Israeli Tech Executives Meet the OC Investment Community at Blue Knot Orange County Networking Forum

Irvine, Calif. (PRWEB) October 19, 2007 -- Blue Knot, Jewish Federation's hi-tech affinity network, will host participants from the Merage Foundation for U.S.-Israeli Trade Executive Leadership Program featuring a group of Israeli high-tech executives pitching their companies to a panel of local angel investors at the Tarbut V' Torah Upper Campus in Irvine on Wednesday, October 24th at 6:30 PM.

The executives will make brief "elevator pitches" to Steven Mednick, assistant professor of clinical entrepreneurship, USC Marshall, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, and Stephen A. Block of the Tech Coast Angels and Venture Farm, and will be immediately followed by a brief period of Q&A initiated by the investor panelists.

Mednick comes to USC with over 25 years experience working with early stage businesses to large, complex global enterprises in the areas of corporate ventures, business development, sales leadership and corporate law. Prior to establishing his current firm, Plenum Revenue Group, LLC in 2004, he was director, corporate ventures at Silicon Graphics, Inc., where he established SGI's corporate ventures office and led its global mergers & acquisitions and licensing initiatives. Mednick is a member of Tech Coast Angels and serves on the boards of Tech Coast Venture Network and the Association for Corporate Growth, Orange County.

Block is a member of the Tech Coast Angels, Southern California's largest angel investing group. He serves on the Orange County chapter's Executive Committee and is its representative to the TCA Board of Governors. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of Senomyx, Inc., a public biotech company based in San Diego, California. Mr. Block retired as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. in December 2003, having served in that position for 12 years. He has 36 years of broad legal, management and executive experience at Fortune 500 corporations and a major New York law firm. He has previously served on the Boards of Directors of both private and public companies and on the Board of Governors of several industry trade associations and as the President of one of those groups.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to network with other technology professionals, hear what's hot in the Israeli tech sector, and meet the best and brightest in the Israeli high tech community in both informal and formal question-and-answer sessions.

Blue Knot, The Jewish Tech Initiative, creates opportunities for Jewish professionals in the technology sector to exchange ideas and experiences and expand networks. It also helps track and utilize best practices and emerging trends, learn about Israel's tech industry, and improve connections to the Jewish community.

Blue Knot Orange County connects Jewish hi-tech professionals in Southern California through dynamic networking opportunities, by featuring relevant speakers and by providing informational technology forums. Blue Knot is the premier venue for these professionals to enhance professional skills and explore Jewish culture and values.

Blue Knot Orange County (www.blueknotoc.org) is organized and sponsored by Jewish Federation Orange County. Corporate sponsors include BusinessWire (http://www.businesswire.com), Daly-Swartz Public Relations (http://www.dsprel.com), and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips (http://www.manatt.com).

Admission is $36 in advance, $45 at the door. For further information, contact Adrienne Domash at Jewish Federation, 1 Federation Way, Suite 210, Irvine CA 92603, (949) 435-3484 or (714) 755-5555, fax (949) 435-3485, email blueknot@jfoc.org or access http://www.blueknotoc.org

Contact:

Daly-Swartz PR for Blue Knot

Jeffrey Swartz, 949-470-0075

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