The Epana Leadership Team
JOHN PRINNER - President & CEO
Mr. Prinner has been a wireless, cable tv, telecom and broadband services executive for more than twenty years and has been a leader in introducing IP based alternatives to many of the legacy based cable and telecom offerings. He most recently was the CEO of Utilicom Networks where he led the build-out of a last-mile fiber-coax network that served residential and business customers with voice, video and data services, effectively becoming one of the first providers of "triple-play" services in the country. Additionally, he was the CFO of Conversent Communications, a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) that delivered telecom and broadband services to small and medium sized businesses over a fourteen state network extending from Maine to West Virginia, including the major metropolitan areas of New York and Boston. Earlier in his career Mr. Prinner led SNET Wireless, which was the predecessor company to AT&T Wireless in the three-state region of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Western Massachusetts. He started his career as a consultant in PriceWaterhouseCoopers Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory practice where he was a key contributor to major transactions in the wireless, media and communications, and consumer products categories.
JAY ADAMS - Vice President & General Manager Communication Services
Jay Adams is the Vice President & General Manager Communications Services at Epana where he is responsible for international route development, global carrier relations, product development, and new business opportunities with customers and partners. Mr. Adams has over ten years' management and executive experience in international telecommunications where his work included building and managing global networks around the world and establishing direct relationships with local partners and PTTs in host countries. Mr. Adams began his career in 1994 at IDT where he managed inbound and outbound internet services for the company. Prior to joining Epana, Mr. Adams created global and domestic carrier networks and initiated a highly successful calling card division as Vice President of Sakon, a state of the art carrier that offered integrated telecommunications services over a broadband network.
GUS GOLEMBIEWSKI- Vice President Sales & Distribution
Gus Golembiewski has more than 20 years sales experience in the Consumer Package Goods industry. Golembiewski started his career in Milwaukee, WI with Pepsi Americas then moved into the beer industry with Harbor Distributing Company in Long Beach, CA, one of the nations largest Miller Brewing Company Distributors. Golembiewski went to Pepsi Bottling Group in Southern California, working in positions such as District Manager, Territory Sales Manager, Sales Manager, Key Account Manager and Business Unit Senior Key Account Manager. He joined EPANA in 2005 and is now responsible for the direction and management of all sales and customer development operations, including market competitiveness, pricing, compensations and distribution/channel strategy. Mr. Golembiewski is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he holds his B. A. in Communications.
LYDIA JAHN - Vice President Marketing
Lydia Jahn brings more than 18 years of marketing experience in Consumer Package Goods, Retail and Financial Services industries targeting the Hispanic Consumer in the US. L. Jahn has been in the company since 2005, she is responsible for brand architecture, consumer intelligence, media, public relations and the development of acquisition and retention programs across all Epana’s products and channels of distribution. Before that, Lydia oversaw all Multicultural Marketing activities at Wakefern Food Corporation (ShopRite Supermakets) focusing on building consumer loyalty through life-style / life stage initiatives. Previously, she worked for Goya Food Corporation, the largest manufacturer and distributor of Hispanic Food in the US. Her work experience also includes several years in the Remittance industry working for Servicio UniTeller. L. Jahn holds an MBA and a B.A. in Economics from the I.T.E.S.M. University of Monterrey, Mexico.
DANIEL MARLO - Vice President & General Manager Financial Services
Mr. Marlo has been with the Company since spring of 2004 and is responsible for the strategic direction and operations of the Company’s financial services products. Previously, he served as the Vice President of Business Development where he led new product development, including Unidos, and helped expand the Company’s direct-to-store distribution network. Prior to joining Epana, Mr. Marlo worked in the Menlo Park and New York offices of Gunderson Dettmer. He counseled and advised numerous venture funds and emerging growth companies regarding operational and financing matters and mergers and acquisitions. Previously, Mr. Marlo held several other positions working with venture and private equity backed companies in addition to working with Pfizer-Shiley. Mr. Marlo holds a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and a B.A. in Economics and English from Georgetown University. Mr. Marlo was a founding member of the Small Business Opportunity Clinic, in conjunction with his studies at the Kellogg School of Management, that provided operating and business advice to entrepreneurial ventures in the Chicago area.
DOUGLAS O'BRIEN - Vice President Information & Technology
Mr. O’Brien has over 2 decades of experience in senior level management and consulting positions within IT organizations spanning the Telecom, Manufacturing, Engineering, Media and Publishing industries. Prior to joining Epana, Mr. O’Brien served as an independent consultant for venture capital and small boutique firms, providing expert analysis on OSS / Billing solutions, Revenue Assurance, Telecom Expense Management, and business process re-engineering to business owners enabling them to obtain a more strategically focused operation.
Serving as CIO for Supra Telecom in Miramar, FL. Mr. O’Brien successfully implemented and improved numerous business processes which had a significant impact on the financial position of the company. Mr. O’Brien also held the position of Vice President Information Technology for Utilicom Networks, a successful CLEC startup which built, owned and operated advanced fiber optic based networks for the delivery of Digital Cable TV, Internet service and Local and Long Distance Telephone service to residential and commercial customers. Mr. O’Brien holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and business administration from the University of California, Irvine
MERYL RAVITZ - Vice President Finance and Corporate Controller
Ms. Ravitz has almost twenty years' operational experience in telecom and other ventures. Prior to her involvement with Epana, Ms. Ravitz was the controller of Wired Business. Prior to that, Ms. Ravitz worked at Destia Communications, a prepaid and residential telephony provider. As the Director of Corporate Accounting and Financial Reporting, Ms. Ravitz was responsible for all financial activities related to Destia's initial public offering, two high-yield offerings and the acquisition of Destia by Viatel, Inc. Before Destia, she was at Deloitte & Touche for 6 years where she focused on the telecommunications industry. Ms. Ravitz has her CPA and is a graduate of George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
