Geolocation Pioneers

Mariam Sorond is the Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer of NextNav (Nasdaq: NN), where she leads the development of groundbreaking terrestrial 3D positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions to backup and complement GPS. Her work addresses a vital national security imperative: strengthening the nation’s PNT infrastructure to ensure continuity and precision in critical applications.

With nearly three decades of experience spanning mobile, wireless, fixed, and satellite networks, Mariam brings a rare combination of technical depth and strategic leadership to the role. Prior to joining NextNav, she held senior executive positions at VMware, CableLabs, and DISH Network, driving innovation across 5G, broadband, and edge technologies.

Mariam has also served in key advisory roles for the NTIA and FCC, helping shape spectrum policy and communications infrastructure. She is widely recognized for her ability to commercialize emerging technologies and guide organizations through critical moments of transformation.

Bandel L. Carano is a Managing Partner at Oak Investment Partners, which he joined in 1985 and became a General Partner in 1987. Bandel is currently on the Boards of Airspan Networks, Centric Software, MobiTV, Mojix, NeoPhotonics, NextNav, nLight, and SmartDrive. Bandel has also led investments in and/or served on the Boards of 2Wire, Avici, CoreTek, Endwave, Fiber Tower, Good Technology, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Netopia, Phononic Devices, Picture Tel, Polycom, Presidio, Protean Electric, Qtera, Sentient Networks, Solarflare Communications, Tegic, Trapeze Networks, Wellfleet, Entropic, Illustra/Informix, Sybase, Tele Atlas, Actel, Airgo Networks, CommQuest, Kenet, Level 5, NanoH2O, NemeriX, Newport Media, Resonext, SMIC, Synaptics, Virata, Interconnectix, Parametric, Synopsys, Tensilica, Wavestream, and Zayo.

Bandel received BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. He currently serves on the Investment Advisory Board of the Stanford Engineering Venture Fund.

Wyman Howard III has been appointed by the Board to serve as a director, effective on May 1, 2025. Admiral Howard retired from the U.S. Navy in September 2022 as Rear Admiral (Upper Half) after over 32 years of service for the SEAL Teams and Joint Special Operations. He has had multiple tours in command of Special Operations Joint Task Forces and was among the first to deploy into Afghanistan following the attacks on September 11, 2001. The combat contributions of the teams Admiral Howard commanded, and with whom he served, were recognized with five Presidential Unit Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation medal, and four Joint Meritorious Unit Awards. Admiral Howard’s joint, interagency, and intelligence experience include service as the second Director of Operations for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in 2016 and as the Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command from 2020 to 2022, which are equivalent leadership roles of a Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer, respectively. Admiral Howard is acknowledged for his leadership in designing new irregular deterrence capabilities and options that increase the leverage of the United States to deter the nation’s adversaries. Admiral Howard also serves on the board of Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER), an aerial firefighting and aerospace services company, and Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH), a single-family home leasing and management company. Admiral Howard was recommended to our Board by John Muleta, a NextNav director.

Admiral Howard graduated from the United States Naval Academy and holds a Master of Business Administration from the TRIUM consortium of the London School of Economics, HEC Paris School of Management, and New York University’s Stern School of Business. Admiral Howard holds a Master of Science in National Security and Resource Strategy with a focus on commercial, civil, and military space sectors from the Eisenhower School and a Professional Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

Admiral Howard is well qualified to serve as a director on our Board due to his distinctive leadership, at the strategic, operational and tactical levels, where he was at the helm in command for outcomes that advanced the security of the United States and its allies.

Alan B. Howe has served as a director since October 2021. Prior to this, Mr. Howe served as a director of Spartacus Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: TMTS), an entity party to the Business Combination (as defined below), from October 2020 until the closing of the Business Combination in October 2021. He has served as co-founder and Managing Partner of Broadband Initiatives, LLC, a telecommunications consulting firm, since 2001. Mr. Howe also served as Vice President of Strategic and Wireless Business Development for Covad Communications, Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: COVD), a national broadband telecommunications company, from May 2005 to October 2008, and as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Corporate Development for Teletrac, Inc., a mobile data and location solutions provider, from April 1995 to April 2011. Previously, Mr. Howe held various executive management positions for Sprint Corporation (NYSE: S) and Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company.

Mr. Howe has over 30 years of extensive hands-on operational expertise combined with corporate finance, business development and corporate governance experience. Mr. Howe has a broad business background and has been exposed to a wide variety of complex business situations within large corporations, financial institutions, start-ups, small-caps and turnarounds. Mr. Howe is currently a member of the board of directors and serves on the audit committees of Babcock and Wilcox (NYSE: BW) and as a member of the board of directors of the San Diego Rescue Mission.

Previously, Mr. Howe served on the boards of over twenty public companies, including Sonim Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: SONM), Resonant, Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: RESN), Data I/O Corporation (Nasdaq: DAIO), Determine, Inc. (OTCMKTS: DTRM), Urban Communications, Inc. (formerly TSXV: UBN), MagicJack, Vocaltec Communications Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: Call), WidePoint Corporation (NYSE American: WYY), CafePress Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: PRSS), and Orion Energy Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: OESX). Mr. Howe holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Illinois, School of Commerce and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Indiana University, Kelley Graduate School of Business.

Mr. Howe is well qualified to serve as a director on our Board due to his extensive financial capital markets and M&A experience, as well as his experience serving on the boards of directors of other public companies.

Jonathan Marcus currently serves as the Chairman of Alimco Financial Corp., (“Alimco”) and previously served as CEO of the Company from March 2019 to May 2023. He is also currently on the board of directors for Anacomp, Inc. and Kaspien Holdings Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Marcus was a managing member and co-founder of Broadbill Partners, L.P., a fund focused on special situations and distressed securities. Prior to Broadbill, Mr. Marcus was the Chief Investment Officer of Cypress Management, L.P., the predecessor fund to Broadbill, which he founded in 1995. Mr. Marcus’ career also includes extensive investment banking and financial advisory work at Prudential-Bache Securities and Credit Suisse First Boston. Since January 2018, Mr. Marcus has served as Special Advisor to Milfam LLC.

John B. Muleta has served as a director since January 2024. Since October 2010, Mr. Muleta has served as the Chief Executive Officer of ATELUM LLC, a technology transfer firm specializing in mobile and Internet services. Since August 2014, Mr. Muleta has served as the Managing Member of SNR Wireless Management LLC. In December 2005, Mr. Muleta founded M2Z Networks, Inc., a wireless broadband internet provider, and served as its Chief Executive Officer and director until October 2010. From March 2005 to April 2006, Mr. Muleta was a partner and the co-chair of the Communications Group at Venable LLP, a law firm. From February 2003 until March 2005, Mr. Muleta served as the Chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. From January 2000 to January 2001, Mr. Muleta served as Executive Vice President of Navisite, Inc. with responsibility for International Markets and Business Development. From January 1998 to January 2000, Mr. Muleta concurrently served as president of PSINet Ventures Inc., president of PSINet’s Global Facilities Division and president of PSINet’s India, Middle East and Africa Division.

Mr. Muleta is well qualified to serve as a director on our Board due to his unparalleled expertise and experience in dealing with wireless policy matters, particularly spectrum allocation matters and driving innovations in public safety communications. Moreover, Mr. Muleta’s long experience in helping emerging companies in the wireless and internet sectors achieve scale is of particular relevance to the Company.

Nicola (Nicki) Palmer is a distinguished technology executive with over 30 years of experience in various leadership positions. Nicki began her career at Bell Atlantic, a Verizon predecessor company and has held a number of leadership positions in engineering, operations, and technology supporting advanced data and wireless products across customer segments. She has served as Verizon’s Chief Engineering Officer as well as the Chief Technology Officer, where she led the 4G and 5G network deployments. As Chief Product Officer, she led the exploration of new technologies and creation of products and platforms that solve problems for individuals, enterprises, and society.

Nicki is widely recognized as an influential leader in technology and telecommunications. Her awards include being named one of the Most Influential Women in Wireless, a Top 10 Women in Telcom, a Top 10 5G People to Watch, a Top 100 CIO/CTO Leader in STEM, a Top 10 Leader in Mobile Diversity Equity and Inclusion, a POWER Woman by Moves Magazine, and highlighted as a Female Disruptor by Authority Magazine. She has worked for decades to promote education and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), especially for women. Nicki earned a BS in industrial engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She is a proud wife, mother of three, and breast cancer survivor.

Lorin Selby has been appointed by the Board to serve as a director, effective on May 1, 2025. Admiral Selby retired as a Rear Admiral from the U.S. Navy in 2023 after nearly 37 years of service. Admiral Selby served in several high-profile positions throughout his Navy career, making significant impacts as a Navy leader. His last assignment was as the Chief of Naval Research from May 2020, to June 2023. In that role, he led a distributed team of 3,800 personnel and developed leading-edge technologies for the Navy and Marine Corps, overseeing a $4 billion budget. A stand-out achievement in this role was the establishment of the Navy’s Hedge Strategy, which calls for the addition of thousands of small, attritable, unmanned systems and sensors, to augment existing battle force ships. He also initiated the Integrated Battle Problem experimentation series, allowing companies and government laboratories to demonstrate their ideas and products to the Navy and Marine Corps in operationally relevant environments. Previously, he served as the Chief Engineer of the United States Navy and Deputy Commander for Ship Design, Integration, and Naval Engineering at the Naval Sea Systems Command from June 2016 until May 2020. Admiral Selby was brought in to drive innovation, optimize performance, and generate new ways of doing business. He also served as the Commander of the Naval Surface Warfare Centers, becoming the first submarine officer assigned to lead a surface warfare R&D hub for these same reasons. His command at sea was the nuclear fast-attack submarine USS GREENEVILLE (SSN 772). Admiral Selby also held highly visible roles like the Deputy Director of the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Following his retirement, Admiral Selby has taken on various consulting roles, advising small and mid-sized technology companies. He currently serves as President and CEO of Selby Partners Consulting LLC and is a founding partner in a maritime-focused growth equity fund, Mare Liberum Capital Partners. Admiral Selby was recommended to our Board by John Muleta, a NextNav director.

Admiral Selby holds a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Virginia, an M.S. in Nuclear Engineering, and a Nuclear Engineer Degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has also completed extensive executive business coursework, and his achievements have been recognized through numerous personal and unit awards.

Admiral Selby is well qualified to serve as a director on our Board due to his extensive leadership experience, deep expertise in technology and innovation, and proven ability to drive technological advancements.

Neil currently serves as Chief Investment Officer for MILFAM, a single-family office.

Throughout his career, Neil has served as a director and major shareholder for a number of telecommunications companies through various cycles of their growth and development. His efforts include advising companies on the appropriate approach to support the growth and development of their spectrum assets via effective financial and operating plans. He has also been integral in providing substantial transaction support for spectrum assets tied to several of the major telecommunications companies which has resulted in significant value creation for these businesses.

Neil also has extensive experience as investor, including roles as Managing Director of the investment advisor to Aspen Advisors and as Chairman of Broadbill Partners.

Neil currently serves on the boards of Alimco Financial Corp, Centrus Energy Corp, Frontiersman Holdings, Inc., and Quantlab Financial LLC. Prior board memberships include Phazr Inc., Federal-Mogul Corporation, Fibertower Corp, First Avenue Networks, Inc., WCS Wireless LLC, 360networks (USA), Inc., Primus Telecommunications Group, Institutional Financial Markets, Inc., and Komag, Inc.