The Connecting Alaska Consortium is a not-for-profit organization created to empower Alaskan communities with their respective broadband opportunities.

PhoenUX is an ecosystem that tokenizes loyalty rewards and creates access to billions of dollars currently locked in loyalty programs. Soon, flexibility in rewards programs will be created for both consumers and partners through the ubiquitous currency of PUX tokens.PUX can be spent on the PhoenUX network, traded between rewards programs, converted to cash or exchanged for other crypto currencies.

30-seconds or less (probably more actually): Wind Talker Innovations, Inc. is building technology to support and develop the future of communications for all modes of transportation. Our secure, self-healing, ad-hoc mesh network is the first of it’s kind on this scale. We are not a satellite based solution, rather an outside of the box solution utilizing inside the box toolsets. We have begun our endeavors with a focus on the aviation market, as it is our specific background area of expertise. Our technology, however, will apply to every mode of transportation. 2-minutes or less (probably more, as well…)Commercial aviation customers are demanding in-home internet speeds and have proven so by switching carriers for better internet access. However, even the best airborne access is still only capable of pre-Y2K internet speeds. Additionally, the world of drones intermingling with commercial aircraft is upon us and there is no traffic management capability in place, because humans simply cannot keep up with the demands of the additional traffic drones create. Lastly, autonomous vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, etc.) are only as good as the lowest common denominator. As long as there are “dumb” vehicles, smart vehicles will always rely on their own sensors to detect, track and avoid “dumb” traffic. Our vision is to create a network that allows everyone from pedestrians to classic cars to aircraft 6 miles above to be able to communicate their safety information, at a minimum, while providing data and communication capabilities through the same networked connectivity, in a secure manner. WTIs patent pending technology allows for all of these gaps to be bridged. We have taken the idea of a satellite constellation and applied it to terrestrial things, added some special math that is proprietary and beginning with airborne objects, intend to provide a foundational architecture for building a worldwide network of self-sustaining connectivity.

I am currently the Director of Command and Control Future Plans and Programs at the 176th Air Defense Squadron and the Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR) Homeland Defense Battle Control System Fixed (BCSF) Program Manager. I am also the Deputy ANR Joint Interface Control Officer (JICO) since 2011 and have been the Sector Interface Control Officer (SICO) for the past seven years, (those are just fancy ways of saying Chief Tactical Data Network Engineer). My daily responsibilities consist of the oversight of current capabilities and shortfalls within BCSF, as well as developing requirements, integration of emerging technologies and executing projects for NORAD with regards to the future development of BCSF. Due to the Bi-National nature of NORAD Operations, BCSF is an equal partner IT platform, developed between the US and Canada, that requires maneuverability among many ITARs requirements. Our office is responsible for the management of four IT programs and 33 IT projects with a portfolio valued at over $650 million. Every project that we charter is governed by Military Standards and DoD regulations. Throughout the development cycle of deliverables we must rigorously test, evaluate performance and apply any lessons learned against these standards and regulations to ensure that we are operating within the constructs outlined by the civilian authorities who are our counterparts, such as the FAA, DEA, Department of Homeland Security and Secret Service.

Routinely control over $3.2 billion in USAF and ANG assets in a confined airspace, ensuring that Homeland Defense missions are safely executed. Provide combat aircraft threat information, vectors and target information on aircraft (civilian or foreign) violating the sovereignty of North American continent airspaces. Responsible for the timely and accurate execution of government assets within the stringent confines of DoD, FAA and bi-national agreements legal agreements (Rules of Engagement) between the United States and Canada, in order to provide the Commander of NORAD and the Secretary of Defense with situational information for decision execution timelines.

Manage Tactical Data Links, configure Gateway Managers and Joint Range Extensions. Ensure Information Exchange Requirements are met for timely, Higher Headquarters (Executive Level) decision making. Chief Tactical Network Engineer for the Alaska NORAD Region and Configuration Manager for all networks in the Operational Battle Space.

Developed, vetted and implemented Command and Control System Requirements for primary Homeland Defense IT Platform weapons systems in development or being fielded. Subject Matter Expert for NORAD Mission Information and Tactical Network Engineering sections. Am the foremost Uniformed NORAD Distributed Mission Operations Subject Matter Expert.

Responsible for the execution of monthly, quarterly and annual currency requirements for 43 aircrew personnel. Managed scheduling and training for those personnel in order to accomplish over 300 operational sorties, totaling over 1,500 flight hours annually. Ensured aircrew manning requirements were met with zero interruption in sortie accomplishment. Trained and evaluated 24 airmen on an annual basis. Directly supervised five personnel, three annual award winners. Managed Alert crews for Homeland Defense requirements; ensuring all threats to the sovereignty of US and Canadian airspaces were met with the appropriate response.

Responsible for the detection, tracking and prosecution of all potential threat aircraft in accordance with the Rules of Engagement specific to each theater of war. Managed multiple Tactical Data Link information exchange requirements. Performed flight safety Quality Assurance through flight examiner duties. Instructed 139 students from 13 countries on surveillance and identification operations and procedures according to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) rules of engagement.

As one of three Project Managers in this office, I was responsible for developing a Aircrew Flight Manual Publication Tracking System for 14 different crew position checklists, flight manuals and Technical Orders. During the project development phase, I identified key areas for innovation. Years before the iPad, I developed a flight publications project that involved Palm Pilots. Hundreds of thousands of pages of flight publications were put on Palm Pilots and updated automatically without personnel administrative intervention. While the project initially was a failure, the concept was recognized by the US Air Force as a "Best Practice" during the 2006 Pacific Command Aircrew Standardization and Evaluation Visit. I was recognized with the coveted "Superior Performer" Award by the Inspector General, for my innovations in Flight Evaluation publication management and skill as a Quality Assurance Inspector. The initial cost savings to the DoD was approximately $20K in print costs, for each unit that had 150 personnel assigned, per year. Shortly thereafter, the US Air Force began adopting PDF based flight publications on laptop computers and other Palm Pilot like devices. A practice now used by most major commercial airlines, with the advent of the iPad.

Our office was responsible for the scheduling, logistical support, travel arrangements, flight manifest processing and aircrew composition assurance of 265 flights and 1,850 flying hours annually. We coordinate and organized the support of deployed aircrew for Operations Crescent Guard, Joint Guardian and various other events or contingencies.

The US Air Force was transitioning from a failing fitness program to the current fitness program in 2003. Although the program did not officially start until 2004, we had all of our US component members, nearly 150 personnel from 3 operational flying squadrons, in shape and ready to test against the new program standards on the first day of implementation. During the transition we were responsible for developing a fitness program that accommodated each persons needs, directing specialized attention when necessary in order to retain all members through successful program completion and developing local instructions for program execution.

I worked in the US Personnel Office in the NATO AWACS Flying Squadron 3. We were responsible for the ancillary training, flight currency, vacation schedules and any other support functions that were required by the 39 US Air Force members assigned to the unit.

I was a Junior Project Manger in the unit Exercise Planning office. Our office was responsible for the logistical coordination and support requirements for E-3 aircrew that were either deploying overseas, transitioning through another state overnight or making emergency stopovers in locations that have no military logistical support. Our office coordinated fuel needs, accommodations, aircraft security and travel itineraries when necessary.