Executive

David M. M. Taffet

610-***-**** • *****.*.*.******@*****.*** • www.linkedin.com/in/davidtaffet/

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Transformational Leader, Business and Nonprofit Executive, and Turnaround Specialist with over 30 years of experience building companies, leading teams, raising capital, and developing cross-sector partnerships for commercial and public gain. Proven success in law, private client services, investment banking, private equity, not-for-profits, turnarounds, buy- outs, management, real estate, and Higher Ed innovation & commercialization. Skilled in strategic management, conflict resolution, contract negotiation, business plan development, public speaking, and brand marketing and development. Passionate street and photojournalistic photographer focused on foreign and/or marginalized communities to highlight human commonality and promote understanding across cultures. Photographed in all 50 of the United States of America, in 52 countries over 5 continents, and in hundreds of cities and towns. Intrepid. Immersed. Inspired.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Executive in Residence for Venture Building--Miami University Oxford, Ohio Focused on inclusive innovation and commercialization. January 2018 to Present. Entrepreneur in Residence—The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio One of 15 Executives in Residence focused on early stage technology and commercialization. November 2017 to Present. Consultant—LevinThor, LLC International

Charged by Miami University’s Chief Research Officer to strengthen Miami’s commitment to innovation and commercialization, and as part of the assignment, accomplished, among other things, the following:

• Negotiated an agreement between Miami University and both the Wright Brothers Institute of Dayton and the United States Air Force Research Lab (“AFRL”) that resulted in the AFRL sharing its entire portfolio of close to 1,000 patents with Miami University and in the creation of the Miami University–AFRL Research Technology Commercialization Accelerator.

• Structured and negotiated a successful joint submission by the University of Dayton and Miami University to Ohio’s Third Frontier resulting in a $400,000 Technology Validation and Start-up Fund.

• Evaluated Miami University’s traditional technology transfer operation and proposed a plan the University implemented that included, among other things, eliminating the technology transfer office, entering a shared services agreement with the University of Dayton resulting in a 4/5 reduction in expenses, and establishing a Center focused on inclusive innovation and commercialization. Orchestrated successful turnarounds of Massachusetts-based, Indiana-based, and Washington D.C.-based healthcare subsidiaries of a Fortune 500 company by working behind the scenes as an “Invisible Man Consultant” to the CEO of the subsidiaries.

Negotiated and structured a licensing and equity relationship on behalf of a lab in the Division of Genomic Diagnostics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with a Hungary-based global molecular diagnostics company on the cutting edge of DNA sequencing.

Negotiated and cemented a carrier neutral co-location agreement on behalf of an International IT infrastructure and managed services company that will deliver over $3.6 million in savings over the course of 3 years. January 2016 to Present.

Executive Manager—Platypus Holdings, LLC New Orleans, Chicago & Philadelphia Platypus Holdings, LLC, served as the holding company for the acquisition and development of millions of dollars in residential, commercial, and mixed-use real estate in NOLA (Treme, Bywater & French Quarter), Chicago (South Loop) and The Greater Philadelphia Area (Main Line). In addition to acquiring, restoring and commercializing portfolio properties, developed from the ground up Addiction Coffeehouse, which, in less than a year from opening, was recognized as the #1 coffeehouse in NOLA by Eater.com; ranked as the #1 Coffee & Tea establishment in NOLA by Yelpers; and dubbed One of the 25 Best Coffee Shops in America by Gear Patrol, a male-oriented, award-winning on-line and print magazine that monthly reaches 1.9 million unique readers. January 2011 to December 2015. Founder & Executive Manager—Platypus Management, LLC International Orchestrated eight turnarounds on behalf of U.S., Canadian and German public and private corporations, including two on behalf of Actua Corporation (NASDAQ: ACTA) (Formerly Internet Commerce Group) and one on behalf of Dun & Bradstreet Corporation (NYSE: DNB). These enterprises included high tech, biometrics, International outsourcing, communications and not-for-profits. April 2006 to April 2012. On behalf of Actua Corporation, retained by the CEOs of both the public company and of the United States subsidiary then- named ICG Commerce to evaluate and address long-standing financial issues and complex managerial and operational incompatibilities between ICG Commerce and its then German Division hpi GmbH. Working with the German management team, restructured the division and extracted significant employee concessions. Secured approval for the concessions from three company unions and, in turn, from the German National union. Orchestrated and negotiated the sale of the newly restructured division to a German competitor on terms that included an assumption of liabilities by the purchaser and a reduction in and favorable treatment of a trade payable owed by ICG Commerce to hpi. Also, on behalf of Actua, led a team of 8 senior executives in a bottoms up analysis that included, among other things, interviewing close to 100 team members, mapping the current state, creating the future state, developing a skills matrix, tying roles to sub-processes, constructing a detailed process flow with hand-offs and metrics and devising an implementation and communication plan.

With senior executives of D&B, restructured Purisma, a then recently acquired San Francisco-based subsidiary that offers a master data management platform for D&B enterprises and customers. Streamlined the organization, integrated the operations into D&B, and reduced the projected loss from operations by over $15.5 million over 3 years while delivering a modest profit versus a projected $8+ million loss in the then following year. Executive Manager—Lippincott, LLC Wynnewood, PA

Contributed and raised $12 million in debt and equity to purchase a majority stake alongside Capital Source (NYSE: CSE) in Lippincott, LLC, a 20-year old national jewelry reclamation company that depended on televised and Internet-based direct marketing to generate business. Profitably increased annual revenue from approximately $17 million to $50+ million. Conceived and launched new brands that received positive national attention from, among others, The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, New York Times, Financial Times, Huffington Post, DailyCandy.com and The Consumerist. April 2006 to August 2010.

Founder & Executive Manager—The Fossicker Fund & Fossicker Japan Philadelphia, Chicago, NYC & Tokyo Raised $100 million from the Steinmetz Diamond Family’s multi-billion dollar single limited to support buy-out activities in the distressed and turn-around environment. In conjunction with the single limited, launched a division called Fossicker Japan focused on funding acquisitions of U.S. private companies through investments in publicly traded Japanese companies. During the life of the fund and of the Japanese strategy, reviewed hundreds of deals and met with tens of management teams to evaluate the merits of acquiring the company at issue. In the end, shelved the fund but maintained the relationship with the single limited after jointly concluding that the buy-out market had become too efficient (i.e. over saturated with funds and under populated with quality deals) to deliver in a tight enough window the returns sought. November 2003 to January 2005.

Founder & President—MeridianTelesis, LLC Philadelphia, PA Raised $6.5 million in venture capital to develop, build and operate a profitable carrier neutral co-location company. Raised $24 million in institutional funding to participate in an auction to purchase 8 data centers from a bankrupt competitor and ultimately came in 2nd in the bidding amongst a field of 9 competitors. Raised $110 million in debt and equity to successfully outpace 4 competitors in a bid to purchase the data center assets of an International communication company. Architected a transition plan for an enterprise with over $100 million in revenue, hundreds of clients, approximately 80 employees and 9 geographically dispersed centers. After over 4 months of transition planning, the seller opted to execute MeridianTelesis’s business plan on its own and, as such, pulled out of the transaction 5 days before the scheduled close. Secured from a distinct International communication company management rights to three geographically dispersed facilities. Managed the operations to a foreseen conclusion as a result of 3 distinct bankruptcies by core clients. Wound down the operations without any financial repercussions to the parent company, transitioned the remaining client base to competitors’ facilities without incurring any business interruption on the clients’ behalf and facilitated subsequent employment for the remaining employees. In a tumultuous and unforgiving market, outpaced industry giants like Exodus, PSINet, Verio and Colo.com by avoiding bankruptcy, reporting 12 consecutive EBITDA positive quarters and selling the business for a multiple of positive cash flow. December 1998 to January 2004. Founder & President—Infusion Capital, LLC & Equisition Capital, LLC Philadelphia, PA Founded and headed Infusion, a boutique investment bank, and Equisition, a seed capital fund, both of which assisted under-represented and smaller public and private companies in securing capital, making acquisitions and developing market presence. August 1997 to December 1998.

Private Client Group—BT Alex. Brown Philadelphia, PA Served as an investment professional along side the institution’s investment bankers. Facilitated financings, secured assets and managed the same. July 1996 to August 1997.

Litigation Associate—Blank Rome Philadelphia, PA

Practiced environmental litigation on behalf of corporate clients and governmental agencies. Developed a client base consisting of sophisticated International and regional businesses. February 1994 to July 1996. Litigation Associate—Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel Philadelphia, PA Practiced environmental litigation on behalf of corporate clients and governmental agencies. Served as a policy analyst on behalf of a gubernatorial candidate backed by the firm. Worked full time and studied independently while preparing for and ultimately passing on the first try both the Pennsylvania and the New Jersey Bars. May 1992 to February 1994. Legislative Assistant—Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Washington, D.C. Attended and analyzed congressional hearings. Cultivated contacts with congressional staff members. Developed legislative status reports. Conducted legislative and legal research. August 1988 to July 1989. NOT-FOR-PROFIT EXPERIENCE

Co-Founder & Treasurer—NPower Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA With committed funds from Microsoft, Rohm and Haas Company and The William Penn Foundation, co-launched this not- for-profit organization committed to ensuring that other non-profits can effectively use technology to better serve their communities. As Treasurer, imbued the organization with a for-profit orientation and a drive to deliver an ROI on deployed capital. March 2002 to December 2005.

Executive Board Member and Interim CEO—University City Science Center Philadelphia, PA Rose from one of over 30 board members at large to a member of the finance committee, a member of the strategic committee, the head of the tactical committee and, ultimately, to one of 6 outside directors elected to serve on the Executive Board, the body charged with dictating the direction and ensuring proper governance of this institution that has over 30 institutional shareholders, controls significant real estate holdings and is the home to over 150 companies. Selected by the members of the Executive Board to serve in an interim role as CEO to turn the organization around and to facilitate the transition between the then outgoing leadership to the now current leadership. As an Executive Board Member and as the interim CEO, facilitated the elimination of over $2 million in annual expenses, identified previously forgone revenue from under utilized commercial space and parking facilities, engineered the institution’s move for the first time in its history to a cash flow positive operation, and recognized the need for and supervised the refinancing of the real estate holdings resulting in over $10 million in working capital and a strong balance sheet. January 1999 to February 2005. EDUCATION

University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1992 Charlottesville, VA Elected Editor-in-Chief of the University of Virginia Environmental Law Journal and oversaw a 15-member Managing Board, a 5-member Articles Review Board, and a 45-member Editorial Board in making the transition to financial self- sufficiency and from biannual to quarterly publication. National Finalist in the 1991 Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest. Founded and ran while attending school a profitable graphic design firm and worked summers in various law firms to defray expenses.

Duke University, B.A. (Public Policy), 1988 Durham, NC While working part time and running 2 businesses, graduated in 3 years with honors from the Sanford School of Public Policy. Served as a member of the first graduating class of the Hart Leadership Program, the Nation's first endowed leadership program for undergraduates, which was founded in 1986 and has since had more than 10,000 Duke undergraduate students participate and lead. National Honor Society Merit Scholar. Completed an Independent Study at and internship with the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, which included initiating litigation to remove the Confederate Flag off of the State Capital and in an empirical/statistical analysis of Alabama's Child Wellness Program that formed the foundation of a proposal sent to Medicaid officials and Alabama's Governor, which, in turn, sparked sweeping changes in the provision of healthcare services for children. HONORS

Recognized in 2004 as one of Philadelphia’s 40 Under 40 by the Philadelphia Business Journal

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