RUSS SCHOMBER

Hopedale, Massachusetts  01747

001-617-413-7850 cell

russ.schomber@gmail.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/RussSchomber

 

Executive Summary

Objective: An international position in Europe where I can leverage my telecom experience.  Areas include network design & architecture, technology management, business development, optical network design.

Senior Level Telecom Professional, BS/MS EE, MBA, 20 years in fiberoptics technologies and telecommunications.  Strong business skills including start-up and M&A experience.

Core Expertise: Optical and Carrier Ethernet Architecture, Cell Tower Backhaul, and Dark Fiber.

Ability to lead and manage effectively through periods of change.  My career path led me through the tech bubble of 1999, a subsequent bankruptcy, reemergence as a private company, and through a merger then divesture of a datacenter business.  Continued my telecom career in the wireless sector leveraging my fiber network design & build experience.  Currently working at a fiber network start-up.

Education

BABSON COLLEGE, Wellesley, MA    2002-06

Master of Business Administration.  Focus of Study: Entrepreneurship

NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Old Westbury, New York    1993-98

Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.  Focus of Study: Electromagnetics

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY of New York, Farmingdale, New York    1988-93

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.  Focus of Study: Electromagnetics & Computer Architecture

 

Professional Experience

 

CapeNet LLC, Westborough, Massachusetts    2012 - Present

Vice President of Business Development

·         CapeNet operates a fiber optic network on Cape Cod and in southeastern Massachusetts.  Joined the six person company as construction was near completion.  Initially focused on cell tower backhaul in the region and in other regions of New England.  Took on a leadership role in the company taking on sales, business development, pricing, sales engineering, strategic expansion, and raising capital.  Effectively performing the role of Chief Operating Officer.

·         Used my experience to transition the company from start-up to an operating service provider.  Established routine sales procedures, financial discipline, network mapping and records keeping, and identified and analyzed customer targets.  Created customer databases and profiles to direct the activities of our two sales people.  Introduced the sales engineering process to quickly develop project cost estimates, pricing, and customer proposals.  Developed financials and supporting materials in preparation for raising capital.  Engineered customer solutions including Carrier Ethernet, Carrier Wi-Fi, and fiber to the home projects.

·         Skills used: DWDM, Optical Engineering, Optical Ethernet, Dark Fiber, Fiber Optics, CLEC, Sales Engineering, Network Design, GIS Mapping, Telecommunications, Wireless Communications, Wi-Fi, Business Development

FiberTower Corp., Billerica, Massachusetts    2008 - 2012

Director of Fiber Solutions & Network Planning

·         FiberTower provided cell tower backhaul services via fiber and microwave in 13 markets across the U.S.  Responsible for vendor relationship management of carrier suppliers.  Managed annual dark fiber and lit services spend of $20M and negotiated rates on all lit and dark fiber services.  Contacted vendors and maintained up-to-date fiber maps, building lists, and tower lists.  Created working partnerships with vendors to get the best pricing, responsiveness, and support for FiberTower.  Actively purchased from 30 carriers and maintained relations with over 100 carriers.

·         Negotiated all buy side MSAs for lit and dark fiber services.  Addressed MSA issues as they arose whether operational or financial.  Ombudsman for the NOC and Operations teams when there were quality issues with carriers.  Initiated RFO calls and corrective actions plans with vendors as needed.  Compiled annual supplier vendor report card with input from stakeholders; communicated results with vendors.

·         Compiled and ran large RFQs for internal and customer initiated projects.  Developed technical solutions and worked closely with Sales AE’s.  Used MapInfo, Google Earth and internal databases to identify lit service and dark fiber suppliers.  Researched emerging carriers to identify new fiber routes.

·         Skills used: DWDM, Optical Engineering, Optical Ethernet, Dark Fiber, Fiber Optics, Sales Engineering, Network Design, GIS Mapping, Telecommunications, Microwave, Facilities Engineering, Wireless Communications

Independent Consultant, Hopedale, Massachusetts    2008

·         Commissioned by a large Telco to run an equipment review and selection RFP for Packet Optical and Carrier Ethernet equipment.  Set evaluation criteria, set project timeline, and produced detailed report and recommendations.

NEON Communications, Westborough, Massachusetts    1999 - 2007

Vice President of Engineering

·         NEON was a publicly traded fiber optic based telecommunications carrier with $80M in annualized revenue.  Acquired by RCN Corp. in Nov 2007 for $250M.

·         Provided leadership and set the technology direction for a carrier’s carrier operating in the North East & Mid Atlantic markets.  Reported directly to the CEO.  Products included SONET, optical, and Carrier Ethernet services as well as datacenter collocation.  Led a department of four managers and twenty engineers.

·         Overall Engineering responsibilities included: Transport Engineering, Network Architecture, AC & DC Power Engineering, Facilities Engineering, Environmental Compliance, and Provisioning.  Ensured transport & power capacity was available on all parts of the network in advance of need.  Responsible for 40 facilities ranging from   regen shelters to 20k sq. ft. colocation facilities.  Also included colocation in over 20 Verizon central offices.

·         Member of the corporate due diligence team.  On the sell side, prepared materials in support of due diligence activities, presented overviews on the company’s network and interacted with potential suitors on road shows.  On the buy side, reviewed and characterized potential acquisition’s network architecture, equipment and design choices, potential for network fit, and for value creation potential.  Involved in six opportunities in total.

·         Directed twenty person team responsible for:  Acquisition of lit circuit and dark fiber routes to augment the network, engineering of inside plant facilities, SONET and optical network engineering, HVAC and power capacity upgrades, DC and UPS and power systems, and on-net & off-net circuit provisioning.

·         Managed CapEx planning and spending for Engineering.  Managed vendor relationships with major suppliers and negotiated contract pricing and service contracts.  Developed product costing information and led technology selection for new product development process.  Oversaw the equipment lab where new technologies are reviewed and tested prior to introduction into the active network.

·         Designed SONET and DWDM fiber optic networks as NEON began its backbone network build out.  Joined when company was a twenty-five person start-up company just post IPO.  Built up the Network Engineering function for the firm, hired engineers and established engineering standards and structure for the department.

·         Skills used: Network Design, DWDM, Optical Engineering, Ethernet, Fiber Optics, Carrier Ethernet, Dark Fiber, Sales Engineering, GIS Mapping, Datacenter Design, SONET, DC Power, HVAC, Telecommunications

Cox Communications, Lincoln, Rhode Island    1998-1999

Fiber Optics Engineer

·         Performed design and layout of fiber optic routes for Cox’s Hybrid Fiber Coax CATV network overbuild of the Rhode Island market.  Prepared optical loss budgets; engineered analog laser system levels, designed OSP optical fiber routes, documented routes in MapInfo, and performed Inside Plant Engineering for the head end.

AI/FOCS Corp., Franklin, Massachusetts    1995-1998

Manufacturing Manager

·         Managed a $4M quick turn fiber optic cable assembly manufacturing operation.  Developed manufacturing procedures, processes, quality controls, and managed the production line to meet daily production schedules. 

Porta Systems Corp., Syosset, New York    1993-1995

Project Engineer

·         Started as an Engineering intern in the Quality Control department while completing my undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering.  As Project Engineer, performed process development and Tellcordia environmental and mechanical testing on fiber optic connectors, attenuators, and optical splitters.

Interests:  My wife is an EU Citizen and we have a home in Poland.  We have travelled extensively throughout Europe and I enjoy cycling, playing and listening to music.  I play the bass guitar and I have been learning to speak German for the past 5 years.