Management
VizorNet Management:
VizorNet’s management team is highly experienced in the leadership of information security and related technology companies. In addition, they have strong experience with government and business organizations that are critically dependent upon the protection of shared information within groups, on a real time basis.
Our leadership team includes:
Mark D. Gatanas – founder - VizorNet’s Chairman, President and CEO. Mark has served as founding investor in emerging growth companies in the digital infrastructure sector for several years and has played active roles on boards as director and chairman. He has over 30 years’ experience in information systems management (operations and sales) at EDS and CACI, successfully building and managing winning teams, and has closed contracts of close to $2B in value, as well as managing a $45 M, P&L organization of over 200 people. Previously, as a career US Army officer for over 26 years, he had the full range of command and staff, and diplomatic assignments, including serving, as Military Advisor/Assistant to President Reagan’s Representatives in the Middle East, in turn, Phil Habib, Bud McFarlane, and Don Rumsfeld. Read more.
Larry Schumann - Co-founder and Vice President for Marketing and Sales - was VizorNet’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Larry was former head of the White House Communications Agency, and the former President and CEO of the National Telecommunications Alliance, Inc. (NTA), a network support company which was owned by all of the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) including Verizon Communications, BellSouth, Qwest and SBC (Ameritech, Pacific Bell, Southwestern Bell and Southern New England Telephone). He was appointed by the President to serve on the White House National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), from 1996 to 2000.
Carlos Recio Esq., co-founder, is VizorNet’s General Counsel. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
VizorNet has a well-connected outside management team including two very experienced and highly recognized outside Directors to assist with its corporate governance:
Rick Rosenburg – who is President of the defense and intelligence segment of the U.S. Federal Government Group within Unisys’ Global Public Sector. Prior to joining Unisys, he was Senior Vice President for enterprise solutions at Electronic Data Systems’ (EDS) Government Solutions organization, where he developed and shaped enterprise-wide opportunities within the U.S. Government (won and led the $7.6 B Navy - Marine Corps Intranet [NMCI] contract).
In addition, the following are part of VizorNet’s Advisory Council:
Advisory Council – Keyed to Market Sectors
Tony Bocchichio – Government, DEA, Border, LEA
Mr. Bocchichio is a respected Leader in the U.S. Federal Government Law enforcement space whose career has spanned over 37 years in all aspects of Federal Drug Law Enforcement, with 25 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and 12 years with the United States Customs Agency and Border Protection. Mr. Bocchichio has served in a broad range of positions within both agencies and rose from a GS 3 clerk to the Assistant Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, a Senior Executive Service (SES) 6 level.
During his career Mr. Bocchichio has served as a Special Agent, Supervisory Special Agent, Assistant Agent in Charge, Agent in Charge, and Assistant Administrator of DEA worldwide. His expertise is in the development of new technology in order to better support the operational needs of DEA worldwide as well as other government and military operations.
Mr. Bocchichio is a member of various professional associations and committees that further the development of sound, high tech and advanced surveillance technology in support law enforcement. Since his retirement from government service Mr. Bocchichio has been involved in all aspects of security, including but not limited to personnel, corporate, communications, tracking, and intelligent video and unique lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
His specialties include: Special focus on development, advancement and support of secure and responsible technology for all areas of Law Enforcement and Military operations.
As Assistant Administrator of the Operational Support Division I, DEA, Mr. Bocchichio supported and advanced Law Enforcement Operations through the development and deployment of high tech surveillance Technology. He served as Chief of Technical Operations Program Washington DC from 1985 to 1991. He was responsible for all Security Programs, Administration, DEA's Laboratories, and Information Technology. He managed approximately 800 Special Agents, Chemists, and Professional Security and Technical Staff while managing a budget of approximately $300 million dollars with long term capital investments and inventory of approximately $1 billion. He supervised and oversaw all narcotic investigations conducted by five DEA enforcement groups.
Bocchicio was also Special Agent UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE, New York City, New York for 12 years.
Nino Giordano – Government and Communications
Was one of the US Army’s communications experts and leaders; was a Senior Executive in the Army and a Program Executive Officer. After retirement from the Army, he became the President and CEO of Golden Bridge Technologies.
Aris Pappas – Intelligence, Government, and Fortune 500
Formerly, Senior Director of the Microsoft Institute for Advanced Technology in Governments. The Institute was founded in September 2004 to identify large-scale and difficult problems in the government environment and link them to Microsoft’s vast research and development potential. He works directly with executive levels throughout the Intelligence Community, with particular emphasis on support to analysis. Mr. Pappas has served on an advisory panel for the National Counter-terrorism Center and is currently a member of the Board of Advisors to the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA).
Mr. Pappas retired from the Central Intelligence Agency in 2003 as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service with over 34 years of federal service. He also worked directly with the DHS Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection on intelligence integration and information management issues.
He has held numerous senior management positions and been awarded for work in both the analytic and clandestine services of the CIA. He established and served as the first Chief of the Homeland Security Staff in the office of the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence for Community Management, where he coordinated Intelligence Community participation with the Office of Homeland Security and the civil departments of the federal government.
Previously, Mr. Pappas was assigned to the FBI as Chief of Analysis and Warning at the National Infrastructure Protection Center. Working to establish an analytic capability within the Bureau, he managed the preparation of analytic assessments and oversaw the cyber watch unit in the FBI’s Strategic Information Operations Center.
Based on his earlier experience in military analysis and human intelligence operations, Mr. Pappas was assigned in 1993 to integrate two components, from the Directorates of Intelligence and Operations, to form a single special collection program. In 1975 he joined the CIA’s Strategic Evaluation Center as a Soviet military analyst and later was the last Chief of the Soviet Theater Forces Division.
William Pollock – Schools
Leading schools in a culture of change while addressing diversity goals and student achievement. Making schools better places for kids and teachers. Specialties include educational technology, doing whatever it takes to make schools better, thinking outside the box, doing things differently. Bill is currently an Independent Education Consultant ready to fill in and train new school leaders and provide staff development to the teaching staff specializing in community building, critical friends groups, leadership, using technology and project based learning.
For over twelve years, Mr. Pollock has been Rutgers University CESP/RELMA and provides comprehensive staff development service to educators/schools/school districts including research opportunities. Bill Pollock serves as Senior School Reform Specialist, presenter, emerging programs director and laboratory extension specialist.
Four over four years, he has provided the link between the researchers and the practitioners by being a senior member of the Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic. He has recruited schools and districts to participate in random controlled research projects and collected data for those projects. Mr. Pollock also assisted in presenting the results of the research projects to educators through day-long workshop like events that bridged the link between practitioners and researchers.
Mr. Pollock is the Founding Principal of the High Technology High School, in Lincroft New Jersey. As the founding principal he helped design the program, curriculum and construction of the school. Helped obtain initial Blue Ribbon School Status, NJ Star School Status, Ten-year Middle States Accreditation and many other awards. In this science, math and technology focused county based vocational school. That represented the county with a diverse population with students from all elementary schools & sending districts. Pollock was the educational leader of the school for about ten years.
Gus Taveras – Government and Military
Was Chief Technical Officer for Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Serves as Senior Consultant to Booz Allen’s C-suite and senior leadership on Intelligence Community, Department of Defense and new markets. Gus supports as IT architect, strategist, leader, integrator, and troubleshooter. Comprehensive planning and operational perspectives, gained through assignments with DIA, Intelligence Community (IC), US Army, and industry.
Ambassador (Ret.) Patrick N. Theros – Government, International
Ambassador Theros was a career Foreign Service Officer from 1963 to 1999. Key positions he held in the Foreign Service include Ambassador to the State of Qatar, 1995–1998; Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, responsible for the coordination of all U.S. Government counter-terrorism activities outside the United States, 1993–1995; Political Advisor to the Commander in Chief, Central Command, 1993 -1991; Deputy Chief of Mission and Political Officer in Amman, 1987- 1991; Director, Politico-Military Affairs, State Department, 1983–1986; Chargé d'Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission in Abu Dhabi, 1980–1983; and Economic and Commercial Counselor in Damascus, Syria, 1976–1980. He also served in other diplomatic positions in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Nicaragua, as well as, in the Department of State.
In non-governmental positions, Theros serves currently as President and Executive Director, US Qatar Business Council, Washington; General Partner, Theros & Theros LLP, Washington; Representative of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem to the United States; Member of the Board of Advisors, Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University in Washington; Former Member of the Board of Directors, Qatar Foundation International; Member of the Council on Foreign Relations; Member of the Arab American Bankers Association of America; Member of the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs; and Owner’s representative, West Bank-Gaza-Jordan Fund. Member of the Order of St. Andrew. Theros is active in promoting ties between the United States and Qatar.
He is fluent in Spanish, Arabic, and Greek. Education: Graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1963 and has done advanced study at the American University in Washington, DC, and the Universidad Centro Americana in Nicaragua.
Raghavan V. Chellappan
Vice President of Engineering and Digital Technologies
Mr. Chellappan is an accomplished leader and innovative technology executive with a proven track record of driving operational efficiency, facilitating new product launches and enabling revenue growth. As a member of the VizorNet’s management team he is responsible for leading the engineering and digital technologies initiatives of new business opportunities and strategic alliances.
Entrepreneurial by instinct and nature, he is a client focused business transformation leader with experience in operations, general management, strategy, business development, and technology consulting in multi-industry environments.
Mr. Chellappan has played key roles working as an employee/consultant helping fortune 500 companies, blue-chip clients, small business and start-ups in Business Development, Engineering, Product Development, Cyber Security, Enterprise Architecture, Systems Implementation, Service Delivery, & Program Management.
Over the last 20 years he has grown with the digital & analytics fields, working with some of the smartest and forwarding thinking companies and organizations in the private sector, such as telecom/mobile and internet (AT&T, UUNET, SPRINT/Nextel, MCI-WorldCom/Verizon), retail (AHOLD, TOPS Finast), financial institution (Viewpointe, Fannie Mae), energy (Duke Energy), media publications (CondeNast); the public sector (USDA, DoD, DoEd, NOAA, USDA-Forest Services, Treasury Dept. (US Mint), USPS); pharmaceuticals; healthcare (FDA, CDC, NIH) with a dash of nonprofit, and a solid track record in consulting (Accenture, Grant Thornton, Comsys).
As a collaborative and hands-on leader, Mr. Chellappan has led and managed teams, developed and implemented emerging technology business solutions (mobile, digital analytics, cloud computing, ERP and social platforms) applying new development techniques (agile, user-centered design) across industries. He delivers high value results through effective use of internal and vendor resources, driving improvements in Corporate Systems as well as IT Security and operations.
Additionally, as a Digital Strategist Mr. Chellappan has authored/co-authored several white paper articles on emerging technologies specifically in the areas of Digital Transformation (DX), Big Data, Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), User Experience (UX), and Blockchain.