“It was great to have an NCDBA event in RTP and see such a large turnout. Most of the organization’s events in the Fayetteville area have 30 to 50 percent of the attendees drive to the event from Raleigh,” said Montie Roland, president of Montie Design, adding, “It really goes to show how active the defense industry is in the Research Triangle area.”

The NCDBA is a state association comprised of members from locations such as Greensboro, Wilmington, Cary, Raleigh, Sanford, Fayetteville, Southern Pines, Pinehurst, Durham, and Matthews with interests in military contracting, government affairs, and supporting the state’s military installations.

During his presentation, Roland gave an overview of Montie Design and its core competencies in mechanical engineering, industrial design, prototyping, and product commercialization, and explained why his job is so interesting, giving an example of driving to the rifle range to test a rifle accessory while at the same time scheduling testing of a baby stroller concept that his company built for a client.

Montie Design is active in the NCDBA, from presenting at Breakfast with a Prime events to exhibiting at the organization’s inaugural Symposium and Exposition this past April in Pinehurst.

Roland said his firm has plans to keep the regional networking going, both within the defense business industry as well as in other market sectors, via an upcoming Final Friday event at the Montie Design headquarters in Morrisville. These annual end-of-quarter events draw C-level executives as well as engineers and industrial designers to share best practices and chat with peers over refreshments in a relaxed atmosphere.

The Q3 2011 Final Friday event is scheduled for 4-6:30 p.m. on September 30th at 100 Dominion Drive, Suite 101, just off Aviation Parkway. To register, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1735503939 or email montie@montie.com.

For more information on Montie Design, visit www.montie.com.

About Montie Design
Montie Design is an innovative concept-to-marketplace product design and development firm with core competencies in mechanical engineering and industrial design. Implementing a collaborative approach to partnering with clients, Montie Design balances vision with usability in realizing products that are economical to manufacture, elegant and robust. The firm operates out of the Southeast’s innovation hub, the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, with its wealth of industry-leading technology, resources and customers. For more information, visit www.montie.com.

Share on Facebook

Sign Up at: http://startupstampede.com/#sec1

Share on Facebook

During the March 2 Lunch and Learn, John Slaughter will provide an understanding of how confidentiality agreements fit into the context of intellectual property rights, and how they can be used to protect your rights in business transactions. He will discuss different types of confidentiality agreements, terms commonly used, and practical tips on which types of agreements are appropriate for different situations. Registration is available at http://lnl20110302.eventbrite.com.

Pam Cardozo will be discussing how business success in today’s environment requires a sales approach that is measurable and sustainable, especially for small to mid-size companies. She will provide business leaders valuable information on a systems and process approach to sales. Participants will leave with one action item that can be implemented immediately. Registration is available at http://lnl20110316.eventbrite.com.

Both of these low-key, highly productive events will provide hard-to-find opportunities to network with peers and encourage innovative, out-of-the-box thinking and solutions to everyday business problems.

The events will begin at noon and will include a catered lunch by Panera Bread, with plenty of time for discussion and networking before and after each presentation, concluding at about 1:15 p.m. All proceeds from registration fees will be donated to Post 7383 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Share on Facebook

Barry’s presentation shares important insights related to the business of developing and bringing engineered products to market:

Alphabet Soup: The Acronyms and Steps of Military Contracting

In his seminar, Jeff provided step-by-step guidance on creating and conveying the identity for a product, service, or business by selecting the most effective name for it:

Who’s Your Product–Putting the Right Name on What You Sell

The next Montie Design Lunch and Learn is “Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements: Understanding their Role and Practical Tips” on March 2nd featuring John Slaughter, intellectual property attorney of the law firm Moore & Van Allen.

In this seminar, John will provide an understanding of how confidentiality agreements fit into the context of intellectual property rights, and how they can be used to protect your rights in business transactions.  He will discuss different types of confidentiality agreements, different terms commonly found in such agreements, and practical tips on which types of and terms in confidentiality agreements are appropriate for different situations.

To register, click here.

Share on Facebook

“We have had a wide variety of product submissions from shooting-related to emergency outdoor survival to outdoor furniture,” said Montie Roland, company president.

Prizes of up to $500 and a two-year commission on any products that go to market within two years of design submission will be awarded.

Participants are being tasked with designing which grew out of the success the firm has enjoyed with its X-Rest line of portable firearms rests. The X-Rest originated as a hands-on, intensive review of product design and manufacturing for Montie Design staff, Roland said, but soon took on a life of its own once the original version was made available for sale.

Montie Design enjoys a strong relationship with the NCSU College of Design and the Industrial Design Program at ASU as well as industry groups for students, such as the Industrial Designers Society of America. The firm regularly hosts interns who engage in hands-on product development from concept to design to prototyping, manufacturing and marketing.

Share on Facebook

About Barry Cox

Barry Cox has over twenty-seven years as a manager, director, and leader in the Department of Defense and Defense Industry to include 18 years providing program management for AF and USG acquisitions and training programs. Barry is currently a Business Manager for Wyle Laboratories conducting business development efforts in Fayetteville, N.C. focusing on expanding Wyle service to DoD and USG agencies in the Carolinas. He previously served as Project Manager for USD/SO-LIC delivering quick turn R&D for Irregular Warfare and counter-terrorism programs. Barry provided operations management, requirements definition and acquisitions management for HQ USAF. Barry served 12 years in the USAF in command, control and communications (C3), battle management (BM), data link operations, electronic warfare, training and counterdrug operations in the joint, combined, and interagency arenas. He has worked for small businesses serving DoD needs and has worked with small businesses to develop and pursue opportunities in DoD and the USG.

Share on Facebook

The presentation will take attendees on a visual tour through the development process for the X-Rest, a unique portable shooting accessory conceived, designed, and distributed by Montie Design. Since Montie Design began selling the X-Rest in the Spring of 2009, it has seen distribution grow from local to regional to national.

“We felt very strongly that by utilizing our design facility as a learning laboratory to conceptualize, build, market and distribute our own product we could learn where we needed to tighten our process and strengthen our capabilities to better serve clients,” Roland said, adding, “The opportunity to understand first-hand how companies launch new products into the marketplace, and what challenges that brings and how they relate to the design process is invaluable.”

Attendees at the February 1st event will follow Montie Design on its quest to take the X-Rest from concept to market, getting a behind-the-scenes look at the integrated design, public relations and marketing process. Prototypes of the X-Rest critical to the development of a simple product will be on-hand, as will samples of the finished product, to give professionals in the design and product development industry a better understanding of the entire process of getting a product to market..

Designed to meet the needs of all shooters as well as most firearms, the easy-to-carry X-Rest weighs less approximately one pound and disassembles easily in three pieces, fitting neatly into a small carrying case. Unlike conventional bench rests, which are heavy and complex, the X-Rest  — made of sturdy yet lightweight aluminum — provides steady support for different sized long guns ranging from  semi-automatic and bolt action rifles to shotguns, carbines and pistols.

The X-Rest was the second “test” product designed and distributed by Montie Design in 2009, following the firm’s innovative radio frequency identification (RFID) detector card which was released in January and is now being sold throughout the U.S. and seven foreign countries.

Both the RFID detector and the X-Rest are produced in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina, using local manufacturers. The event sponsor, the RTP Product Development Guild, is a local group of engineers and designers working together to improve the regional economy.

To register online visit http://xrest.eventbrite.com/. Cost to attend is $15, which covers lunch. A video demonstration of the X-Rest is available online:

http://www.youtube.com/user/montieroland#p/u/3/XeRrmbh7-Vk

For more information visit http://www.rtpproductguild.com.

About Tekelec
Tekelec, a global leader in core multimedia session control, mobile messaging and network intelligence, ensures scalable, secure and highly available communications. The company’s market-leading signaling solutions enable the interworking of different network applications, technologies and protocols, providing a smooth transition to next-generation networks. Tekelec has more than 25 offices around the world serving customers in more than 100 countries, with corporate headquarters located near Research Triangle Park in Morrisville, N.C., U.S.A. For more information, please visit www.tekelec.com.

About Montie Design
Montie Design is a collaborative product design and development firm with core competencies in industrial design, mechanical design and fuzzy front end services. Implementing a client-centric approach in taking products from concept to marketplace, Montie Design balances vision with usability in realizing products that are economical to manufacture, elegant and robust. The firm operates out of the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina with access to industry-leading technology, resources and innovative thought.  Visit Montie Design at www.montie.com.

About the RTP Product Development Guild
The RTP Product Development Guild seeks to improve the regional economy in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, N.C. by providing a framework for product developers and startups to work together on products in a collaborative environment. This helps entrepreneurs move products to market that might otherwise languish due to a lack of funding and professional guidance. The Guild accepts applications for products, services or concepts from entrepreneurs, early stage start-ups and corporate spin-offs. More information is available online at www.rtpproductguild.com.

Share on Facebook

Admission to the Street Faire is free but requires pre-registration online at RTPStreetFaire.com.

Barbeque, drinks, popcorn, snacks and other treats will be served throughout this family friendly event which will include an inflatable kids’ play area and plenty of shaded space for business networking among peers.

“The Street Faire is a great way for area businesses and manufacturers to get to know product design and prototyping professionals right here in RTP,” Montie Roland, president of the RTP Product Development Guild, said, adding, “Why spend hours on conference calls or travel overseas to work with vendors when you can find the resources you need right down the street? I think people will be surprised at how competitive the region has become in the global marketplace.”

According to Roland, each year has seen increased attendance and vendor participation at the Street Faire, with well over 200 attendees representing a diverse range of business professions and 26 vendors last year. Vendor spaces are still available for this year’s event; pricing and information is available at RTPStreetFaire.com.

Sponsors of the 2009 Product Design Street Faire include Montie Design, the RTP Product Development Guild, Studio Hagler and Trimech, with Gilmore Global as a contributor.

The annual Street Faire is one of many educational and business development programs conducted by the Guild, which also hosts networking meetings, lunch-and-learn seminars, and other events at member locations throughout the year.

“We love our craft and do a lot of different things to promote it, share leads and resources, and build essential working relationships,” Roland said.

For more information visit RTPStreetFaire.com or call 919-481-1845.

About the RTP Product Development Guild
The RTP Product Development Guild seeks to improve the regional economy in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, N.C. by providing a framework for product developers and startups to work together on products in a collaborative environment. This helps entrepreneurs move products to market that might otherwise languish due to a lack of funding and professional guidance. The Guild accepts applications for products, services or concepts from entrepreneurs, early stage start-ups and corporate spin-offs. More information is available online at www.rtpproductguild.com.

Share on Facebook