Focuses on defense strategy, weapons technology

The "Gordian Knot" is a geopolitical think tank and international economics, promoted by a team of diplomats, academics, journalists and analysts in numerous disciplines (geopolitics, history, economics, finance, foreign policy, military studies, literature, art , marketing, communication and management of the Internet) that, after gaining years of experience in different clothes, they decided to create a tool capable of conveying so synergistic knowledge, expertise and information with the aim of analyzing the geopolitical and geo-economic scenarios contemporary, with special attention to "the wider Mediterranean region" and those of the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The American Center for Democracy is an independent not for profit organization that does not accept contributions from the U.S. or foreign governments.ACD is dedicated to exposing and monitoring non-traditional threats to U.S. political and economic freedoms and its national security from within and without. We provide knowledge based analysis and risk assessment in articles, white papers, a Blog, on and off-the-record specialized briefings and war-gaming.I am honored to join as a Fellow at the Center.

Started the Finmeccanica office in the United States Grew US sales from a very small presence to $5.8 billion over 8.5 years Helped eGeos (Telespazio) win a $68 million U.S. contractProvided key support for Presidential Helicopter win for AgustaWestland and Lockheed Supported C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft win, partnered with L-3 CommunicationsHelped re-establish Fincantieri-Isotta diesel engine business with U.S. NavyInitiated Remington (Arms)-Elsag Joint Venture for License Plate Reader technologyGrew the business from start to $50 million annual sales (now Elsag North America) Helped win major programs for Elsag North America, teamed with DRS TechnologiesIncludes $100 million contract with Customs and Border Patrol (DHS) Initiated a won a $300 million+ USAF contract for C-27A aircraft for Afghanistan Sold a Cyber Security company to L-3 Communications GovernmentLed the establishment of the Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) Served as the organization's first director Chaired the U.S.-Italy Aerospace Working Group at the Department of DefenseServed as Department of Defense representative to US-USSR Space Agreement Represented the Department of Defense at COCOM, the international technology security control organization, negotiations in Paris Guided and led the US-Swedish JAS (Gripen fighter aircraft) Working Group Established protocols for sharing advanced engine, avionics and composite technologies Identified and led the effort to fund Israel's Merkava main battle tank Established Foreign Military Sales (FMS) support leading to initial and sustained financing package by US Department of DefenseProposed and developed the Israeli-Egyptian Economic Cooperation programAmended program to the US Foreign Assistance Act Played a leading role in establishing the US-Israel and US-Egypt foreign assistance programs

President of Finmeccanica North America from its inception in the United States. Grew the U.S. business to annual sales of $5.8 billion.

Jefferson Partners was a strategic and investment advisory firm, specializing in providing strategies to meet financial needs and developing strategic relationships for emerging and growth stage companies in technology. Among my projects was the development and growth of Trident Data Systems, which I helped sell to L-3 Communications. Trident became L-3 Network Security LLC. It was later sold to Symantec. Jefferson Partners and I held an equity position along with L-3 in L-3 Network Security. During this period I also served as a Senior VP of L-3 Network Security.

I founded Delta Tech Inc. with the support of Ronald S. Lauder. The company carried out many technology acquisition projects including an early encryption communications system called SECOM ("Secure Communications") pioneering in the area of public key encryption for PC's.

Founded the Defense Technology Security Administration and served as its first Director and as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Led U.S. international negotiations for technology security. Headed the US-Italy Aerospace Working Group and the US-Sweden JAS (now Grippen) Working Group.

After numerous visits to Egypt and Israel and discussions with political leaders on both sides (including Sadat and Begin), efforts helped leading to the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. Met with world leaders including Golda Meir, Moshe Dyan, Itzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Anwar Sadat, King Hussein of Jordan, President Hafez Assad, Syria and King Khalid, Saudi Arabia among many others. Played a central role in restoring the U.S. foreign assistance program and renewing the Arms Export Control Act. Proposed and helped initiate economic cooperation legislation supporting the peace process between Egypt and Israel.

Senator Clifford P. Case (R-NJ) was the ranking Republican member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. I supported Senator Case on all U.S. foreign policy issues and, in particular, passage of the Case Act (PL92-403).I worked on a number of important foreign relations issues including strengthening NATO, dealing with the war in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), AID programs in Vietnam and Cambodia and on many other defense and foreign police issues.

At Lehigh University I developed the first training courses on Scope and Methods in Political Science. Working with a Cyber 6400 computer system, I created the LEAPS program for social science students to use in analyzing demographic and other empirical data on democratization and development. The program, written in the Fortran III computer language is, apparently, still in use after forty years.