Sputnik Team

Leadership

David LaDuke

Co-Founder and CEO

An experienced entrepreneur, Dave has a successful 20-year track record in high-technology marketing, business development, and management. Most recently, as co-founder and VP of Marketing of Linuxcare, Inc. (now Levanta, Inc.), Dave defined the company’s business model, strategy, and service offerings, and built the company’s brand to stand for leadership in open-source services for the enterprise. Previously, Dave provided high-technology strategy consulting for clients including Apple Computer, Crystal Decisions, Netscape, Oracle, Pinnacle Systems, Questra, Silicon Graphics, Telseon, and Toshiba. Before that, he held senior marketing positions at Apple Computer and NeXT, Inc. Dave earned a B.A. and M.F.A. from Columbia University, and an M.B.A. from the Tuck Graduate School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Kathy Giori

Vice President, Product Management

Kathy Giori was most recently Director of System Integration and Test at SkyPilot Network, Inc. leading the integration, implementation and testing of a proprietary broadband wireless network for residential customers. Prior to SkyPilot, Kathy was President, CEO and co-founder of WorkSpot, Inc. WorkSpot built custom wireless Palm applications for companies such as eBay, Barnes&Noble.com, AT&T teleconferencing, OmniSky, and others. Kathy's responsibilities included investor fund raising, business development and sales, management of software development, and in the early days, writing code. Before WorkSpot, Kathy was a Senior Engineering Manager at Etak, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corp, leading the rollout of their real-time traffic information system, a partnership with Metro Networks. Prior to Etak, Kathy worked at SRI International, as a Senior Research Engineer in the areas of RF communications and electromagnetics. Kathy holds a MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and a BS in EE from the University of Minnesota.

Arthur F. Tyde

Co-Founder and Investor Relations

Art is a technologist and proven leader with a 17-year track record of combining innovative technologies with prudent business acumen. Art currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer of The Free Standards Group (“FSG”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and promoting open-source software standards. A strong advocate for leveraging market advantages around disruptive technologies, Arthur was founder and president of the Bay Area Linux Users Group, and co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of Linuxcare, Inc. (now Levanta, Inc.). Art was voted among the 50 most important people in Linux, is a sought-after speaker and internationally recognized authority on open-source software in the enterprise. Prior to Linuxcare, Art held senior consulting, executive, and management positions at Gap Inc., IBM EMEA, the California State Automobile Association (AAA), and the international law offices of Melvin M. Belli, Sr. Art holds a B.A. from Michigan State University, is a licensed private investigator and private pilot.

Dana Pluck

Controller

Dana is responsible for Sputnik's finance and HR operations. Dana is an experienced financial professional with a 12-year track record of achievement working with startups and established businesses. Dana offers comprehensive and practical knowledge of business finance from operational, compliance, tax, and reporting perspectives.

Advisors

Casey Green

Casey Green is founding director of The Campus Computing Project, the largest continuing study of the role of information technology in American colleges and universities. The project is widely cited by both campus officials and corporate executives as the definitive source for information about information technology issues affecting American higher education. Green is also visiting scholar at School of Educational Studies of The Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California and a visiting professor at Case Western Reserve University. In addition to his current work with The Campus Computing Project, Green often serves as a consultant on campus planning, policy, and technology issues. His corporate clients and project sponsors include some three dozen firms in the information technology and publishing industries.

Chris Paul

Chris has over 18 years of finance and operational experience, most recently as CFO of Determine Software. Prior to this, Chris was the CFO/COO of Linuxcare, Inc. (now Levanta, Inc.), where he led the effort of preparing and filling for their IPO. Prior to Linuxcare, Chris held the CFO position at Cloudscape, ICVERIFY and Integral Systems. In all three cases, Chris was instrumental in successfully growing the company and eventually selling them to major software companies. In his career, Chris has raised over $100M in venture capital equity for emerging technology companies, and has led dozens of successful mergers and acquisitions. Chris’s success can be most directly attributed to his disciplined approach to fiscal management and strategic business development. Chris began his career at Ernst & Young.

Mark Rich

Mark Rich is Co-Founder and Director of SkyPilot Network. Prior to SkyPilot, Mr. Rich spent 15 years at SRI International, one of the premier research, development and consulting firms in the world. He was most recently the director of the Physical Layer Laboratory, specializing in communications and emerging technologies. Prior to SRI, Mr. Rich worked in communications labs at GTE Government Systems and Bell Labs.

Counsel

Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP

K&LNG represents capital markets participants and leading global corporations, growth and middle-market companies, and entrepreneurs in every major industry group. Our practice is at once regional, national and international in scope, cutting edge, complex, and dynamic.

Smithline Jha

Smithline Jha LLP represents public and venture-financed companies in their strategic technology transactions such as alliance, OEM, reseller, outsourcing, development and sales deals. As a boutique firm in which every attorney has both in-house and top law firm experience, we are experts in helping companies get their deals done in a practical manner while at the same time protecting their core intellectual property assets, avoiding accounting problems and preserving their liquidity options.