Michael B. Shear, founder and CEO of Strategic Office Networks, LLC. and Broadband Planning Initiative, has more than three decades of experience in bringing new technologies and services to market. Through his experience in switching systems, enterprise networks, services management, and technology portfolio financing, he led the product definition and market creation of national directory assistance. Shear turned his attention to identifying how information technologies may enhance community sustainability by increasing access to job opportunities while reducing gasoline consumption, traffic congestion, and air pollution. He earned a patent on the multi-location distributed workplace method in 2010 and was a 2012 Kansas City Google Gigabit Challenge finalist. Over the past decade, Shear has lectured and worked with a number of metropolitan regional planning organizations, state officials, and local leaders in helping them to assess broadband priorities and better understand their relevance in re-engineering local economies. Shear has a BS in international affairs and an MS in telecommunications from the University of Colorado.