Speakers and Moderators 2007
Wade Alt
Vice President, Sales and Strategic Channels
Mobile Satellite Ventures
Wade is currently Vice President for Sales and Strategic Channels for Mobile Satellite Ventures, LP. In this capacity, Wade and his team is responsible for the building and deploying of MSV business operations and the establishment of investment and wholesale sales channels with strategic partners.
Wade Alt has been an executive in the global communications and advanced technology industries for the last 14 years, having worked in or advised over 30 Fortune 500, global, federal government, and start up companies. A major portion of Wade's career has been establishing wireless Enterprise and Consumer MVNO's and Strategic Agreements – with and for carriers in US and Europe. Most recently, Wade was a Director of Corporate Strategy and Business Development for MCI Communications (now Verizon Business).
Joe Amor
Vice President and General Manager
Microspace
Joe Amor has served as Vice President and General Manager for Microspace since 1995. In the early 90s, Joe was actually a Microspace customer and experienced the high level of service and support that the company still provides. Joe received his Bachelor of Science/Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Missouri/KC and his Masters of Business Administration Degree in Finance from Rockhurst College.
Maj. Gen. James Armor, Jr.
Director
National Security Space Office, Office of the Undersecretary of the Air Force
Maj. Gen. James B. Armor Jr. is the Director of the National Security Space Office (NSSO), Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. NSSO is responsible for creating strategic focus and unity of effort across National Security Space to advance space power for the nation.
The general was commissioned in 1973 through the ROTC program at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. He served as a missile launch officer with the 381st Strategic Missile Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., and laser signals intelligence analyst with the Foreign Technology Division at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He was a manned space flight engineer for the NRO at Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif., and also trained as a shuttle payload specialist. He was first to study information warfare while a National War College research fellow at the National Defense University. At U.S. Air Force Headquarters he served in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, and in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition where he worked various key access programs. He also served in several program management positions, including directing responsibilities for the navigational, strategic, tactical, and relay Global Positioning System at the Space and Missile Systems Center. At Robins AFB, Ga., he was the Vice Commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the Director, Signals Intelligence Systems Acquisition and Operations Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Washington, D.C.
Maj. Gen. Armor received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1973 in psychology and electrical engineering, with honors, from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA. and he received his Master of Science degree (Distinguished Graduate) in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
Michael Arrieta
Executive Vice President Digital Distribution and Mobile Entertainment
Sony Pictures
As Executive Vice President of Sony Pictures Digital Distribution and Mobile Entertainment, Michael Arrieta is responsible for extending Sony Pictures Entertainment properties into the digital marketplace through digital sales, licensing, distribution, marketing and integrated promotions. Arrieta oversees mobile entertainment, and the digital sale of the studio's film and television programming via emerging outlets worldwide.
Arrieta previously served as Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances, for Sony Pictures Digital.
Arrieta received his B.A. in economics and his M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and resides in Los Angeles with his wife.
Olivier Badard
Vice-President, Sales and Marketing
Alcatel Alenia Space
From March 2003 till September 2006, Olivier Badard was Vice-President for Alcatel North America and a Member of Alcatel North America’s Senior Management Team. Prior to that, he was in charge of telecom ground network solutions sales in the Americas. From 1992 till 2000, Olivier Badard held various sales and marketing managerial positions with the Telecommunications Cable Division of Alcatel in the United States and in Europe.
Olivier Badard holds an MBA in International Business from the International University of San Francisco, California and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montpellier (France).
Sean Badding
President and Senior Analyst
The Carmel Group
Sean Badding is the President and Senior Analyst for The Carmel Group, a leading consulting and market research firm dedicated to the analysis of the media, computer and telecommunications industries. Mr. Badding's areas of expertise includes cable, satellite, video-on-demand, digital video recorders, interactive TV and broadband.
Mr. Badding's career as an analyst and editor began with Paul Kagan Associates, where he focused on the consumer electronics and multimedia industries. Also while working for Kagan, he served as a consultant, performing numerous appraisals and valuations on radio/TV stations throughout the country and overseas. Between 1995 and 1998, he focused on the semiconductor and PC industries, working as a Strategic Market Analyst for Mitsubishi Electronics and Hyundai Electronics in the Silicon Valley.
Mr. Badding has been a guest speaker on numerous national television and radio shows, including CNN, TechTV, CNET and Korea's YTN. He also moderates and speaks at various conferences, including the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA), Private Cable and Wireless Show and the Ohio Cable Telecommunications Association (OCA). Mr. Badding’s analysis and opinions have been quoted in various publications, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Business Week, Fortune, U.S. News and World Report, The New York Times, Forbes, Wired, Twice Magazine and Financial Times.
Rear Admiral Michael C. Bachmann
Commander
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
Rear Admiral Michael C. Bachmann Rear Admiral Bachmann is Commander of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR). He is responsible for providing information technology and space systems for today’s naval and joint services. Additionally, he is the chief engineer for developing, delivering and maintaining effective, capable and integrated command, control, communications, computer, and intelligence systems. He is also responsible for engineering and assessing FORCEnet, the foundation of the Sea Power 21 vision.
Rear Adm. Bachmann graduated in June 1974 from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. Rear Adm. Bachmann subsequently attained a Master of Science degree in Systems Management, and a doctoral degree in Psychology and Technology from the University of Southern California during off duty hours. A graduate of the Naval War College, he was additionally awarded a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in 1990.
Rear Adm. Bachmann has acquired extensive acquisition experience through a wide variety of afloat, shore-based and joint duty assignments. He has completed ship's company sea duty assignments aboard USS Ranger (CV-61), USS New Orleans (LPH-11), and USS Enterprise (CVN-65), and fleet assignments at Naval Air Station North Island and the Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific staff.
In 1990, Bachmann was assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as the Deputy Director for Aviation Logistics Information Systems. He was subsequently assigned to the Joint Logistics Systems Center, WPAFB Ohio, as a DoD Major Program Manager (ACAT I).
On Dec. 7, 1993, Bachmann was assigned as the Director of the Joint Depot Maintenance Analysis Group under the direction of the Joint Logistics Commanders and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).
Bachmann assumed command of the SPAWAR Naval Tactical Command Support System (NTCSS) on Nov. 17, 1995. NTCSS, a DoD ACAT I program, was selected into the Secretary of the Navy Acquisition Hall of Fame in April 1998, nominated for the OSD Packard Award, and awarded the OSD Certificate for Acquisition Excellence. During this period Bachmann was assigned as the Acting Director of Information Support Systems and was responsible for the oversight of a multitude of information technology acquisition programs.
From August 1998 through June 2000 Bachmann was assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations, Air Warfare Division, as the Head, Aviation Maintenance Programs responsible for the execution of accounts in excess of $18 billion for the advancement of Naval Aviation.
Bachmann was assigned as the Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in September 2001 with additional responsibilities as NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation, and Shore Station Management. In February 2003 he was assigned as the NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations. Bachmann was selected to be the NAVAIR Vice Commander in March 2005.
His personal awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (Sixth Award), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, Navy Commendation Medal with Gold star, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Battle Efficiency Award (two awards), National Defense Service Medal (with Service Star), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment ribbon (with three Service Stars), and Rifle and Pistol Medals. He is a member of the U.S. Naval Institute and the Naval Academy Athletic Association.
Cristopher Baugh
President
NSR
Mr. Baugh founded Northern Sky Research in 2000 to provide market research on domestic and international high-speed networks to vendors and carriers worldwide. With a specialization in satellites and broadband technology, Mr. Baugh directs all Northern Sky multi-client research and single-client projects related to the telecommunications industry. He has participated in a number of individual client studies, performing research and market analysis on specific topics for clients in the telecommunications industry. Topics include broadband satellite networks, video broadcast services, wireless networks, pricing and strategic analyses, partnership identification and market validation through detailed forecasts and trend analyses.
Before forming Northern Sky Research, Mr. Baugh served as Senior Analyst for Pioneer Consulting. Prior to Pioneer, Mr. Baugh was an International Trade Specialist and Economist for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. While at the Department of Commerce, Mr. Baugh was a recipient of the Charles F. Meissner Memorial Award for his work on trade negotiations in the International Trade Administration.
Mr. Baugh also has extensive legislative and analytical experience from his work for the Committee on International Relations and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, both in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Baugh holds a Bachelor's Degree from Westminster College and a Master's Degree in International Economics from The George Washington University.
Robert Bell
Executive Director
Society of Satellite Professionals International and
World Teleport Association
Robert Bell serves as the Executive Director of both the Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) and World Teleport Association (WTA), where he is responsible for the programs, finances and operations of the organizations. Mr. Bell has led business development missions to cities in Asia and the US; authored articles in Asia-Pacific Satellite, The Municipal Journal of Telecommunications Policy, Telecommunications and Asian Communications; and appeared in segments of ABC World News and The Discovery Channel. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at industry conferences including Satellite, NAB, SATCON and Sportel.
Yolanda Bazan Benson
Deputy Secretary for Jobs, Economic Development and Trade Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
State of California
Yolanda Bazan Benson was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Deputy Secretary at the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, responsible for jobs, economic development and international trade. Her responsibilities include overseeing the California Small Business Board, the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program and other outreach to other state agencies, communities, local, regional and statewide organizations and entities working to promote job growth and retention throughout California. Serve as the principal lead relative to border issues and developed strategic partnerships with Baja California and British Columbia.
Prior to moving to the Agency, Ms. Benson served as a Deputy Legislative Secretary in the Office of Governor Schwarzenegger during his first year in office where she handled issues related to base realignment and closure, building standards, consumer affairs, corporate governance, economic development, housing, public sector labor, retirement issues and trade.
Ms. Benson's diverse background and experience includes more than twenty years of activity in the legislative arena, public relations, governmental policy, ethnic and coalition development and grassroots advocacy. Prior to working in the Schwarzenegger Administration, Ms. Benson was a legislative advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 16,000 California businesses. She was responsible for various policy issues regarding the protection of jobs, and the creation and retention of jobs in California.
Ms. Benson's experience also includes a variety of positions in state government, including working for several members of the California State Legislature and as a legislative liaison for the Department of Toxic Substances Control in the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Ms. Benson has also been a legislative advocate for numerous diverse organizations and companies. She was responsible for effective communication and implementation of successful strategies for the various clients she represented. Her understanding of both the public and private sector brings a unique perspective and understanding on how to approach issues and for "getting the job done."
Ms. Benson is a board member of various organizations, including, but not limited to, the Latino Journal, Community Resource Project, CORO, the Latino Center and ADELANTE to name a few.
She was born in Utah and is the daughter of an immigrant from Mexico. She grew up in Utah and New Mexico and began community college in Arizona. Ms. Benson has two daughters, 22 and 10. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Human Resources.
VADM Lyle Bien USN (Ret.)
Former Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Staff
U.S. Space Command
Lyle G. Bien, a native of South Dakota, is currently a defense industry consultant. He is a graduate of Augustana College and the National War College.
A Naval Flight Officer, he served aboard multiple aircraft carriers over 11 major deployments to the Pacific flying the F-4 Phantom and the F-14 Tomcat. He is a graduate of and former instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN).
He commanded an F-14 Fighter Squadron, 2 Carrier Airwings, a Carrier Battle Group and the Naval Space Command, Dahlgren, VA. From October 1990 to March 1991 he was the senior Navy striker planner for Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. He was in command of the Nimitz Battle Group throughout her response to the Taiwan Missile Crisis in 1996.
He served on the Joint Staff, and was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, United States Space Command, where he chaired the Senior Warfighter Forum (SWarF) that rendered the design that became the Wideband Gapfiller satellite program.
He has 5,500 flight hours in Navy fighter aircraft, 1300 carrier landings, and 225 combat missions. He is an Augustana College Distinguished Alumnus (1995) and was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 1997. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Augustana College and the Naval Postgraduate School Board of Advisors.
Vice Admiral Bien was employed by Teledesic LLC from 1999-2002 in charge of the Government Division. He has been a member of the MDA Graybeard Panel on National Missile Defense since its inception in 1999. He serves as a senior mentor to service Title X Wargames, multiple Exercises at U.S. Strategic Command, as well as the MDA Wargames, Schriever Series, Thor's Hammer at the NRO, and Simulations at the Joint National Integration Center at Schriever AFB. He works extensively in the related areas of Space-based Communications, C4ISR, and Global Missile Defense. He is a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, National Security Space Architect Board chartered to define the future of National Security Transformational Communications Architecture (TCA) and the U.S. Naval Space Panel on FORCEnet and naval space and communications. He was part of a yearlong Congressionally-directed study of the future of National Security Space Launch and in 2006 became a member of the US Strategic Command’s Strategic Advisory Group (SAG). Vice Admiral Bien lives on a cattle ranch in his native South Dakota and in San Diego, CA with Cathy, his wife of 34 years.
Patrick Brant
President and CEO
SkyPort Global Communications
Mr. Brant is president and CEO of SkyPort. A global leader in communications, he has more than 20 years’ high technology experience in management, sales, operations and finance. He leads SkyPort with a clear focus on excellence, commitment, and growth. His latest success was Loral Skynet, a satellite operating firm that provides managed network services to Fortune 1000 enterprises. As the president and CEO he led Loral Skynet out of Chapter 11, improved EBITDA 8 fold, increased Skynet’s valuation to over $800 million and orchestrated the purchase of Telesat for $3 billion.
Before joining Loral Skynet, Pat served as president of Controlsat and as a senior director for Orbital Communications, the first provider of global data services via low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. At Controlsat, an Orbital global data services business unit, he crafted and implemented the company’s business plan and oversaw the development of the marketing, international sales, customer service and operational infrastructure. Pat has also held senior positions with Eyretel and American Mobile Satellite (AMSC). As vice president of sales and marketing at Eyretel, he increased profitability by 202% by spearheading efforts to expand sales and marketing operations for voice and data products, and ramp up sales with an aggressive marketing and indirect distribution strategy. As general manager at American Mobile Satellite, Pat designed and directed sales and marketing strategies for innovative mobile voice and data products. He also developed AMSC’s “first service network” business plan that resulted in orders for over 10,000 data terminals worth more than $50 million and a successful IPO.
David Bross
Chairman, ISCe and ISIS NYC
Director of Business Development, Hannover Fairs USA, Inc.
David Bross is Chairman of the ISCe 2006 conference and the ISCe Satellite Investment Symposium NYC '06 (ISIS). He also serves as Director of Business Development for Hannover Fairs USA, Inc. Prior to joining Hannover Fairs, Bross was regional sales director and director of business development for Space News International. He also served as Associate Publisher, Editorial for the Satellite Group, at Rockville, Md.-based Access Intelligence, LLC. At AI, Bross served as chairman of the satellite show and its European sister tradeshow. He also supervised a team of experienced journalists and competitive intelligence professionals at the Satellite Industry Directory, Satellite News, Satellite Today and the Satellite Transponder Guide. A seasoned journalist and analyst, Bross has more than 19 years of journalism experience, more than 17 in the commercial satellite industry. He is a three-time award winner of the prestigious Newsletter Publisher Association reporting award for Best Spot News coverage of a breaking story and has appeared on many radio and TV programs as a satellite expert and been quoted in the consumer press on satellite issues. He serves on the board of directors and is president of the Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI). He also serves on the Advisory Council of the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC). He received a BS degree in journalism from Bradley University, in Peoria, Ill., and an MA degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois in Springfield, Ill. He is a father of one daughter and a Chicago native.
Don Brown
Vice President, Business Development and Hosted Payload Programs
Intelsat General Corporation
Don Brown, an executive with more than 20 years of experience in satellite communications and digital distribution systems, is the Vice President of Business Development and Hosted Payload Programs for Intelsat General Corporation. Mr. Brown is responsible for all business development activities within IGC as well as multi-million dollar hosted payload program.
Mr. Brown was the Vice President of Military Systems with PanAmSat's G2 Satellite Solutions before transitioning with the merger into Intelsat General. Prior to G2, Mr. Brown was the Co-Founder of USA TODAY Sky Radio where he created multi-year exclusive partnerships with United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, to install Sky Radio satellite receivers on their fleets. Mr. Brown has held senior positions with Space.com, American Mobile Satellite Corp., and in the Satellite Systems Division of Federal Express Corporation.
Mr. Brown has served on the Satellite Task Force of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee to the President of the United States and also served as Co-Chair of the Government Services Working Group of the Satellite Industry Association. He is a graduate of Princeton University and is a frequent speaker on commercial satellite operations and national security.
Vice Admiral Nancy E. Brown
Director, Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems (J6) – The Joint Staff
The Joint Staff
Vice Admiral Nancy E. Brown serves as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (C4 Systems), The Joint Staff. She is the principle advisor to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff on all C4 systems matters within the Department of Defense.
Her service spans 32 years. Prior to her current assignment, Vice Admiral Brown was the Director of Command Control Systems, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and Director of Architectures and Integration, Headquarters U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. She also served as the Commander, Navy Element and Chief Information Officer for both commands.
VADM Brown is a native of Glen Cove, New York. She was raised in Marion, Illinois, and is a 1973 graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Following completion of Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, in June 1974, VADM Brown reported to her first duty station, Naval Communications Station, Norfolk, Virginia. She was assigned as Communications Watch Officer, followed by Automation Officer and Personnel Officer. She then served as the Special Projects and Manpower Requirements Officer at the Naval Telecommunications Command in Washington, D.C.
After her tour in Washington, VADM Brown attended Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, where she earned a Master of Science Degree in Communications Systems Management. She was then assigned to the Defense Commercial Communications Office at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois. This joint tour qualified VADM Brown as a Proven Subspecialist in Communications and led to her designation as a Joint Specialty Officer (JSO). From this joint assignment, VADM Brown was enrolled in the Junior Course at the Naval War College in Newport. Completion of this course led to the awarding of a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. Her follow-on assignment was as the Officer in Charge, Naval Radio and Receiving Facility Kami Seya, Japan.
Returning from overseas, VADM Brown was assigned to the Joint Tactical Command, Control and Communications Agency in Washington. After this second joint tour, she was assigned as the Executive Officer (XO) at the Naval Communications Station in San Diego, California. A major segment of this tour was devoted to the establishment of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, San Diego, a Major Shore Command. Upon completing this XO tour, VADM Brown was enrolled in the Senior Course at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
In August 1993, VADM Brown assumed command of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Cutler, Downeast, Maine. After completing her command tour, she was selected for assignment to the National Security Council staff at the White House where she reported for duty in August 1995. In July 1997, VADM Brown assumed command of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic, a Major Shore Command, headquartered in Norfolk.
Completing her command tour in June 1999, VADM Brown returned to the White House as the Deputy Director, White House Military Office. While serving as Deputy Director, White House Military Office, VADM Brown was selected for Rear Admiral (lower half). In October 2000, she reported to the Chief of Naval Operations as Deputy Director and Fleet Liaison, Space, Information Warfare, Command and Control (N6B). In August 2002 she assumed duties as Vice Director for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems (J6), the Joint Staff. In August 2004 she deployed to Iraq becoming the first Multi-National Force–Iraq C6 Headquartered in Baghdad and returned to the Joint Staff in April 2005. In August 2005 VADM Brown assumed the duties as J6 Director for both North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command. In August 2006 VADM Brown assumed her current duties as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (C4 Systems), The Joint Staff.
VADM Brown's decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Legion of Merit (with Gold Star), the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal and the National Defense Service Medal (with two Bronze Stars).
Scott E. Calder
President & CEO
Mainstream Data, Inc.
Scott E. Calder is President, CEO, and a co-founder of Mainstream Data, Inc., where he is responsible for strategic direction and day-to-day management of the Salt Lake City-based communications company. Mainstream provides turnkey satellite and Internet communications services to the world’s premier information companies, including Bloomberg, Reuters, IDC ComStock, and the European PressPhoto Agency, among others. Mr. Calder served as Vice President of Marketing at Bonneville Telecommunications Company, a satellite video and data communications firm, prior to founding Mainstream in 1985. Before he joined Bonneville in 1982, Mr. Calder spent three years as a senior consultant at Bain and Company, a global corporate strategy consulting firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Calder holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in American Literature and Economics from the University of Utah and earned an MBA from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business in 1980.
Mr. Calder is a recognized authority on the confluence of information, technology, and software, and speaks at trade shows and industry conferences focusing on satellite communications, rapidly evolving information technology, and software applications that are shaping our information-centric world. Father of five children, Mr. Calder in his free time enjoys skiing, mountaineering, personal computing, and community service.
Richard Cardran
Senior Director, Broadband Product Management
TANDBERG Television
Richard Cardran is an inventor, creative director, designer and technology strategist, who was recently recognized in the October 2006 Hollywood Reporter/Producers Guild of America's year-end "Digital 50" outstanding media professionals list. Mr. Cardran has also been featured in Streaming Magazine as one of the "Fifty Most Influential People in Streaming."
From a total of eight Emmy nominations, Mr. Cardran has garnered two Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Television" and "Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology" through his pioneering vision and efforts surrounding the "paradigm shift" in TV broadcasting to new and exciting IP strategies.
Mr. Cardran co-founded and recently sold Zetools, Inc. a leading software and services company pioneering both software tools and strategy for broadband IPVOD, iTV, eTV and enterprise media publishing. The acquiring company was TANDBERG Television, part of the Ericsson group, a multinational television technology company.
Mr. Cardran originally worked in New York as an ad-agency creative director. He then founded a film production company while producing and directing entertainment and commercials - winning a Clio, Mobius and the International Film and Video Festival's "Outstanding Creative Achievement" Award. Mr. Cardran moved to Los Angeles and founded and sold a successful postproduction facility and finally in 1995, he started Tableau Media, a full service web design firm that later became Zetools, Inc.
As a senior consultant to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Mr. Cardran helped to conceive and execute the museums' digital master plan as well as implement leading-edge projects for Microsoft, Intel, AOL, Viacom, Disney, Universal McCann, Real Networks and Panasonic as well as MTV, TV Land, Bloomberg, ABC, HDnet, Capitol Records, IFILM, Comedy Central, and others.
Richard is also a published writer and sought-after speaker for events by The American Film Institute, Microsoft, Kagan Research, Streaming Media, Inc. and others.
David A. Cavossa
Executive Director
Satellite Industry Association
David Cavossa is the executive director of the Satellite Industry Association. He has been with the organization since 2001, originally as the Director of External Relations.
On behalf of the SIA membership, Mr. Cavossa is responsible for the education, outreach, regulatory and legislative strategies for the commercial satellite industry on a broad range of issues, from regulatory, trade, export controls, space transportation, broadband, and the protection, planning, and acquisition of commercial SATCOM by the U.S. Government.
As one of the chief advocates for the commercial satellite industry, Mr. Cavossa deals with a wide range of commercial, civil and military space issues on a daily basis.
During his tenure at SIA, Mr. Cavossa has focused the efforts of the association on educating the public, press, policy-makers, and the government users of commercial satellite services on the critical role satellites play in our national, economic, and homeland security.
Before joining the SIA, Mr. Cavossa worked at NASA Headquarters, first in the Office of External Relations and then in the Office of Legislative Affairs where he was exposed to a variety of NASA programs and their impact and perception on the American public. While at NASA he participated in NASA's education and outreach campaign for Congressional Staff as well as staffing the NASA "War Room" during the 2001 NASA Appropriations floor votes in Congress.
Mr. Cavossa obtained a Masters Degree in Science, Technology and Public Policy from the George Washington University (GWU) Space Policy Institute as a Space Policy Fellow. He also holds a Bachelors Degree in Physics/Astronomy and Political Science from Wheaton College, in Norton MA.
Howard Chambers
Vice President/Program Manager, Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems
The Boeing Company
Howard Chambers is vice president and general manager of Air Force Airlift and Tanker Programs for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. He is responsible for the business, technical and production operations of Boeing military transport and tanker programs. He is also site executive for the activities of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems units in Palmdale, Long Beach and Edwards Air Force Base, California. Previously, he served as vice president and general manager of the C-17 Globemaster III transport program.
Chambers joined Rockwell International in 1969 after service in the U.S. Air Force. At Rockwell he served in senior management positions in Test, Logistics, Business Development and Program Management. He also served as associate program manager for the B-1B Support programs and he later became vice president and program manager of the B-1B program and maintained this position after Boeing acquired the Rockwell Aerospace and Defense business sectors in 1996.
Chambers holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with a major in aerospace engineering from the University of Tennessee. He is a recipient of the Silver Knight of Management, Executive of the Year, and Gold Knight of Management awards from the National Management Association. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is the 2002 Amelia Earhart Award recipient for mentoring.
Chambers is a member of many professional organizations and is active in the local community. He is vice chairman and a member of the Board of Directors of the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific and treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the California Council for Excellence. He is the Boeing focal for support to the California State University, Long Beach and advisor for advance business degree programs at CSULB and the University of Tennessee.
Steve Christian
VP of Marketing
Verimatrix, Inc.
Steve Christian is a seasoned marketing executive with a wealth of experience in the digital media and Internet technology spaces. Prior to joining Verimatrix Mr. Christian was VP, Marketing at Nine Systems, Inc – a world class provider of streaming media services. He has also run his own technology marketing consultancy, contributing "virtual VP" expertise to a variety of software, wireless and security organizations that successfully sharpened their marketing strategy, positioning and go to market programs. He lead the marketing team at Wind River Services (initially Doctor Design, Inc.) where he helped shape a premium value strategy and the growth of the professional services organization to a peak of $40m annually. His extensive marketing experience also includes driving technology development and international product management at ST Microelectronics, Raytheon and Scicon in the UK. Mr. Christian has a 1st class degree in Physics from the University of Bristol and an MBA from the Open University in the UK.
Austin Comerton
Director, Government Programs
Mobile Satellite Ventures
Austin Comerton has responsibility for MSV's U.S. dealer network that offers MSV voice and data services to public safety, transportation and natural resource markets. He has worked in business development at MSV since 1998, during which time he has helped law enforcement and emergency response agencies understand and define their satellite-communication requirements. Comerton joined MSV (then TMI Communications) as a customer support engineer in 1995, where he assisted with the alpha testing of MSV's circuit-switched data services. In 1999, he played an integral role in MSV's selection as the network for Y2K back-up contingency by the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC). He has spoken at several international conferences, SPIE, NCEC, and numerous regional APCO conferences.
Dr. Denis J. Curtin
Chief Operating Officer
XTAR, LLC
Dr. Curtin is responsible for day-to-day operations of XTAR, LLC, a joint venture between Loral Space & Communications, Ltd. and HISDESAT Servicios Estrategicos, S.A. that provides commercial X-band satellite services to the U.S. and Allied governments.
Prior to joining XTAR, Dr. Curtin served a total of twelve years at what was originally ORION, and later became Loral ORION and then Loral Cyberstar Broadband Systems. He was Vice President of Engineering for ORION before being promoted to Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations at Loral ORION and subsequently, in 2000, to Executive Vice President. He was responsible for the technical design of the ORION satellites, participated in the formation of the ORION partnership and was involved in all the negotiations with the partners and banks.
For more than two decades before joining ORION, Dr. Curtin held a series of progressively senior engineering and management positions at COMSAT Laboratories, COMSAT General and COMSAT, culminating in Senior Director, Satellite Engineering, responsible for all COMSAT's satellite engineering.
Dr. Curtin earned a B.S. in Physics from Iona College, and an M.S. in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from The Catholic University of America. He has published extensively in satellite technology and holds a patent on an infrared transparent solar cell.
Dr. Curtin is a Fellow in the American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA), a member of the AIAA Technical Committee on Communications Systems and a past General Chairman of the AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference. In 2006 he was named the recipient of the AIAA Aerospace Communications Award, presented for outstanding contributions in the field of aerospace communications. He is also a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and past General Chairman of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference.
Walt Davis
Product Management Director, IP-PRIME
SES AMERICOM
Walt Davis joined SES AMERICOM as Product Management Director for AMERICOM's IP-PRIME service. IP-PRIME transports IP-encapsulated H.264 video streams, both standard definition and high definition, to telcos and MSOs via satellite. Prior to AMERICOM, Walt was the product manager for Cavalier Telephone’s commercial H.264 IPTV rollout in Richmond, Virginia. He has extensive experience in developing and managing broadband fiber/xDSL products for packet-video applications in North American, European, and Asia-Pacific markets.
Mr. Davis received his bachelor's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, and his master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Allison Dollar
Co-founder and Co-chair
The Interactive TV Alliance (ITVA)
Allison is a founder and co-president of the Interactive Television Alliance, a non-profit trade association whose broad constituency is committed to accelerating iTV in the U.S. She is also a principal in 2degree Partners, a management consultancy focused on iTV, specializing in alliance packaging, cross-platform marketing and digital services integration. A longtime champion of ubiquitous interactivity, she co-founded eTV World, Hollyweb Live!, iNNOVATORS venture pitch series, and chaired NAB's Executive Committee to launch Multimedia World. Clients have included IBM's eBusiness (American Express, Bell Atlantic, Mail Boxes Etc.), AOL, SimplyTV, Web TV, WB, Creative Planet, Stan Lee Media, Vi[z]Rt (virtual sets), and Envivio (MPEG-4). For Webcasts.com she was CSO and a founding board member (IPO as iBEAM Internet Broadcasting Corp). Previously, for Phillips Business Information she led business/content development with over 30 trade publications. Titles included Interactive Video News, Interactive Marketing News, Internet Week, CableFAX, Multimedia Week, E-Commerce News, Film & Video Magazine, A/V Video magazine, Via Satellite. While Editorial Director of In Motion she created sponsor packages with Sony, SGI, PacBell, Autodesk, AOL, HBO, Kodak and Sprint. These anticipated the impact of 3D visual effects, advertainment, DBS, broadband, VOD and wireless devices. She worked with Oscar-nominee documentarian Ross Spears, CBS News, the Maryland Film Commission. A founding board member of Maryland's WIFV, she received ASAE's Golden Circle award, held advisory board positions for CINE and the US Film&Video Festival. She holds a M.A. from the University of Virginia and Phi Beta Kappa B.A. from Goucher College in Baltimore, and has been interviewed by National Public Radio, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Hot Wired, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, BizTalk1, Millimeter, Digitrends, Broadcasting & Cable and other outlets. Her book on iTV, Interactive Television: Tracking and Preparing for an Emerging Market, analyzes the historic reworking of the television business model.
David M. Drucker
Founder @Contact LLC (atContact Communications LLC)
Founder of WildBlue Communications
Co-Founder of EchoStar Satellite Corp.
David was the co-founder of EchoStar Satellite Corporation.
He is the founder of WildBlue Communications which currently operates a Ka Band direct to home Internet service in the United States.
He is also the founder and CEO of @contact Constellation which is a Ka-band NGSO Licensee in the Teledesic Band.
The company also owns and operates a spaceport that offers, inter alia, Internet connectivity via Ka, Ku and C Band to Alaska and South America from its location in Sedalia, CO.
David also owns and operates television stations throughout Alaska, Washington, and Florida.
Drucker is a lawyer and is married to Penny with whom he has two children, and lives in Evergreen, Colorado and Thorne Bay, Alaska.
Melissa Farrell
President and CEO
Stellar Solutions
Melissa Farrell is President and CEO of Stellar Solutions Aerospace, Ltd, London, where she manages company operations, and is leading the deployment and expansion of Stellar Aerospace engineering services globally for significant aerospace programmes in the government, commercial, and scientific sectors.
Prior to taking on this position at Stellar Aerospace, she was Vice President for Commercial and International programs at Stellar Solutions, Inc, in Palo Alto. After joining Stellar Solutions in 1996, she held various technical leadership positions, from lead systems engineer to programme system engineering manager, on key contracts for Stellar Solutions customers. Ms. Farrell worked for Intelsat from 1989 to 1996, holding increasingly responsible technical project management positions, including Bus Engineering Manager and Team Lead for the Intelsat VI Shuttle recovery and reboost mission. From 1985 to 1989 she was senior member of the technical staff with Hughes Aircraft Space and Communications Group, supporting international commercial projects, including Intelsat and Inmarsat, as well as various commercial and NASA study efforts.
Ms. Farrell holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, a Bachelor of Arts in Math and Physics from Whitman College, and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. She is a member of AIAA, SSPI, and CSA.
Jonathan Feldman
Senior Vice President, Strategic Development and Marketing
GlobeCast America
Jonathan Feldman is Senior Vice President, Strategic Development and Marketing at GlobeCast America, where he is responsible for leading the development of the company's strategy, and pursuing new business opportunities including partnerships, alliances, and joint ventures. A 20-year-plus industry veteran, he has held key roles in product development, technical operations, information technology, sales and customer service management with leading players in the satellite industry.
In addition to being one of the first operators of C-band transportable uplinks for broadcast in the early 1980s, he was instrumental in creating the first successful Ku-Band Satellite News Gathering (SNG) service with direct dial tone-over-satellite. This set the standard adopted by broadcasters such as ABC, CBS, and CNN, enabling the proliferation of SNGs now used worldwide in broadcast news. He also previously managed transmission services at Group W Satellite Communications for a joint venture of Westinghouse and ABC, where he was also involved in the technical launch of the first 24-hour live news channel.
Marcelino Ford-Livene
General Manager, Interactive Content, Services and Advertising Development
Intel Digital Home Group
Marcelino Ford-Livene is the General Manager of Interactive Content, Services and Advertising Development for Intel's Digital Home Group. In this capacity, he leads and manages the organization charged with not only identifying new market trends in the digital home entertainment marketplace, but also with developing new interactive advertising models and content experiences across multiple platforms as part of Intel’s global digital home entertainment initiative.
Before Intel, Ford-Livene was a senior member of the development and planning team at Gemstar - TV Guide, International. His duties include directing TV Guide’s development efforts in several key areas including interactive and on-demand programming, mobile entertainment, video search and program promotion, consumer electronics licensing and electronic program guides. Before TV Guide, Ford-Livene served as a senior official at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C. He served as Special Counsel for New Media Policy for former FCC Chairman William E. Kennard, and most recently as Senior Counsel and Director of Media Strategic Analysis for the FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis. During his tenure at the FCC, he worked on various domestic and international matters pertaining to digital television (DTV) and ancillary services, media ownership, advertising, broadband content and applications, and interactive programming. He was also a member of the FCC’s DTV task force and media ownership working group. Ford-Livene has also held other positions such as Vice President at NetNoir Online, Director of Business Development for iBlast, and as an Associate at the law firm of Hill, Farrer & Burrill.
In 2005, Ford-Livene was elected to the Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the organization which awards the prestigious Primetime Emmy for outstanding achievement in primetime television production. He also sits on the Executive Committee the Television Academy and is a co-Governor of its Interactive Media Peer Group. He is also the the Division Chairman of the Interactive Media and New Technologies Division for the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries. He is also a member of The New Leaders Organization, a non-profit devoted to mentoring and developing leadership ability in youth residing in the underserved communities of greater metropolitan Los Angeles. He holds J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Illinois and a B.A. in Economics from UC San Diego. He is a native of California and resides in the Los Angeles area.
Arnold Friedman
Vice President - Loral Space & Communications
Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Sales - Space Systems/Loral
Arnold Friedman is senior vice president of marketing and sales at Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) and vice president of parent company, Loral Space & Communications. He is responsible for all of SS/L's commercial sales and marketing activity around the globe, including activity in more than 25 countries in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
At SS/L, Mr. Friedman has pioneered new satellite applications sales in digital radio, broadband Internet, local television and next generation mobile phone systems and under his direction the company has established itself as the world’s leading provider of high-power commercial satellites.
Friedman rejoined SS/L in 2002 after a two-year hiatus as president of an international company formed to provide new satellite-based consumer television and telecommunications services.
Prior to that, Mr. Friedman was vice president, ventures, for SS/L from 1996 to 2000. In that role he directed sales campaigns to established and start-up companies, and evaluated the potential of new technologies and investments.
Harry Gatanas
Executive Vice President – Strategic Programs Group
SI International
Harry Gatanas joins SI International with strong leadership, acquisition, and contracting experience at multiple military and private organizations. As Executive Vice President of the strategic Programs Group, Mr. Gatanas oversees a significant portion of SI International’s business with the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. His group focuses on delivering mission-critical solutions to existing and new clients in the areas of systems engineering, net-centric architectures, program management and acquisition support, military satellite communications, command and control systems, telecommunications and network services, information operations, and logistics. Prior to joining SI International, Mr. Gatanas was Senior Acquisition Executive for the National Security Agency. Previously, Mr. Gatanas served as President and CEO of MFN Global Services, a fiber optic telecommunications provider. Gatanas is a retired U.S. Army general with over 30 years experience in the military and intelligence community, including a stint as Commanding General of the US Army White Sands Missile Range.
Andreas Georghiou
CEO
Spacenet
Andreas Georghiou is currently the CEO of Spacenet, Inc., a McLean, VA based company providing satellite and hybrid communications solutions to businesses, government agencies and consumers in North America and around the world.
Prior to Spacenet, Andreas was the Chief Commercial Officer for SES Americom, and served on Americom’s management committee for several years. In that position he had oversight for all sales operations including media, enterprise, and government sectors.
He also served as President and CEO of Americom Asia Pacific, an SES subsidiary which originally started as a joint venture with Lockheed Martin; President of Worldsat, another SES subsidiary holding the international satellite assets of SES Americom; and Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing.
Before that, Andreas was Senior Vice President for Global Satellite Services under GE Americom. While in that position, he also served as an officer of GE Capital, the parent of GE Americom.
He started his career at the RCA David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, NJ. From there, he went on to hold positions in Finance, Strategic Planning, IT, and Business Development.
While at Americom as its Commercial leader, Andreas led the company into consistent double digit growth over a period of eight years.
He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied under a Fulbright scholarship. In addition, he holds a graduate degree from the Wharton School.
Joan K. Grewe
Director, DHS Services
TerreStar Networks
Ms. Grewe manages TerreStar's line of business serving Federal Government, focusing on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Ms. Grewe previously served as a Senior Analyst and Program Manager at National Security Research and was in charge of the National Communications System program. She has served as the MCI/Worldcom National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) Liaison to the DHS in the National Coordinating Center (NCC) for Telecommunications. In this role she coordinated policy and response to NS/EP requirements for cyber, natural disaster and other national emergency threats and events. She also advised DHS on issues of government-industry policy, information sharing and collaboration with regard to securing the nation's infrastructure.
Ms. Grewe is a retired officer in the US Army and served on the Joint Staff J-6 under Colin Powell, deputy chief of Staff for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and was Battalion Commander for the initial NATO Headquarters in Bosinia providing theater level communication support. She also served two tours of duty in Europe supporting NATO organizations.
Ms. Grewe received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago and a Masters of Business Administration from Wesleyan University in Indiana.
David Gross
Chief Executive Officer
RaySat Antenna Systems
David Gross has 40 years of experience creating and working with various high technology companies specializing in government programs. David Gross comes from a successful stint as the Founder, President and CEO at Cryptek, Inc. a private government-focused network security company. Before that, Mr. Gross co-founded DRS Inc. and served as its President for 25 years. DRS is a diversified defense electronics firm with annual revenues of approximately $3 Billion. Mr. Gross holds a BSEE from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY and a MSEE from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute.
Alan A. Guggenheim
President and Chief Executive Officer
OpenTV
Alan A.Guggenheim is President and Chief Executive Officer of OpenTV and a Member of the Board of Directors.
Before joining OpenTV in January 2007, Guggenheim was Chief Executive Officer of NagraStar LLC, a company owned equally by Kudelski Group and EchoStar. He also served as Executive Vice President and Executive Board Member of the Kudelski Group and Chairman of NagraUSA, Inc. Prior, Guggenheim was a board member of SUCMANU in Paris and a founding member of the Board of the Pacific State Bank in Stockton, California. As Founder, Chairman, and CEO of San Joaquin Software Systems (then CIS), he represented and developed activities in the U.S. for both Nagravision and the Dassault Group. Previously, Guggenheim served as an engineer for Société Routière Colas in Paris, as Executive Director of the Conseil Régional du Patronat de la Guadeloupe (local representative of the CNPF and the CGPME), and as a member of the board of several French organizations including Social Security, Retirement, and Unemployment Compensation.
Guggenheim is an engineering graduate from the ESTP (France) and a graduate of the French Command and General Staff Reserve College
David Hartshorn
Secretary General
GVF
David Hartshorn is Secretary General of the Global VSAT Forum, the Londonbased non-profit international association of the VSAT industry. The Global VSAT Forum consists of more than 100 members from every major region of the world and from every sector of the industry, including satellite operators, manufacturers, system integrators, and other service providers.
Mr. Hartshorn leads the Forum's efforts to facilitate the provision of VSAT-based communications solutions throughout all nations. In particular, Mr. Hartshorn works closely to support national-, regional- and global-level policy makers as they formulate state-of-the-art satellite regulatory frameworks.
He is also responsible for creating greater awareness of the commercial, economic, political and technological advantages that VSAT-based communications provide.
Mr. Hartshorn currently serves as a Member of the Satellite Action Plan-Regulatory Working Group, the Brussels based satellite-industry group that provides inputs to the European Commission; and he is on the Board of Directors of the Society of Satellite Professionals International, and is President of its UK Chapter.
Mr. Hartshorn has worked in the satellite communications industry for 12 years, serving in sales, business development, publishing, and association offices based in North and Southeast Asia, North America and Western Europe.
He has been published in hundreds of editions of magazines and newsletters, and has spoken and chaired at conferences and seminars in every major region of the world.
Gary Hatch
CEO
ATCi
Mr. Hatch has served as President and CEO of ATCi and its predecessor company ATC, a satellite-engineering firm, from 1986 to the present. In 1997 he negotiated a buyout and became The Company's principal shareholder prior to a recent multi- million-dollar equity investment he brought into ATCi. He has been retained as a consultant and resource for worldwide satellite industry and related entertainment media related public and private offerings, strategic advisory assignments and advice on mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Mr. Hatch serves on the board of EastSat (an Asian satellite direct-to-home entertainment network) and Intersect, a Brazilian multi media company.
Mr. Hatch served as a sales engineer and international executive for Motorola an electronics company and Telecommunications, Inc. (TCI) the largest entertainment company in the world. He is a recognized industry leader in satellite communications. He has extensive experience in satellite communications, cable television, wireless broadband, telephone, Internet, and the broadcast entertainment industries. Mr. Hatch has vast experience in the international multimedia entertainment markets. He fluently speaks both Spanish and Portuguese. He has been involved throughout his career in domestic and international satellite digital television, voice, Internet and data communications projects. Mr. Hatch is a member the Enterprise Private Equity Group, the Society of Broadcast Engineers, the Society Satellite Professionals, the Society of Cable TV Engineers and the IEEE.
Edward D. Horowitz
President and Chief Executive Officer
SES Americom
Edward D. Horowitz is President and CEO of SES AMERICOM, a market-leading satellite operator, and a member of the Executive Committee of its parent company, SES. Prior to SES, Mr. Horowitz founded EdsLink LLC a venture fund providing strategic financial, operations, and technology consulting services to financial services and cable industry.
Before establishing EdsLink LLC, Mr. Horowitz was Executive Vice President for Advanced Development of Citigroup and Founder, Chairman and CEO of e-Citi. In addition he served as a member of the Management and Investment Committees of Citigroup. Formerly, Mr. Horowitz was Senior Vice President, Viacom Inc., and a member of the Viacom Executive Committee and, prior to Viacom, Mr. Horowitz held various senior management positions at Home Box Office (HBO), a subsidiary of Time Warner and was a founder of Suburban Cable. Mr. Horowitz holds a B.S. in Physics from the City College of New York and an M.B.A. from Columbia University.
Mr. Horowitz also serves on advisory boards and as a Director of a number of companies, including EaglePicher, The Tennis Channel, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University, the New York Hall of Science and the March of Dimes.
Pravin Jain, Ph.D.
Vice President and Chief Scientist
LinQuest Corporation
Dr. Jain is the Vice President and Chief Scientist of LinQuest Corporation.
Dr. Jain was the DISA's senior focal point for all space related activities and interface with national and international space organizations. His responsibilities included providing direction and coordination for groups involved in: DSCS system planning and operations; planning and lease of Commercial satellite systems; system engineering of UHF, SHF, and EHF MILSATCOM systems; and architectural planning of future military systems. He has represented DoD and DISA at NATO and international scientific/technical meetings, conferences, and symposia on military satellite communications.
Dr. Jain has a distinguished academic background with over 40 years of experience in military satellite communications engineering and design. Since joining DISA in 1974, he has been actively involved in the architecture and development of DoD military satellite communications systems such as AFSAT, TACSAT, FLTSAT, LEASAT, DSCS I, II and III, the Ultra High Frequency Follow-on (UFO), and Milstar. He is currently involved in the design and development of the Advanced EHF System, and the planning of DoD.
Dr. Jain received BSEE (1958), MSEE (1960), and Ph.D (1963) in Electrical Engineering from University of Stuttgart, Germany. Prior to his present position, he served as the Chief Scientist of the Military SATCOM Office, and Technical Advisor for Space Operations. He is author of over 30 technical papers in professional journals/conference proceedings. He is a recipient of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronic Association.
Patrick M. Kern
Senior Systems Engineer, Net Centric Initiatives
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Networks & Information Integration
Mr. Kern is the NII Net Centric Systems Engineer leading the integration of transformational programs for OSD/NII. He is responsible for end-to-end system engineering for the Global Information Grid (GIG). As the Senior System Engineer for net centric initiatives, Mr. Kern will:
- Establish and manage the end-to-end systems engineering function across GIG programs,
- Evaluate program satisfaction of established net centric criteria, and
- Support the Services and Agencies as they develop and deploy GIG initiatives.
Prior to joining NII, Mr. Kern held business development leadership positions for the next generation military communication systems at Boeing Space Systems and Lockheed Martin. From 1994 to 2004, he led the initial development of DoD, International SATCOM programs, and integrated telecommunications architecture analysis for both military and commercial SATCOM, end-to-end Network Operations and related classified new business initiatives. He was responsible for strategy, technology investments and direct support to senior DoD leadership. During this period, Mr. Kern established and led a data collection and traffic model development initiative in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This data and analysis formed the basis for initial net centric decisions on the nature and size of the Transformational Satellite communications program.
After serving twenty five years in the USAF, Mr. Kern retired as a Colonel in 1994. In that capacity, he served as:
- Program manager for solid rocket motor programs in the Minuteman System Program Office,
- Lead systems engineer in space operations in the NORAD, Cheyenne Mountain Complex,
- Program director; director of operations / engineering at a major ground station; and on the staff of the National Reconnaissance Office; and
- Director of the Milsatcom Systems Office at the Defense Information Systems Agency.
Mr. Kern earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1969 and a Master of Business Administration in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado in 1976. He attended Air Command & Staff College at Maxwell AFB and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University.
Alan Kittson
Vice President of Government Services Sales
Spacenet Inc.
Alan Kittson oversees the strategic direction and sales efforts of Spacenet's expanded government services unit, providing satellite network solutions for federal, state and local government markets in the United States.
Kittson has more than 18 years of experience in the government sector. Prior to joining Spacenet, he held a range of sales management and executive positions, including: Vice President and General Manager for Compressus Inc.; Vice President of Sales for Kasten Chase Applied Research; and Regional Manager for Signatel Ltd. Kittson earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
Leslie Klein, Ph.D.
President and CEO
C-COM Satellite Systems Inc.
In 1997, I have made a decision to invest with a couple of people into an idea, which was an idea on paper only. We decided to develop a solution that would allow delivery of high-speed internet services into vehicles over satellite.
We believed that 2 way satellite technology (VSAT) for delivery of high speed Internet services into vehicles could become a reality within years. The pervasiveness of the Internet was such that we knew that seven or ten years down the road the Internet would have the same impact on people and organizations as the cell phone business had twenty years ago and that users of Internet services would want it available in locations where no terrestrial infrastructure existed.
C-COM was founded by me and 2 other engineers in 1997. I am an electrical (professional) engineer with an MBA and a PhD. I have worked for some notable corporations in the past such as Hewlett Packard (NYSE: HPQ), IBM (NYSE: IBM), Control Data Corporation, and Bell Northern Research, which is now part of Nortel Networks. I have personally been involved in the technology business over the past 34 years and have been a founder of a number of successful computer companies. One of the companies that I still retain majority ownership in is in the Hewlett-Packard third party computer maintenance business and has been in operation for the past 27 years.
In 1999, before the advent of low cost 2 way high speed satellite Internet services we demonstrated our fully mobile two-way high-speed Internet capability, using DBS antennas designed to deliver one way satellite television. Not having available a low cost return link satellite capability; we used cell and satellite phones. While the solution worked and we were able to demonstrate full Internet access while driving down the road at 60 miles per hour, the costs and speeds of the DBS satellite and cell phones were not a viable solution.
We knew that in order for this technology to become a sellable commodity we needed to team up with a service provider offering low cost 2 way high speed satellite based Internet services and that it would be only a matter of time before these companies materialized.
In 2000, C-COM went public on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSXV: CMI) and raised some additional funds which allowed us to finish the development process of our iNetVu mobile antenna system. In parallel, Hughes Network Systems, Inc. (HNS), now called HughesNet announced one of the first consumer based high-speed two-way satellite based Internet service, which provided us the opportunity to become a Value Added reseller of HNS and work hand in hand with them to adapt our design to their service offering. In 2001 C-COM launched the first HNS based two-way high speed Internet service in Canada.
In May of 2003 our first iNetVu Mobile systems started shipping worldwide to Hughes based customers. Four years later the same systems are now sold worldwide to many satellite operators, their resellers, government agencies, emergency and police forces, the military as well as oil, gas an exploration companies just to name a few. Today, the iNetVu Mobile antenna platforms support over 10 different satellite modems and our controllers also support DVB-S and DVB-S2. C-COM is continuing to develop new and improved mobile solutions that allow high-speed two-way satellite based internet delivery into vehicles and transportable structures practically anywhere in the world, using virtually any provider’s modems and services. C-COM has close to 1,500 fixed subscribers generating recurring revenues covering North America and over 1000 mobile iNetVu systems are deployed worldwide in many different applications and the installed base of these units is increasing rapidly.
Dr. Marv Langston
Principal
Langston Associates
Combining 34 years of public service and six years of private sector service, Marv brings a broad background to his customers, where he provides consulting services for leadership, enterprise architecture and engineering, project management, and organizational strategy.
In private industry, Marv has served as the COO of a small high-tech start-up, CTO of a large business practice, led large corporation IT transformation, initiated account management practices to unify customer trust relationships, and helped rebuild troubled system development programs.
In government Marv began as an Enlisted Nuclear Submarine technician in 1966 and retired as a Combat Systems Engineering Duty Officer in 1988. He then joined JHU Applied Physics Lab supporting Navy and Missile Defense. In 1994 Marv rejoined government and served as the DASN C4I, Navy's first CIO, DARPA Information Systems Director, and finally as the DoD Deputy CIO, where he successfully initiated the GIG, started the PKI CAC card, and led the Defense Department through the Y2K transformation. In these positions, he spearheaded the measured reform necessary to enhance both mission and business processes and earned the Government Computer Week magazine Executive of the Year award in 1999.
Marv's technical background began as a Navy technician maintaining nuclear power, communication, radar, and data systems. His education includes BSEE (Electronic Engineering) Purdue, 1973; MSEE (Electronic Engineering) Naval Post Graduate School, 1978; Program Management Course DSMC, 1981; MPA (Public Administration) USC, 1993; and DPA (Public Administration) USC 1994.
William F. LaShell
Vice President, Government Services
AMERICOM Government Services
Most recently Vice President of Government Systems for Verestar, Mr. LaShell specializes in sales and services to the U.S. Department of Defense. Prior to joining Verestar in 1999, he was co-founder of Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inc. (MTN), established in 1991. Mr. LaShell was a co-founder of Crescomm Transmission Services in 1983, and served as Executive Vice President. Mr. LaShell also held positions as a Managing Partner of Energy Unlimited, an oil and gas exploration investment company, and KayLorr Assoc., a real-estate investment company.
David J. Leonard
Chief Executive Officer
WildBlue
Mr. Leonard brings more than 25 years experience in media and telecommunications to WildBlue. Most recently, Leonard had worked with Liberty Global (LGI, formerly Liberty Media International) overseeing operations in Argentina, Chile and Puerto Rico. Prior to LGI, Leonard was founder and CEO at VeloCom Inc. which established the largest competitive local exchange carrier in Latin America. He has served as either CEO or Board Member of several foreign and domestic entities including VTR (Chile); Cablevision (Argentina); Metrocall Wireless (USA); United International Holdings; Kabelvision (Sweden), and United Cable of Colorado (a subsidiary of United Cable Television Corporation). Leonard was named Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2000. Mr. Leonard is married to Clare Soderberg, PhD., and they have 3 sons, Aidan, Ian and Colin.
Stuart T. Linsky
Vice President, Satellite Communications
Northrop Grumman Space Technology
Stuart T. Linsky is vice president of Satellite Communications, Northrop Grumman Space Technology. Mr. Linsky has broad responsibility for Space Technology’s Satellite Communications business including strategy development, new business capture and sustainment, management and allocation of resources, customer relations, external communications andmanagement of programs. In this position, he is responsible for satellite communications new business development for civil, commercial, DoD and intelligence community customers and programs.
Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Linsky was the program manager of Transformational Communications Systems. In this role, he was responsible for managing all the transformational communications programs at Northrop Grumman Space Technology, including TSAT, ORCA and Lasercom.
Previously, Mr. Linsky was director of Satcom Systems, which developed and produced communication systems and equipment for satellite and terrestrial applications. Prior to that, he was the chief engineer and deputy program manager for the Astrolink Program, responsible for system definition through payload flight model development and test. Earlier assignments have included Advanced Systems manager for the commercial Ka-band satellite ventures, and Systems Engineering manager for Milstar MDR.
Mr. Linsky earned a bachelor's and degree in engineering from Northeastern University and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. He also earned a master’s degree in business administration at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu and Beta Gamma Sigma. Mr. Linsky received the 1999 and 2003 Distinguished Patent Award, the 2001 CEO Leadership Award, and the 2001 Chairman's Award of Innovation.
Mr. Linsky resides in Los Angeles, CA.
Ian Locke
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
Envivio
Ian Locke is the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Envivio and is responsible for creating and supporting new business. In particular, he is developing opportunities for IP Television residential video services.
Prior to Envivio, Mr. Locke was the Director of Market Development for Minerva Networks where he developed the iTVManager IP Television middleware and sold MPEG-2 systems to Telcos and Utility companies around the world. Prior to this, Mr. Locke was an entrepreneur with Axon Technology Pty. Ltd. Consulting and marketing for 12 years in digital video production, multimedia production, video conferencing and network design and implementation.
Mr. Locke is a frequent video and technology speaker in government and tertiary institutions. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Medical Science from Sydney University.
William A. Maheu
Executive Assistant Chief of Police
San Diego Police Department
Executive Assistant Chief of Police Bill Maheu graduated from the University of San Diego in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He has been a member of the police department for 26 years. During his tenure with the department Bill has had many assignments including Commanding Officer of Field Operations/Special Resources, Executive Lieutenant of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Special Projects/Long Range Planning Lieutenant and Narcotics Sergeant. He has also directed several major projects including the 2003 Super Bowl, the Republican National Convention, the Presidential Debate, the development of the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team and the development of the Homeless Outreach Team. Bill is currently in charge of the department’s day-to-day operations, its 360 million dollar budget, the Professional Standards Section, Intelligence Section, Interoperable Communications and Information Technologies.
Bill and his wife Jane have been married for 25 years and live in Rancho Penasquitos with their three children, Michael (23) Brigitte (20) and John (17). They enjoy snow skiing, the beach and youth athletics.
Andrea Maleter
Technical Director
Futron Corp.
Ms. Andrea Maleter has over 25 years experience in global satellite and telecommunications industry sales, marketing, regulatory and policy management. She has provided regulatory, policy and marketing advice to governments and telecommunications companies and governments worldwide on areas including strategies for new technology implementation; telecommunications sector policy and privatization. She has participated in the development of global telecommunications satellite markets and the planning and procurement of new satellite systems. Prior to joining Futron, she was a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and before that held management positions in sales, marketing, strategic planning and regulatory policy at INTELSAT and COMSAT.
Robert Emmett Maskell
Space Systems Architect, Global Government Solutions Group
Cisco Systems
Bob Maskell graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering and from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1979 with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. He served 20 years on active duty as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer, retiring in 1993 as a Commander. He commanded the USS CONOLLY during Operation Desert Storm and served in a variety of Military Satellite Communications staff assignmenrs ashore.
Following retirement, Bob started R.E.M. Tech, an information technology consulting service firm located in Leesburg, Virginia. In 1997, he established the Information Technology Division of Rocking RK Ranch, Inc. to continue the consulting services provided by R.E.M. Tech. From 1996 to 2001, those services included serving as the Project Manager for the Navy Interim Polar EHF Project. In May 2001, Mr. Maskell joined Spectrum Astro, Inc. of Gilbert, Arizona as Program Manager, Military Satellite Communications Programs. In that position, he managed the Spectrum Astro team working on the U.S. Government Transformational Communications Architecture. He joined Cisco Systems, Inc. in August, 2003 as a Space Systems Architect and is responsible for development of network architectures that merge space and ground systems seamlessly.
Bob lives in Maricopa, Arizona with his wife, Kathy, where they raise American Paint Horses. They are co-owners of Rocking RK Performance Horses. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA); the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA); the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA); the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE); the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA); the American Paint Horse Association (APHA); and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA). He is the President of the Arizona Paint Horse Club.