Management Team

The Iridium management team is made up of telecom, satellite and technology experts, many of whom have stuck with Iridium since 1990. It also comprises other specialists with target market familiarity or other relevant expertise. The Iridium management team includes:

Matt Desch, Chairman & CEO

Matt Desch has more than 27 years of experience in telecommunications management, and more than 16 years in the global wireless business. Mr. Desch joined Iridium in 2006 as Chairman and CEO of Iridium, and CEO of the parent company, Iridium Holdings LLC. Previously, he was CEO of Telcordia Technologies, a telecom software services provider. He spent 13 years at Nortel Networks, and before leaving in early 2000, was President for its fast growing Wireless Networks business and was responsible for its global carrier customers in Europe, The Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Mr. Desch has served on a number of boards including SAIC, Inc., Flarion Technologies, Starent Networks, and as the Chairman of Airspan Networks. He has a BS in Computer Science from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Eric Morrison, Chief Financial Officer

Eric Morrison is Chief Financial Officer of Iridium. Mr. Morrison has worked on the Iridium program over the last 14 years. He was the Controller, and was later promoted to Chief Financial Officer, at Iridium North America. Even before he joined Iridium North America, he worked on the Iridium program at Motorola. While at Motorola, he was part of the negotiation and management team on the Raytheon Main Mission Antenna and Khrunichev launch vehicle contracts and served as the lead accountant for the satellite manufacturing facility. He graduated with an MBA and a Masters of Accountancy from University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor's degree in Finance and he is also a Certified Public Accountant.

John Brunette, Chief Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer

John S. Brunette is the chief legal and administrative officer for Iridium Satellite. With oversight of all of Iridium's legal and administrative affairs, Brunette reports directly to company chairman and CEO, Matt Desch. Working closely with the board of directors and its committees, he serves as a key member of the executive leadership team, and provides a broad-based business and legal perspective on a wide range of strategic, tactical, operational and administrative matters including corporate law, securities, tax law and finance matters, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, international operations, insurance, advertising, litigation, governmental affairs, human resources and capital programs. Brunette was previously with Teleglobe Inc., a global voice and data services provider, where he served as CEO. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Brunette was Teleglobe's executive vice president, chief legal and administrative officer for the company and its subsidiaries responsible for legal, regulatory, government affairs, human resources, real estate/facilities, procurement and network acquisition. Brunette also was at MCI Communications Corporation for twelve years where he led the company's corporate legal group. Brunette began his career with the Satellite Business Services division of IBM Corporation, working on satellite procurement, launch services and insurance programs until MCI acquired it in 1986. Brunette holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America and is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association.

Gregory Ewert, Executive Vice President, Global Distribution Channels

Greg Ewert is the executive vice president of global distribution channels for Iridium Satellite LLC. In this capacity, he is responsible for expanding and managing the company’s commercial distribution partner relationships, as well as new business development. Greg and his team work together to increase sales through existing channels, develop new products, and devise ways to grow distribution channels by developing strategic partnerships, expanding into new geographic markets and forging relationships with local vendors. Greg brings more than 23 years of experience at senior-level positions in the global communications industry. Prior to joining Iridium, he served as senior vice president of marketing, sales, product development, business development and customer service for COMSAT International. Prior to COMSAT, Ewert held vice president positions within BCE Teleglobe Communications, ranging from senior vice president of global data services to vice president and general manager of carrier and emerging markets. Before BCE Teleglobe, Ewert was employed at Sprint, where he worked his way up from business account manager to president of Sprint International of Canada, and vice president and general manager for the Western hemisphere under its joint venture with France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom, GlobalOne. Ewert holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.

John Campbell, Executive Vice President, Government Programs

Gen. John Campbell, U.S. Air Force (Retired), joined Iridium in 2006 from Applied Research Associates (ARA) of Alexandria, Va., where he served as Principal, Defense and Intelligence, since 2004. Gen. Campbell joined ARA after retiring from the USAF after a 32-year career. In the USAF, Gen. Campbell served in a variety of operational and staff assignments around the world. From 1998 to 2000, he was Vice Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and as the first commander of the Joint Task Force - Computer Network Defense. From 1997 to 1998, he served on the Joint Staff as Deputy Director for Operations. Between 1971 and 1997, Gen. Campbell served around the world in a variety of operational assignments as an F-15 and F-16 fighter pilot and commander. Gen. Campbell is the recipient of numerous military and intelligence community awards, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency Award, the National Reconnaissance Distinguished Medal, and the National Security Agency Award. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in Computer Science and an MBA.

Don Thoma, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development

Don Thoma is Executive Vice President, Corporate Development for Iridium. Mr. Thoma is responsible for leading new Iridium corporate initiatives such as Iridium NEXT, the intensive, multi-year design and development program of the next generation satellite constellation and services. He brings to Iridium a strong and versatile background in both management and business development. Prior to joining Iridium, he served as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for DiamondBack Vision, Inc. Prior to working at DiamondBack Vision, he held various positions of responsibility for ORBCOMM, ranging from Senior Director of Transportation to Founder and General Manager of the Vantage Tracking Solutions business unit. Prior to ORBCOMM, he was the director of integration and launch operations for Orbital Sciences Corporation. He has represented Iridium as a speaker at multiple maritime and aviation industry conferences. He served as a Captain in the USAF Space Division. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from University of Southern California, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

John Roddy, Executive Vice President, Customer Care, Network and Gateway Operations

John Roddy has been working with Iridium since October of 2006, bringing with him more than 27 years of telecommunications industry experience. Mr. Roddy is responsible for developing its corporate operations model and program management culture. At Telcordia Technologies he held the positions of President, Telcordia Global Services; Senior Vice President, Global Operations; and CIO. John built the Global Services business, implemented the companyÕs global operations capability, and rebuilt its IT organization as part of a major company transition. At Nortel Networks, he was Vice President and General Manager of the Carrier Professional Services Business Unit serving the CLEC and new market entrants. Prior to that, he was Vice President, Technology and Director, Ottawa Laboratories for Public Carrier Networks. In this position, he was responsible for the core hardware and software development for the DMS 100 family of switches as well as the international software application. He also held the position of Vice President, Canadian Technical Services and Global Product Support, responsible for the engineering, installation and emergency / field services of the switching and transmission product lines for the carrier customers. He began his telecommunications career in Sales and Marketing, holding varied positions including Product Manager, Dynamic Routing; Regional Sales Director; and Director of Services Marketing. He led the top regional sales teams for Northern Telecom Canada. He holds an MBA from Mc Master University, Hamilton, Canada where he also completed the requirements for a B.Sc. in Mathematics.

Lee Demitry, Executive Vice President, Iridium NEXT

Lee Demitry is the executive vice president for Iridium NEXT. In this role, Demitry is responsible for leading the creation, development and implementation of the company's next generation constellation system. In addition to directing engineering efforts in relation to the current Iridium satellite constellation, Demitry supervises NEXT program management, and works closely with the company's corporate development team to identify, evaluate and implement market requirements for the new constellation. During his 32-year career in aerospace and satellite technology, Demitry spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and twelve years working for the private sector. With credentials in systems engineering, program management, systems procurement and contracts, he successfully led some of the most complex and advanced satellite programs within the U.S. Government. Demitry also served as vice president of engineering for GeoEye, where he led the development, deployment and maintenance of high-resolution commercial imaging satellites, production systems, mission planning systems, new products and worldwide ground terminals. Demitry also served as the director of special programs at Orbital Sciences Corporation. Demitry has held positions of responsibility for various government agencies and programs for the development of highly sophisticated satellite system launch vehicles and other revolutionary technologies. Demitry holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University, and a Master of Science in astronautical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Stuart Fankhauser, Vice President and Chief Gateway Officer

Stuart Fankhauser is the Vice President and Chief Gateway Officer of Iridium. Mr. Fankhauser is responsible for headquarter business operations, and the operation and maintenance of the Iridium Satellite Ground Network. He also oversees the configuration management and support for the DoD gateway in Hawaii. Prior to joining Iridium, he worked for the Iridium North America (INA) team and was responsible for establishing much of the company's business infrastructure, including bringing the Gateway Business System online, integrating and managing the service providers, and establishing retail business operations and procedures. As INA drew to a close, he was responsible for all operations at the INA Gateway and assisted potential bidders for the Iridium assets in the preparation of their respective business plans. In 1997, after 15 years of service, he retired as Major in the USAF to assist with the launch of INA. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nebraska and a Master's degree in Procurement and Acquisition Management from Webster University.

David Schoen, Vice President, Technology & Chief Technology Officer

David Schoen is the Vice President of Product Development and Chief Technology Officer for Iridium. In this role, Mr. Schoen is responsible for ensuring a steady flow of new technology and product development through to manufacturing and delivery. He has extensive experience in the implementation of innovative technology for the mobile satellite industry. He is the former Vice President of Technology Development for ORBCOMM, where he served as program manager for the development and launch of an $8 million technology demonstrator satellite. Prior to working with ORBCOMM, he was director of production development for Iridium, where he spearheaded the conception and engineering of new subscriber equipment. He holds a BS degree in Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Joe Pizzicaroli, Vice President & Chief Satellite Operations Officer

Joe Pizzicaroli has 29 years of systems engineering and program management experience in the aerospace industry, spanning a wide variety of defense, intelligence, scientific, commercial and international space programs. Mr. Pizzicaroli joined Iridium in November 2003 and presently serves as the company's Vice President and Chief Satellite Operations Officer. Previously, he was the Director, Missile Defense Programs at Spectrum Astro. Before joining Spectrum Astro, he was the Chief Systems Engineer for the Space Segment of the Iridium program at Motorola's Satellite Communications Group, serving throughout the design, development, production, test and launch of the Iridium system. He has also worked at Ball Aerospace, Rockwell International and Martin Marietta. He has published a number of technical papers, and also holds one patent. He earned his B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona, his M.S. in Systems Architecture and Engineering from the University of Southern California, and his MBA in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix.

Donna Bethea-Murphy, Vice President, Regulatory Engineering

Donna Bethea-Murphy is Vice President of Regulatory Engineering for Iridium. In this capacity, she leads the company's domestic and international technical regulatory activities, including those related to policy, standards, licensing, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and spectrum. In addition, she serves on the board of the Satellite Industry Association and the Mobile Satellite Users Association. Ms. Bethea-Murphy was previously Senior Director of Spectrum Policy at PanAmSat Corporation. Prior to joining PanAmSat, she was Director of Technology and Regulatory Affairs for AirTouch Communications, where she developed and implemented technical regulatory policy for terrestrial wireless and mobile satellite services. Prior to her position at AirTouch, she was responsible for domestic and international satellite policy at the FCC. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University.

Olga Madruga-Forti, Vice President, Regulatory and Legal

Olga Madruga-Forti is Vice President, Regulatory and Legal, for Iridium Satellite where she oversees the company's global regulatory operations. In addition, Ms. Madruga-Forti is in charge of global distribution contracts and corporate structure. She has more than 20 years experience as a senior executive in the telecommunications and satellite industries. Prior to joining Iridium, she was Vice President, Legal and Regulatory for Loral CyberStar. She also served as Chair of the VSAT Satellite Working Group of the Organization of American States, CITEL. Before joining Loral, she served nine years at the FCC as Special Counsel for International Satellite Policy and Chief of the Domestic Services Branch of the Common Carrier Bureau. In her earlier career, Olga was an associate with the Washington firm of Scott, Mcleod, Pires & Price, and the Assistant County Attorney for The Dade County Attorney's Office in Miami, Fla. She earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, graduating with high honors as the Belgrano Scholar to the OAS. She also graduated summa cum laude from Emory University, majoring in English and French Literature.

Jayesh G. Patel, Vice President, Gateway Technical Operations

Jayesh G. Patel is Vice President of Gateway Technical Operations at Iridium. Mr. Patel is responsible for the daily operations and maintenance of the Iridium Satellite ground network in Tempe, Ariz. In addition, he oversees the network engineering, software development and configuration management groups. He brings more than ten years of experience to his position at Iridium. As a part of the original Iridium North America team, he was responsible for gateway commercial activation which included gateway network component installation and system integration. In addition, he was responsible for implementing a terrestrial network which connects the Iridium Gateway. He also participated in implementing the day-to-day standard operating procedures for the gateway system. Before joining Iridium, he worked in the Motorola Satellite division in Chandler, Ariz. He was pioneer of gateway integration to the Iridium Constellation. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from North Eastern Illinois University, and an additional Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from Gujarat University, India.

Ted O'Brien, Vice President, Americas

Ted O'Brien is credited with defining Iridium's targeted markets, and developing and implementing Iridium's strategy for the global sale and distribution of Iridium's products and services. This included the recruitment and management of the global network of service providers through which Iridium's products and services are sold. Mr. O'Brien is currently focused primarily on the strategic development of additional partnerships and key customer accounts in The Americas. He has in excess of 20 years of management experience working in the commercial satellite communications industry. Prior to joining Iridium, he held a variety of senior level positions at Comsat Corporation including Vice President, Marketing and Program Management; and Vice President, Contracts and Administration. In those positions, his responsibilities included overall responsibility for customer proposal and contracting activities as well as marketing, program management and product development in Comsat's mobile satellite communications business sector. He has represented Iridium as a speaker in a wide variety of maritime, disaster management, space, satellite, telecommunications, government and aviation industry events.

Dan Mercer, Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia

Dan Mercer is Vice President for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia for Iridium. Based in the UK, Mr. Mercer is responsible for expanding and managing the company's revenue and business activities across the regions. He brings nearly 20 years of experience with multi-national corporations. Prior to joining Iridium, he was Vice President of Global Marketing and Sales for Pace Micro Technology plc's Voice over IP Division, VegaStream. Prior to VegaStream, he worked for the original Iridium with the German gateway business as Regional Director, Europe. Before moving into telecoms, he worked within the TI Group of companies leading the Sales, Marketing and Engineering Group for the Specialist Military Engineering division. He spent the initial years of his career as a Project Engineer with IAC Aviation building Jet Engine Test Facilities all over the world for a variety of government, military and commercial customers. He has presented at many IT, maritime and emergency communications industry forums on behalf of Iridium. He holds a First Class Honors Degree, Bachelor of Engineering, from Kingston Polytechnic, UK.

Raymond Tan, Vice President, Asia

Raymond Tan is Vice President, Asia for Iridium. Mr. Tan is responsible for Iridium's commercial activities in Asia, including partner relations, new channel development, and business development for key vertical markets. He brings ten years of experience in international sales and marketing with multinational and blue chip corporations. He joined Iridium from SingTel where he held various marketing positions with responsibilities ranging from product management, pricing, marketing communications and market development for the company's Mobile Satellite Business Group. Prior to SingTel, he worked for a Boustead company, responsible for sales and marketing of an extensive range of marine communications, satellite and navigational products. That was subsequent to a three years stewardship with the former Singapore Technologies Industrial Corporation (now SembCorp Industries) in regional infrastructure projects. He served seven years with the Singapore Navy as a communications and electronics specialist. He received his Bachelor of Business with dual major in International Business and Marketing at the University of Tasmania, Australia.

Jim Hamant, Vice President, Product Production and Distribution

Jim Hamant has spent more than 30 years in technical management and supply chain management, including 13 years at Motorola in supplier management, product development, engineering, manufacturing strategy and production. At Motorola, Mr. Hamant developed and managed the successful implementation of lean initiatives for satellite manufacturing and processing for the original Iridium system. Prior to joining Iridium, he was an engineering manager at Orbital Sciences. He holds a MS degree and a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Dayton.

Scott Scheimreif, Vice President, Government Programs

Scott Scheimreif is Vice President for Iridium Satellite's Government Division. He is responsible for business development, annual revenue achievement and growth of the company's DoD contract. Mr. Scheimreif maintains the relationship with the DoD DISA Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services program office. He also identifies and develops relationships with systems integrators within the DoD. He is responsible for briefing members of Joint Staff, OSD NII, U.S. Strategic Command and DISA for policy and budgetary decisions. In addition, he conducts end user training and awareness programs for the war fighter and other government-based Iridium users. Prior to joining Iridium, he served as Federal Account Manager at Anexsys, LLC (Bank One); Federal Sales Director at PageNet Inc.; and Assistant Manager at ITT Financial Services. He received his BS in Liberal Studies with a Concentration in Business Administration and a minor in Marketing Management at Salisbury State University. He is a Member of The National Grants Management Association, The Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association (AFCEA) and The Satellite Industry Association