Peter Bianco, Serial Entrepreneur and DC Tech Scene Supporter. Peter was one of the first members of Mindshare, an educational program for DC area tech entrepreneurs that has large and prominent alumni organizations. Pete was part of the organizing board of this organization that has been graduating business leaders since 1997.
The Mindshare Community mourns the loss of one of its strongest supporters.
This email is from Katherine Ferguson of Cooley and the organizing board of Mindshare to the Mindshare Alumni Community.
It is with deep sorrow that we share with you the death of Peter G. Bianco, beloved husband of Heather M. Young. Pete touched many lives, influencing our perspectives, paths, and purpose. Please join us to honor his accomplished life, his inspiring spirit, and his deep faith.
A Memorial Service will be held:
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Falls Church
115 E. Fairfax Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
(703) 532-7600
1:00 pm Memorial Service
2:00 pm Reception in the Fellowship Hall
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts in memory of Pete may be given to the Wounded Warrior Project. Donations may be made online at: www.woundedwarriorproject.org and may be designated in memory of Peter G. Bianco.
Alternatively, the mailing address to send a check with a note in Pete’s honor is:
Wounded Warrior Project
4899 Belfort Road
Jacksonville, FL 32256
877-832-7350
904-296-7350
Subject: [MindShare-Alumni] Pete Bianco
From: “Ferguson, Katherine”
Date: Mon, April 18, 2011 10:09 am
Hi MindShare Community
I am sending this message on behalf of Pete Bianco & wife, Heather Young. We are compiling your notes for Heather, and she is amazed by your outpouring of kind thoughts and prayers.
No specific funeral arrangements have been firmed up yet; but it is expected to be next Tuesday or Wednesday (the 26th or 27th) at their home parish, The Falls Church. There is also a special Memorial Fund that Pete and Heather have selected to commemorate Pete’s life. We will absolutely follow up with official details.
It will be a blessing to see so many of Pete’s friends and colleagues there. As a good friend of Pete’s myself, I know he wants this to be a celebration of Life!
With regards to the commemoration in Pete’s honor at the upcoming Alumni Reunion, I will ask Heather what she would like to do.
Blessings,
Kath
Pete’s Profile on LinkedIn
Summary
Managing Partner of Benchmark Executive Search, a national executive search firm specializing in C, VP, and board of director-level searches in the federal and commercial markets. Benchmark has a proven track record of leading executive searches for federal contractors providing services and products with extensive experience across the federal market including the Intelligence Community, Departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security, and Civilian sectors.
Client companies in our federal and commercial practice areas range in stages of maturity from pre-revenue start-ups funded by leading venture capital and private equity firms to multi-hundred million dollar privately held companies as well as major publicly traded global companies with revenue ranging from $3B to 60B annually.
Benchmark has a unique search strategy and execution model. We assess the client’s business, opportunity, goals, and objectives and lead the definition of the position and alignment of the candidate targeting and selection criteria. This model and our collaborative approach ensure success in landing the best talent in the market. A track record that can be referenced with clients when appropriate.
Benchmark has a strong network of industry executives, public sector government officials (career and appointed), flag officers, and advisers with areas of expertise ranging from national and cyber security to information technology and communications to non-IT and critical infrastructure.
My previous business experience includes: founder and CEO of two venture capital-backed information security software companies in the intrusion prevention and identity management sectors, Platform Logic and BNX Systems (acquired by Symantec and a major global financial institution, respectively); Senior Partner with Milestone Equity Partners which backed Plaxo and Limelight Networks; and Managing Director of Garrett Technology, a national executive search firm in the information technology market.
Specialties
Successful technology entrepreneur, executive, investor, and adviser with personal experience building and managing leadership teams and boards of directors. Uniquely qualified as an executive search consultant having leadership and operational experience in product strategy, management and development, go-to-market planning and execution, business and channel development, and institutional capital formation (Angel, VC and PE).
Experience
Managing Partner – Benchmark Executive Search
Mindshare Alumni Network – Board
Exclusive invitation-only executive education and network for CEOs Founded in 1997 in the Washington D.C.-Northern Virginia area. Since 1997 over 400+ CEOs have graduated from the program. Past graduates span from inventors of innovative technology to builders of substantial revenue and publicly traded companies. Mindshare is the center of the technology community in the Mid-Atlantic area (DC, VA, and MD).
President and CEO TruFina
Trufina is an identity verification and management service to protect individuals in consumer-to-consumer transactions, versus the many products and services available to protect enterprises from fraudulent consumers or employees. The market is any environment where consumers are transacting directly with other consumers such as Internet dating, on-line classifieds, and auctions. Company raised over $4M dollars in venture capital and is being used in many online B2C environments.
Investor, co-Founder and Executive – Platform Logic
Host intrusion prevention product – Co-Founder and investor. Raised VC and led development of the strategic and operating business plans. The company was sold to Symantec in 2004; 6x return for investors and great exit for founders. The product is marketed, fully integrated and being sold by Symantec as in its Critical System Protection Suite of products
Senior Partner – Milestone Equity Partners
Milestone is an early-stage private equity investor focused on Internet and IT related markets. Marquis portfolio companies include Limelight Networks (Raised $100M from Goldman Sachs, and IPO in 2007 led by Goldman), and Plaxo. The fund returned 3x on invested capital to its investors.
launched Secure Software (sold to Fortify, a Kleiner Perkins company), recruited CEO from Rational and helped them raise a $5M round led by Charles River Ventures and Valhalla Venture Partners;
Co-founded Trufina, and was CEO for this provider of identity and background verification services; defined the offering and business model as well as invested start-up capital to launch the service. Launched PosID, the leader 2nd wave biometrics with Thermal ID, a direct touch thermal biometric that uses its patented infra red technology- landed deals with the NSA.
Founder and CEO – BNX Systems
Identity management and authentication platform provider – significant base in financial services and healthcare. Institutional investors Columbia Capital, Carlyle Venture Partners and Walker Investments – raised over $40M. Company was sold to major financial institution.
Obituary for Pete Bianco:
Peter G. Bianco was born to Thomas P. Bianco and Anna F. Bianco. He was the eldest of four children. He is survived by his twins sisters Pamela Bianco & Traci Bianco of Baxley, Georgia and his brother Thomas Bianco of Melbourne, Florida. He has 2 nephews Sean & Cody and 2 nieces Ashley and Anna; the children of Pamela Bianco. He is also is survived by his wife of two years Heather Young Bianco.
Pete lost his year long battle with Brain Cancer and died at the age of 48; with his best friend of 17 years Julian Waits by his side. We are very grateful to Pete’s dear friend. Julian, we consider you Peter’s Angel and a part of our family always. God bless you.
Peter, Traci, Tommy & I love you always and will miss you. We wish we could have said goodbye to you. We will meet you in heaven.
Love Pam, Traci & Tommy
Julian Waits gave a lovely Eulogy for Pete Bianco; Truly his Best Friend till the end and beyond.
First give honorariums to Pastor Johnny, Heather, Eva, extended family, and friends of Pete.
I welcome here to celebrate the life and “home going” of Peter Garrett Bianco. Pete died on Palm Sunday, April 17th. His father, Tom Bianco, and his mother, Ann Bianco, preceded him in death.
There are many things that I could say about Pete. Most notably, he was one of the most persuasive spin-doctors I ever met. In short, it was hard to say no to Pete. Whether it was an executive search, his politics, his place of choice to live, or most anything else he was passionate about, Pete would always attempt to convince everyone else whatever it was he was going to do, was the right thing, not just for him, but for you as well.
Pete was an eternal optimist. He focused on the big picture and he didn’t sweat the details. He always took the long-term perspective, including in how he died. Though I’ll discuss this in more detail later, Pete’s faith in Christ gave him the assurance of his place in Heaven.
You never met a guy who loved social gatherings more than Pete. He really loved people. I remember once he traveled with me to my hometown of NOLA, several years prior to Katrina. As I love Jazz, and knew many of the clubs in NOLA, Pete and I went from one Jazz club to another taking in everything NOLA had to give in terms of its music. One of those clubs happened to be in a fairly shady neighborhood. Knowing this, he and I went in anyway. The music being played was absolutely awesome. However, I felt very uncomfortable, Pete initiated conversations with everyone around us. They loved him, though he was the only White guy in the place. When I informed him that I was nervous about him conversing with so many people, he told me, “Julian, sometimes you can be so White.” Well, needless to say, I was incredibly humbled that evening.
Pete and I first met over the phone in late 1994. I was working for a software company in Houston and he wanted to get in on the fact that we were just absolutely stacking bodies. Through that connection, he placed more than 15 individuals within an 18-month period. Pete was one aggressive individual. Who knew that his initial call would lead to a relationship that was truly closer than any brother.
Peter later convinced me to come to a company he had co-founded in 1999. I moved to DC in October of 1999 and Pete actually picked out my house. Like I said, he was aggressive. The company’s board, and new CEO had decided they needed a VP of Business Development. Pete did everything in his power to ensure that the person who got that job was me.
Pete was every person’s entrepreneur. When I first began to spend large quantities of time with him, I thought the guy was the biggest liar I had ever met. I mean, every meeting he participated in was a great meeting, and everyone there was great people in his opinion. He was, then, and until the day he took his last breath, an eternal optimist.
He was passionate about everything he did. Unlike many people I have worked with, Pete was a motivator that attempted to inspire everyone around him. Most importantly, he knew people. He had great intuition and instinct. Pete hired one of the best sales reps I ever had to work for me. The guy had come from the restaurant business and never sold software in his life. When everyone around Pete attempted to tell him he was out of his mind, his response was, “I have a great feeling about Jay.” Well, he was right. While Jay now shares my follicle challenges, as that was over ten years ago, his career in technology sales management is still striving today.
Pete did the same for many of us in this room. Many of you were placed or connected to someone by Pete, that assisted you in your career. As I look at many of your faces in this room. I can remember numerous conversations with Pete regarding many of you over the course of the past 10 years.
Pete’s life was full of challenges. It is ironic that a guy who appreciated smart people so much would die of Brain Cancer.
Peter My Friend
Many of you have said during this ordeal that I’m a great friend to Pete; however, I would tell you, that’s only because Pete was a great friend to me. Proverbs 17:17 states that “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Pete was my buffer. He was my conscience. He was my brother. There is no tighter bond that can be shared between two friends. We shared some many things in common:
– Our politics
– Our choice in clothing (Tell the dressed the same story)
– Our choice in cars
– Even our choice in Bicycles (Tell that story as well) Mention Adam Joseph
–
When everyone thought the worst of me, Pete say my absolute best. My momma told me that my best friends would be those people that stuck with me when things weren’t going well and I had made notable mistakes. Well, that was Pete.
– Loss of Children with Sickness
– Struggling Business, Victory on the other side
– Infirmity in my body, with clinical depression (Tell the Red Skins Story)
I did the same for him. My love for him transcended anything he could have done. It was, during his natural life, and now in his death, complete. God truly placed Pete in my life.
Peter loved his wife, Heather. For him, it was love at first sight. After his initial 3+ hour lunch with Heather to discuss working together, or at least that’s what he told her, he called and informed me that he had just met the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. That was just over 3 years ago. When I asked him why, he said, “well, she’s beautiful, smart, and she’s a Republican.
As with everyone else, Heather couldn’t say no to Pete. It was a whirlwind romance that culminated in the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever had the honor to attend. They did a destination wedding in Napa Valley. I was honored to be Pete’s Best Man. It all happened in less than a year.
Pete and Heather were like two teenagers when each other’s presence. Most importantly, they were both great conservatives. I just wish that they’d look at another channel than Fox News.
During Pete’s battle with Brain Cancer, Heather was the tireless caregiver. Well, ok, sometimes she did get tired; however, she stood by Pete no matter the circumstance.
While I was able to come and go, Heather was the ever-present positive voice in Pete’s presence. I will always love her for that. Whether it was his meds, doctor’s appointments, or to reach out to another person in hope of a cure, she did it all.
And, when he passed, she was there holding his hand. We both were.
Pete’s love for Heather is best exemplified in something that happened earlier this year. Several months ago, Pete joined me and a friend, at my church, Hope Christian Church. Since my pastor, Bishop Harry Jackson, himself a cancer survivor, demonstrated great compassion for Pete. He first prayed for him in front of the congregation, and later met with us for a couple of hours in his office after church. At one point, Bishop Harry looked Pete straight in the eyes and said to him, “Pete, let’s discuss anything you want to talk about. What’s on your mind?” Pete responded by saying, “How do I help my wife deal with the fact that I’ll be dying soon?” He said, “I love her so much. I see her pain and I want someway to ease it.” He further said, “How do I help her to see what’s in store for me as I go to Heaven to be with Christ? It really is better than how we’re living now.”
Peter, My Converted Brother in Christ
Finally, there is only one thing that Peter specifically asked me to do when he asked that I deliver his eulogy. He wanted everyone to know about his absolute faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark 1:15.
Over the course of the past three years, Pete became a spiritual giant. You see, Pete overcame many challenges in his life through his faith in God. Pete was a transformed man. If you knew him prior to his conversion, without experiencing him afterward, then you only got to meet a shadow of Pete.
Whereas many of us would shutter in stagnating fear when informed that we had Brain Cancer, Pete’s response was that he was going to trust in God to see him through. He would continually tell me that while he didn’t want to die now, Jesus had prepared him and that he was ready if it was his time. Pete clearly understood, 2 Corinthians 5:7-10.
When I, or those around him, would lose faith, Pete would pray for us. He actively removed every negative thing from his presence and focused on the love of Christ. He would go to his Chemo treatments elated about the opportunity to fight the cancer. Everyone was cofounded. When asked why, he would say that he would win in either scenario. Pete would say, “If I live, I get to spend many more years with my lovely wife and friends.” He would then say, “If I die, I get to join my Savior in Heaven.” He truly did win.
He would continually focus on the big picture and how Heaven was so much better than earth. How Heaven would be a place without pain. How Heaven would be a place where he could continually rejoice in God’s Love, while I would have to toil longer with the pain that comes from this physical existence. Pete felt this was because he was assured that the moment he died, God’s Holy Spirit would be there waiting to usher him into the Gates of Heaven.
Pete’s faith forced me to take an assessment of myself. While it was through my witness, that Pete accepted Christ, I had to look at myself honestly and say that I had so allowed this world to Permanente my thinking, Pete’s faith had surpassed my own. I was jealous and ashamed at the same time. However, Pete’s faith has renewed my faith.
Sinner’s prayer if there’s time
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Peter’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/peter.g.bianco
Pete Professional Bio:
Peter is co-founder and Managing Partner of Benchmark Executive Search responsible for leading client engagements from start to finish. Peter is a proven executive search consultant with over 17 years of experience. He specializes in the federal market focusing on technology and federally focused services providers and government contractors. He has successfully led numerous searches for public and private companies ranging in size from $50M to over $2B in revenue such as USIS, Global Crossing and Kaseman. His search experience includes C, GM, VP and board level engagements.
Prior to founding Benchmark Executive Search, Peter worked for Austin McGregor Executive Search until he and several key partners of the firm founded Benchmark in 2007. Peter is a well known entrepreneur, equity investor and previous CEO of several successful software companies. Additionally, he consults with many companies on issues ranging from market strategy, product positioning, capital formation and M&A. He was also the founder and CEO of two successful software companies in the information security market, Platform Logic (intrusion prevention) which was acquired by Symantec in 2004 and BNX Systems (identity management) which was sold to CitiGroup. Peter has built and led teams in excess of 100 people with senior boards of directors comprised of investors, industry luminaries and industry leading executives and raised over $30 million in venture capital from top-tier venture firms.
He was also co-founder, seed investor and CEO of Trufina, an Internet web2.0 services provider of identity verification and management focused on the B2B market. Peter spent two years with Milestone Equity Partners as a Senior Partner focused on the early stage technology market (Plaxo and Limelight Networks were top portfolio companies of the firm). Earlier in his career Peter was founder and managing partner of Garrett Technology, a national retained executive search consultancy. Peter was an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2000, alum and board member of Mindshare as well as a founding member of the Mindshare Alumni Network (over 400 CEO’s from some of the most successful technology companies in the region). He is a member of INSA. Active in charitable organizations as well, Peter is a member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and was a runner-up in their national Man of the Year contest.
Family links:
Parents:
Thomas Peter Bianco Bianco (1932 – 2008)
Anna Frances Garrett Bianco (1928 – 1989)
Note: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 The Falls Church 115 E. Fairfax Street Falls Church, VA 22046 (703) 532-7600
Burial:
Falls Church Episcopal Church Cemetery
Falls Church
Falls Church City
Virginia, USA
Plot: Ashes Buried
Created by: Pamela Bianco
Record added: May 22, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 70215547
