Principals
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Jake TarrManaging DirectorJake's investment activities focus on power/clean technology, outsourcing, transaction software and customer care/service opportunities. He is a Director of APX and SmartSynch. Before joining Kinetic in 1987, Jake was with the Bank of New York. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA degree from Roanoke College. |
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William HeflinManaging DirectorWillie joined Kinetic Ventures in 1990. His investment activities focus on communications and information technologies and software. He has led investments in Altierre, Cerent, NetCore, Corvis, Ciena, Seneca Networks, Calix, and Covega. Previously, Willie was with IBM, Marcam Corporation and Research Investment Advisors. He received his MS in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management and his MS and BS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois. |
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Nelson ChuManaging DirectorNelson joined Kinetic Ventures in early 1998. His investment activities focus on IT Infrastructure technologies (e.g., hardware systems and components, enterprise software), Internet software, database-related applications, and other emerging software and hardware technologies. He has led and/or been actively involved with a broad range of Kinetic investments including BroadWare, VerticalOne, FoodBuy, Vertical Acuity, and Alereon. Prior to joining Kinetic Ventures, Nelson was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company and prior to that he was a Development Manager with Oracle Corporation. Nelson received his MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, his MS in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his BS in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech. |
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Campbell B. ("Cam") Lanier, IIISenior DirectorCam began working for Kinetic in 2008. His investment activities focus on communications, software, and financial services. He sits on the Board of Immobili. Cam is the Chairman of ITC Holding Company, LLC. Earlier in his career, he co-founded Interstate Communications (Telecom*USA), which was acquired by MCI for $1.2 billion in 1990. Cam was the founding investor and Chairman of Powertel (now T-Mobile), which was acquired by Deutsche Telecom for $4.2 billion in 2000. He was also the founding investor for Mindspring, which was valued at $1 billion at the time of its merger with Earthlink, and the founding investor in Firethorn, a mobile payments company that was acquired in the fall of 2007 by Qualcomm for over $200 million. In addition, Cam was the founding investor of ITC^DeltaCom, Knology and InterCall. |
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Sydney ShepherdChief Financial OfficerSydney joined Kinetic Ventures in 2002. She leads the internal financial and administrative functions of the firm. Prior to joining Kinetic, she was a director of finance with a start-up company in the technology field. Previously, Sydney was the Director of Finance, Administration and Systems for the law firm of Williams & Jensen, and an accountant with the large regional accounting firm of Beers & Cutler, PLLC. Sydney received her BS in Accountancy from The Pennsylvania State University and her EMBA with honors from The George Washington University. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. |






