BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Richard Folsom - Representative Partner - Advantage Partners, LLP
Richard Folsom co-founded Advantage Partners, a leading service provider to private equity funds investing in Japan and other global markets, in 1992. Their initial buyout fund was established in 1997. Since then, several more funds have been raised through which they have made 33 acquisitions and buyouts. Recent investments include the acquisition of GTA TeleGuam.
Prior to founding Advantage Partners, his previous experience was in management consulting with Bain & Company, primarily in their Tokyo office, where he accumulated eight years of experience in developing and implementing strategies for both foreign and domestic corporations in the Japanese market. He also serves as the Representative Director of APM Co., Ltd.
Mr. Folsom received his undergraduate degree in Japanese and Economics from Brigham Young University, and received an MBA degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Atsushi Akaike - Partner - Advantage Partners, LLP
Dr. Akaike joined Advantage Partners in April 2002. He has led various projects including business expansion and IPO of 1st Holdings, Inc., a software company providing solutions to SMEs, and investment into Wireless City Planning, a wireless broadband provider founded as a part of rehabilitation process of Willcom, jointly executed with Softbank.
Prior to joining Advantage Partners, Dr. Akaike was a management consultant at the Tokyo office of McKinsey & Company, responsible for the development and implementation of strategic solutions to a wide range of business issues, including corporate strategy building, business unit strategy, new business development, and e-commerce start-up projects in various industries, especially semiconductor, chemical, and electronics industries. Before this, he started his professional career at the NY office of one of the Big 5 consulting firms as an actuary.
Dr. Akaike holds a BS degree in Mineral Resources Development Engineering and an MS degree in Geosystem Engineering, both from the University of Tokyo, as well as a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines
Emmett Thomas – Partner, Head of Asia - Advantage Partners (Hong Kong)
Emmett Thomas joined Advantage Partners in 2007, in order to launch the firm's activities in Asia. He has led the effort to help AP's Japanese portfolio companies expand into Greater China, as well as to originate new investments in North Asia.
Prior to joining AP, Mr. Thomas was the President of Asia for Monitor Group, a global strategy consulting firm, where among other responsibilities he oversaw the private equity advisory business in Asia, advising on many transactions. In addition, he has led many engagements in the telecom industry for a wide variety of global and Asian clients. In his 18 year career at Monitor, he worked in the Cambridge, Tokyo, and Hong Kong offices. He started his career at TSE-listed SMC Corporation, a leading Japanese factory automation manufacturer.
Mr. Thomas holds a BA in Economics from Duke University, as well as an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ichiro Otobe - Principal - Advantage Partners, LLP
Ichiro Otobe joined Advantage Partners in March 2008, where he has been involved in various projects including the global expansion of Reins International, a Japanese barbeque restaurant chain operator, and Wireless City Planning, a wireless broadband provider founded as a part of the rehabilitation process of Willcom, working with Softbank.
Previously, Mr. Otobe was Chief Strategist of Square Enix Co., Ltd., an interactive entertainment company, where he led development of the corporate strategy and negotiated key alliance deals. Before this, he was President and COO of Square Enix Inc., the U.S. subsidiary, where he initiated mobile content business with Verizon Wireless, Cingular, AT&T Wireless, and Sprint. He also led various M&A projects, including the acquisition of the technology firm, UIEvolution Inc. Prior to Square Enix, he was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he led business and strategy development and M&A advisory for clients that included various telecom companies, a video game company, and financial institutions. He was also with the Industrial Bank of Japan, Ltd., involved in derivatives trading, corporate finance, and IT strategy before joining McKinsey.
Mr. Otobe holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and an MSEE and BSEE from the University of Tokyo.
Robert W. Haulbrook, Jr. – President & CEO - GTA TeleGuam
Robert Haulbrook is President and Chief Executive Officer of GTA. Mr. Haulbrook has nearly 30 years experience in all communications market segments including wireless, landline phone service, long distance, and digital television services both nationally and internationally. He has worked in more than 10 international markets in Asia, Australia, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, and in the Middle East.
His previous positions include founder and CEO of Cellular Center, a wireless phone retailer based in Atlanta. He also served as chairman and CEO of Meteor Mobile Communications in Dublin, Ireland, as well as general manager of Centennial Wireless in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Earlier in his career, Mr. Haulbrook held various executive level positions in telecom marketing, sales, product development and strategic planning.
Mr. Haulbrook holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing from Georgia Southern University.
Admiral Thomas Fargo, USN (Ret.) - President, Trex Enterprises - Chairman, Trex Enterprises' Subsidiaries.
Admiral Fargo is President of Trex Enterprises and Chairman of Trex Enterprises' subsidiaries – namely, Loea Corporation, a high data rate wireless communications company, and Sago Systems, Inc. a developer and manufacturer of millimeter-wave cameras used for security systems. He joined Trex Enterprises in March 2005 after a distinguished career serving the United States Navy and Department of Defense.
Admiral Fargo was Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, responsible to the President and the Secretary of Defense, and was the U.S. military representative for collective defense arrangements in the Pacific. Admiral Fargo also served as the 29th Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from October 1999 to May 2002. His service as a leader in the Pacific was preceded by his command of the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces of the Central Command during two years of Iraqi contingency operations from July 1996 to July 1998. His 35 years of service included six tours in Washington, D.C. in addition to five commands in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Middle East.
Admiral Fargo graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1970. He is a 1989 recipient of the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership.
Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero - President & Chairman of the Board-Bank of Guam
Lou Leon Guerrero is the President and Chair of the Board of the Bank of Guam and was named 2010 Guam Business Executive of the Year.
She is also a former senator of the 23rd, 24th, 26th, 27th, and 28th Guam Legislatures. Prior to her service in the Guam Legislature, Ms. Leon Guerrero serving as the nursing supervisor, associate operations manager, and director of operations at FHP Inc. from 1984 to 1994. Before this, she worked at the Guam Memorial Hospital, first as staff development coordinator and later as assistant nursing director.
Ms. Leon Guerrero is a graduate of California State University with a bachelor's degree in Nursing and a master's degree in Public Health from University of California at Los Angeles. She is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School.
Peter E. Gill - Owner KwikSpace Guam. Inc.
Peter Gill is the founder and owner of KwikSPACE Guam, Inc., a diversified industrial service company on Guam. He grew up on Guam and has been a lifelong entrepreneur, bringing his extensive business history and a broad perspective to the GTA Board
In 1994, he founded Habitat of Humanity Guam and has also served on the Affordable Housing Corporation of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle. He is currently the Chairman of the Guam Department of Labor and the Treasurer of the Saint John's School Board. He also served in the Guam Land Use Commission.
Mr. Gill holds a bachelor's degree from Marquette University in Wisconsin.
Dan Moffat
Dan Moffat is the former president and chief executive officer of GTA. He has over 25 years experience in the telecommunications industry and has pioneered various ventures.
Prior to joining GTA in 2007, he was Executive Vice President with EarthLink, which acquired and merged with New Edge Networks in April 2006. Mr. Moffat co-founded New Edge Networks in 1999 and served as President and CEO. Before starting New Edge Networks, he was president of GST Whole Earth Networks. He also previously founded a telecom strategy firm, Access Value Services, which was later sold to Cathey, Hutton and Associates, a telecommunications consulting company. In addition, his telecommunications experience includes sales, marketing and operations positions with U.S. Intelco Networks Inc. (Illuminet); IBM/ROLM Corporation; U.S. West Corp.; and Tymnet, one of the original packet-based value-added networks.
Mr. Moffat holds a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications from Golden Gate University, an MBA from Santa Clara University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University - Chico.
