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LEADERSHIP
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Senior Leadership
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Experience. Diversity. Passion. Purple's leadership is passionate about the communities it serves because members of these communities are part of our leadership. We also recognize that success develops fastest in a work environment where diversity thrives side-by-side with innovation. Get to know Purple's leadership team, and you'll get to know a team that values what you do.
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Dan Luis
Chief Executive Officer
Purple Communications CEO since January 2003, Previously Purple Communications President and COO
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Purple Communications (formerly GoAmerica, Inc.) is one of the nation's leading providers of video, text, and professional interpreter services for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired. Dan Luis has lead the team that put Purple on the map, delivering life-changing services that level the playing field for more than 28 million deaf and hard of hearing Americans.
Dan's service to the company dates to 1994 when he helped found wireless innovator Wynd Communications, leading Wynd's business development function, and becoming its CEO in 1998. Purple Communications acquired Wynd two years later, and Dan was appointed Purple Communications's CEO in 2003, refocusing the company and centralizing its strategy on serving the deaf and hard of hearing market. Most recently, Dan and his team raised more than $125 million in capital, and completed a series of strategic transactions that broadened the company's market leadership, strengthened its competitive and financial standing, and furthered its vision: to enable free-flowing communication between people, inclusive of differences in abilities, languages, or locations.
Dan holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California.
John R. Ferron
President and Chief Financial Officer
Previously CFO and COO of Celerity Inc.; CFO of Kinetics Holding Corp.
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Prior to joining Purple Communications in April, 2008, Mr. Ferron served as Chief Financial Officer of Celerity, Inc., a company engaged in the design, engineering and manufacturing of precision instruments and advanced gas and liquid delivery solutions for the global semiconductor capital equipment market. He was CFO from December 23, 2004 through January 31, 2008 as well as interim COO from late 2006 until his departure. Prior to his work at Celerity, John was Chief Financial Officer of Kinetics Group, Inc. from February 2000 through December 2004 and was Vice President of Finance for Commercial PC Division of Compaq Computer from February 1998 through January 2000. Mr. Ferron brings twenty years of financial experience, primarily in high technology manufacturing companies, and has a B.S. degree in Finance from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Science in Tax and Financial Planning from San Diego State University.
Michael J. Pendergast
General Counsel
Previously General Counsel of Pure Depth, Inc., Global English Corp., and Brøderbund Software
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Mr. Pendergast joined Purple Communications as General Counsel in April, 2008, and was appointed Secretary on May 2, 2008. From April 2007 until joining Purple Communications, Mr. Pendergast served as General Counsel to PureDepth, Inc., a publicly traded technology and licensing company. He held previous positions with GlobalEnglish Corporation, an e-learning company, serving as General Counsel, Vice President of Business Affairs, and Assistant-Secretary from February 1999 to April 2006, and,as a part time consultant from May 2006 to December 2006. Prior to that time, Mr. Pendergast served as General Counsel (from June 1998 to October 1998) and Associate General Counsel (from May 1996 to June 1998) to Brøderbund Software, a NASDAQ-listed software company, and before that as General Counsel of The Learning Company, another NASDAQ-listed software company.
Ronald Obray
Chairman, Purple Foundation
Russ Albright
Vice President, Product Design & Development
Kelby Brick
Vice President Regulatory & Strategic Policy
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As Vice President, Kelby Brick leads the company's regulatory and strategic policy working to remove communication barriers for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Prior to joining to company, Kelby was the Director of the National Association of the Deaf's Law and Advocacy Center where he successfully mobilized the NAD in establishing precedents and landmark decisions in litigation, legislative and regulatory areas.
Kelby co-authored the renowned book, Legal Rights: the Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, in addition to writing numerous articles that have appeared in various publications. He also serves as a Board Member of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Kelby received his bachelor's degree from Gallaudet University and his law degree from Temple University, where he became the first deaf person ever to graduate from their law school.
Fran Cummings
Vice President VRS & Community Ops
Mark Bella
Vice President, Outreach
Ty Cueva
Vice President Enterprise Outreach - West
Jerry Nelson
Vice President Enterprise Outreach - East
Tony LaRosa
Vice President, Enterprise IT
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Bringing more than 20 years of information technology experience to his current role, Tony La Rosa heads up Purple's Enterprise IT group. Prior to joining Purple, Tony served as Chief Information Officer for Celerity an engineering and manufacturing company that serves the semiconductor capital equipment market. Tony previously held senior executive positions in IT also for Celerity, as well as Kinetics Group. Tony holds a BS degree in marketing from San Jose State University.
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