Melissa Simpler, CEO

Melissa Simpler has a rich and diversified background with proven results in business development, strategic planning, marketing, product development and applications engineering. She co-founded Affinegy in March of 2003 and leads business strategy, marketing, sales and external relationships. As CEO, Melissa provided the vision for ease-of-use that is the foundation for Affinegy's InstaLAN software, now third generation, which makes networking simple, secure, reliable, and profitable to deploy as a service. That vision has since expanded to include Affinegy Management Portal (AMP), a service provider analysis and reporting center for InstaLAN managed home networks. Melissa leads Affinegy’s business relationships with broadband and networking companies including Charter, Clearwire, Cox, Time Warner, Virgin Media, Ambit, Linksys, Netgear, and SMC.   Prior to Affinegy, Melissa led the next-generation development of Motorola's triple-play Streamaster gateway system and negotiated sales and technology license agreements resulting in global deployments of Streamaster and more than $20M in sales revenues from top telecommunications and system integration companies. She brings over 15 years of startup and corporate business and engineering management experience from Entregate, Motorola, Dell, and National Instruments. Melissa has a BSEE, cum laude, and MBA from the University of Texas. She is a guest speaker for the UT College of Engineering, and Girlstart, an NPO devoted to motivating girls to pursue and enjoy math and science. She has also served as Member Renewal Chair of the Austin Wireless Alliance, and on the board of UT’s Executive Alumni Association.

Art Lancaster, CTO

Art Lancaster co-founded Affinegy in March 2003 and has served as CTO since, where he is responsible for technology strategy and product development. As CTO, Art led the development of InstaLAN and Airkit, achieving the first release of InstaLAN in just six months. In deployment since 2004, InstaLAN and Airkit have proven robust, enabling self-install service deployments and silencing calls to service provider support desks. Art’s commitment to quality is further evidenced by Affinegy’s near-zero bugs track record in over three years of volume deployment. Prior to Affinegy he was director of strategy and business development for Motorola's Streamaster business where Art established strategies leading to the world's most advanced interactive broadband gateway system and closed $20 million of sales with top telecommunications companies. While director of design engineering for Motorola's Fast Static RAM Division, he contributed to sales growth of over 50% per year to over $500 million and #1 market share worldwide. Art has prior start-up experience at Entregate, Inmos Corporation, and as co-founder and VP of development of a joint venture between RCA and Sharp. He has a BSEE, cum laude, from the University of Missouri, an MSEE from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from the University of Texas. Art remains actively involved with UT’s leading entrepreneurship program and has been a regular judge in the UT MOOT Corp business plan competitions.

Melissa Simpler, CEO

Art Lancaster, CTO

John Hime

John Hime has been a mentor and angel investor to over 25 early-stage technology companies. His operational background includes jobs as the senior marketing executive at Tivoli Systems, MIPS Computers, Frame Technology and Sun Microsystems during their start-up phases. He actively participated in obtaining venture funding and preparing for the IPOs of these companies. His early career included positions as a computer systems engineer at Data General Corporation, and as an operating systems developer at Texas Instruments. He holds a BA degree in Mathematics from the University of Texas.

Harvey Ring

Mr. Ring is the President of Ring Investments, LP, an investment and consulting company specializing in the technology industry.  His expertise in sales, marketing and business process development has contributed to the growth of early stage companies in Austin, including FactoryLogic Software, Inside Out Networks, Eureka Environmental, and others.  He is currently working with Enexity, Facilities Technology Group, SmartSoft, and ESO Solutions in Austin, TX.  He serves on the Board of several of these Austin companies.  Outside of Texas Mr. Ring is on the Board of Ensure Technologies and Instant Service. Mr. Ring is a partner with Steve Wagh in National Investment Market, a company created to help early stage companies become profitable.  Prior to building his own business, Mr. Ring served as the Vice President of Dellware for Dell Computer Corporation.  He has over 35 years of experience in the technology industry and has held executive positions in companies such as MicroWarehouse, Microcom, British Telecom, ITT and ADP.  He has also managed two VC backed startup companies as CEO.  Mr. Ring has served for 5 years on the Board of the Austin Technology Council and retired to Emeritus Board status this year. Mr. Ring holds an M.B.A. in Marketing and Finance from the University of Michigan.  In addition, he has earned a Ph.D. in High Energy Physics, an M.S. in Physics and a B.S.E. in Physics from the University of Michigan.  Mr. Ring and his wife Nancy have been in the Austin area since 1993 and their 3 children, Jessica, Joseph and Alisha are all pursuing careers with Austin based organizations.

John N. Doggett, J.D., M.B.A.

John N. Doggett is a Senior Lecturer of International Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainability at the McCombs School of Business of the University of Texas at Austin (UT). Professor Doggett is also a Senior Research Fellow at UT’s IC2 Institute and co-founder of UT’s International Idea to Product Competition™. Professor Doggett teaches Executive MBA seminars in Asia every summer and leads MBA students on two-week study tours to China. Professor Doggett is an advisor to the senior management of Springer Maschinenfabrik AG, a leader in the European high speed sawmill equipment manufacturing industry and Lehr, Inc., the first producer of propane powered garden equipment. Since 2003, Professor Doggett has been a judge for the Dell, Inc. and National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Excellence Award. In October 2000, e-company now magazine (now Business 2.0) selected Professor Doggett as one of nine people to know in Austin if you want to start a new business. Professor Doggett has extensive experience consulting with companies of all sizes, including Fortune 500 firms in the United States, Europe and Asia. Professor Doggett co-founded a Spanish-language television programming company and an international management consulting firm. Professor Doggett was also a McKinsey & Company consultant and practiced law for seven years. Professor Doggett received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1972, his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981, and his BA from Claremont Men’s College in 1969. Professor Doggett is married to Haiping Tang, a global marketing Latitude launch manager at Dell, Inc.