Our senior management team has been selected to provide in depth knowledge of high-tech industries, global finance, international management and business development. We work together as a team with a strong ethical culture that aims to serve our community.

 

	Mick Lopez – CEO – Mick has worked in the information technology industry for more than 15 years based in the US, Europe and South America. Prior to eFiltro, he was the Director of Business Development for IBM in Latin America and South Florida and the Senior Location Executive for IBM in Fort Lauderdale. During his IBM career, he was the Chief Financial Officer for IBM Brazil (+$2B), Director of Finance for Personal Computers Latin America in Florida ($1B), Manager of Global Planning for Personal Systems in New York ($18B), and Manager of PC Product Analysis and Pricing for Europe in Paris($5B) . Mick received a Business Administration Degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a Masters in Business Administration with a full scholarship from the University of Chicago. He is a director of the Internet Coast (Co-chairperson of the Entrepreneurship and Capital committee), licensed CPA in the State of Florida and is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. He is an advisor, investor and interim CFO for various new ventures.
	Mel Meinhardt - Senior Partner - Mel has managed high-growth groups within private and public companies, not-for-profits and government agencies. As a senior manager in several companies, including a Westinghouse Electronics company, Mel specializes in organizing high-growth programs within steady-state organizations. His experience with federal government policy makers and with international operations rovides special insight and resources for select clients. Mel earned his MBA from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, and served on US Navy submarines as an officer.
	Zachariah R. Bell – Senior Partner – Zach has 12 years of experience in technology development and financing. Mr. Bell began his technology career at the United States Naval Academy with a BS in Naval Engineering. During his nine-year naval career, Mr. Bell led a joint LORAL / U.S. Navy software development project, and a European database design project. Mr. Bell was the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for Visualcom, an I-Business development firm, and General Manager-Miami for Cenetec LLC, a leading high-tech business accelerator, where he led a team responsible for accelerating client companies through a rigorous 6-month entrepreneurship cycle. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) with BS in Naval Engineering, received his MBA and MSIE from the University of Miami.
	Omar Arab – Senior Partner - Omar has more than six years of Internet market experience as he was the Vice President of Operations for Garagelatino.com, a Buenos Aires, based incubator, started two Web sites and established Satlink, the first ISP in Cuyo, Argentina. He is a professor of eBusiness Technolgoies at the Universidad Tecnologica Nacional, and the director of the Entrepreneurs Commission of the Camara Argentina de Comercio Electronico. Omar is a Systems Engineering graduate from Universidad Tecnologica Nacional Mendoza, has a postgraduate degree in strategic marketing from UCES, Argentina and studied digital marketing and e-commerce at Stanford University.
	José Luqué - Senior Partner - Jose's experience covers supply chain management, e-Procurement, electronic commerce and technology business start-ups. Prior to starting Merkatum, he headed the B2B e-Commerce division for Yupi Internet (now YupiMSN) as President of Amarillas.com, a leading Latin American B2B portal. José's experience in supply chain management and international commerce stems from more than 10 years of corporate experience in the chemicals and energy sectors while at Du Pont-Akra and Grupo ALFA. He has extensive entrepreneurial experience having successfully launched companies in the textile and medical industries. Mr. Luqué holds degrees in Chemical and Industrial Engineering from the Institute of Technology and Superior Studies in Monterrey, Mexico (I.T.E.S.M.). He also earned postgraduate degrees in Financial and Business Management from the University of California, San Diego
	Alberto Zevallos – Creative Director – Tito is the owner of Art Zenith in San Diego, California. For the past twelve years, his company has designed multiple logos, brochures, and Web sites for a diverse set of customers including the San Diego Padres Baseball Club and Phillips Ramsey Advertising. Tito earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree on a scholarship from Brown University, which included coursework at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is fluent in English and Spanish and speaks some French.
	Consultants & MBAs - eFiltro NewIdeaCenter counts on the support of over two dozen expert consultants (researchers, editors, sales executives, strategists, and others) to fulfill your dedicated needs. We also work with local university MBAs to provide low-cost high-talent labor, under the supervision of our management team, for many projects.
	Board of Advisors Mr. Donn Atkins - IBM Vice President Mr. Ariel Bentata, Esq. - Founder, Yupi.com and LA Access Mr. Ben Harris, Esq. - Founder, ITC Ventures Mr. Joachim Heel - Partner, McKinsey & Co. Mr. Robert Kay, Esq. - Mr. Daniel Moure - ex GM LatAm Leo Burnett Advertising Mr. Gene Prescott - President, Seaway Group Mr. Ernesto Ramon - President, Ingersoll-Rand LatAm Mr. Elias Selman - President, America Economia/Dow Jones