Contract engineering and consulting services for wireless,
satellite and networked communications

Mark Thomas Rafter
12002 Lakeshore South
Auburn, CA 95602
530.268.0698; mark@neognosis.com

DESIRED POSITION

• Business development or program management role focusing on the networked communications component of C4I systems and applications.

CAPABILITIES SUMMARY

         24 years experience in satellite and network communication systems engineering and related organizational and
         program management.

         Extensive satellite systems proposal participation and technical leadership including MUOS, PanAmSat, CyberStar
         and MILSTAR programs.

         Previous engineering accomplishments include complex system architecture development and integration, commercial
          product development, software application development, subsystem specification and design, network design and
          analysis, protocol design and implementation.

         Broad business development experience including market/competitive analysis, customer requirements definition,
         RFP and proposal authoring, requirements traceability analysis, etc.

         Primary industry experience includes satellite and terrestrial wireless services and infrastructure, broadband and
         telephony data networks, telecom test equipment and Cable TV/HFC networks.

         Technology background includes a wide array of commercial networking and telephony standards; various cellular
          protocols, including GSM and 3G standards; satellite systems and services.

         Experienced in consultant, start-up, small and large company roles for both DoD and commercial companies/
         programs; excellent communication skills, including verbal, written and presentation.

         Additional strengths include: ability to focus and apply many moving parts into a coherent result; inclusive
         management style, able to lead and motivate team members; Extensive entrepreneurial skills and experience.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

 

         PRESIDENT   Neognosis, Inc. (Oct 2000 – present, revenue $5.5M)

         - Founder and President of contract engineering and project management company, specializing in satellite, networked
          and wireless communication applications and services. Past clients include:

         - Lockheed Martin: Technical Lead and subcontractor management for User Entry Subsystem of MUOS Satellite
         system: represented Lockheed within customer/industry working groups, established lower level UES requirements
         based on RFP derived Communications Service Requirements; acted as prime contractor (LM) liaison to
         subcontractor (GD C4 Systems).

         - Boeing Integrated Defense Systems: Designed, built and delivered to operation a satellite data broadcasting system
          for Boeing Digital Cinema; assembled and managed contract engineering team and 9 vendors to deliver system on
         time and budget to 28 theatres for Star Wars II release (May ‘02).

         - Liberate Technologies: Technical lead and project management for Interactive TV services company; secured
         $2M Purchase Order from Panasonic for Set Top Box development.

         - PanAmSat: System engineering and project management for Net-36 satellite streaming services; developed gateway
          architecture for satellite-to-3G wireless network connectivity and services.

         VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERING/CTO    Mobile Engines, Inc. (April 2000 – Oct 2000)

         - Executive management of development organization for Mobile Application Services Provider.

         - Responsible for all product development, technical liaison to VC partners/Board of Directors.

         - Deployed mobile entertainment applications with national wireless carrier (Beta trials Sept. ’00).

         - Deployed mobile financial applications for a major online bank (secure implementation w/SSL).

         VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERING & Sage Instruments, Inc. (Nov 1999 – Mar 2000) PRODUCT
         DEVELOPMENT

         - Managed 32 person Engineering and Marketing organization for telecom test equipment company.

         - Authored business plan for expansion of company’s current product line into ASP model.

         - Responsible for strategic planning of all product lines and expanding services business.

         DIRECTOR, ENGINEERING                       CyberStar L.P. (April 1997 – Nov 1999)

         - Managed cross-functional teams in the design, development and delivery to operations of a satellite-based data
          broadcasting service (file transfer, streaming and high speed internet access).

         - Directed the build-out of the Network Operations Center (NOC), transitioned to 24x7 operations.

         - Responsible for $5M Engineering budget, 25 technical personnel and all engineering projects.

         - Developed specifications, negotiated contract terms and deliverables with major suppliers.

         DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY                        Unisys (1995-April 1997)

         - Capture Manager for wireless telephony product, from viewgraph stage to international field trials.

         - Extensive business development activities in the area of C4I networks (SIGINT / ELINT apps).

         STAFF, SENIOR STAFF ENGINEER          Unisys/L3-Comm (1992-1995)

         - Developed business plan and coordinated pursuit of wireless telephony market opportunity.

         - Led engineering R&D “Tiger Team” to apply DoD technologies to commercial products.
 

         STAFF ENGINEER I, II, III                           Hughes Aircraft Company (1982-1992)

         - Captured $185K Corporate R&D funding for three consecutive years to develop communications network
         simulations (subsidizing both my own salary and Master’s Thesis).

EDUCATION

         - MS Electrical Engineering (1991), BSEE (1983) California Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

         - Secret/TS/SCI clearances held for 14 years (currently inactive).

         - Highly skilled with numerous desktop computing applications, including website development.

         - 13 US patents filed (6 issued) regarding CDMA, data networking, and wireless data technologies.