Tech-North features a number of prestigious keynote speakers, including:

Dean Kamen
Dean Kamen is an inventor, entrepreneur and a tireless advocate for science and technology. He is the founder of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, where he develops internally generated inventions and provides research and development for major corporate clients. He holds more than 440 U.S. and foreign patents for innovative devices that have expanded the frontiers of health care worldwide. Some of his notable inventions include the first wearable insulin pump for diabetics, the HomeChoice™ portable peritoneal dialysis machine, the INDEPENDENCE® IBOT® Mobility System, and the Segway® Human Transporter.

Among Mr. Kamen's proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use and enjoy science and technology.

Mr. Kamen was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000, the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002, is a member of the National Academy of Engineers and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005.

Mark Huddleston
Mark W. Huddleston is the 19th president of the University of New Hampshire. He brings three decades of experience in public and private higher education as a faculty member, dean, and senior administrator, most recently as president of Ohio Wesleyan University. His term at UNH commenced in July 2007.

Huddleston began his academic career at the State University of New York-Buffalo in 1977 as an assistant professor of political science. He then joined the faculty of the University of Delaware in 1980, where he remained for the next 24 years. Dr. Huddleston chaired the Department of Political Science and International Relations and served as associate provost for international programs. He was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2001, where he managed 45 academic departments and centers with nearly 900 fulltime faculty and staff, and served in that capacity until he was named president of Ohio Wesleyan University in 2004.

Having received his bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY-Buffalo, Huddleston went on to receive both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. An author of numerous books and articles, he has been active as a consultant for both the U.S. government and international organizations. He also served as an advisor in Bosnia on rebuilding financial and administrative infrastructures after the Dayton accords.

Huddleston was raised in Syracuse and spent 24 years at the University of Delaware in various capacities. For UNH he says, the best years are yet to come—and he is happy that he will be a part of that.

Huddleston and his wife, Emma Bricker, have three children, Andy, Kate, and Giles.

Grace Kilbane
Grace A. Kilbane was appointed Regional Administrator for the Employment and Training Administration’s Region I in June, 2006. In this position, she is responsible for oversight of the federal investments made in employment and training programs in the 8 states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, as well as the territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Grace has served in many key executive positions in the Employment and Training Administration (ETA). At the national level, Grace has served as Administrator of most of ETA’s programs including: the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) training programs for adults, youth and dislocated workers; Job Corps; the unemployment insurance program; the employment service; the trade act; labor market information; electronic tools; and foreign labor programs. A few highlights of her many accomplishments include: leading the implementation of the One-Stop Career Center system as its first National Director; leading the development of a new Youth vision; commencing the process of connecting vocational training in Job Corps to industry-required credentials for youth; enabling the innovation for states to take unemployment claims over the internet; implementing temporary extended unemployment compensation and the $8 billion Reed Act distribution to states in response to 911; and, leading the rulemaking and implementation of new temporary worker programs including the H-1B visa for high-skilled workers.

Grace began her career with the Department in 1988 as the Regional Administrator for ETA in Kansas City. Prior to joining ETA, she served as Deputy Administrator and Acting Administrator of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services for almost six years. She also has more than eight years experience directing programs at the city and county levels of government. A native of Cleveland, she possesses a Law Degree and a Master of Science Degree in Urban Studies.

Richard Ashooh
Rich Ashooh is vice president of government relations for the Electronics & Integrated Solutions (E&IS) operating group. He oversees E&IS policy and programmatic advocacy at federal, state, and local levels, with a particular focus on ensuring full funding of E&IS key and strategic programs.

E&IS, with headquarters in Nashua, New Hampshire, is a major defense electronics business with more than 17,000 employees in 16 U.S. states, the United Kingdom and Israel.

Prior to serving as vice president of government relations, Ashooh served as vice president of homeland security for E&IS. In that capacity, he oversaw the strategy and relationship development for the group’s growing interest in providing solutions for homeland security needs.

A 1986 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Ashooh joined the staff of former U.S. Senator Warren Rudman (R-NH) and then served as a professional staff member for six years on the U.S. Senate Committee on Government Affairs, where his responsibilities included oversight of federal procurement policies. He joined then Lockheed Sanders in 1993 and served in a series of management roles until his appointment as vice president of public affairs for BAE Systems in 2001.

Personally and professionally active in community affairs, Ashooh was appointed by the Governor to serve as a member of the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees. In 1998, he was appointed to the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium Commission – which he now chairs. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Franklin Pierce College. Ashooh is a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Medical Center (Manchester, N.H.), the New Hampshire Political Library, the New England Council, and the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association.

Rich, his wife Lori, and their five children reside in Bedford, New Hampshire.

The E&IS group designs, develops, and manufactures a wide range of electronic systems and subsystems for military and commercial applications. E&IS offers products and integration services including electronic warfare and self-protection systems; surveillance and intelligence systems; platform systems; sensor and precision targeting systems; communication, navigation, identification, and reconnaissance systems; large-scale enterprise solutions and information management systems in support of the defense and intelligence communities; mission-specific software and geospatial exploitation products; advanced information technology; and rapid C4ISR prototyping, among others.

BAE Systems is a global defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions, and customer support services. BAE Systems, with 88,000 employees worldwide, had 2006 sales that exceeded $25 billion.

Fred Kocher

Fred Kocher, President of the New Hampshire High Technology Council, has over 30 years of experience in corporate communications, television news and government. A former television news director, his award-winning television segment, “NH’s Business,” on WMUR-TV (ABC) is in its 13th year on the air on WMUR-TV (ABC). President of Kocher & Company, Inc., Mr. Kocher provides marketing and public relations services to a variety of clients. That expertise has been tapped at the state level, where he co-founded the New Hampshire International Trade Resource Center and currently works as the co-leader of an initiative to brand and market New Hampshire as a technology state. Mr. Kocher also co-hosts the “NH Forum on the Future,” an issues series, and founded “Politics and Eggs,” a New Hampshire Presidential Primary candidates series. Mr. Kocher serves as chair of the Industrial Advisory Board for the UNH Nanotechnology Program and serves of the boards of several local organizations, including Chester College of New England, NH Small Business Development Center, Academy for Science & Design and Exchange City of New England.

Dave Todaro, Vice President of BID2WIN Software Inc., graduated from the honors program at the University of New Hampshire with a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering. He joined BID2WIN Software as a software designer and engineer, and became a partner in the company in 1994. As the vice president, Dave works with the development team to advance the current version of BID2WIN, while leading the development effort of BID2WIN Software's new field data tracking solution—BUILD2WIN.