Off the Record with A CEO February 20, 2009

Off the record with a CEO is an opportunity to visit two successful Oregon entrepreneurs in their place of business.

Participants will briefly tour the business facility, then spend about an hour and a half with the host entrepreneur, asking questions regarding lessons learned through their entrepreneurial experience. Attendees have benefited from frank discussions about the unique challenges the entrepreneurs faced during the growth phase as well as what challenges lie ahead. After they've completed the second visit, the tour ends at a pub for some networking.

The companies featured in the February"s "Off the Record" are Clear Access with CEO Ken Hood and SeaPort Air with CEO Kent Craford.

Clear Access provides tools and technology that allows telecommunications companies the ability to offer remote technical support to customers. This technology improves customer support and satisfaction while reducing costs. They are a growth stage start up that has been through the ropes of raising angel and venture funding

SeaPort Air is bucking the trend. In a time when airlines are failing, SeaPort Air is earning revenue and raising investment. They have succeeded by serving the unmet needs of the business traveler. With no TSA, on-site parking and a convenient Boeing Field location in Seattle, SeaPort cuts the typical airline or automobile travel time in half, for about the same cost as the big airlines.

Come learn how these CEOs are succeeding despite really challenging economic times.

Speakers

Ken Hood
Ken Hood is the Co-Founder and CEO of ClearAccess and brings with him more than 15 years of high tech experience in sales, marketing, and product management. Most recently Ken held the position of Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Paradyne Corporation. In 2004 Ken was Paradyne's Sales Executive of the Year award recipient for his contributions as Vice President of International Sales.

Prior to Paradyne, Ken was CEO of Centennial Systems, a broadband voice applications company, and was formerly Vice President of International Sales and Business Development with Jetstream Communications. Ken has held management roles with 3Com Corporation in marketing, sales, and business development and started his career with The Boston Consulting Group as an associate consultant. Ken holds a B.A. from Pomona College and an MBAfrom Stanford University.

Kent Craford
Kent Craford is the CEO and part owner of SeaPort Airlines and Wings of Alaska. Once a fed up commuter, Kent and his partners John Beardsley and Tom Carrollo developed SeaPort Airlines as a way to meet the needs of business travelers wasting countless hours on the highway or in long airport lines. Kent is a former public affairs consultant. He lives in Portland with his wife and two young children.