Management Team
Peter Hartmaier - Founder, President and CEO
Mr. Hartmaier is a veteran of thirty years in the telecom industry. He was a co-founder of @mobile.com in 1996, which was sold to Openwave in 2000 for $550 million where he continued to invent new technology. While at Openwave, he contributed to the SMS Forum to help standardize short codes in North America. He designed the text messaging system for a major carrier, a system that continues to expand to meet the 100% year over year text message growth rates. When cellular started in North America he helped design and implement key components for Rogers Communications, a cellular mobile operator. He was General Manager of Datel Communications, a PBX distributor, and with the Bank of Montreal designing and implementing trading floor communication systems. He began his career with Bell Canada. Mr. Hartmaier currently holds eight patents and has numerous patents pending. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Electrical Engineering.Nick Highland - VP of Finance and CFO
Mr. Highland was with PACCAR Inc for over 30 years. PACCAR is a $14 billion global company, which produces heavy duty trucks, provides financial services, and provides after market product support. He worked in the Controller's organization for 25 years and reported to the Corporate Controller (PACCAR did not have a CFO). During his last 5 years at PACCAR he was the Executive Director of Human Resources with responsibility for 22,000 employees worldwide. He reported to the Chairman and CEO. Mr. Highland is a graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a major in Accounting. He has attended Executive Development programs at Cornell University and the University of Michigan.Ron Lissack - Director Development
Mr. Lissack has a diverse computer software background, having worked in the telecom, scientific, and government sectors. He was most recently a Senior Software Architect at Openwave Systems Inc., in the messaging product business unit. He has consulted for Ericsson, where he developed their multi-media messaging center, short messaging system center, and voice mail platforms. Prior to that he was the chief architect of a startup company that created an anti-spam platform for SMS. He has also developed customer premises equipment for a CDMA Wireless Local Loop solution at Interdigital Corporation. During his career Mr. Lissack has been a technical consultant to numerous companies developing products such as: airborne reconnaissance, multi-static surface ship sonar, high-speed frequency synthesizers, solar powered pressure sensors, and interferometer-based remote molecular detection. He holds one patent, and has been published on the subject of the utilization of high-speed synthesizers for the measurement of radar cross sections. Mr. Lissack holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University where he graduated with honors.Advisory Board
The Company has access to a number of industry leaders to support the expansion of its targeted market. These individuals provide broad industry depth and insight to help position and grow Hyran.Kevin Shea, Chair, Ontario Media Development Corporation
Kevin Shea has over 30 years' experience in the Canadian entertainment, broadcasting, cable, telecommunications and culture industries. Shea is owner and President of SheaChez Inc., a consulting firm whose clients include the CBC, Telus Communications and Standard Broadcasting.The former President and CEO of Sirius Satellite Radio, as well as YTV Canada, Shea led both companies through the CRTC licensing and start-up processes. He also served as President and COO of the Global Television Network, Executive Vice-President at Bell Globemedia Inc. and as President and CEO of Atlantis Communications Inc.
Shea's other accomplishments include chairing the Toronto Tourism Recovery Alliance in the aftermath of SARS, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters TV Board, and the Canadian Film Centre. Shea holds several directorships, including one with Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc., of Arthur, Caillou and Doodlebops fame.
Prior to 1993, Mr. Shea occupied senior management positions for a diverse group of broadcast and entertainment entities, including YTV Canada Inc., Rogers Cablesystems Inc. and the Cable Satellite Network Inc. Mr. Shea serves on the Telus Television Advisory Board and the Marketing Board of the National Capital Commission.
Born in Montreal and raised in Toronto and Los Angeles, Mr. Shea graduated from the University of Western Ontario (1984) and York University (1975). His commitment to Canadian broadcasting is evident from his involvement in a number of industry associations including the Canadian Film Centre (Chairman), Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Canadian Women in Communications (named 2004 Mentor of the Year), Canadian Cable Television Association, Canadian Film and Television Production Association, Banff International Television Festival, Life Network, Prime TV Network, CN Tower Limited, Children's Broadcast Institute and the Canadian Children's Foundation.
William (Bill) Gossman, President and CEO of Revenue Science
Mr. Gossman is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of hands-on experience building and leading both large and small high-tech and fast-growth organizations. Currently, as President and CEO of Revenue Science, he drives the overall vision and operations of the company, with a focus on strategic growth and customer success. Prior to joining Revenue Science, Mr. Gossman was a partner at Mohr, Davidow Ventures (MDV), where he applied his extensive corporate and startup experience to help build and develop MDV's portfolio companies. While at MDV, he filled a variety of executive positions at its portfolio companies, including President of Digimine, CFO of nLight Photonics, Strategic Advisor to Quake Technologies, and CEO of Sabrix.Before his tenure at MDV, he was Senior Director of Global Alliances at Openwave, a provider of Internet-based communication infrastructure software and applications, migrating to that position from Vice President of Business Strategy for Software.com, which became Openwave following its merger with Phone.com. In 1997 he co-founded @mobile, a wireless Internet software and service company, where he served as COO and CFO, and later engineered the company's $550 million merger with Software.com.
Mr. Gossman has held management, technology, and marketing positions at Lucent, Hughes, and Northrop, and has served as a consultant to AT&T Wireless Services. He holds 11 patents and has a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University, a Master's degree from MIT, and an MBA from the University of Maryland. Additionally, he is a member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Online Publishers Association (OPA), and the National Advertising Initiative (NAI).
Robert Thiel, former President and CEO, AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions
Mr. Thiel, and his brother Harald, founded TELAV Audio Visual Services in 1982. Over the succeeding 20 years, they built the company to over $100 million in revenue, 22 offices, and more than 700 employees. In 2001, TELAV Audio Visual Services merged with Dallas-based AVW Audio Visual, the number 2 audio visual rental and staging company in the US. Mr. Thiel took on the role of CEO of the combined entity - AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions - and for the next 5 years built the business to $240 million in revenue, offices in 34 North American cities and over 1400 employees.The management of rapid growth and changing technologies, sales force recruitment, compensation and motivation, training, and SAP computer system and Salesforce.com implementation are just a few of the areas in which he has been directly involved.
Although no longer active in the daily operations of the company Mr. Thiel continues to serve on the Board of Directors. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, B.A.Sc. (Electrical) Engineering. He is also an early investor in Hyran Media Services.
John Hughes, President, Tolt Group
With over thirty-five years of high technology experience, Mr. Hughes has developed the insights, understanding, and relationships that are vital to the successful completion of corporate finance and business development transactions. He worked for 10 years with IBM and for more than 25 years with start-up companies. Twenty-one years of his career have been in Silicon Valley.Three of the start-ups with which he worked became public companies (Western Micro, Versant, and Echelon). He was a Series A investor in, and helped rewrite the original business plan of, NexGen, prior to their IPO and subsequent acquisition by AMD. In addition to playing key strategic roles in these companies and driving their revenue growth in their formative years, Mr. Hughes participated in raising well over $150 million from more than twenty venture capital companies, angel investors, and major corporate strategic investors. Since founding the Tolt Group in 1998, Mr. Hughes has successfully provided business development and corporate finance services to several Northwest early stage companies, mid-sized businesses, and high net worth families.
Mr. Hughes has an undergraduate degree in Economics from Gonzaga University and an MBA from the University of Washington.
