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  1. Home
  2. School of Business Administration
  3. Startup Weekend

Judges

Julie Bratton

Julie Bratton

Julie Bratton has a unique background in Product Development and Marketing from a 25+ year career in the Food & Beverage Industry, where she worked for large corporations like Mars Inc., First Juice Inc., a beverage startup, and her own consulting agency. She has first-hand experience taking ideas from concept to market, building brands and growing businesses – and is passionate about helping others to do the same. Julie pulls from those experiences as she helps to onboard and mentor tech-based startup founders/companies at Ben Franklin Technology Partners, CNP. At Ben Franklin, Julie advises and supports early-stage, tech-based startup companies. Support is provided through business development mentoring, access to programs and events, investment preparation and funding, and connections to PA's economic and business development organizations and startup community. Julie has a B.S. in Food Science from the Pennsylvania State University and resides in Hershey, PA with her husband and two children.

Jim Gainer

Jim Gainer

During my 20 years in the Air Force, I had the privilege to work in Professional Military Education (PME) field as an Instructor, Air Combat Command PME Program Manager, and ultimately Commandant (Flight Chief) Airman Leadership School 1st Fighter Wing Langley AFB VA.

After my military career, I became a Real Estate Broker with my wife. We earned the Top Sales Team in 2004 & 2005 and then opened a new branch office in Virginia Beach with 10 agents and staff.

When we returned to PA, I managed Real Estate Sales Teams for two firms until I took a position as a Human Resource Manager for PENNDOT in 2012. And then in 2015, I accepted an offer as Executive Director of a local non-profit organization serving adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) or Autism until we opened our own business in 2021 serving families with adult children who have IDD or Autism.

Peter Sobotta

Peter Sobotta

Peter Sobotta is the Founder and CEO of ReturnLogic, a software and analytics company that helps retailers optimize their product returns strategy.  

Before starting ReturnLogic, Peter served 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a Supply Corps Officer providing logistics and operational support to forward deployed forces. After a successful naval career in logistics and later software development, Peter turned these skills to co-found and launch recoupIT, an Information Technology Asset Disposal business that he successfully grew and led for 10 years.  

As the CEO of ReturnLogic, Peter now helps ecommerce retailers successfully implement a returns strategy that wins customer loyalty and drives bottom line growth.

Social Profiles:

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/psobotta/
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/peter_sobotta
Email:  [email protected]

Startup Weekend

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Pennsylvania map showing Penn State campuses with Penn State Harrisburg highlighted

Penn State Harrisburg

A comprehensive college in southcentral Pennsylvania offering more than 70 undergraduate and graduate programs.
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777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057 717-948-6000

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