TACOMA, Wash. – Four local entrepreneurs and alumni of University of Puget Sound will share their experiences in building their businesses and keeping ahead of competitors at the 2010 Puget Sound Business Breakfast on Thursday, May 6, in Seattle. The panelists include Dan Hulse ’02, president of Terra Organics; Rob Lilleness ’89, president and chief executive of Medio Systems Inc.; Clay Loges ’68, chief executive of Yodio; and Leasa Mayer ’81, president of CRG Events.

When:              7:30–9:30 a.m., Thursday, May 6, 2010
Where:          Bell Harbor International Conference Center, International Promenade
                        2211 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121
Admission:    $25 for Puget Sound affiliates; $30 for general public

The event will be opened with remarks from Puget Sound President Ronald R. Thomas. The panel moderator is Lynnette Claire, Nat. A. and Marian W. Rogers Assistant Professor in Puget Sound’s School of Business and Leadership.

Dan Hulse, president of Terra Organics, formed the organic produce company with his wife, Kim, in 2003, and began delivering fruits and vegetables to the cabins at Salmon Beach. They expanded through marketing and an acquisition, and today they service restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and more than 1,000 households in Pierce and King counties.

Rob Lilleness, president and chief executive of Medio Systems Inc., has taken the Seattle-based mobile analytics and infrastructure platform business through a period of rapid growth and profitability. A Harvard Business School graduate, Lilleness also serves on the board of directors of Smart Labs Inc.

Clay Loges, chief executive of the Web-based service Yodio, founded numerous start-up companies, and built and sold numerous multimillion-dollar businesses, including the chain Speedi-Lube, which pioneered quick-oil service in the Puget Sound region. The chain was sold and now operates as Jiffy Lube. Loges’ latest venture, Yodio, allows people to record and match voice commentary to digital photos.

Leasa Mayer, president of CRG Events, ascended the corporate ladder at the special events company and now heads a team of more than 60 employees. In 2004 she was named one of Puget Sound Business Journal’s inaugural Women of Influence, and in 2006 she was named a finalist for the Nellie Cashman Award.

Those interested in attending should RSVP by April 23 by visiting www.pugetsound.edu/psbb.

Sponsored by the University of Puget Sound Alumni Association, this annual event gives dynamic business leaders a forum to share their insights and strategies for success with other members of the business community.

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