Rich Conte

Chair (Present), Treasurer (2023-2024)

Rich Conte is a Product Management and Development professional with over 25 years of experience in the technology industry spanning Engineering, User Experience Design and Product Management. For the past 18 years, he served in various Product Development roles at Charleston-based Blackbaud Inc. In his current role as Senior Manager of Technical Product Management, Rich leads a team that is helping power Blackbaud's digital transformation efforts by developing Identity Management, Commerce and Developer capabilities.

A passionate Technology Startup advocate, Rich supported the Charleston technology community as Producer and Host of the Tech Life / Silicon Harbor Radio podcast, board member for the Charleston Startup and STEM Foundation, Startup Weekend Charleston organizer, and advisor to a network of Charleston-based entrepreneurs. He is excited to contribute to the local technology community and help further the Beaufort Digital Corridor's mission.

Rich relocated from Charleston in August 2020, and along with his wife Amelia and son Sullivan, looks forward to being part of the Beaufort community for a long time to come.

Chris Robinson

Vice Chair (2023 - Present)

Chris Robinson is a visual artist and University of South Carolina Emeritus Professor, recently retired as Visiting Artist and Chair of Visual Art & Design at USC Beaufort. His interests and artwork focus on the development, role, and mediation of complex science and technology in contemporary culture and how it assists in and influences decision making. Research throughout his career has involved the early use of computers and 3D imaging in the arts to laser and ambient light installations, aviation and space development, scientific exploration, complex drawings of digital spaces, and the rapid emergence of nanoscience/technology. While at USC, Robinson was involved in a variety of cross disciplinary initiatives as a member of the NanoCenter and has been a senior and co principal investigator on $3.5 million in United States National Science Foundation funding for multidisciplinary teams investigating the broader impacts, societal implications, and role of images in the development of nanotechnology, and spent the Spring 2009 as a Visiting Professor at the Scuola Normale Superiore of the University of Pisa working with the Italian National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST). He serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for AntiRadical Therapeutics (ART) in the development and marketing of a significant therapeutic, and as a fellow at the Carnegie Mellon University Studio for Creative Inquiry with The Moon Arts Group, placing a small museum on the moon. Robinson crosses the two cultures and exhibits, writes, and presents at national and international venues and conferences in the arts and the sciences throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, conducting professional activity on four continents in twenty-three countries, along with service in the breadth of university life.

Jason Loia

Board Member (2023 - Present)

Jason is a seasoned technology executive who has served in various C-Level roles in Silicon Valley startups. He brings over 20 years of game production and publishing experience to the panel, having served with industry legends such as Trip Hawkins (Founder and first-CEO of Electronic Arts), and Ilkka Paananen (CEO & Co-founder of Supercell). Jason also has deep expertise in AI and Cybersecurity, and most recently served as President of AnchorFree and subsequently CEO of CyberGhost. Jason currently serves on the Beaufort Digital Corridor Board of Directors and advises startups on growth and monetization, as well as provides executive coaching for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

David Nelems

Board Member (2024 - Present)

David recently concluded a nine-year tenure as CEO of the DRCI, a role in which he helped guide more than 300 companies through various stages of startup and expansion. Under his leadership, the Center became a launchpad for some of Bluffton's most successful local businesses, offering mentorship, resources, and growth opportunities to entrepreneurs across the Lowcountry.

A serial entrepreneur, David has been involved in four different startups with four successful exits. He was the founder and president of ActiveGroup, a trailblazing firm that delivered video-streaming services to the marketing research industry. The company enabled Fortune 500 clients to observe focus groups from 450 locations worldwide in real-time–-eliminating the need for on-site travel. He grew ActiveGroup into a multi-million-dollar enterprise before selling it in 2007.

David's multifaceted career also includes time as a pilot for Delta Air Elite and as a touring rock band keyboardist. He holds a degree in Human Relations and Aviation Management from Georgia State University.

In his current role, David continues to champion innovation while focusing on emerging technologies and strategic growth for Beaufort County's future.