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Robin
Gaster
North
Atlantic Research Inc.
8200
Queen Anne’s Drive
Silver
Spring MD 20910
rgaster@north-atlantic.com |
Tel. 301-589-5965
Fax 301-589-1743
www.north-atlantic.com
www.close2home.net/business |
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Work
Experience
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LocalNet
LLC (1998-) (CEO
and founder) |
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LocalNet
was funded by angel investors to develop a comprehensive Web-based
platform for publishing local community events, organizations, and
activities. Uniquely, LocalNet adapts its approach to the needs and
insights of its local partners, always focused on a vision grounded in the
local power of the Net. |
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LocalNet
has undertaken projects in San Diego (with the Electric Power Research
Institute) and in Scranton PA (with Pegasus Inc.). Current projects are
focused on Kansas City (with the Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance and RW
Ventures), in Los Angeles (with RW Ventures), and in Palo Alto. |
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North
Atlantic Research Inc. (1991-) (CEO and founder)
Director
of several major projects. These include: |
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- Convergence,
a $2m partnership with Deloitte & Touche to create an electronic publication covering all aspects of
telecommunications and the Internet. Project successfully developed on
proprietary software platform, and sold for two
years. Eventually overtaken by the Web.
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- Many
industry studies for public and private clients
including the European Commission, Philips, Olivetti, Bull S.A.,
Mitsubishi research, Dataquest, Deloitte and Touche, the Economist
Intelligence Unit, the National Academy of Science, Houghton
Mifflin.
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- Bridging the Atlantic forums
series, a Washington colloquium addressing transatlantic trade
and technology issues.
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SNIP
Software (CEO) (1997-98) |
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Led
acquisition of failed software company by new investor group.
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SNIP!
Software created a clipping applet for use with web browsers and other
electronic documents. A leading edge application, the core technology was
acquired from a predecessor company for only a small participation in SNIP!. |
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Office
of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress (1989-91) (Congressional Fellow)
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International
Monetary Fund, (1987-91) (Senior Editor) |
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University of Virginia, Charlottesville,
(1986-87) (Assistant Professor) |
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U.C.Berkeley,
American U., George Washington U., George Mason U. (Adjunct Professor) |
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Skills
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the course of many different consulting projects and entrepreneurial
ventures, I have developed a range of business and professional skills.
These include: |
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Marketing
and alliances |
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Ten
years successful experience marketing consulting services to major clients
around the world. Consistent ability to close sales and to generate
repeat business. Additional experience with B2B marketing through the Convergence
project (includes advertising, marketing infrastructure, direct mail,
telesales, trade shows, etc.) Innovative developer of alternative
marketing strategies using the public policy environment. |
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Strong
network of contacts in Washington DC public policy circles, telecommunications,
the European Community, and local web and economic development networks. |
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Most of
my projects have involved creation of a virtual team of staffers and
partners. In some cases these have been very wide-ranging: Convergence
required agreements with almost 400 publications; LocalNet involves
active partnerships with local agencies and organizations in every
selected city. In all cases, I have been the person directly responsible
for developing and maintaining these alliances. |
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Research |
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Extensive
research background, following Ph.D in social sciences. Professional
consulting work includes numerous market assessments and technology
analyses focused on telecommunications and ecommerce. Numerous reports and
assessments completed for government, corporate, and nonprofit clients
(see publications for selected list) |
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Presentation |
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Very
strong presentation, desktop publishing, and web skills. Author and
designed of many high quality consulting reports, as well as major PowerPoint
presentations (for the Economist Intelligence Unit and others) Extensive
speaking experience at industry and public policy seminars and
conferences, and as professor at U.C.Berkeley, UI. of Virginia, and others
DC-area universities. Strong inter-personal skills. |
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Innovative
use of "quick start" project web sites as a presentation aid and
later as a key marketing feature. |
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Business
planning |
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Ten years of P&L
responsibility, including Convergence project. Extensive experience
building comprehensive and successful business plans, used to underpin the
work of LocalNet , SNIP! Software, Enersphere (Canada), (all funded) as
well as other partners such as RW Ventures and Local Net
(California) Inc. Additional experience with major proposals and
grants. |
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Founded
three companies (2 still operating), and conceived of numerous successful
(and unsuccessful) projects, including Convergence/SmartSource
with Deloitte and Touche, the NII project with the European
Commission, many consulting projects, and numerous iterations on the theme
of local online networks. |
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Operations |
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Highly effective
operations skills directed toward the completion of projects on time and
on budget. Experience with MS Project used to organize and implement major
projects. |
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Strongly
favor use of Internet tools (groupware, IM, quick start web sites, blogs,
etc.) as a means of ensuring tight coordination between virtual team
members. |
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Firm
believer in setting clear goals and milestones, and empowering
subordinates to achieve these objectives. Positive reinforcement works,
and is critical for effective team building. Extensive experience building
high achieving teams onsite and in a virtual environment. |
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Legal/intellectual
property
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Experience
setting up companies and managing legal aspects. Considerable understanding
of intellectual property issues (though I am not a lawyer), based
both on practical experience with Convergence and LocalNet,
and also on recent consulting work on intellectual property for a major
client. |
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Technical
expertise |
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Strong
skills in basic and advanced business and research applications. Advanced
skills in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel. |
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Web
development skills using MS Front Page and other relatively simple html
editors. maintains web sites for several organizations, including e.g. Takoma
Park Neighborhood Youth Soccer. |
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Extensive
experience managing the technology for electronic publishing projects,
including CD-based and web delivery. |
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Mid-level;
database skills - database development including database design and
implementation in MS Access. |
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Advanced
understanding of online research and collaboration technologies, including
web-clipping and management, groupware, shared page technologies e.g. web
logs, instant messaging etc. |
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