Management

Ron serves as chairman and chief executive officer for MachineryLink. He is a pioneer and respected leader in the wireless industry, with nearly 40 years of telecommunications senior operating experience with companies such as AT&T, Sprint, and Southwestern Bell.

Ron served as the first employee and CEO of Sprint PCS, the company’s wireless entity, and guided the company from start-up to $10 billion in revenue faster than any company in history. His career with Sprint spanned 18 years and he served as President and COO before retiring in 2003. Following that time, he served as an Industrial Partner with Ripplewood Holdings, a private equity firm. He held the CEO position at Japan Telecom from November 2003 until the sale of the company in July 2004. In 2006, he was named Chairman of the Board for GoGo Inflight Internet, a Ripplewood portfolio company.

Ron co-founded venture capital entity, October Capital in 1999. Since that company was formed, it has provided venture capital to more than 15 companies in diverse industry segments. Ron is also co-founder and managing director of OpenAir Equity Partners, a venture capital and private equity firm focused on the wireless, communications and mobile Internet sectors.

Ron brings a unique perspective gained from his diverse executive leadership experiences in both large public companies and numerous start-up companies. Those experiences spanning across the full spectrum of company development provide him with a breadth of knowledge in nurturing growth and expansion of products and companies.

Ron is a highly sought after board member for both public and privately-held companies and currently sits on the boards of Allstate (ALL), Imation (IMN), GoGo In-flight Internet and eRecyclingCorps, as well as MachineryLink.

A native of Arkansas, Ron attended Southern Arkansas University where he earned a bachelor’s degree, and a law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. Ron and his wife reside in Kansas City and spend time enjoying their six grandchildren – including two sets of twin girls.

Scott has over 26 years of experience with a variety of roles in financial services and the energy/commodities industry. Most recently, Scott served as a senior partner based in New York for Oliver Wyman’s North American Corporate Finance and Advisory practice. Prior to joining Oliver Wyman, Scott was a member of the management team of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Before and after working for the CME, he was a partner and then a senior advisor at McKinsey & Company. Scott started his career as a trader and then worked in the information and technology sector for firms including Reuters, Down Jones Telerate and NeXT Computer. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from San Diego State University.

Jeff has over 23 years of finance related experience with a strong track record of success in a variety of industries. Jeff most recently held the position of Vice President, Finance at SprintNextel where he led a large team of financial analysts responsible for decision support of Sprint's largest Business Units and the Sales and Customer Management functions. With over 18 years at Sprint, Jeff was highly involved in a number of critical projects including the restructuring of the affiliate program, the launch of the nation's first 3G data network, and ultimately the merger with Nextel where he performed due diligence, established synergy expectations, and led the integration of the finance functions. Prior to Sprint, Jeff held several positions within the audit and controller departments at Pizza Hut headquarters in Wichita. Jeff launched his career as a staff auditor with PriceWaterhouse. Jeff holds a BS in Business Administration and Accounting with Highest Distinction honors from Kansas University. Jeff has also completed executive education programs at the University of Georgetown's McDonough School of Business and at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Bob has over 25 years of experience in the information technology field, with most of that experience in the energy industry. Prior to joining FarmLink, Bob served as VP and CIO for Mirant Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia. As CIO, Bob led the development, integration and delivery of information technology services to all segments of Mirant, an energy trading company of approximately 7,000 employees. Bob’s previous experience includes serving as a senior consultant for Informix and as a senior system engineer for EDS. He also recently served as the interim CIO at CARE USA and as a consultant for M Squared Consulting. Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in management science from the University of Georgia and a MBA from Georgia Southern University.

Troy has over 14 years of sales, marketing and business development leadership experience, with a strong track record of success in a variety of industrial sectors. Prior to joining MachineryLink, Troy was Vice-President, Sales at Ferrellgas Partners, where he had overall responsibility for the National Sales, Field Sales and Engine Fuel Divisions. He was responsible for launching the Engine Fuel Division in 2009, a startup venture that is presently leading the industry in the alternative fuel sector. Prior to Ferrellgas, Troy spent eight years with Koch Industries, the nation’s second largest privately held company. He started with Koch’s Agricultural Division and was responsible for developing and selling innovative risk management products to farmers. Troy transitioned to Koch Energy in 1997 where he held various positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President of Sales at Koch Gulf South Pipeline, leading the sales effort for a $1.2B pipeline expansion into the Southeastern U.S. Troy grew up on an 8000 acre irrigated corn and wheat operation in Western Kansas, and partnered with his father and brother in operating the farm for a few years prior to finishing his degree. Troy holds a BS in Agribusiness & Economics from Kansas State University.

Tara has over 15 years of experience as a human resources professional in both service and industrial environments. Most recently, she was the Corporate Director of Human Resources for Olathe Health Systems, Inc. (OHSI), supporting over 2,300 employees. Prior to OHSI, Tara worked for Health Midwest as Manager, Employment Services and at CommunityAmerica Credit Union as Human Resources Manager. She holds a BS in Business/Human Resources and a BS in Journalism/Public Relations from Oklahoma State University, is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.