Wayne Willis

Wayne Willis (email to Wayne)

Wilco. Since 1996, Mr. Willis has served, directly or through his consulting company Wilco, as an investor in, consultant to, or board member of, a number of early-stage, rapid-growth, technology-based companies. Mr. Willis sometimes takes short-term assignments as part of the active management of the client companies. Recent engagements include:

As Chairman and CEO of BeNotified Software, Mr. Willis led the capitalization and re-launch of that company and the ultimate sale of the technology. (2003-4)
As Executive Chairman of Cyracom International, Mr. Willis instituted operational and marketing changes, restructured the balance sheet (debt to equity conversion) and hired an experienced CEO to lead the now profitable company. (2001-2002)
As CEO of Ditto.com, an Internet search engine, Mr. Willis redirected the corporate strategy and successfully sold the company to Sorceron, Inc. for stock valued at $23 million at closing (2000- 2001).
As Vice-Chairman of FaxNet, Willis assisted management in the successful growth and subsequent sale of the company to Critical Path, Inc., (NASDAQ: CPTH) for stock valued at $200 million at closing (1999).
As Acting CEO and Chairman of HealthScribe, Inc., a VC-backed, internet-based medical transcription company, Mr. Willis successfully raised $10 million in the Series B round of financing, recruited a veteran CEO to run the company and maintained growth of revenues while cutting losses in half. (1999)
As advisor to several small companies in the Bay Area, Mr. Willis has served on Boards, assisted with growth, raised funds, positioned them for sale and represented their interests during negotiations for all the above.

Voice-Tel. From 1991-1995, Mr. Willis served as President and a Director of Voice-Tel Enterprises, Inc., a voice-messaging network and franchise system. During his tenure there, system-wide sales grew from $3 million per year to over $60 million per year, a digital network was deployed internationally, an acquisition of a much larger competitor was successfully integrated and the Company was positioned for successful merger with Premiere Technologies (NASDAQ: PTEK) in 1997. At the time of the merger, the Premiere stock issued to the Voice-Tel System was valued at $216 million.

Hyatt Legal Services. From 1977 - 1990, Mr. Willis was co-founder, Senior Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Hyatt Legal Services, a nationwide chain of law offices serving the general public. During his tenure, the firm grew to be the second largest law firm in the United States. It was successfully sold to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and the employee-lawyers of the firm for significant sums subject to non-disclosure agreements.

Other. Mr. Willis earned a BS (1969) and MA (1974) in Administrative Sciences from Yale and a law degree from Yale Law School (1975). Between college and law school, he served as a New Haven policeman. Between law school and founding Hyatt Legal Services, he clerked for a federal appeals court (9^th Circuit) and practiced law with Brobeck, Phleger and Harrison, a large, San Francisco-based, law firm.