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Profile
Executive Team
Advisory Board
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Ruth Alon
Ruth Alon is a seasoned veteran of the Israeli and international high-tech markets. Ruth is the former Founder, President and CEO of NetVision, the largest provider of internet and Internet-based services & applications in Israel. Previously, Ruth held various management & engineering position for Memorex and Unisys in Silicon Valley, accumulating valuable experience in design automation and computer systems. Ruth is a Member of the Board of Directors of the "Technion - Israel Institute of Technology", as well as Member of the Technion's Executive & Academic Development Committees. She received her B.Sc. in Computer Science (cum laude) and M.Sc Industrial Management (cum laude) from the Technion Institute of Technology in Israel.

David Carr
David Carr is an expert on voice, data and video infrastructures. David is currently the Director, Telecommunications and Network Services as well as Professor, Telecommunications and Networks at Northwestern University. At his position, David is responsible for day-to-day operational management of Northwestern University's network of over 20,000 users. David manages a total staff of 50 including a Network Services group, Network Analysts, Network Security Officer as well as having Field Operations management, Switching Center Management, and Call Center Management report directly to his position. Previously, David was a Network Consultant at UB Networks and was the Manager, Communications System Engineering at the University of Buffalo, Computing Center.

Sean Deson
Sean Deson is the founder and managing director of Deson Ventures and Deson & Co., where he is responsible for identifying new venture capital and investment banking opportunities. Sean was previously a Senior Vice President of the technology investment banking practice at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (now Credit Suisse First Boston). During his 10 years at DLJ, Sean managed all aspects of transactions and was responsible for closing approximately 100 deals including private equity, private placements, public offerings, and M&A engagements. Mr. Deson received his MBA in Finance and a BS in Computer Technology and Management from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and currently sits on the Board of Directors of a number of private and public technology companies.

Joe Gorelick
Joseph Gorelick is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of experience in the international wireless telecommunications, internet and aerospace fields.  Joe has held executive general management, marketing and business development positions with a number of Fortune 100 companies, including Ericsson, where he was responsible for the development and management of the company’s global mobile internet applications in the areas of multimedia, entertainment and mobile commerce. Joe helped establish Ericsson as the premiere world leader in multimedia messaging with a 70% global market share.  In addition to his work in the mobile space, Joe has led the development and deployment of advanced simulation, training and mission planning technologies used by the United States, NATO, friendly governments and prime contractors around the world. As a corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Systems division of the publicly traded Comptek Research, which has since been acquired by Northrop Grumman, Joe was instrumental in securing the global leadership position of these technologies while substantially increasing exports and more than doubling revenues. Joe has also successfully started up an internet company in the area of on-line recruiting and business solutions and continues to offer business and advisory services to investment banking/VC firms and their clients. Joe holds a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of New York, and a Bachelors from the City University of New York in conjunction with Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Allan Grafman
Allan Grafman has been involved in leading content, media and communications companies for 30 years. He began his media career as both an on air announcer and ad sales representative for KSHE Radio/Century Broadcasting in St. Louis. Allan was recruited by Capital Cities Communications to develop their broadband cable television properties in Chicago, where he served as VP/General Manger from 1980-1983. From 1983 through 1996 Grafman was at Tribune Company, where he initially joined Tribune Entertainment Company, the program development, production and distribution arm of Tribune Broadcasting. At Tribune Entertainment as VP he led all financial and business development roles as the company grew from $2 million in revenue to nearly $150 million in five years. Allan rose to Managing Director of the parent Tribune Company. He came to New York to serve as EVP and CFO of Hallmark Entertainment (content and entertainment). Most recently he has served as President of AllMedia Ventures (private equity business development), Modelwire (digital content) and Archie Comics Entertainment (intellectual property licensing). He received his BA from Indiana University (Phi Beta Kappa in Literature) his Master of International Affairs from Columbia University (International Fellow) and his MBA from Columbia University (Beta Gamma Sigma in Finance).

Jeffrey Pendergraft
Jeff Pendergraft is the former Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of Lyondell Chemical Company. While at Lyondell, Jeff directed the transition from a $3 billion regional, single product company to a $12 billion global, multi-product concern. His 28-year career spans all facets of the oil and gas industry, including drilling and production, mining, transportation, refining and petrochemicals. Jeff was responsible for successfully completing $7 billion acquisition and merger as well as numerous other acquisitions, joint ventures and financings. He has substantial experience in IPO's (successfully leading the then largest IPO of a public industrial company), financing, venture formation, strategic transactions, and project management. Jeff has held various Board positions, including Chairman of the Board of Lyondell-Citgo Refining. He received his law degree with honors from Stanford Law School.

Arthur (Art) Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Arthur Rosenthal has served for over 3 years as a senior research and product development executive for several large multinational medical technology companies. He is considered one of the leading experts in medical technology translation, entrepreneurial development and management processes, having directed the commercialization of hundreds of novel medical products. Most recently, Arthur was SVP Chief Scientific Officer at Boston Scientific before retiring in 2005 after 11 years of service. Prior to Boston Scientific, he was VP of R&D at Johnson Johnson Medical Products in charge of worldwide research, development, regulatory and clinical affairs. From 1982 to 1991, Arthur worked for the Davol Inc. division of CR Bard, first as VP of R&D and then VP specialty access in charge of business operations. In the preceding eight years, he held various research and development positions with companies including Kendall, Clinipad, 3M Medical, Howmedica and Pfizer.  Arthur is adjunct professor of translational biomedical engineering at Boston University. He also serves as Chairman and CEO of Labcoat Ltd., Board Member of Cyberonics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYBX), Board Member of Renovo Ltd. and Venture Advisor to Advent International one of the world’s leading private equity firms with over $10 Billion under management. Arthur received a BA in Bacteriology and Chemistry from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts. He conducted Postdoctoral research at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (NY Downstate Medical Center) in Clinical Enzymology.

Gerald Shanholt, Ph.D.
Gerry Shanholt has a diverse 30 year telecom & networking background successfully contributed to research and development, marketing, sales and P&L management. Gerry began his career at Bell Laboratories, where he designed software for switching systems and operational support systems. Gerry was recruited to work for ITT Corporation (a multi-national $5B telecom equipment provider), where he focused and refined ITT's digital loop carrier and digital switching systems. Gerry was then hired by Fujitsu America, a subsidiary of Fujitsu, Ltd., to start their US network switching business. Within three years under his leadership, the business unit grew to over 120 people and introduced the world's first working ATM switch. Gerry also held senior executive positions at NEC America, a $900 million supplier of communication products for both public and enterprise networks, where he introduced leading edge data switching systems and software for rapid feature introduction and network management. Gerry has also acted as President and Chief Executive Officer at a number of venture-backed firms, brought in by Board of Directors to generate business growth and drive shareholder value. Gerry studied at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn where he received his BS, Applied Mathematics with a minor in Electrical Engineering and Ph.D., Mathematics.


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