management team
Dan Simpkins founded Hillcrest Labs in 2001 with a team of experienced technical and business professionals to create a revolution in entertainment. Prior to founding Hillcrest, Dan was vice president and general manager of the SALIX Switching Division of Tellabs, Inc., which was established in 2000 when Dan sold Voice over IP leader SALIX Technologies to Tellabs for $300 million. Dan founded SALIX in 1990 and continued as president and CEO through the sale.
Dan currently serves on the board of advisors of Cornell University’s BR Ventures and is a member of the prestigious Cornell University Council. He also sits on the advisory boards of several high–tech companies and is a member of CTAM. Dan served as an executive in residence for New Enterprise Associates (NEA), one of the country’s premier venture capital firms. He is a frequent speaker at industry and business events and has authored many papers on both technical and business subjects. Dan earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with distinction and a master’s degree in electrical engineering, both from Cornell University.
Dan currently serves on the board of advisors of Cornell University’s BR Ventures and is a member of the prestigious Cornell University Council. He also sits on the advisory boards of several high–tech companies and is a member of CTAM. Dan served as an executive in residence for New Enterprise Associates (NEA), one of the country’s premier venture capital firms. He is a frequent speaker at industry and business events and has authored many papers on both technical and business subjects. Dan earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with distinction and a master’s degree in electrical engineering, both from Cornell University.
Chuck Gritton is responsible for all of Hillcrest Labs’ technology development, including strategy, product architectures and research. His distinguished career includes more than 20 years of experience in signal processing, image processing, networking and videoconferencing in the telecommunications, wireless, cable, consumer electronics and personal computer markets. He has held senior management positions at some of the world’s largest communications companies as well as emerging companies. Prior to joining Hillcrest, Chuck was CTO of Tellabs, Inc., following the acquisition of Coherent Communications, where he was CTO and vice president of engineering. Previously, Chuck was co–founder, president and CTO of Broadsword Technologies. He has held engineering management positions at AT&T Bell Labs and AT&T Network Systems. Chuck also spent ten years as head of one of the International Telecommunication Union’s DSP working groups and has been an active standards participant throughout his career.
Chuck has designed or managed the creation of many signal processing ASICs, leading to the deployment of millions of devices. Chuck has also designed or managed the creation of numerous DSP–based communications systems including a video conferencing system that was deployed in the space shuttle.
Chuck holds dozens of domestic and foreign patents. He currently serves as an advisor for Colibria, a presence management company, and is a member of CTAM, SCTE, and IDIA. Chuck earned a bachelor’s in electrical engineering with highest Distinction, a master’s in electrical engineering, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia.
Chuck has designed or managed the creation of many signal processing ASICs, leading to the deployment of millions of devices. Chuck has also designed or managed the creation of numerous DSP–based communications systems including a video conferencing system that was deployed in the space shuttle.
Chuck holds dozens of domestic and foreign patents. He currently serves as an advisor for Colibria, a presence management company, and is a member of CTAM, SCTE, and IDIA. Chuck earned a bachelor’s in electrical engineering with highest Distinction, a master’s in electrical engineering, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia.
Andy Addis is responsible for marketing, product management and business development.
Andy brings to Hillcrest more than 20 years of marketing and product management experience, much of it focused on the launch of innovative products. Prior to Hillcrest, Andy was a senior vice president at Comcast, responsible for marketing and new products. While there he played a lead role in new product strategy as well as development, deployment and marketing for Comcast’s most innovative video products, including Digital Cable, video–on–demand (VOD), high definition television (HDTV), and digital video recorders (DVRs).
Andy also managed established businesses and launched new products at Kraft Foods and AT&T. He has been recognized numerous times for leadership and innovation, including CableFax’s “100 Most Influential People (2004),” Cable and Telecommunications Marketing Association’s TAMI Award (2003), and Advertising Age’s “Top 100 Marketers (1991).” Andy earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Lafayette College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan–Flagler Business School.
Andy brings to Hillcrest more than 20 years of marketing and product management experience, much of it focused on the launch of innovative products. Prior to Hillcrest, Andy was a senior vice president at Comcast, responsible for marketing and new products. While there he played a lead role in new product strategy as well as development, deployment and marketing for Comcast’s most innovative video products, including Digital Cable, video–on–demand (VOD), high definition television (HDTV), and digital video recorders (DVRs).
Andy also managed established businesses and launched new products at Kraft Foods and AT&T. He has been recognized numerous times for leadership and innovation, including CableFax’s “100 Most Influential People (2004),” Cable and Telecommunications Marketing Association’s TAMI Award (2003), and Advertising Age’s “Top 100 Marketers (1991).” Andy earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Lafayette College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan–Flagler Business School.
Peter Jackson is a founding member of the Hillcrest management team and has almost 20 years of financial management experience.
Prior to Hillcrest, he directed the Switching Division finance team at Tellabs, Inc. Prior to Tellabs, as Vice President of Finance for SALIX Technologies, Inc., Peter played a key role in building the company, raising venture capital and negotiating its sale to Tellabs, Inc. for $300M. Previously, he served in several key financial management roles including Director of Financial Planning and Controller for Filetek, Inc., a data management systems company. Peter began his career with the public accounting firm of Price Waterhouse.
Peter is a Certified Public Accountant, an Elijah Watt Sells national award winner and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with summa cum laude distinction from the University of Maryland. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) professional organization.
Prior to Hillcrest, he directed the Switching Division finance team at Tellabs, Inc. Prior to Tellabs, as Vice President of Finance for SALIX Technologies, Inc., Peter played a key role in building the company, raising venture capital and negotiating its sale to Tellabs, Inc. for $300M. Previously, he served in several key financial management roles including Director of Financial Planning and Controller for Filetek, Inc., a data management systems company. Peter began his career with the public accounting firm of Price Waterhouse.
Peter is a Certified Public Accountant, an Elijah Watt Sells national award winner and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with summa cum laude distinction from the University of Maryland. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) professional organization.
David Karlin has over 25 years of experience in product development and technology–based strategic marketing. At Hillcrest, David is responsible for aligning technology and product offerings to customer programs, and to the infrastructures necessary for digital content deployment.
Prior to joining Hillcrest, David served as senior manager of strategic marketing for Agilent Technologies’ Multi Industry Business Unit, as the senior manager of product planning for the company’s Measurement and Analysis Software & Technology Operation, and as a director of new ventures. During his tenure at Agilent, David directed the formation and implementation of innovative business, product and technology initiatives, covering the spectrum of digital to Ultra–Wideband signals with market applications in cellular, WLAN, aerospace/defense, industrial, and education.
As an R&D manager and engineer for Hewlett–Packard, David led the invention, development, and market delivery of more than a dozen significant test and measurement instrumentation solutions, critical to the deployment of LAN, WAN and ATM data communication services over the last two decades. One of these solutions, the Internet Advisor protocol analyzer, is a dominant market leader and has won over 50 significant industry awards and honors since its introduction.
David earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University. As a Hewlett–Packard Fellow, he was awarded a master of science degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
Prior to joining Hillcrest, David served as senior manager of strategic marketing for Agilent Technologies’ Multi Industry Business Unit, as the senior manager of product planning for the company’s Measurement and Analysis Software & Technology Operation, and as a director of new ventures. During his tenure at Agilent, David directed the formation and implementation of innovative business, product and technology initiatives, covering the spectrum of digital to Ultra–Wideband signals with market applications in cellular, WLAN, aerospace/defense, industrial, and education.
As an R&D manager and engineer for Hewlett–Packard, David led the invention, development, and market delivery of more than a dozen significant test and measurement instrumentation solutions, critical to the deployment of LAN, WAN and ATM data communication services over the last two decades. One of these solutions, the Internet Advisor protocol analyzer, is a dominant market leader and has won over 50 significant industry awards and honors since its introduction.
David earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University. As a Hewlett–Packard Fellow, he was awarded a master of science degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
Negar Moshiri has a record of accomplishments as a developer, system architect and project leader for innovative start–up companies. Prior to Hillcrest, Negar worked at SALIX Technologies, Inc., where she developed high performance embedded systems, including the industry's first PC–based OC–12 ATM network interface. She has expertise in VoIP networks and protocols and was a principal architect for the highest density VoIP switch, the SALIX7750. At SALIX, Negar led the media processing group and managed several multi–site development projects. Prior to SALIX, Negar worked as lead project engineer at Billingsley Instrumentation, where she developed products for several space programs including IRIDIUM™. She is an expert in multi–service voice and data networks, traffic management and QoS, and high density signal processing architectures. Negar holds a master of science in computer engineering and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland. She is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
Scott Lincke oversees the roadmap and definition of Hillcrest products, which makes him responsible for the specifications and features of each solution. Scott brings a strong background in technology product management and engineering to his position. Before joining the Hillcrest team, Scott spent three years as senior director of product management for Tapwave, Inc., where he developed the company’s product strategy and roadmap for a line of award–winning mobile consoles.
While serving as Director of Wireless Products at Palm Inc., Scott drove the company’s wireless business plan, which included determination and prioritization of markets, wireless technologies and software solutions for use in the company’s wireless communicator products. His strong grasp of technology and product lines comes from his early career experience as a software engineer at Arthur Anderson & Co., and from his seven years as Project Technical Leader at Hewlett Packard, Inc., where he led a team that delivered a leading edge PC–based automotive diagnostic system used in Volvo dealerships worldwide.
Scott holds a BS degree in computer science from Indiana University and an MA in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.
While serving as Director of Wireless Products at Palm Inc., Scott drove the company’s wireless business plan, which included determination and prioritization of markets, wireless technologies and software solutions for use in the company’s wireless communicator products. His strong grasp of technology and product lines comes from his early career experience as a software engineer at Arthur Anderson & Co., and from his seven years as Project Technical Leader at Hewlett Packard, Inc., where he led a team that delivered a leading edge PC–based automotive diagnostic system used in Volvo dealerships worldwide.
Scott holds a BS degree in computer science from Indiana University and an MA in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.
Chad Lucien has a strong background in corporate strategy, business development, consulting and investment banking. Prior to Hillcrest, Chad was the Director of Strategic Development for TVGateway LLC where he was responsible for strategic planning, business development and financial management. Chad worked with TVGateway's investors to execute its spin–off, reshape its strategy and complete multiple financings and acquisitions. He became involved with TVGateway while a Principal of Katalyst LLC, an operational consulting and venture capital firm. At Katalyst, Chad advised eight technology companies on financial and business strategy. Previously, he was an associate with the investment banking firm Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, where he gained expertise in valuation and merger and acquisition transaction advisory services. He began his career as a business analyst with Signet Bank. Chad earned a bachelor of science in commerce with distinction from the University of Virginia, with concentrations in finance and marketing. Chad is a CFA charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute and a member of CTAM.
Parag oversees Hillcrest’s brand and market positioning strategy. He brings more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience to Hillcrest. Parag has launched products globally for start–ups and multi–national companies.
Most recently, Parag was senior vice president of corporate marketing at Spirent Communications. His responsibilities included reinventing the company’s brand and creating a unified presence in the global markets. Prior to Spirent, he advised clients on marketing and brand strategies. As VP of marketing at Vibrant Solutions (now TEOCO) and Woodwind Communications (now Verilink) he was responsible for developing and launching new product platforms and product categories. At Siemens he led the Solutions Division, which delivered end–to–end solutions to the service providers. In addition, he was responsible for corporate branding, communications strategies and sales operations. Prior to Siemens, he was the director of sales at Data Labs (now Lucent). He began his career in sales at TTC (now Acterna).
Parag holds a BSEE from State University of New York at Buffalo.
Most recently, Parag was senior vice president of corporate marketing at Spirent Communications. His responsibilities included reinventing the company’s brand and creating a unified presence in the global markets. Prior to Spirent, he advised clients on marketing and brand strategies. As VP of marketing at Vibrant Solutions (now TEOCO) and Woodwind Communications (now Verilink) he was responsible for developing and launching new product platforms and product categories. At Siemens he led the Solutions Division, which delivered end–to–end solutions to the service providers. In addition, he was responsible for corporate branding, communications strategies and sales operations. Prior to Siemens, he was the director of sales at Data Labs (now Lucent). He began his career in sales at TTC (now Acterna).
Parag holds a BSEE from State University of New York at Buffalo.
