Buy vs. Build or is it really Buy & Build?

With every new project comes the big question: Should you develop a solution from scratch or buy something off the shelf? With offshoring, custom solutions became much more cost effective, but at the expense of increased management or sometimes increased project failure risk.

In today’s world and current economic state, much has changed. There is no impetus to get everything done in-house and not everything is sent offshore for cost savings either. Sometimes the function being outsourced is just across the street. General Counsels, CFOs, HR Management are prime examples. So what do you outsource: Core or Context or both?

TechBiz Connection invites you to join us a for a panel discussion to hear how the experts make the choice of Build vs. Buy. -- And Core vs. Context. How is it different in small and large companies? When and what do they outsource? And how can you and your company benefit from it? Are the cost savings real? Did outsourcing open a door for you? Can startups and brick and mortar companies stay in business without outsourcing today?

MODERATOR

Jack Bicer | CEO & CTO | Septium
Jack is the founder of Septium, a hybrid-offshore custom software development company, combining offshore cost savings with US management expertise. Prior to Septium, Jack held several CTO roles in dot coms since 1996. A thirty-year software industry veteran, Jack is an industry expert in SaaS/web software, new product development, off-shoring and Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Known as the “Father of Uninstall”, he invented the uninstall concept and wrote the first uninstaller. He is also credited with inventing the "Automated Software Updates". Jack also founded TechBiz Connection, a non-profit technology management association in Southern California, and currently serves as its Chairman and President. He holds a Bachelors in Communication Engineering from University of Kent, followed by a Masters in Computer Science from George Washington University and attended the MBA program at Pepperdine University.

PANELISTS

Tak Fujii | Senior Vice president / CIO | The Olson Company
Tak is a proven Chief Information Officer with over 20 years of experience establishing strategic technologies for high growth companies like Hearthstone, BuildNet, Wamington Homes and The Olson Company. Tak has a long history of delivering transformational enterprise level initiatives like ERP, BI, and CRM, scheduling, eBusiness, ITIL, disaster recovery, SOX compliance and outsourcing. Tak's experience spans several industries including institutional investment, commercial banking, software, consulting, real estate development and higher education. A native of Southern California, Tak has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and a MBA in eBusiness from the University of Phoenix. He is a Board member of the Southern California Society for Information Management (SIM) and an Adjunct Professor with the University of La Verne.

David Grant | CIO | AssistMed
David joined AssistMed, a healthcare technology and service company with over 16,5000 registered clinical users. Mr. Grant is also a founding partner of MedEfficient Healthcare Solutions, that provides wireless electronic prescribing. Previously he founded Rx-Connect, a startup venture that was acquired by PacifiCare Health Systems in 2001. While at PacifiCare, Mr. Grant served as a President & CEO of MEDeMORPHUS (Rx-Connect), and Vice President with PacifiCare’s E-Solutions. David was recognized as InfoWorld’s CTO of the Year finalist for technology innovations and has served as a technology strategist for companies such as PacifiCare, Autobytel, Countrywide and Nestlé. He also serves as a founding board member of UniversCel, Inc. and iXept, Inc.

Feyzi Fatehi | CEO | Corent Technology
Mr. Fatehi led multiple business units at HP and four software start-ups in Silicon Valley and Southern California. Two of these start-ups were named among the Red Herring 100, with valuations from $100 million to $1 billion. Most recently, Corent was recognized as the 2009 Emerging Software Company of the Year. Mr. Fatehi earned a BS in solar engineering, an MS in computer Science and an MBA in international management. He serves as the Chairman of Technology Council of Southern California’s Orange County chapter.

R. Sampath | Managing Director | Global Sourcing Quanta Consulting
Sampath is Director at Quanta Consulting, a US management consulting firm specializing in India markets, risk mitigation, sourcing, and trade. Based in Los Angeles, he provides comprehensive guidance on global & India business strategy. Current initiatives include rural technologies, renewable energy, social entrepreneurship, and policy. Prior to Quanta Consulting, Sampath held senior management, marketing & technology roles at Reuters, Capital One, and technology start-ups. Sampath holds an MBA from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.