Resume: Graham R. Barnes

Professional Summary

• Successful CEO of VC-funded, Inc 500, start-up, with M&A exit negotiated with public company

• People-person with strong team-building, motivational and communication skills:

·  Finalist in Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year contest

• Executive level experience across several hi-tech industries: service provider, wireless, Internet, telecommunications, VoIP, video and broadcast radio/TV

• Hands-on, detail-oriented execution in multiple business disciplines:

·  Management: sales, marketing, service, engineering, operations, finance and staffing

·  Sales: local, regional, national and international; products, services and turnkey systems

·  Engineering: design & development (R&D), systems design, networks & applications

·  Operations: manufacturing, field operations, and customer service

·  Business development, strategic planning, M&A, budgeting, OEMs, distribution and alliances

• Direct and channel sales to SMBs, hi-tech enterprises, carriers, utilities, telcos and government

• Technical expertise and operational capability in a broad spectrum of technologies

• Knowledge of US and international markets  

• Start-ups, VC-backed ventures, early stage companies, NASDAQ100 and Fortune 500 firms

• Founded Inc 500 wireless (WiMAX) Internet service provider

• Successfully launched multiple product families with dominant market positioning 

• Achieved profitable growth to over $50M annual revenues  

• Completed major projects on time and within budget in six countries

Career Experience

Covad Communications Group, San Jose , CA  (AMEX: DVW)                                          

Covad is the only nationwide CLEC providing DSL, VoIP and wireless service across 43 states.

2/06 – 11/06  Senior Vice President, and General Manager NextWeb Wireless

•  General Manager of Covad’s wireless business (60 employees)

• Established partnership with licensed LMDS spectrum holders First Avenue and Nextlink (XO)

• Continuing 30% organic revenue growth, new market entry ( Chicago ) and WiMAX services

NextWeb, Inc., Fremont , CA (privately held, VC-funded)

NextWeb was the nation’s largest fixed wireless Internet service provider for business.

An Inc500 company in 2005, NextWeb was funded by Kaiser Permanente, Monet Capital, 

Saints Capital, Asset Management, Sage Venture Partners and Cedar Grove Investments. 

NextWeb operated in California and Nevada and merged with Covad in February 2006.

11/01 – 2/06  CEO and President  

• Grew business to $10M in 2005

• Achieved #104 position of Inc 500 in 2005 (#8 in telecom)  

• Served 3,000 enterprises over 175 cities in Silicon Valley, LA, Orange County and Las Vegas

• Achieved cash flow positive in Sept 2003 and EBITDA positive Dec 2003

• Earned over $1M EBITDA in 2005

• Completed and integrated 5 acquisition to maximize growth and market opportunities

• Established SkyWeb alliance and BANC coordination groups to lead industy

2/00 – 10/01  CTO and Founder; Member, Board of Directors  

• Successfully raised approx  $10M venture capital and debt financing

• Architect for wireless IP/ATM network

• NextWeb recognized as one of the first to successfully deploy 5 GHz unlicensed broadband wireless Internet technologies with licensed microwave core 

•  Developed outstanding team for engineering, site acquisition, operations and support

Western Multiplex Corporation, (now Proxim) Sunnyvale , CA 

Sold to Glenayre Technologies, Inc. in 4/95 and divested in 11/99 to Ripplewood Holdings. 

Issued IPO with $600M valuation in 4/00. Acquired by Terabeam, Inc. NASDAQ: TRBM in 2005.

Proxim is a global manufacturer of end-to-end solutions for broadband wireless networks, 

from Wi-Fi Mesh and WiMAX, to WLAN and Wireless Backhaul.

11/99 – 1/00   Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations

Senior management change after divestiture resulted in new company direction.  

•  Responsible for increased emphasis on strategic business development:

  •  joint ventures, alliances, OEM partnerships and potential acquisitions 

  • enhanced company valuation, increase sales and broaden product offering.

 6/98 – 11/99   Senior Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service

•  Successfully introduced world’s first license-free Fast Ethernet wireless bridge family (Tsunami).

• Led worldwide sales & marketing organization to meet aggressive growth targets 

  • 60% over previous year

• Key member of senior management team negotiating divestiture of Western Multiplex.

1/97 – 6/98     Vice President of Marketing

• Initiated strategy to enter wireless Internet access market, serving new customers with product extensions. Managed Business Development, Product Management, Marketing Communications and Customer Service to meet business plan revenues and earnings.

• Created company’s first indirect sales channel with OEM partner and four national distributors.

11/93 – 1/97   Director of Marketing

After hiring a senior regional sales manager who was promoted to Director of Sales, I was able to focus on the critical technical marketing issues limiting company growth: brand development and new product introduction.

• Evangelized spread spectrum technology and developed LYNX  brand into dominant market position worldwide with additional products.

• Championed new marketing strategy to drive company growth: three step ISO9001 system - customer visit program; QRPD (quality rapid product development) and product launch (detailed product introduction).

• Strategic planning for new markets (PCS interconnect, ATM & SONET).

• Member of senior management team negotiating acquisition of Western Multiplex by Glenayre.

1/92 – 11/93   Director of Sales and Marketing

• Pioneered world’s first spread spectrum T1 (1.544 Mbps) radio link (LYNX) creating new market niche.

• Tripled annual sales bookings in less than four years (from $5M to $15M).

• Sold company's first-ever $2M bookings month and first $1M international sale.

9/92 – 1/93     Director of Operations (Acting)

Athough successful at designing and selling our new line of radios, Western Multiplex experienced a period of severe difficulty in manufacturing to meet the demand. This position responded to the manufacturing crisis that threatened the financial viability of the company, until a permanent senior manager could be recruited.

• Re-organized test and assembly operation into cell-based teams supported by new training materials.

• Eliminated bottlenecks to increase shipments from below $400K monthly to over $900K monthly.

• Implemented new process for planning and scheduling, and initiated MRP II system.

8/89 – 1/92     Sales and Marketing Manager

Western Multiplex was a private company in 1989 with less than 50 employees manufacturing microwave baseband equipment. I was hired to manage the sales and product marketing of a critical new radio line to enable the company to survive and grow.

• Managed introduction of company's first radio product (synthesized 2 GHz microwave system) and achieved $1.5M product sales in first year.

•   Hired and developed company’s first professional field sales and sales engineering organization; built committed team including customer service, order entry and marketing communications.

B.L. Inc., San Jose, CA.

Pounded company providing product engineering, manufacturing, and marketing consulting services.

10/88 – 8/89   President

•   Designed new voice-over-video product, then manufactured and delivered 50 systems within six months.

• Researched and authored detailed market study for client on digital TV.

• Presented new engineering and product development plans for several clients.  

Harris Corporation, (NYSE: HRS) Melbourne, FL 

$4.Bn manufacturer providing communications products, systems, and services to government and commercial customers (14,000 employees)

7/87 – 10/88   Product Line Manager, Farinon Division, San Carlos , CA

• Integrated broadcast microwave product line into Farinon marketing, sales, and manufacturing

• Managed program resolving major product problems, including antenna remote control system.

1/85 – 7/87   Systems Engineering & Customer Service Manager, Broadcast Microwave,                       Mountain View, CA  

• Designed and managed $2.2M dollar turnkey microwave project (with 1:N protection switch)  for CBS and Group W. Project was completed on schedule and within budget, to new industry specification standard.

• Re-organized problem Customer Service department into profit center and supervised staff of 20.

• Managed all systems sales orders, from proposal through shipment and customer acceptance.

• Investigated new transmission systems:  data above video, TV stereo, and digital audio & video.

9/83 – 1/85     Program Manager, Middle East Programs,    Broadcast Division, Quincy,  IL  

• Managed all major turnkey projects and field installations in Saudi Arabia with P&L responsibility.

• Completed $5 million broadcast station project on schedule and within budget.

9/81 – 9/83     Senior Engineer, International Field Service,   Broadcast Division, Quincy, IL

• Resident Engineer, Harris Broadcast Systems Nigeria; supervised staff of 50.

• Completed 20 installations in 18 months, all on schedule and within budget, under difficult conditions. 

9/80 – 9/81     Engineer, International Field Service,            Broadcast Division, Quincy, IL

• Commissioned turnkey radio and television transmitter projects in Kuwait, Thailand and Peru.

• Completed 20 installations in 18 months, all on schedule and within budget, under difficult conditions. 

Virgin Media / Arquiva (Formerly NTL; originally, Independent Broadcasting Authority), UK 

The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was set-up in 1972 to operate a network of radio TV transmitting stations for Independent TV and Local Radio in competition with the BBC. In 1990, the IBA was broken up and the network operated under the NTL (National Telecommunications Limited) which was subsequently merged with Virgin Mobile to form Virgin Media. Transmitting stations were spun off to Macquarry Holdings under the name Arquiva Ltd.

2/79 – 9/80     Design Engineer, RF Research and Development

3/78 – 2/79     Junior Design Engineer, RF Research and Development

10/76 – 3/78   Operations & Maintenance Engineer, TV Transmitting Stations 

BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), UK

7/72 – 3/73     Pre-University Trainee, RF and Video Engineering

Education and Qualifications

• MBA (Beta Gamma Sigma) Santa Clara University , CA , 1989
• BSc (Electrical Engineering) (Honors) Imperial College, University of London, UK, 1976
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), 2003
• FAA-certified private pilot (multi-engine, instrument rated)

Selected Presentations (sample)

• Keynote: “Are you ready for the Tornado of WiMAX and VOIP?”, Broadband Wireless World Forum, April 2006
• "What the Majors and Markets Are Seeking in Roll-Ups , Partnerships and Spectrum Rights”, WCA 2005 18th Annual Global Convention, June 2005
• "Raising the Next Generation: Taking Networks to Infinity and Beyond”, National Summit on Broadband Deployment, October 24-26, 2004
• "Fixed-Wireless Broadband: The Time Has Come”, SuperComm, June 2004

Affiliations

• Board of Advisors, Covad Communications Group
• Board of Advisors, Santa Clara University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Board of Trustees, (elected November 2006), Sunol Glen Unified School District
• Member, Beta Gamma Sigma  (business) Honor Society
• Lifetime Member, Sierra Club
• Member, American Alpine Club
• Member, US Rowing, Redwood Creek Rowing Club (formerly Stanford Rowing Club) and Bair Island Acquatic Center
• Board Member, Save Our Sunol
• Former Member, IEEE, IEEE Radio Communications Committee, EIA & TIA Subcommittees, Part 15 Coalition, Fixed Wireless Coalition, Wireless Communications Alliance, OFDM Alliance, WCA-LEA (Wireless Communications Alliance, License Exempt Alliance), PCS 2000 Conference Advisory Board and Jaguar Drivers' Club (1967 E-Type, 2005 XJR)