Tim Hoerr CEO
Tim Hoerr is a seasoned business executive with over 25 years of experience spanning a variety of industries. In addition to his role at Serra Ventures, a consultancy offering professional services to emerging technology enterprises, Tim serves as CEO of Cbana Labs, a start-up technology venture located in the University of Illinois Research Park, Champaign, Illinois. Tim has worked with the University of Illinois technology community for over 10 years including his recent role as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at EnterpriseWorks business incubator in the Research Park. He was formerly co-founder and CEO of iCyt Mission Technology (www.i-cyt.com), a highly successful bio-instrument company that has won numerous awards for technology and business excellence and which was acquired by Sony Corporation in 2009. Tim was awarded the Entrepreneurial Excellence in Management Award at the Innovation Celebration, 2009.
Since 1983 he has assisted over 400 organizations to achieve high performance by providing strategic, operational and leadership consulting. Tim spent nearly all of the first 15 years of his professional career with RSM McGladrey in Illinois and San Diego, leading teams of consultants focused on serving middle market clients. In his capacity as Consulting Partner with McGladrey, Tim provided leadership on a regional and national level. He also served on two national committees for the American Society of Certified Public Accountants (Business Valuation and Emerging Services). Also a professional author and speaker, he has given over 200 speaking and workshop presentations in his professional career to such diverse groups as Nabisco, Buck Knives, SaabCars USA, and Nationalease.
Professional Credentials: Tim holds the Certified Public Accountant (CPA, 1983) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA, 1984) designations. He received national honors on both the CPA and CMA examinations. He formerly held the Accredited Senior Appraiser of Business Valuation credential (American Society of Appraisers) while actively practicing business valuation as a partner in McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, certified public accountants and consultants.
Education: B.S. in Accounting, B.S. in Business Admin., Illinois State University, summa cum laude, 1983. Tim received numerous honors at ISU, including Bone Scholar, the highest undergraduate designation awarded and the Raymond Esworthy Award for outstanding accounting student. He was initiated into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
Dennis Beard Principal
Dennis is a Principal with Serra Ventures, joining the firm in September, 2009. Dennis also serves as a Partner and CFO for Open Prairie Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm. Dennis currently serves on the Board of Directors of ISSI, Open Prairie Ventures portfolio company. He was formerly Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Home Recovery Group of Companies, providers of home health services with approximately 400 employees (entity successfully sold in 2009).
Dennis, a CPA, has been involved throughout his career with businesses of all sizes as a Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Controller for SLM Aminco, CFO for Segno Communications, CFO and CEO for the Home Recovery Group of Companies, and Partner with Blakeman and Beard, LLC, CPA’s.
He has served as a speaker at various professional and educational conferences and forums.
Dennis serves on the Board of Directors of the Millikin University Center for Entrepreneurship and as an Adjunct Lecturer for the University of Illinois College of Business Department of Finance.
Professional Credentials: Dennis holds the Certified Public Accountant designation (CPA, 1983). He also attended the National Venture Capital Association’s Venture Capital Institute, completing the intensive workshop in 2002.
Education: Dennis holds a B.S. in Accounting from Millikin University an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois Executive MBA Program (recognition for Academic Excellence).
Alyssa Kolb, Marketing and Communications Director
Alyssa is the Marketing and Communications Director for Serra Ventures. A graduate from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, she has extensive training and background in the field of Industrial Organizational Psychology, essentially how human factors influence people’s behavior and interactions within organizations.
Alyssa had the opportunity to work in the field of IO psychology throughout her studies including positions within the Human Resources function of an international market research firm and as a consulting intern for a leadership training and development consulting firm. Alyssa’s expertise includes training, recruitment, consulting, and her key competencies include research, writing, and people management.
Education: Alyssa holds a Master of Arts Degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Illinois in Psychology.