Sr. VP, Engineering

Posted on: 2006-01-20

PAUL MERCER 116 Park Avenue  Convent Station, NJ 07961 Phone: (973) 540-8474  Mobile: (201) 738-3085  E-mail:[email protected] TELECOM & HIGH TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE Risk Management  Budgeting  Cost Reduction  Product Development  Process Control Product & Team Turnarounds  Project & Program Management  US & Global Operations Start-ups & Mature Companies  Process Reengineering  Strategic Analysis & Planning  Valued for expertise in Legacy Telecom, VoIP, High Quality Packet Networks including IVD Services, WiMax applications, LAN, WAN, and MAN applications, skilled in the management of all types of domestic and global technology-oriented products and in managing relations with US Carriers and international customers, especially direct customer management and pre- and post-sales support.  A professional in all aspects of Project Management including cost and expense control, and operations.  A Quality Management specialist for all disciplines utilized in Telecom and High Technology development (SW, HW, Mechanical, SQA, Third Party Supplier Management).  A Leader recognized for the ability to integrate many multi-functional sub-teams into a successful unit. Skilled in communications across technical, business, customer and executive management PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE INTEGRAL ACCESS, Chelmsford, MA 2001 – 2005 VoIP Telephony, Data, Video start-up providing world class service quality access systems. Sold to TELCO SYSTEMS, Foxboro, MA, July 2005. Senior Vice President, Engineering Direct all aspects of product definition, product design, deployment, product quality, program and project management and field support for all parts of the PurePacket Access System, which is a packet voice and data access system consisting of a multi-service access gateway and Integrated Access Devices (IADs), and Network Management Server. The system operates in both traditional telecom networks (GR303/V5.2/T1/E1/DS3/SONET/SDH, ISDN-PRI), and IP networks (SIP/MGCP/802.3, ISUP) and provides a cost-effective and feature-rich convergence vehicle utilizing virtually all media including WiMax, Ethernet (802.3 ad and z), Fiber, T1, DS3, SONET, SDH. Served as a company leader as a member of the Executive Management Team. • Turned around the product and the team without impacting deployment schedule in US and international markets; created a new market for the company’s largest customer. • Deployed successfully in 40 cities for a major independent telecom provider; to date deployment provides 25% of this provider’s customer base. Deployed IVD IP LAN, WAN, and MAN networks and associated protocols (such as TCP/IP). • Expanded European deployment in both number of subscribers and countries; tripled the number of countries, from 1 to 3, with a ten-fold increase in subscribers. • Instituted and implemented required process changes or additions; achieved results listed above while maintaining an agile and open development environment. • Maintained steady growth while reducing headcount and expenses by more than 50%. • Generated 60% year over year revenue growth from 2001 to the present; the product provided world class margins for its class. Paul Mercer Page 2 LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES/BELL LABORATORIES, Whippany, NJ 1978 – 2001 World’s largest telecommunications equipment provider. Vice President of Engineering, 1999 - 2001 Oversaw the 450-member Global AnyMedia Access Systems R&D Team in three US locations, plus Nuremberg, Germany, Tres Cantos, Spain and Sydney, Australia, covering all aspects of planning, development, factory interface, pre-sales technical support, and initial field deployment and support of all global releases of the AnyMedia System, SLC 5, SLC2000, and UNIMUX products. AnyMedia, is a Multiservice Access Vehicle providing voice and TDM services, along with a range of xDSL services (ADSL, SHDSL, VDSL), on a single integrated platform. Network interfaces include OC3/12, GR303, V5.2, DS1/3, HDSL and others. • Oversaw on-time delivery of new features that built the AnyMedia Business to $700MM annually in 2001; delivered over 30 feature releases in 20 months with an on-time performance of greater than 97%. • Under-spent R&D budgets by about 10%, and shipped approximately 30,000 systems to customers in over 25 countries. • Assured compliance with US and Global Carriers standards for deployment. • Partnered with the Vice President of Product Marketing and Management and held joint responsibility for the successful execution of the business in its entirety. Director, Global Project Management and Systems Development, 1996 - 1999 Oversaw the initial definition and development of the AnyMedia Access System and the building of a global development team as well as an integrated development and quality process. • Developed a Global Release Plan and provided product portfolio planning for the new flagship product; worked closely with all members of the Business Management Team (Sales, Manufacturing, Development, and Product Management). • Developed budgets, instituted risk management and resolution, including program adjustment as required. • Defined and implemented the R&D Team Structure and support programs for in-country teams; enabled successful global deployment. Director, 1995 - 1996 Supervised all systems engineering for the major products in access business, including Narrow-band and Broadband Technologies and Video Dialtone Systems. Technical Manager, 1986 - 1995 Managed a number of major developments, including several critical releases of SLC 2000 (including integration of SONET Mux into a DLC System), the key revenue-generating releases of SLC 5, the industry’s first development and deployment of GR303 DLC, the first deployment of Fiber-to-the-Home Access System. • Defined Project Management for the Access Business Unit of AT&T. • Set up the ISO9001 Design Elements. • Defined and implemented system test methodology for all Digital Loop Carrier and Fiber to the Home Products. Member of Technical Staff, 1978 - 1986 Design responsibilities included architecture, systems engineering, hardware design, embedded microprocessor design, firmware design, software design, system integration, and system test. • Received patent # 4394743 for a tone generation method and apparatus using stored reference calibration coefficients – a way of providing a super-accurate tone of variable frequency over a wide ambient temperature range – used in test equipment to calibrate access networks. Paul Mercer Page 3 EDUCATION Masters of Engineering, Highest Honors, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 1978 Bachelor of Science, Highest Honors, Electrical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 1977 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Chairman of the Board, GARDEN SAVINGS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, 1991 – Present