Dave Clark and Kyle Bjork: Dave and Kyle are experts in "design for manufacturing." Together, Dave and Kyle have forty years of product development, product design, and manufacturing and marketing experience.

Don Debelak: Is the President of DSS Marketing, an inventor assistance firm, and is a marketing and small-business startup expert. He is the author of several books for the inventor and entrepreneur, such as Bringing Your Product to Market, Think Big, Nine Ways to Make Millions from Your Ideas, and The Risk-Free Entrepreneur.

Jeff Dobkin: has written 5 books on direct marketing, and his marketing articles have been published in over 250 magazines. With clarity, electricity and humor. Dobkin's presentations this year will highlight over 100 of his best, easiest-to-use tips and techniques on marketing your invention. See his writing at www.dobkin.com and more of it at www.jeffdobkin.com

Louis Foreman: Louis is the publisher of Inventors’ Digest magazine. He is also the creator and producer of Everyday Edisons, This is a polite reality show—a documentary about how an idea sketched out on a napkin goes from a concept to store shelves. And he is the founder and President of Enventys, a "concept to market" product development company for inventors and entrepreneurs.

Jack Lander: is a full-time mentor to inventors and new-product startup entrepreneurs. He is the Vice President of the Yankee Invention Exposition, past president of the United Inventors Association, (both, not-for-profit), and is the author of How to Finance Your Invention or Great Idea, and Nolo Publishing Company’s All I Need is Money. He has written a regular column for Inventors’ Digest for the past 13 years. He is also an active inventor with 12 patents and 2 in process.

Wyn Lydecker: is an expert in the art and science of entrepreneurial marketing. She has an MBA from Wharton School, and over 30 years business experience helping Fortune 500 Companies grow their businesses, and independent entrepreneurs start theirs. Wyn is the founder and director of Upstart Business Planning.

Karyl Lynch and Dave Cormier: Karyl and Dave are independent new-product scouts for several client companies. Their company, Pelham West Associates, is headquartered in Shutesbury, Massachusetts. In addition to discovering and evaluating new products, Karyl and Dave present invention workshops, and network with inventors, designers, and engineers to create innovative products.

Mike Marks: is a successful independent licensing agent. He has worked with product design groups and directly with inventors to license products to Sears, Black & Decker, The Home Depot, Staples, and Wal-Mart. Total sales of his and his brother’s inventions are more than 300 million dollars.

Patrick Raymond: is the inventor of ShowerBow™, a device that increases space in a bathtub type shower. Before starting up his own company to develop, patent, and market his invention, he worked in marketing, financial management, and consulting. He has succeeded in taking his invention through all stages from concept to development, prototyping, testing, market planning, forming a stock company, publicizing at a major trade show, financing, and finally, marketing his product . . . not without some difficulties.

Jim Richardson: is a plastics injection molding expert who works with inventors and industrial clients to design products for low-cost and practical manufacturing. Jim has helped inventors bring products from concept to the market, and is a successful inventor himself, having licensed his inventions to industry. He is also an expert on product success or failure, and how to avoid the latter.

. Joanne Hayes Rines: Joanne is the past publisher and editor of Inventors’ Digest, the only magazine devoted exclusively to inventors. Joanne and her husband, Bob, a prominent attorney, inventor, and professor, have been tireless crusaders who protect the independent inventor’s interests. Joanne is past President of the all-volunteer United Inventors Association (not-for-profit), and has served on its board for several years

Edie Tolchin: is a licensed U. S. Customs broker and President of EGT Global Trading in Florida, New York. Edie’s services include finding manufacturing sources in China, and coaching inventors in all aspects of negotiating, purchasing, transporting, and processing through U. S. Customs.

STUDENT HONORED BY YANKEE EXPO
FOR HIS ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTION

A seventh grade student at Mystic Middle School has been awarded the Yankee Environmental Award for his invention of the most environmentally friendly invention exhibited at the recently concluded Connecticut Invention Convention. Joseph Charles received a $50 U.S. Savings Bond and a free booth at the October Yankee Invention Exposition for his FREEBIE invention. FREEBIE is a process for laminating several plastic grocery bags (a landfill nuisance) into an attractive re-usable bag. The UConn School of Engineering hosts the annual Connecticut Invention Convention for grades K-8 in Storrs, CT.