TERRY BEAN:
Founder of Networked Inc. and Motor City Connect in Detroit. Networked Inc. provides training on the concepts and benefits of online and real-world networking to sales teams, groups, and professionals at local as well as national companies, such as Comcast and Gannett. The fast-growing networking group,
www.motorcityconnect.com, began in March 2007 and now boasts more than 4,300 members. Its purpose is to bring Detroit-area professionals together for personal development, to grow their businesses, and improve their communities. Bean works with community leaders to improve Detroit and in 2009 received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama. In the same year, Bean created the Blood, Sweat, and Gear campaign to benefit the American Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan, Motor City Blightbusters, and Operation Kid Equip. He serves on the advisory board for the latter, a Detroit-based charity that provides children the school supplies they need. Bean also created the Brilliant Detroit photo contest, which encourages area residents to tweet photos of great things happening in and around Detroit. He has given presentations on networking and social media at Lawrence Technological University, Bizdom U, Automation Alley, TEDx Detroit, and Inforum. He began in technical sales in Ohio, selling computer networks and cabling infrastructure. This technical role led to a career as a technical recruiter with an award-winning staffing firm in Columbus. Two years later, Bean developed a new staffing model by creating a firm that networked numerous staffing firms together. He became the area director for the largest professional networking group in Columbus before moving to Detroit and into the telecommunications field where he helped Affinity Telecom grow from startup to being sold 2 1/2 years later. He also recruited sales reps in 32 markets for LDMI/Talk America. Bean received his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his master’s in business communications from Eastern Michigan University.
