Michelle Fisher, Michelle is a visionary leader with a 17-year track record of conceiving and
effectively launching new products and businesses. She has launched over a dozen online initiatives in dial-up, broadband and the
wireless space. Working with the world's leading software brand, Microsoft, Michelle successfully launched several products
including MSBET.com, a joint venture between Microsoft and BET; The Microsoft Network in Europe, in only 6 months working with
Deutcshe Telecom, France Telecom, Telia and other carriers. In just her 3rd year at Microsoft, she met with Bill Gates to discuss
new online service to deliver windows over broadband networks based on a business case that she developed. In addition to that,
she devised a mobile gaming strategy and wireless enterprise strategy for Microsoft and leading carriers. In 1994, while she was at
telecommunications leader SBC, Michelle created, raised funds and launched Media Park, a forward reaching broadband service which
connected creative professionals in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and New York to digital content libraries, 5 gigabytes of storage,
rendering and many other services all before many had even heard of the internet. Michelle has a Masters Degree from Stanford
University and a Bachelors of Science in Engineering degree from U.C. Berkeley.
Favorite Blaze Feature - Contactless payment with both NFC sticker and NFC phone and funds transfer.
Chuck Smith, Chuck is the former President and CEO of AT&T West which oversaw the more than 42,000
employees who serve the company’s California and Nevada customers. During his 39-year career he held a wide range of senior executive
positions for AT&T (formerly SBC and Pacific Bell) including stints in human resources, operations, and marketing.
Smith graduated from California State University at Los Angeles with a bachelor’s degree in social science and additional graduate course
work. In 1985, he completed a special graduate program for executives at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2003, he received a Doctor of
Science, Honoris Causa from Menlo College and in 2004 he received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Holy Names University.
Smith was named California State University Los Angeles Alumnus of the Year in 2004. He is a member of the University of California
President's Board on Science and Innovation, the University of California Health Services Advisory Committee, is vice chair of the
board of the Center for Telecommunications Management at the University of Southern California, and is a University of Southern
California Ambassador.
Smith serves on the boards of: The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, National Board of the Boy Scouts of America, Boy Scouts of
America-Mt. Diablo Silverado Council, and All Stars Helping Kids. He is a member of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Posse. Smith
was the chairperson for the 2005 March of Dimes WalkAmerica Campaign for the State of California and the 2004 March of Dimes WalkAmerica
Campaign for Northern California. He also was a member of the 2004 Host Committee for the Los Angeles/ International Association Chiefs
of Police Convention.
Smith is a native of Los Angeles and maintains homes in both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. He was married to the late
Beryl Ventress Smith and has two grown children.
Favorite Blaze Feature - Ticketing
Robert F. Smith, Managing Principal, Vista Equity Partners http://www.vistaequitypartners.com/. Before joining Vista Equity Partners, Robert focused on mergers and acquisitions in the technology industry for Goldman, Sachs & Co. While there, he was Co-head of the Enterprise Systems and Storage Business within the Technology Group. Robert holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and an M.B.A. degree from Columbia University, where he graduated with Beta Gamma Sigma honors.
Favorite Blaze Feature - Funds Transfer
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Charles T. Russell (1930-2008) , was a member of the Blaze Mobile Board of Directors before his recent and untimely passing. He was a
tremendous asset to the company and a genuinely good person. He will be missed.
Chuck was former chief executive officer and president of Visa International and Visa USA, headed both of these bankcard associations of more than 20,000 member financial
institutions, which operate the world’s largest consumer card payment system.
Russell was appointed to these posts, which he held for more than ten years, in May of 1984. He joined Visa (then called National BankAmericard, Inc.) in January 1971, only
six months after the company was founded, as vice president for operations.
Before joining Visa, Russell spent 16 years with Pittsburgh National Bank (PNB). He then held a series of management positions until he was appointed to start up PNB’s
bankcard operation in 1965, one of the earliest in the nation. PNB later became one of the founding members of Interbank, the predecessor to MasterCard International. In
1969, Russell left PNB to found and manage the Master Charge program for Wachovia Bank and Trust Co.
Russell served on the board of directors for First Data Corp., the world’s largest provider of bankcard information processing services. Russell was also a member of the
Board of Visitors for the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.
Russell, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh, and his graduate
banking degree from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, at Rutgers.
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