Management
William C. Robinson –Founder/Chairman/CEO/President
Mr. Robinson has more than 20 years experience in the public equity markets including management positions at Paine Webber, and Prudential Securities. Mr. Robinson has performed as a successful start-up entrepreneur, and as a corporate officer and director of eight public companies. He brings seasoned operational, fund-raising, and merger and acquisition skills to the team. As a principal, he has been responsible for initiating and negotiating more than $100,000,000 worth of merger and acquisition transactions and has developed, bought, and sold more than 20 companies from the initial start-up stage, taking eight to full public company status.
Joseph A. Grace, Jr. – Director
A 1980 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He received his MBA from the University of New Orleans. After serving almost nine years as a nuclear submarine officer, he left the active duty Navy to take a position with a Fortune 500 Electronics firm in California, where he held various positions in sales and sales management. He came home to Louisiana in November of 1994 to become the founding President of the LTC, a technical trade association committed to transforming the Louisiana Technology Industry. During his tenure as President, the LTC emerged as a technology leader for Louisiana and the Southern States. He has been actively involved in raising Millions in venture capital funds; has participated in the start up of over 150 companies; and has personally formed over 20 companies. He is nationally recognized for his innovative marketing and business strategies. In Mr. Grace has remained active as a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve. In 2001 Captain Grace assumed the Reserve position of Special Projects officer and spokesperson for the Navy’s $8Billion enterprise rollout of the Navy Marine Corps Intranet. He has since been fully recalled to Active Duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, as the hand selected Chief Information Officer for Navy Medicine. His responsibilities include all operational Information Management and Information Technology in support of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for the Surgeon General. He is active on many Boards and Committees and is a recognized leader of the business community of Louisiana
Marinko Vekovic – Director
Mr. Vekovic is the President of the management consulting company Alpha Medicals in Irvine, California. Was Senior VP Marketing and Sales at ICN (NYSE: VRX), President of MVC Consulting, Over ten years with Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) from US to Latin America and Europe / Director of Operations Europe Middle East Africa region /; Over 25 years of multidimensional expertise, both domestic and international, in General management, Business development, Strategic planning, Marketing and Sales. Experience with Global and start up companies. Managed businesses from $3 million to $850 million. Started Companies on London Stock Exchange and NYSE and NASDAQ. Proven record of success leading turnarounds and high-growth operations worldwide. An MBA in General Management from IMD –Lausanne Switzerland and B.S. in Economics from London University UK, complement a history of outstanding results.
Rear Admiral Stephen I. Johnson, U.S. Navy (Retired) – Director
Rear Admiral Johnson’s 30-year Navy career included command of the Nuclear Fast Attack Submarine U.S. CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI (SSN-705); service as Major Acquisition Program Manager for Submarine Electronic Systems (PMS-401), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA); Program Director, Information Support Systems (PD-15), Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR); and Project Director, Navy Year 2000 Project (CNO-N6Y). Subsequent to his naval service, Admiral Johnson has served commercial industry, government program offices, and educational institutions as a senior management consultant. Admiral Johnson is a Managing Director of Source Companies LLC, an investment banking and value growth consulting company providing debt capitalization and growth advisory services to medium-sized, closely held businesses. He is the founder of SBS Consulting, Inc., providing strategic planning, senior program management, subject matter expert, and sales and marketing consulting services to commercial customers, government organizations, and educational institutions. Admiral Johnson also serves as a Technology and Business Advisor to the William J. von Liebig Center for Entrepreneurism and Technology Advancement at the Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego. Admiral Johnson is a graduate of Duke University (Physics) and the Major Program Managers Course, Defense Systems Management College. He is certified and served as a Department of Defense Major Acquisition Program Manager (Level III). He resides in San Diego, California.