Michael Tanner is Managing Director at The Chasm Group, LLC , a widely-acclaimed Silicon Valley-based consulting firm that focuses on helping high-technology businesses achieve and improve sustainable growth. Michael provides advisory and consulting services in the areas of strategic planning, new venture development, portfolio optimization and market positioning.

From 1992, The Chasm Group, LLC has provided strategy consulting in over 1500 consulting engagements primarily in Information Technology markets, including software, computing, web-enabled services and communications technology. Michael's clients include: a) venture-stage growth businesses that need to achieve escape velocity, and, (b) mature businesses that need to re-invigorate growth while internally managing new business innovation. His clients have included large companies such as HP, Symantec, IBM and Imation as well as scores of venture-stage businesses.

Michael's 22 years in high technology markets include operational roles in general management, marketing and sales within in both large and seed-stage start-up organizations. Prior to consulting he was publisher for the data publishing group of Autodesk, Inc. market manager for a subsidiary of Schlumberger, and Director/VP of marketing and international sales at two software startup companies in the mid-80's. He currently serves on the board of directors of Savi Technology, Inc., Saronyx, Inc. and recently Apexion, Inc. (which was just acquired by Lawson Software). He began his career as a mechanical engineer in the defense industry and holds a B.S in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University, and MBA from Rivier College.