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Steven Francesco - Chairman, CEO and President
Steven T Francesco was recruited in early 2003 as China to Net's acting-CEO of US Operations, as well as elected as a member of the board of directors. China2Net (C2N) had spent the past three years developing a national digital wireless project in China. C2N is in the final stage of formation of the joint venture (JV) process with the China Satellite Communications Group, which is one of six licensed China-based telecommunications providers. This JV will subsequently become the recipient of a nationwide wireless operating license in support of existing government mandated and commercial users.
In April 1999, Mr. Francesco joined Netrix Corporation as its Chairman and CEO to refocus the Company toward providing end-to-end packetized voice/data telecommunications solutions, as well as facilitated the strategic merger with OpenRoute and acquisition of Aetherworks. The resulting company, re-named Nx Networks, offered a comprehensive suite of secure voice communications over Internet Protocol and has partnered with industry leaders, such as Motorola, Siemens, and Alcatel. Mr. Francesco provided overall strategic direction and positioned Nx Networks as an industry leader in the Internet-based voice communications market. During his tenure the Company's value had risen from $18 million to its peak of $1.32 billion.
In support of a super-regional CLEC, Mr. Francesco served as a member of Net2000's Board of Directors. In addition, he was Chairman of iBrite's Advisory Board, as well as a member of its Board of Directors, a privately held firm specializing in enabling technology for handheld devices.
Prior to joining the NX Networks, Mr. Francesco launched SmartServ Online, Inc. serving as its President and Chief Operating Officer, where he was responsible for business and product development, as well as its marketing strategy of the firm's services. The Company's focus was on the delivery of real-time critical information and transaction-based services to the financial community via various devices e.g. screen phones and web-accessed services.
From 1989 to 1991, Mr. Francesco held the position of Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Operations for a division of Cantor-Fitzgerald Securities. This unit offered processing services to major brokerage and lending institutions, including clearance and settlement for mortgage-backed securities and derivative products.
Elliot Stein - Director
Elliot Stein is an executive/investor in privately-owned business' in various fields. He is Chairman of Caribbean International News Corporation, the owner of El Vocero de Puerto Rico, a large circulation daily Spanish language newspaper besed in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is also a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors of Cloud LLC and VTG Holdings, Inc., manufacturers of machinery, cable and wire products. He was formerly a director of PlayPower, Inc., a manufacturer of playground equipment. PlayPower was sold in 2002. Additionally, Mr. Stein was a general partner of Television Station Partners, a partnership, which owned and operated four television stations and a director of several other privately-owned companies. He is a Managing Director of Commonwealth Capital Partners, a private equity fund which invested in various companies. Mr. Stein was formerly a director of the Alliance Technology Fund. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the New School University and the Claremont Graduate University.
Bob Johnston - Director
Bob Johnston is president and founder of the Executive Council of New York. He also co-founded the Massachusetts eCommerce Association (Mass eComm) in 1997. Prior to this, Bob was director of market development at Course Technology, a Thompson Publishing Company. He was also director of marketing at Logal Software (NASDAQ: LOGLF), a pioneer in Web-based science and math simulations for the education marketplace. Prior to this, Bob worked at Apple Computer for five years, holding sales and marketing roles in Apple¹s K-12 Education Division in Austin, TX and Boston, MA.
Bob earned his B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and holds a J.D. from Suffolk Law School, with a focus on high-technology law. He has been quoted in The New York Times, Newsday, Internet World Magazine, and the San Jose Mercury News, among others. His work in the business association arena will be featured in an upcoming book being published by John Wiley & Sons.
Bob serves on the leadership group of the Institute for Electronic Enterprise at the University of Massachusetts (IEE); is an advisor to the Business Council for the United Nations (BCUN); a director of the New York State Software Network (NYSSNET); and is co-chair of Friends of Belfast NY chapter. Friends of Belfast is a non-profit organization devoted to fostering business relations between Northern Ireland and the US. He was also named a finalist for the Harvard Business School 2003 Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Andy Russin - Director
Andy Russin is Founder and Managing Director of JR Marketing LLC (JR). Mr. Russin's main charter is to provide consulting and marketing services to hedge funds, fund-of-funds and private equity funds. Clients have included Gladiator Funds, Verity Investment Partners, Landmark Capital, Paladin Homeland Security Fund, Gartemore Riverview International Group.
Prior to that Mr. Russin was engaged in the private practice of law. He developed 2 joint ventures :(1) provided money management services to the credit union industry, (2) the other entered into an agreement to purchase majority interest in a firm securitizing multi-family mortgages. In addition, he has served in the "Office of the Chairman" of Patrick Media Group involved in the acquisition and disposition of outdoor advertising companies, Executive Vice President of Eccelston Properties and on the Tax Staff of Andersen and Co.
In 2002, Mr. Russin served on the steering committee forming the Mid Atlantic Hedge Fund Association (www.mahfa.org). In 2003, he served as its first president of MAHFA and initiated the first" Outlook for Hedge Funds Conference" (March 2003). He holds a B.S from the University of Scranton and a JD and LLM From Temple University School of Law and has had several articles published on alternative asset products.
Anthony Lacavera - Director
Anthony Lacavera co-founded Canopco, Inc. in February 1998, which became a leader in both competitive telecom-technology and operator-services for the hospitality industry. Mr. Lacavera initially served as Chief Technology Officer, moving into the position of President and CEO in fall of 1999. The company was ranked 5th in Profit Magazine's list of "Canada's Hottest Start-ups" in 2001. In addition to Canopco's services, Mr. Lacavera launched InterClear, a billing and collection service in January 2000. In January of 2002 he launched his third product, Assemble Conferencing and in July of 2002 he added Attaché Long Distance Calling Card Services.
In order to house all four services, Canopco was re-launched in January 2003 as Globalive Communications Inc. Canopco then became one of the five products provided under the Globalive umbrella. In June of 2003, Globalive launched its fifth product, Lucky Call, a dial-around long distance service. Mr. Lacavera maintains his position as President and CEO of Globalive Communications Inc. Globalive provides leading edge telecom solutions to niche markets. Globalive develops innovative applications and delivers first-rate services to clients internationally. Globalive specializes in hospitality operator services, audio and web conferencing, traveler-oriented telecom services, billing and clearing of call records, and low-cost long distance calling.
Lacavera also co-founded eNunciate Conferencing in August 2001, where he currently serves as Non-Executive Chairman. The company provides audio and web conferencing services, with a focus on the Canadian general business market. eNunciate's rapid growth trajectory has driven the company to profitability after just five months in operation. In February 2002, Lacavera partnered with industry leaders to form a new conferencing service provider called JoinTheCall. Focusing on the U.S. marketplace, JoinTheCall began operations in April 2002.
In June 2003, Mr. Lacavera launched Freefone - an advertising-driven courtesy phone - in conjunction with industry partners and Globalive. Mr. Lacavera currently serves as non-executive chairman of Freefone. In addition to his businesses, Lacavera works with the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on developing industry standards and business processes related to newly emerging, competitive telecom-markets in Canada.
He has been a member of the Young President's Organization (YPO) since November 1999 and is also active in promoting business education at the high school and university levels through workshops and seminars. He holds a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto, where he graduated with Honours Standing in 1997. At age 28, Mr. Lacavera's innovation and commitment to positioning Globalive as an industry leader earned him recognition as a Finalist for Ontario's Entrepreneur of the Year 2002.
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