Silicon Valley

Featured Speaker(s)

Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn, Director of WorldWide Marketing for IBM

Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn is the Director of WorldWide Marketing for IBM. Cheemin, who holds a doctorate in administration/computer-based management information systems, currently leads the marketing unit, which has generated significant revenue growth by delivering storage solutions primarily to software vendors, systems integrators, e-utility companies and Internet companies. Previously, she served in IBM's Storage Systems Group (SSG) as Director of Market Planning and Strategy and Director of Business Strategy. Prior to joining SSG, Cheemin held various sales management jobs at IBM and other management positions at hi-technology companies.

She was recently recognized in InfoWorld magazine in an article entitled, "FastTrack: Women in Technology ... Women on the Move." Cheemin was previously featured in the nationally circulated Asian Enterprise Magazine and Monte Jade Science and Technology Journal. In April 2001 she was honored for her leadership and contribution to technology and recognized as the recipient of the Community Star Award for Technology from the Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), a major Asian-American group in Silicon Valley. She also serves on several corporate Boards in Silicon Valley.

Dr. Barbara Grant, President and CEO, Siros Technologies, Inc.

Dr. Grant joined Siros in May 1997, concurrent with the first round of venture capital funding. Her career includes numerous senior management positions with IBM. Most recently she was Vice President and General Manager of a Data Storage Business Unit and Site General Manager for IBM Tucson. In 1996, in recognition of her contributions to this field, Dr. Grant was one of ten women elected to the inaugural group of the Women in Technology Hall of Fame.
Dr. Grant received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Stanford University and has authored several dozen publications and patents in the field of novel organic and polymer materials.

Joanne L. Mumola Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer


In 1999 Joanne joined Ampro Computers as President and Chief Operations officer. Within 18 months, she brought in a new team of executives, accomplished a financial turn-around, repositioned the product strategy to take advantage of a significantly larger market space and set up the infrastructure to execute a vision that will change the nature of embedded computing. Ampro introduced a new product concept, EnCore, which was immediately recognized by EDN magazine as innovation of the year. In 2000, revenues grew over 40% and the company enjoyed profitability. Joanne now holds the position of President and Chief Executive Officer.

Joanne had a rich career at IBM with increasing levels of responsibility. As a design engineer in the development laboratory in Austin, Texas she specialized in developing hardware and microcode to drive high quality word processing displays. She authored five US patents and seven technical publications, one of which became the base patent for what is known today as “print preview”. As a senior manufacturing engineering manager, Joanne directed a 200-person team that designed, installed and maintained the automated card assembly and test facility for IBM personal computer components. She successfully ramped production to 10,000 board assemblies per day.

Joanne also developed a licensing organization that brought IBM intellectual property from the labs to market, recognizing over $100M of licensing revenue within 24 months. She next helped convince IBM to sell their proprietary technology of magneto resistive recording heads to their hard disk drive competitors. Results were sales of 50 million recording heads within 18 months and by second year revenues reached $400M. (One might note that this took a major internal corporate culture selling initiative.)

Joanne has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering and completed Doctoral course work in Biomedical Engineering. Joanne holds membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Eta Kappa Nu honor societies.