AVST Board of Directors Biographies
The Board of Directors of Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. ("AVST" or the "Company") has a strong commitment to effective corporate governance.
The Board is responsible for supervising the management of the business of AVST. The Board reviews, discusses and approves various matters related to the strategic direction, business, operations and organizational structure of AVST.
The day-to-day business of AVST is conducted by its employees, including its officers and other members of senior management. The Board expects management to be responsible for the implementation of approved corporate objectives and strategic business plans within the context of authorized budgets, specific delegations of authority for various matters and corporate policies and procedures. Management is expected to report regularly to the Board of Directors in a comprehensive, accurate and timely manner on the business and affairs of the Company. The relationship between management and the Board is to be characterized by integrity, candor and mutual trust and respect, together with an understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of management and the Board of Directors in serving the interests of shareholders.
AVST's Board of Directors includes the following industry leaders and visionaries:
| Shawn Bohnert | Partner of Ignition Partners | ||
| Steve Hooper | Founding Partner of Ignition Partners, former CEO of AT&T Wireless and Nextlink | ||
| Dennis O'Connell |
Partner of Dolphin Equity Partners, former Senior Executive at AT&T Wireless, XO Communications and McCaw Cellular | ||
| Jonathan Roberts |
Founder and Partner of Ignition Partners |
Shawn Bohnert
Partner of Ignition Partners
Shawn Bohnert is a partner of Ignition Capital. He provides public market, financial, operational and management expertise to Ignition's portfolio companies. Shawn recently led the start-up of Ignition Energy, our Australian energy investment business.
After graduating from University of Washington in 1981 with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering, Shawn worked as a field engineer in Alaska for Schlumberger Limited, the global oil field technology and services company. Upon completion of his MBA at Stanford University in 1987, he became an investment banker and worked extensively on corporate financings and M&A transactions in both the U.S. and Australia. While in Australia Shawn structured and co-managed the "PIPE" takeover of Avatar Industries, a public diversified industrial company. He became CFO of this public listed company in 1995 and led Avatar's takeover activities in the local market. In addition to leading operational development and restructuring activities at the divisional level, Shawn led the build out of the Avatar corporate investment team. He held primary responsibility for the following areas: acquisitions & divestitures; financing; strategic planning & business development; investor relations; financial reporting & control; treasury and risk management; information technology; and, tax, legal & regulatory.
Shawn returned to Seattle in 2000 as President of Adsteam USA, a subsidiary of Adsteam Marine Limited, an Australian public-listed maritime transportation company. He led Adsteam's acquisition of Northland Services, a shipping company that serves Alaska and Hawaii with year-round common carrier service, and subsequently served as CEO. Shawn led an extensive restructuring of Northland's operations and management team, an exercise culminating in the hiring of an industry veteran CEO and the ultimate sale of the company by Adsteam. Shawn wrote the business plan for the management buyout of Northland and successfully led the acquisition of the company in 2004. Since that time Northland has grown earnings by 50% and paid dividends to its shareholders totaling double the original equity investment. Shawn continues to have an active role as an officer and director of Northland with direct responsibility for: finance/accounting, legal and information technology.
Steve Hooper
Founding Partner of Ignition Partners, former CEO of AT&T Wireless and Nextlink
Mr. Hooper is a founding partner of Ignition Partners. He invests in telecommunications and wireless companies. Mr. Hooper represents Ignition as Director on the Boards of AVST, MobileLime and RadioFrame Networks. He previously served on the Board of Avogadro (acquired by OpenWave) and UIEvolution (acquired by SquareEnix).
Prior to Ignition, Mr. Hooper worked closely with Craig McCaw for 18 years and was CEO of every major McCaw Company except Nextel. Most recently, Mr. Hooper was the Chairman and CEO of Nextlink Communications (now XO Communications), where he was responsible for repositioning the company to a true Integrated Communications Provider offering a full complement of voice and data services.
Prior to Nextlink, Mr. Hooper served as the co-CEO of Teledesic with Craig McCaw. In that capacity, he oversaw the operation of the company and the negotiation of a multi-billion dollar satellite contract with Motorola.
From 1994 to 1997, Mr. Hooper served as CEO of AT&T Wireless. As President and CEO of AT&T Wireless, Mr. Hooper grew the company from $1.8 billion in sales to $4 billion. As CEO, Mr. Hooper bought LIN Broadcasting for $3.5 billion; expanded AT&T's footprint via the PCS auctions; built national GSM networks in India, Hong Kong and Taiwan; worked with Nokia to build the cornerstone of AT&T's "Digital One Rate" offering; deployed the first nationwide packet-based data network; and launched the first nationwide digital air-to-ground network, achieving 40% market share.
Prior to becoming CEO of AT&T Wireless, Mr. Hooper was part of the small McCaw team that recognized cellular's promise in the early eighties. Mr. Hooper financed McCaw's expansion into cellular, raising $200 million in the industry's first high-yield cellular deal and taking the company public in 1987. Mr. Hooper also had extensive operational responsibility at McCaw. Mr. Hooper was the president of McCaw's cable operations and successfully sold that business for $750 million. From there he moved into cellular operations where he was responsible for a large part of the McCaw cellular footprint in the United States.
Mr. Hooper holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Seattle University, where he now serves as the Chairman of the Seattle University Board. Mr. Hooper is also the President of the University Prep board of trustees.
Dennis O'Connell
Partner of Dolphin Equity Partners, former Senior Executive at AT&T Wireless, XO Communications and McCaw Cellular
Mr. O'Connell joined Dolphin Equity Partners in April 2001. Mr. O'Connell has served as a director on various boards as a result of Dolphin's investments.
Mr. O'Connell brings to Dolphin over 25 years of successful operating experience in all segments of the communications industry: wireless; local; long distance and broadband. Prior to joining the Dolphin team, Mr. O'Connell served as the North Region President of XO Communications, a leading integrated communications provider, where he led market operations in the Northeast and Midwest, successfully building a $200 million business.
Before joining XO Communications, Mr. O'Connell was the Northeast Region President for AT&T Wireless. He successfully led the AT&T Wireless operations in New York and Pittsburgh. He also oversaw the successful launch of the Washington/Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston markets. His region had annual revenues in excess of $1 billion and over 1.5 million customers.
Previously, Mr. O'Connell was with McCaw Cellular for 10 years, from the initial launch of McCaw's cellular business in 1985 through its sale to AT&T in 1995. While at McCaw, Mr. O'Connell had a variety of increasing senior operating responsibilities across the U.S.
Mr. O'Connell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Maryland.
Jonathan Roberts
Founder and Partner of Ignition Partners
Jonathan Roberts is a Founder and a Partner of Ignition. He invests in business application and services companies and represents Ignition as director on the boards of AVST, Docusign, HyperQuality, Spoken Communications and Earth Class Mail.
Prior to Ignition Roberts spent 13 years at Microsoft, most recently as General Manager of the Windows CE Intelligent Appliance Division, where he was responsible for developing new WinCE products, product marketing, business development and long-term planning for the Windows CE platform as well as the retargeting of the Microsoft's PocketPC effort.
Roberts led the marketing and business efforts for Windows 3.1, 3.11, Windows NT 3.51, NT 4.0, BackOffice 1.0, Windows 98 and NT 4.0 on the Desktop, and finally all of Windows CE including embedded, Pocket PC, Auto, Phones, Set-top, Games, etc.
Roberts received his B.A. in history from the University of Washington where he was also Student Body President. In addition to his Ignition boards, Jonathan serves on the board of Epiphany School and the University of Washington Foundation Board.