PETER FARNER:
Partner, TGap Ventures in Kalamazoo. TGap is an early stage venture firm, which has raised two funds, has $50 million of capital under management, and is actively investing. Farner has been involved in emerging ventures since 1984, first in the formation of a marketing services company (in conjunction with a Tier 1 auto supplier), and subsequently through a variety of successful start-up and high-growth situations. He has raised in excess of $75 million in venture capital as an entrepreneur. Farner has served as founder, CEO, and in business development roles for technology, software, and service companies. In these positions he has negotiated, closed, and participated in multi-million-dollar mergers, sales, consulting, equity participations, and product contracts with more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, including Anheuser-Busch, GE, Compaq, and Proctor & Gamble. He also was a senior vice president with Ryan Partnership and held management positions at the Stroh Brewery when it grew from $150 million to $1.3 billion in annual revenue. Farner has served on the boards of 12 privately held companies. He also is on the board of the Michigan Venture Capital Association. In 2011 he was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to the board of Michigan Early Stage Venture Investment Corporation. He's also served as a Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest judge. Farner has volunteered for more than a decade with the YMCA, Junior Achievement, and Duke University's master in engineering management program, and has coached basketball at several public elementary schools. He holds two patents for a cold cathode lighting device. Farner received his bachelor's degree in economics from Duke and his MBA from the University of Michigan.
