Auckenthaler & Casto Join Space Data Corporation Board
Chandler, AZ
March 17, 2008
Alan Auckenthaler and William Casto are the newest members to be elected to the Space Data Corporation Board of Directors. “Both Alan and Bill bring extraordinary communications experience to our organization,” said Gerald Knoblach, CEO and Chairman. “We have reached significant milestones over the past several years and they will be helping us position the company for greater accomplishments in the future.”
Space Data delivers low-cost communications for rural and remote areas using its high-altitude SkySite® Network. The proprietary balloon borne communications platforms can be launched within minutes by just one person from almost anywhere—a far quicker and more economical approach than launching a satellite or erecting a tower. Its customers are the military, homeland security organizations and industry, as well as individual consumers.
Auckenthaler is an attorney who has worked in telecommunications for more than 25 years. He served as general counsel for Inmarsat, the global mobile satellite company, where he guided the formerly intergovernmental organization through privatization. He also served as vice president of Inmarsat Ventures Limited. He is a member of the Corporate Governance Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Business Law and has designed and implemented corporate compliance programs.
Casto retired last year as CEO and President of St. Cloud Wireless Holdings and Northern PCS, which did business as Sprint PCS in a four-state region. He built the St. Cloud, Minnesota firm from zero employees and customers to an organization serving over 200,000 subscribers that was acquired by Sprint for $300 million after only seven years in operation. In addition to his work in telecommunications, Castro also has a banking background. He is now a consultant helping to develop successful businesses.
About Space Data Space Data is a privately held, Arizona corporation and is a leader at using Near Space communications to provide wireless services in rural and remote areas. Near Space is that region of the atmosphere higher than airplanes and lower than satellites. Space Data has provided M2M services for the oil and gas industry for nearly four years in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico using NPCS transceivers on high altitude balloons. It also provides Near Space Communications Systems to the United States Air Force under a $49 million contract. For more information please visit www.spacedata.net
Media Contacts:
Jim Wiesenberg: 480-722-2104; jim.wiesenberg@spacedata.net
Tim Ayers: 202-857-9734; tim@ayersassociates.net.
Editor Notes:
For photos of Auckenthaler and Casto, please contact Tim Ayers.