PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 Released: November 1, 2010 Revised CAPITALIZATION STRATEGIES WORKSHOP FOR SMALL, MINORITY- AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities (“OCBO”) will host a Capitalization Strategies Workshop focused on capital acquisition for small and diverse businesses in the communications industry. The workshop is free and open to the public and will be held on Friday, November 12, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the FCC Headquarters, Commission Meeting Room, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. Small, women and minority business owners interested in telecommunications, broadcasting, or related businesses for which raising capital is a prerequisite, will hear remarks presented by panelists on two panels. The first panel will consist of government sector representatives and the second panel will feature finance experts from the private sector. Specifically, the panelists will address issues related to obtaining public and private-sector financing for those entrepreneurs who seek either to launch new enterprises or to facilitate growth in existing businesses. Panelists will discuss capitalization strategies applicable in a variety of business sectors, i.e. broadband technologies, cable and broadcast TV, broadcast radio, wireless services, and common carrier facilities. Capitalization strategies will also be discussed in the context of ownership of ancillary services that provide technological, marketing, and administrative support systems for businesses in the communications industry. The workshop will include 30-minute breakout sessions in which several of our panelists will meet one-on-one with individual entrepreneurs and provide constructive feedback on their business plans. In order to facilitate this process, interested parties are asked to review the investment criteria of each of the panelists and select the most appropriate investor with whom they’d like to discuss their business plan and capital needs. Please indicate your selection as described below. BREAKOUT SESSION PARTICIPANTS Interested parties who wish to participate in the breakout sessions must sign up in advance and identify their top two choices of panelists with whom they desire to meet during the breakout 2 sessions. In order to participate in the breakout sessions, you must e-mail your selection of panelists together with your business plan, or pertinent business information, to Karen Beverly, Consumer and Industry Affairs Specialist, OCBO. The deadline for submission of your materials has been extended to Monday, November 8, 2010. Karen may be reached at Karen.Beverly@fcc.gov or by phone at (202) 418-0990. There will be a limited number of breakout sessions. However, we will make every attempt to accommodate your preferences to the maximum extent possible. The workshop will provide you with an opportunity to exchange contact information with the panelists so that you may arrange future meetings. BREAKOUT SESSION PANELISTS (revised listing) Allison Alexander (SCI Ventures). SCI funds and assists talented minority and women entrepreneurs in emerging domestic markets. SCI invests in markets that have been historically under served by private equity funding sources. Though SCI works most within the continental United States, they will consider unique investment opportunities anywhere in the world. Their offices are located in the Mid-Atlantic Region. For more information about SCI see www.sci- ventures.com Mark Levine (Core Capital). Core Capital primarily focuses on the types of core technologies enabling or enhancing data and communication, with successful investments in a wide range of information technologies. Core Capital looks to invest in large, rapidly growing markets. Core Capital’s initial investments are typically in the $3-$7 million range, with an expectation of $10- $15 million in total capital over the life of the investment. Core Capital often serves as the lead investor, working with other leading funds to build, or participate in, investment syndicates for nearly every investment. See www.core-capital.com/. Jerry Johnson (RLJ Equity). RLJ Equity seeks to identify and invest in high quality companies led by motivated and skilled executives. RLJ Equity then aligns both short and long- term interests by providing management teams with meaningful ownership stakes in the businesses they lead. While RLJ Equity will actively pursue opportunities across a broad range of industries, they seek certain characteristics within each investment, including, but not limited to, companies valued between $50 million and $200 million, and equity investments of $20 million to $45 million. See www.rljequitypartners.com. Anita Stephens Graham (Opportunity Capital). Opportunity Capital’s primary investment focus is providing capital to later stage companies seeking acquisition and expansion financing. Opportunity Capital focuses primarily on businesses in the areas of communications, including media broadcasting and wireless, applied technology and traditional manufacturing segments. Opportunity Capital invests in companies with exclusive licenses or franchises, proprietary products or processes or other unique features and characteristics that provide a clear and sustainable competitive advantage. Opportunity Capital invests only in companies with experienced, compatible management teams that adequately cover each of the businesses’ key functional areas. Their preferred investment range is $2,000,000 to $10,000,000. See www.opportunitycapitalpartners.com/. 3 Richard Blewett (SBA). The U.S. Small Business Administration was created as an independent agency of the federal government and formed to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA recognizes that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam. For a description of SBA’s loan programs, see www.sba.gov. Maureen Lewis (NTIA). The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the executive branch agency principally responsible for advising the President on telecommunications and information policies. In this role, NTIA frequently works with other Executive Branch agencies to develop and present the Administration's position on these issues. In addition to representing the Executive Branch in both domestic and international telecommunications and information policy activities, NTIA also manages the Federal use of spectrum; performs cutting-edge telecommunications research and engineering, including resolving technical telecommunications issues for the Federal government and private sector; and administers infrastructure and public telecommunications facilities grants. For more information about NTIA, please visit www.ntia.doc.gov/. Gary Bojes (USDA RUS). USDA'S Rural Utilities Service provides programs to finance rural America's telecommunications infrastructure. The Broadband Loan program provides loans to fund the costs of constructing, improving and acquiring facilities to provide broadband service to eligible rural communities. The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program brings electronic educational resources to rural schools and improves health care delivery in rural America. The Community Connect Grant program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband in unserved areas to provide public safety services and foster economic growth. For more information about RUS, please visit www.usda.gov/rus/telecom Jim Pastoriza (TDF). The Telecommunications Development Fund (TDF) is a Washington DC based venture capital fund focused on the communications sector. TDF partners with talented entrepreneurs and seeks to build competitive and innovative technology and services companies. TDF’s focus is driven by investment themes that share several qualities: large and important problems in communications, an ability to add value through management's investing and operational experience, and the Fund's location and relationships in Washington DC. TDF's commitment to competitive and emerging communications technologies and entrepreneurs is extended through the TDF Foundation. Designed to create a long term and measureable impact, TDF Foundation is a platform to extend communications related opportunities across underserved rural and urban communities. For more information about TDF, please visit http://www.tdfund.com 4 Robert L. Greene (SYNCOM). Syndicated Communications, Inc was founded in 1977 with a mission to diversify the ownership of media in the United States. Today, Syncom Venture Partners is a market leader at investing venture capital in specialized segments of the media and communications industry. Syncom manages capital in excess of 400 million dollars. For more information about Syncom, please visit: http://www.syncomfunds.com Carlos Guzman (MBDA). The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. MBDA is the only federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America. MBDA is an entrepreneurially focused organization committed to wealth creation in minority communities. The Agency's mission is to actively promote the growth and competitiveness of large, medium and small minority business enterprises. MBDA actively coordinates and leverages public and private-sector resources that facilitate strategic alliances in support of its mission. The vision is to function as an entrepreneurial organization serving entrepreneurs. For more information about MBDA, please visit: http://www.mbda.gov . David Grain (Grain Communications Group, Inc: GCGI). GCGI’s primary business focus is the acquisition, building, ownership and management/operation of tower sites specifically developed for federal, state, and local government wireless systems. GCGI competes for large government contracts to build and operate communications towers. As a part of GCGI’s commitment to being the wireless infrastructure choice for governmental and private entities, GCGI strives to partner with, hire, and do business with other small and diversified businesses. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Sarasota, Florida. For more information about GCGI, please visit www.gcgi.com . All persons interested in attending this informative event in person are asked to register by contacting OCBO at (202) 418-0990 or via e-mail at Karen.Beverly@fcc.gov. Persons interested in participating via the Internet may do so by logging on to https://fccevents.webex.com/fccevents/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=998539699. The event will also be streamed live through our webpage http://reboot.fcc.gov/live Copies of the proceedings of this workshop can be purchased from the FCC's duplicating contractor, Anderson Reporting at (703) 519-7180: Fax (703) 519-7190: TTY (202) 488-5562. These copies will be available in paper format and alternative media, including large print/type; digital disk; and audio and video tape. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. The request should include a detailed description of the accommodation needed and contact information. Please provide as much advance notice as possible; last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). You can also follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FCC and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/FCC.