Innovation Meets Opportunity
TPL has been "purpose built" to deliver an array of services
that are fundamental to streamlining the development and
commercialization of proprietary products and technologies.
By consistently delivering innovation and opportunity, TPL has
earned a reputation of being a trusted partner that can enable
constructive licensing programs as well as new product development
programs that leverage the IP assets within its patent portfolios.
Management
Dan Leckrone, Chairman
Dan Leckrone began his career as a trial lawyer, but after
several years began his focus on the development and
implementation of strategies for the management of the legal
affairs of technology-based companies. He became heavily
involved in the development and management of multi-national
intellectual property asset portfolios, the structuring of
multi-national joint ventures for the development and use of
technology, and the structuring and management of complex
multi-national litigation. Before founding the TPL Group in
the late 80s, he served as Vice President-Law of Memorex
International, General Counsel Domestic of Memorex Corporation,
and a "time-shared" Chief Legal Officer for a host of
technology-based start-up companies in Silicon Valley.
Chuck Moore, Chief Technology Officer
Chuck Moore co-founded Forth Inc. in 1971. He developed a
Forth-based chip (RTX2000) in the mid 1980s, derivatives of
which are still being used widely by NASA. At Computer Cowboys,
Mr. Moore designed the Sh-Boom microprocessor, and then
co-founded iTV, an Internet Appliance manufacturer. During the
1990s, he used his own CAD software to design several custom
VLSI chips, including the F21 processor with a network interface.
More recently, he invented ColorForth and ported his VLSI design
tools to it. Moore currently serves as CTO for both IntellaSys and
its parent company, the TPL Group.
Mac Leckrone, Alliacense President/COO
Mac Leckrone is an Intellectual Property management and licensing
specialist. Prior to joining Alliacense in 2004 he served with Dolby
Laboratories most recently as Director of Intellectual Property
Licensing Strategy. During his eight-year tenure with Dolby, he
was responsible for the firm's Consumer Electronics, PC, Automotive,
Telecom and Broadcast sector licensing transactions as Dolby prevailed
as the dominant digital audio codec format. Prior to Dolby, he served
as a Licensing Executive for The TPL Group where he was instrumental
in the development and commercialization of an IP portfolio encompassing
video signal processing technology, including the licensing of
Picture-in-Picture technology to the Consumer Electronics and Broadcast sectors.
Chet Brown, IntellaSys CEO
Chet Brown's 30-plus years' experience includes a distinguished
tenure with Western Digital where he held key positions in strategic
marketing and international operations, formed two new business units,
and served as a subsidiary president and CEO. As executive VP at
SyQuest Technology, he developed worldwide strategic alliances,
channels and sales. Brown earlier served as president and CEO for
Prisma Devices, which he founded, and InfoChip Systems. As a founding
member of Qlogic, he served as VP of marketing and manufacturing as
well as acting COO. Brown also served as president and CEO of
ConnectCom Solutions.
Dwayne R. Hannah, Chief Financial Officer
With more than 25 years' experience in finance and business
development, Dwayne Hannah oversees financial systems for the
TPL Group and its enterprise companies. He came to TPL from Cirrus
Logic, where he held key financial positions over seven years, the
latest as the worldwide director of finance for engineering and
video marketing. Earlier in his career he served as an officer
in the corporate banking group at Chase Manhattan. He holds an
MBA degree (with honors) from the Marshall School of Business at
the University of Southern California and a BS in Business Finance
(cum laude) from the Leeds School of Business at the University of
Colorado. He has also completed extensive coursework in the
Doctoral Program in Finance at the Harvard Graduate
School of Business.
Mike Davis, Senior Vice President of Licensing
Mike Davis is a seasoned IP licensing executive and joined
Alliacense in 2004. Davis came to Alliacense from Ascent Media Group
where he was VP, New Products Group responsible for developing the
media services in the emerging video-on-demand industry. Before
that, he served as VP of Business Development at DIVA Systems
Corporation, a major video-on-demand provider with over 100 U.S.
and foreign patents. Chief among his accomplishments was the
successful conclusion of licensing and development agreements
with 7 of the world's top 10 media companies. Earlier in his
career, Davis served seven years at Orion Pictures Corporation,
most recently as VP of Domestic Television Distribution,
responsible for North American licensing and distribution of
the company's entertainment assets.
Robert Neilson, Senior Vice President
With more than three decades of experience in investment
banking, mergers and acquisitions and corporate taxation, Robert
Neilson is responsible for financial and strategic oversight.
Prior to joining TPL, he was a managing director for Relational
Advisors LLC, where he served as the lead advisor to high-net worth
and corporate clients on complex, cross-border M&A and financing
transactions. He also served as a managing partner at
PricewaterhouseCoopers for 20 years, most recently for the Pacific
Asia region where he was the lead partner for all M&A business,
comprising of 125 professionals, $35 million in annual fees, and
annual transaction values totaling approximately $15 billion.
Holding a B.S. in Accounting from Brigham Young University in
Provo, Utah, Neilson was also an Adjunct Professor of Tax for
the Masters Program at the University of Southern California.
Nick Antonopoulos, Senior VP of Business Development
With more than 20 years' experience working with high-technology
companies, Nick Antonopoulos was the VP of sales and marketing for
OnSpec Electronics when The TPL Group acquired and merged OnSpec
into its IntellaSys enterprise in April 2006. During his five-year
tenure at OnSpec, he played a key role in transforming the Silicon
Valley company into a key supplier of advanced system-on-chip
solutions for memory control and management. Under his watch,
OnSpec expanded its OEM customer base into new markets including
HDTV, DVD, printer, and cell phone products. His high tech career
experience includes executive management positions with Mediamatics
(National Semiconductor), Headland Technology (LSI Logic), Zilog
and Faraday Electronics (Western Digital). Antonopoulos holds a
BS in Marketing from San Jose State University.
Eric Saunders Esq., VP & Chief Counsel, Intellectual Property
Before joining TPL, Saunders was a partner in Henneman &
Saunders, specialists in high-tech IP litigation and patent
prosecution, which served TPL as one of its clients. With
more than 30 years of practical experience in computer hardware
and software technologies, he has focused on patent prosecution
within semiconductor, laser, multimedia and Internet disciplines.
He holds a J.D. degree from the University of California, Hastings
College of Law, and has been admitted to the California Bar and US
District Court for the Northern District of California as well as
the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Saunders studied
in the Doctoral Program at the University of California, Berkeley
School of Business, and has lectured on IP law at both San Francisco
State and San Jose State Universities.
Dennis Miller, Vice President, IP Development Engineering
Miller moved to The TPL Group following a two-year tenure
with IntellaSys, another TPL enterprise, where he was instrumental
in establishing the chip maker's design center in Tempe, Arizona.
His 30 years high-tech experience spans semiconductor architecture,
design, layout, testing, firmware development, manufacturing, and
product engineering working with major chip makers such as Intel,
IBM and Philips Semiconductors as well as with smaller companies
such as VLSI Technology, Gigabit Logic and Burr Brown. Miller
studied physics and electrical engineering at DeVry Institute
of Technology, leaving early 1972 for military service in the US
Coast Guard. While serving with the USCG, he supervised shipboard
NavCom installations and managed the Seattle District NavCom
Electronics Group which made operational the first Puget Sound
Vessel Traffic System RADAR network.
Janet E. Neal, Senior VP of International Administration
Janet Neal first began working for TPL Group chairman Dan Leckrone
in the London office of Memorex Corporation where she gained valuable
experience in corporate law and executing complex tasks in a
multi-national environment comprising 22 non-US Memorex subsidiaries.
Prior to joining the TPL Group in 1991, she served in a number of
broadcast-critical positions for Sky TV in London, initially as a
program assistant for the Head of News, and then later as a unit
manager for the International Business Report Team. Her early career
moves also included stints with Bytex International where she dealt
with major film companies, and with Alfa-Laval, a leading global
provider of specialized products and engineered solutions, where
she worked in public relations.
Advisory Board
Richard "Dick" Allen
An eminent technologist and entrepreneur, Dick Allen has orchestrated
the development of cutting-edge products for more than 30 years. As
Founder/CEO of Photonics, he pioneered wireless LAN technology and
filed key patents on infrared communications. As a Distinguished
Scientist at Apple Computer, he led the development of Apple's first
wireless LAN product line, recognized by Business Week as one of the
most noteworthy developments in 1999. Allen began making his mark in
high technology at Varian Data Machines where he led development of
the V70 minicomputer line. He subsequently joined Memorex where he
first served as VP of Engineering and then later as VP and General
Manager of the Communications Group. His high-tech management experience
also included a stint as General Manager of NCR's Micrographics Systems
Division. Allen holds a BSEE from Rutgers University.
Nick Tredennick
Dr. Nick Tredennick is an advisor and investor in numerous pre-IPO
startups and is a member of technical advisory board for the TPL Group as well
as other high-tech companies including OpenReach, Impinj, QuickSilver Technology,
QuickFlex, and the Venture X Group. He serves as editor of the Gilder Technology
Report and is on the editorial advisory board for several technical publications
including IEEE Spectrum, Microprocessors and Microsystems, Embedded Developers
Journal, and Microprocessor Report. Dr. Tredennick was named a Fellow of the IEEE
for his contributions to microprocessor design. He has over 30 years' experience
in computer and microprocessor design, holds nine patents, and has more than fifty
technical publications, including a textbook on microprocessor design
(Microprocessor Logic Design).
Robert C. Wilson
Perhaps best known for leading the remarkable turnarounds at
Collins Radio and Memorex Corporation in the 1970s, Wilson has held
several CEO positions in major electronics enterprises since the
early 1960s. He has also served on the boards of Chrysler Corporation,
Rockwell International, GAF Corporation, ReSound Corporation, Western
Digital and Southwall Technologies while a partner and chairman of
Wilson & Chambers, a Menlo Park based consultancy specializing in
change management and early stage investments. Over the course of his
long and distinguished career, Wilson has been twice named as one of the
top ten business leaders of the year in Gallagher's President's Report.
He was also the honored recipient of the Progress Medal from the
International Society of Manufacturing Engineers and a Gold Medal
from the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.
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