified programs at Lockheed Corp.

RANDAL FRED WALTI Chairman and CEO, The Oaktree Consulting Group Torrance [phone] Age: 55 Resident of: San Pedro Native of: Chicago Education: B.S. in mechanical engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. (1961) Career highlight: Personally coaching more than 100 CEOs in marketing, finance and people skills, and striving to be an inspirational force in their growth and prosperity.

Walti is head of the Oaktree Consulting Group, the leading management consulting firm serving the software industry. He is also head of Oaktree Publishing Inc., publisher of Software CEO magazine. He founded eight companies in the high-tech industry, including a computer system manufacturer, which he took public in 1978; an equipment leasing company; a third-party field service company; a telemarketing company; a seminar company; a management consulting company; a magazine publishing company; and a learning systems publishing company. He developed a precursor to the IBM personal computer and initiated production in 1979, three years before IBM. He rounded the Software Council of Southern California in 1991, and he has written 10 guides for software entrepreneurs.

STEVEN WEINER Attorney, Irell & Manella Century City [phone] Age: 31 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Philadelphia Education: B.S.E. in systems science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (1985); M.S. in computer science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. (1987); J.D., Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Mass. (1990) Career highlight: Helping Stac Electronics obtain a $100 million jury verdict against industry giant Microsoft Corp. for patent infringement and being told by two different clients in a single day, "Thank God, you're my lawyer."

Weiner is responsible for protecting innovative software technology and content through intellectual property litigation, patent prosecution, and counseling. He developed advanced software tools at MIT for automated design of VLSI semiconductors, and he created a computer "expert system" used by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office for charging criminal defendants.

CAPRICE YOUNG Assistant Deputy Mayor for Technology, Budget and Infrastructure, Office of the Mayor, City of Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles [phone] Age: 29 Resident of: Los Angeles Native of: Palo Alto, Calif. Education: B.A. in history, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. (1988); M.P.A. University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1991) Career highlight: Helping to create a report which identifies real solutions for improving public service in Los Angeles by drawing on the strengths of the city its diverse residents, skilled business leaders and dedicated public servants. The report is being taken seriously and won't be one that sits on the shelf.

Young is responsible for developing and implementing city policies relating to infrastructure, technology and the budget. Her current projects include representing Mayor Riordan in the reorganization of the Department of Public Works, implementing recommendations of the Special Advisory Committee on Technology Implementation and supporting development of the fiscal 1995-1996 city budget. On behalf of Mayor Riordan, Young formed and served as liaison to the Special Advisory Committee on Technology Implementation, the blueprint for bringing city services into the age of technology. Now she has been put in charge of formulating a multi-year technology investment plan for the city, which begins with passage of a $30 million-to-$50 million component in the fiscal 1995-1996 budget.