BSEE in Electrical Engineering, MSEE in Computer Engineering, and MBA from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL; Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University's School of Law, Evening Program.  Computer Design Engineer with IBM for 17 years. Practiced patent law in the Triangle with Alston & Bird, Director and counsel for the Semiconductor Research Corporation - a non-profit university research consortium for the semiconductor and related industries (since 1999)