About Us

RidgeRun Management and Directors

Rudy Prince - CEO and Chairman of the Board

Rudy Prince has more than 20 years experience in embedded electronics, DSPs, and systems integration efforts in hard copy, voice processing, and imaging applications. Prince served 12 years as President and CEO of eFax.com, formerly JetFax, where he led large-scale embedded controller and software developments of multifunction printers for Hewlett-Packard, Minolta, Samsung, Okidata and Xerox Corporation. He also transitioned the company from embedded electronics and software to launch the largest Internet unified messaging service with more than two million subscribers. eFax.com was acquired by J2 Global Communications in November 2000. Prior to eFax, Rudy served as VP Sales and Marketing for Entropic Speech, an advanced voice compression and recognition technology developer which was later acquired by Microsoft. He also served in a variety of sales, marketing and product management roles at IBM and Veritas DGC. Rudy graduated with Highest Honors with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Email: rudy@ridgerun.com

Pat Sewall - President, Founder and Board Member

Pat Sewall's experience includes a 22-year track record of creating and managing successful multi-million dollar software and hardware businesses and products for the computer industry. Prior to founding RidgeRun, Pat spent 16 years at Hewlett-Packard, most recently leading HP's business relationships for Linux client and server-based printing. He worked closely with senior management of VA Linux, Corel, and Red Hat to define and develop the next generation of Linux printing architecture. Prior to HP, Pat held senior management positions with Bently Nevada Corp., a privately held electronics manufacturer. Sewall holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Iowa and an MS in Computer Science from the University of California, Davis. Email: psewall@ridgerun.com

Gary Oliverio - V.P. Escali Marketing

Based in the RidgeRun San Jose office, Gary has more than fifteen years of semiconductor, wireless products and software marketing experience, most recently as Business Development Director for the Engineering Services Group with Red Hat, Inc. At RidgeRun, Gary's role includes acting as the company's advocate for embedded Linux and in driving the proliferation and knowledge of Linux for a variety of wireless and multimedia appliances. Oliverio previously served in a variety of marketing and sales management roles at Motorola, including Market Development Manager focusing on Motorola's wireless technology and as the National Sales Manager for Motorola's OEM Paging Products. Gary graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Email: goliverio@ridgerun.com

Rick Seger - V.P. Worldwide Sales

Rick Seger has more than 19 years experience in corporate sales and business development, including 13 years at Motorola, where he was Vice President of Sales for the Consumer Systems Group. After working with Motorola, Rick joined Questra Consulting where he initiated and managed relationships for embedded design services, particularly in the areas of multimedia imaging and Internet connectivity. Prior to Motorola, Rick served as a Product Manager with Intel Corporation. Rick holds a BS in Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. Email: rseger@ridgerun.com

Phil Verghese - CTO and Founder

A seasoned software architect and developer with a history of delivering high-quality, high-performance products, Phil brings more than a decade of software development experience to the team. Prior to co-founding RidgeRun, Phil served as the principal software architect for the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet Core Software Lab. His innovative design and development of software for installers, I/O, workflow applications and printer drivers earned him broad recognition and dramatically reduced time resources required to create and maintain LaserJet products. He served as the primary technical liason between HP printer groups and the Microsoft operating systems teams. Phil also worked with teams building HP printers, scanners, cameras and other hardcopy devices to improve interoperability across the HP hardcopy product line. While at HP, he helped launch the company's efforts to improve printing for Linux. Phil holds a BA in CS from Rutgers College as well as a variety of pending patents and distinguished awards in technical communications. Email: philv@ridgerun.com

Dan George - V.P. Product Development

Dan George has more than 15 years of embedded software experience, including 10 years at Hewlett-Packard. While at HP, Dan consistently drove high-end features into more affordable products, and was the chief architect responsible for system architecture and technical oversight in the simultaneous development of the recently announced LaserJet 3200, 2200, 1200 hardcopy imaging products. Previously, he partnered with engineers at Adobe Systems to bring best-in-class price-performance to the LaserJet 5p using Adobe's Memory Booster Technology. Dan's leadership and history of project success has been a major factor in building Hewlett-Packard's dominance of the multi-billion dollar low-end Laser printer market. Dan holds a BS in EE and a MS in CS from University of California, Chico. Email: dgeorge@ridgerun.com

James A. Knight - Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

Jim Knight is responsible for corporate finance, legal affairs, and administrative matters. Jim's background includes three years at Triarc Companies, Inc., a NYSE-listed holding company based in New York, where he focused on acquisitions, divestitures, private equity investments and financings for the company and its affiliates. His experience before then included five years as a corporate/securities attorney at Andrews and Kurth LLP in its New York and Houston offices, representing both public and privately held entities in a variety of transactions, and over two years as a lending officer at a large commercial bank. Most recently Jim was Vice President - Finance and General Counsel of a start-up venture that provided an internet-based sales channel for electronic product developers. He holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin, and a JD degree, with honors, from the University of Houston Law Center. Email: jknight@ridgerun.com

Peter Alexander - Board Member

Peter is currently Vice President, Worldwide Marketing Operations at Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), where he is responsible for marketing activities across the company. Since joining Cisco through the StrataCom acquisition in 1996, Peter has been a leading outbound marketer and spokesperson for Cisco. Most recently, as Vice President of Marketing and Operations for the Internet Services Business Unit, Cisco's largest business unit by revenue, he helped stabilize the business from declining revenues and margins, and positioned it for growth with profitable marketshare. During his 3 years as Vice President of Enterprise Marketing, he pioneered Cisco AVVID as the architecture for the Enterprise network and helped to drive Cisco's data, voice, and video integration strategy. In September 2000, he was named one of the industry's "Top 50 Smartest People" by Sm@rt Partner. Peter formerly served as Executive Director of Enterprise Marketing at StrataCom Inc. and served as Director of Sales and Operations in the Asia/Pacific region for Republic Telecom Systems. He also served in a variety of engineering and management positions at Entropic Speech, Inc. and ROLM Corporation. Mr. Alexander is an associate member of the British Institute of Electrical Engineers, and holds a M.B.A. degree from the University of California - Berkeley and a B.Eng. (Honors) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Bradford in England.

Gene Cloud - Board Member

Gene spent more than 30 years in the semiconductor industry, with experience including strategic planning, government relations, financial planning, marketing communications, patent and technology planning, sales management and IC chip design. Gene is retired from Micron Technology, Inc., after serving 10 years as Vice President of Marketing. He also worked at National Semiconductor and Motorola. Currently, Gene works with a small group of start-up companies and enjoys doing volunteer work in education. Gene holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MS in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University. Email: cloud@micron.net

Tom Loutzenheiser - Board Member

Tom has more than 18 years experience in the computer and information technology industry, with specific expertise in Internet/network technology, product management, sales, marketing, finance and general corporate management. Tom has held management positions in R&D, product management, sales, marketing and executive management at IBM Corporation and Extended Systems, Inc. In 1992, Tom founded Apexx Technology, Inc, an early leader in Linux-based, embedded Internet servers. As Chairman and CEO, Tom grew the company significantly over the next five years, culminating in an acquisition of the company by eSoft, Inc in 1999. Tom has a BS in Engineering from the University of Washington and an MS in Engineering Management/Management Systems from Stanford University. Email: toml@akerscapital.com