Tracy R. Trent
Chief Executive Officer, Chairman & Co-Founder
As a co-founder of Proximetry in early 2005, Mr. Trent sought to introduce software techniques to make standards-based wireless networks vastly more predictable and robust. Mr. Trent brings close to 20 years of senior technology experience to Proximetry, with the past ten years focused on wireless and other networking technologies.
Prior to founding Proximetry in 2005, Mr. Trent was president and CEO of Vytek/Stellcom, which subsequent to an acquisition became the solutions division of CalAmp (Nasdaq: CAMP). During his five-year tenure at Stellcom, Inc., Mr. Trent led a team of professionals focused on the rapid development and integration of mobile/wireless technologies.
Mr. Trent’s previous experience includes serving as the senior vice president and group manager of SAIC’s e-Business Solutions organization. In this role, Mr. Trent managed a number of SAIC’s emerging e-commerce businesses, including the Automotive Network eXchange (ANX), a networking solution for the automotive industry. Prior to that, Mr. Trent was the group manager of SAIC’s health solutions organization, which provided systems integration and consulting services to some of the nation’s leading health providers. Mr. Trent initially joined SAIC in 1993, serving as the vice president of marketing for its systems integration organization.
Before joining SAIC, he held business development roles at Digital Equipment Corporation and Sun Microsystems with a significant emphasis on support to government and other public-sector solution providers.
Mr. Trent holds a Master’s degree in Management of Technology from MIT’s Sloan School of Management.
J. Chris Baker
Mr. Baker is senior vice president of support services and chief information officer for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), Sempra Energy’s regulated California utilities.
In his current position, Mr. Baker oversees information technology, supply management, diverse business enterprises, environmental services, safety and emergency services, fleet services, real estate, land management and facilities at SDG&E and SoCalGas.
He is also responsible for the design and implementation of new systems and procedures to improve the operating efficiency and customer experience at both utilities through the operational excellence and smart metering programs.
Mr. Baker served as Sempra Energy’s director of software development from 1997 to 2000, and as information management and security administration manager from 1995 to 1997. Prior to joining Sempra Energy in 1995, Mr. Baker was a senior systems consultant with Logicon 4GT, where he worked with defense finance and accounting services. He also worked on analysis for several government entities, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Finance and Management and the U.S. Postal Service’s National Air and Surface System.
Previously, Mr. Baker held several positions in the banking industry, including serving as section manager of information management and executive information services at HomeFed Bank, a position he held from 1990 to 1993. Prior to 1990, he was employed with Home Savings of America, holding several different positions in their information technology division.
Mr. Baker serves as a board member on CommNexus. He is a cum laude graduate of California Polytechnic University at Pomona, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and business administration / computer information systems.
Charles H. Gaylord, Jr.
Mr. Gaylord is a retired, private technology investor focusing on software and communications. He is actively serving the San Diego software and communications entrepreneurial community through coaching, mentoring, advising and investing, as he has for close to 20 years. Until his retirement in 1994, Mr. Gaylord was executive vice president for Intuit Inc., a leading developer of personal and small business finance software programs, Quicken and QuickBooks, and Chairman of ChipSoft, Inc., publisher of the tax preparation software program TurboTax.
Prior to ChipSoft, he served as a member of a large private energy marketing and trading company for 17 years.
Mr. Gaylord is a member of the Advisory Board of Technology Crossover Ventures I, venture funds of approximately $1.5 billion seeking investment in later-stage private and public information technology companies and was formerly Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Mission Ventures, a regional high tech venture fund in San Diego. He is past founding-Chairman of the San Diego Software Industry Council.
Mr. Gaylord is a board member of Itron, Inc., (NASDAQ: ITRS) one of the world’s leading providers of electric, gas and water metering systems. He is a former board member of many public companies such as HNC Software, Inc., Retek, Inc., Stac Inc, and Maxis, Inc. Mr. Gaylord has also been a member of the boards of directors or advisors of several other private software companies, including Cardiff Software, Resumix, Silicon Energy, Stellcom, and eAssist.
Mr. Gaylord holds both bachelors and masters degrees in engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
David N. Hartford
Mr. David N. Hartford is a Managing Director of Aeris Capital AG. He joined the firm in 2006. Mr. Hartford founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of N8 Systems Inc. from January 2002 to November 2005.
Previously, Mr. Hartford served as President of Pioneer Investment Poland. He also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of PipeDream Metasystems Inc. Mr. Hartford was the Chief Executive Officer of Convergence Partners and served as Managing Director of firstVentury. Mr. Hartford founded Ravenflow in 2000 and served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. He worked for Bridgemere Capital, Strategic Partners International, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, Mellon Bank and Rockwell International. Mr. Hartford served as Project Manager of the Polish Business Advisory Service (PBAS). Mr. Hartford has been Director of DecisionView Corporation since July 30, 2007 and serves on the Board of Directors of Livescribe, Inc.
Mr. Hartford served as a Director of The European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association. He serves as a part-time lecturer mentor at the Haas Graduate School of Business at UC - Berkeley and as an Adjunct Professor of Finance of California State University.
Mr. Hartford completed the Advanced Executive Program ‘Competing in a Global Environment’ at The Anderson School at UCLA and received his B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh, and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Walter Grassl
Walter Grassl is a technology industry veteran with 20 years of in-depth experience in software, hardware and IT services. Mr. Grassl is the co-founder and managing partner of Munich Venture Partners. As the prime partner of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, one of the world’s leading research organizations for applied research, Munich Venture Partners invests in selected high-tech start-ups in the information, communication and energy technology industries.
Prior to Munich Venture Partners, Mr. Grassl was a partner with Carmel Ventures, a leading international venture capital firm, specializing in software investments in the US, Israel and Europe. He built up Carmel’s European activities and was responsible for the Carmel office in Munich.
Prior to Carmel, Mr. Grassl was a member of the management board of Siemens IT Service, a $2.5 billion subsidiary of Siemens AG, providing technical IT services for Fortune 100 companies worldwide. Mr. Grassl was responsible for the corporate strategy of Siemens IT Service.
Mr. Grassl holds a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Computer Science, and a Master in Management of Technology from the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, MA.
Doug Schrier
Mr. Schrier has been involved in funding, managing, and developing technology companies for more than 20 years. Mr. Schrier is general partner of Rembrandt Venture Partners where he successfully established a base of institutional investors to fund Rembrandt’s investments. Prior to joining Rembrandt, Mr. Schrier was at Argo Global Capital since 2001 where he was a Senior Partner. His prior experience includes being senior vice-president for acquisitions and strategic ventures at SAIC in La Jolla, CA.
While at SAIC, Mr. Schrier was responsible for investing over $90 million in nine companies, as well as being responsible for commercial, acquisitions and joint ventures. Mr. Schrier was co-founder, COO and CFO of Multum Information Services and President of Ceon Corporation where collectively he raised over $75 million. He has also held positions at Salomon Brothers Inc., where he was an associate in Venture Capital and at Prudential-Bache Capital Funding where he worked as an associate in Corporate Finance.
Mr. Schrier has been a member of private and public boards including; Solect Technology Group (acquired by Amdocs), Multum Information Systems (acquired by Cerner Corporation), VocalData (acquired by Tekelec), Conita (acquired by Avaya), ODS networks (Nasdaq: ODSN), Ceon, Narad Networks, Digital Bridges, World Wide Packets, Cosmocom and uReach. He was also a board observer for investments in Nuance Communications (Nasdaq: NUAN) and Nuera Communications (acquired by Audio Codes (Nasdaq: AUDC). Currently, Mr. Schrier also sits on the boards of Electric Cloud, Sylantro Systems and Casero.
Mr. Schrier holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and an undergraduate degree in Economics/Pre-Med from DePauw University.
Anthony Thornley
Mr. Thornley currently serves on the advisory board of KMF Audio Inc., a microphone company. Before joining KMF Audio, from 2002 to 2005, Mr. Thornley served as president and chief operating officer of Qualcomm Incorporated, a wireless communication technology and integrated circuit company. Prior to that position, Mr. Thornley served as Qualcomm’s chief financial officer from 1994 to 2002.
Prior to joining Qualcomm, Mr. Thornley was with Nortel Networks, a telecommunications equipment manufacturer, for 16 years in various financial and information systems management positions, including vice president of finance and IS for Public Networks, vice president of finance for NT World Trade and corporate controller for Nortel Limited.
He has also worked for Coopers and Lybrand in public accounting and is qualified as a chartered accountant. Mr. Thornley is a director of Callaway Golf, Cavium Networks, Inc., iSports, Inc., Airvana, Inc. and Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Mr. Thornley received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Manchester, England.