-  After managing the MEI from 1999 to 2006, Michel Kelly-Gagnon was President of the Conseil du patronat du Québec from March 2006 to December 2008. At the beginning of his career, he practiced law and then became an entrepreneur in the field of customized training in business. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Commission for Occupational Health and Safety (CSST) from 2006 to 2009. He was one of six Quebecers honored by the 2008 list of 40 top performing Canadians under the 40 years™. The winners were chosen from over 1,100 nominees. Mr. Kelly-Gagnon sits on several boards of directors, including the Canada Foundation for Innovation, which provides hundreds of millions of dollars each year to fund Canada’s research infrastructure. He has been back at the head of the MEI since January 2009.

- Richard Jacobs discovered Bitcoin in 2013, by reading an article in the New York Times, but dismissed the idea as a curiosity (like many). Fast forward to October 2016, when he started a podcast called “Future Tech Podcast” – the goal was and is to learn about ‘round-the-corner’ new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing, stem cells, regenerative medicine, Bitcoin and blockchain (of course), and more. Since October 2016, Richard has interviewed 400+ different companies and consultants, 200 of which are in the Bitcoin / Ethereum / blockchain space. Richard also attends a weekly local Austin, Texas Bitcoin meetup, sponsored by Factom. He is now a crypto-enthusiast, and small-time hodler. In February of 2017, Richard joined Bitcoin.com to help run their podcast: Bitcoin – the internet of money. After interviewing 200 bitcoin / blockchain companies (and counting), Richard’s fascination with the industry had grown to a point where he had to “get the information out of his head” and into the hands of other crypto enthusiasts (like you, the reader). Richard is currently planning and hosting The Bitcoin, Ethereum & Blockchain Superconference, to be held in Dallas, Texas, February 16, 17 & 18, 2018. For more info, visit www.BitcoinSuperConference.com or email [email protected] Richard has also partnered with several marketing veterans, and successful startup founders to build a team of 48 people behind his blockchain-focused business development consultancy firm, Blockchain Edge. Visit www.BlockchainEdge.net if you are a founder, employee, or member of a blockchain company for business development advice and consulting.

- Raeford Davis served the City of North Charleston police department for six years, including four years as a patrol officer and two as a special victims unit detective. At the time, North Charleston was ranked the 8th most dangerous city in America. Before becoming a police officer, he served in the United States Coast Guard Reserves. Davis realized the underground market created by drug prohibition has led to a number of negative unforeseen consequences. This realization came to him while patrolling a notorious hotbed of illicit activity nick-named “4-way”. There he saw kids being recruited by older gang members to sell drugs, knowing full well what kind of danger that put them in. Officer Davis understood that so long as a demand for drugs persisted, there would be a supply. So long as that supply remains illegal, children will continue to be exploited by criminals.

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