Richard Bernhardt
Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Bernhardt has over twenty-years management and hands-on professional experience in the technology industry. Most recently serving as director of business development and associate managing director for Martin Wolf Associates, the industries largest M&A brokerage firm in its IT space.

Mr. Bernhardt is CEO and president of Bernhardt Communications Co., which he founded in 1993 to assist businesses in transition. In addition he was a senior manager for Merisel, Inc., Merisel FAB, Inc. and ComputerLand directing corporate, internal and external communications and marketing.

He has also served as an officer and advisor to an array of startup and second stage businesses.

Prior to Merisel, Mr. Bernhardt was responsible for the governmental and legal affairs for Atari Corporation and The Federated Group, Inc. He represented Atari's interests on Capitol Hill and internationally. He was president and chairman of the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Sunnyvale Planning Commission, and president of the Sunnyvale School District Education Foundation. For three years, he directed the University of California, Davis Student Lobby where he was an active lobbyist on Sacramento's Capitol Hill. Mr. Bernhardt is an active instructor and lecturer for a variety of nonprofit and educational organizations.

He has a JD in law from California Western School of Law and a BA from the University of California, Davis and has been certified by the Bureau of Export Administration, US Department of Commerce.