Leadership | Executive Team
Awarepoint was created by recognized business leaders with expertise in healthcare, software, hardware, data management, education, defense and security. Awarepoint’s team members are committed to serving the unique needs of our clients and partners and the various constituencies they serve.
Jason Howe
Chief Executive Officer
An acclaimed thought leader on solution selling methodology and a strategic visionary with more than 20 years of management experience, Jason Howe serves as the chief executive officer of Awarepoint. In his role as CEO, Howe drives the strategic vision for Awarepoint and manages all company operations focusing on new market development, revenue growth and profitability.
Prior to joining Awarepoint, Howe worked for more than 20 years in the high tech and healthcare industries focusing on strategic management, international sales and marketing. Howe served as CEO of CBS2 Consulting as a senior level advisor on a variety of go-to-market plans and developed innovative business strategies for key leaders in the high tech and healthcare industries. He has successfully initiated and managed revenue generation at five technology companies on four continents. Howe has also served as senior vice president for Creekpath Systems, Federation Software, Unibex and Edgix Corporation.
Howe currently has patented various sales process models (Campaigner Based Selling Model™ and forecast service offerings (AcuForecast™) and authored the book Fear and Greatness - True Solution Selling. Howe graduated Suma Cum Laude from the University of Colorado with a dual Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and operational management, and a minor in molecular and cellular Biology. Additionally, he holds an Executive MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business.
Gregory Solomon
Chief Financial Officer
An experienced senior financial and operations executive, Greg Solomon serves as chief financial officer for Awarepoint. In this role, Greg is responsible for all corporate finance and administrative functions to assure Awarepoint achieves sustainable corporate growth. His experience spans general and financial management that includes technology, service and manufacturing businesses, principally in healthcare. He has served as CEO, COO, and CFO and a member of the board of directors of private and public companies ranging in size from start-ups to several hundred million dollars in annual revenues. He has an extensive background in corporate finance and a proven track record in highly competitive markets.
Prior to joining Awarepoint, Solomon was a Partner with Tatum, LLC where he assisted high-growth companies in upgrading their corporate financial and operating infrastructures and worked with clients to create effective financial and operating plans for execution. Previously, Solomon served as Chief Executive Officer of A-Life Medical, Inc., a technology company that utilizes Natural Language Processing (NLP) in automated medical coding solutions for physician billing. As co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Radiologix, Inc., he directed the roll-up of radiology physician groups and imaging centers into a successful IPO that was the largest physician practice management company to go public.
Mr. Solomon earned an MBA in finance from Indiana University and a BS degree in Economics from Xavier University. He also completed the Executive Financial Management program at Stanford University.
Matt Perkins
Chief Technology Officer
A key innovator, technology leader and visionary for next generation wireless technologies, Matt Perkins serves as chief technology officer for Awarepoint. In this role, Matt is responsible for system design, simulation, prototype development and merging innovation with entrepreneurial opportunity to increase Awarepoint’s market share in RTLS industries.
Prior to Awarepoint, Matt spent 10 years at Motorola as the Technical Director of the Things-to-Things Research Center where he was responsible for aligning business partnerships with technology roadmaps, directing strategic joint research partnerships related to distributed sensor networks and leading the development of Motorola’s Asset Tracking and Smart Energy technologies. Matt’s extensive experience includes being an individual contributor in the design and simulation of low-power, low-rate wireless sensor network protocols and the development of social networking algorithms and proof-of-concept vehicles. He lead research on radio-location technologies and wireless sensor network protocol development, contributed to the IEEE 802.15.4 and IEEE 802.15.3 standards and remains an active participant in the ZigBee Alliance. Matt also served as Motorola’s Director Representative for the ZigBee Board of Directors.
Matt is an internationally known speaker on the topic of wireless sensor network technologies and a seasoned thought leader who is respected by senior leadership teams, standards bodies and technical committees. Matt has authored 12 U.S. issued patents as well as numerous journal and conference publications. Matt graduated from the University of Florida with both Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering.
Harold M. Koenig, M.D.
Chief Medical Advisor
He retired in 1998 as Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery with the permanent rank of Vice Admiral after a 32-year Navy career. As Surgeon General he exercised day-to-day executive management and oversight of all Department of the Navy medical policies, programs, and activities.
Dr. Koenig is Chairman of the Board and President of The Annapolis Center for Science Based Public Policy; a non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting responsible environmental, health and safety decision-making. He is a partner in Edward Martin & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm to the health care industry and health care information management and technology companies. He writes a monthly editorial column for U.S. Medicine, the voice of federal medicine. Dr. Koenig serves on several advisory boards including the National Environmental Health Center at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
During his career Dr. Koenig served in a variety of positions including general medical officer, residency-training program director, department chairman, Executive Officer of Naval Hospital Portsmouth, and Commanding Officer, of Naval Hospital, San Diego and the Naval Health Sciences Education and Training Command, Bethesda. After selection for promotion to Flag rank in 1988 he served in a variety of positions including Director, Health Care Operations in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and Deputy Surgeon General of the Navy.
A native of Salinas, California, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Brigham Young University and Baylor University College of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in general pediatrics and pediatric hematology-oncology, is a Diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives and received "The 1994 Federal Health Care Executive Award for Excellence" from the American Hospital Association.
Ronald Hegli
Vice President of Engineering
A technology visionary with over 20 years of leadership experience, Ronald Hegli serves as vice president of engineering for Awarepoint overseeing the essential technology components used to sustain the company’s competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Hegli’s business acumen stems from his ability to deliver customer-driven technical service solutions to complex problems. His career has included serving as a senior technical advisor to early stage companies in San Diego, working with CEOs and potential customers to develop a business strategy and supporting product architecture.
Previously Hegli was vice president of engineering and chief architect at Websense, Inc., headquartered in San Diego. Under his leadership, the Websense product emerged as one of the industry’s most flexible, policy-based management of employee computers. Among his many accomplishments, Hegli helped Websense achieve its initial public offering (IPO) and grow to $111 million in bookings.
Prior to Websense, Hegli served as director of product programs for San Diego-based Nuera Communications, Inc., a carrier-class IP telephony solutions provider. Earlier, Hegli was vice president of engineering for TriTeal, Inc. where he managed the launch of the company’s first product. He also served as VP of engineering for Akonix Systems and WebSideStory.
Hegli started his career with General Electric Company as an Edison engineer, and was a principal engineer with Digital Equipment Corporation. Hegli holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from Oregon State University and a Masters in Science in Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Valerie Fritz
Vice President of Marketing
A wide-ranging marketing executive with broad experience in communicating service solutions in the healthcare arena, Valerie Fritz is vice president of marketing for Awarepoint. In this role, Fritz is responsible for the strategic oversight of all marketing, messaging, and positioning of Awarepoint’s solutions.
With more than 20 years of marketing communications, product marketing and manufacturing experience, Fritz has worked for both multinational and start-up companies. Previously, Fritz spent 7 years as Director of Marketing for Skylight Healthcare Systems. At Skylight, she was an integral part of the management team and a key contributor to the company’s continued growth and success in developing healthcare communication technology designed to personalize patient care, and drive both clinical and operational efficiencies. Here, Fritz was responsible for the marketing and communications strategy, building market penetration and assuring the current issues facing healthcare were considered as products and services evolved.
Prior to Skylight, her entrepreneurial spirit led to the co-founding of a consumer products manufacturing company that designed, developed and sold products under the Kleine Kinder, Wee Witness, got milk®? and Tubsider brands. Her background also includes more than 10 years in sales, marketing and consulting roles in the health and benefits insurance market with firms including Metropolitan Life, AON Healthcare and Merrill Lynch Howard Johnson & Co. Valerie studied business administration at Heald Business College in California.
Michael Kitchen
Senior Vice President of Sales
An experienced government procurement professional, Michael Kitchen is senior vice president of sales for Awarepoint. Kitchen is a proven veteran in the area of government business development and is responsible for all aspects of Awarepoint’s government campaigns within the wireless asset management industry.
With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Kitchen is familiar with best practices and information related aspects of strategic sourcing and government policy. Combining ethical procurement practices and advanced communication skills, Kitchen will effectively manage all contracts and maximize competitive selections.
Prior to joining Awarepoint, Kitchen was vice president of sales at VirTra Systems, Inc. At VirTra, he was responsible for developing and managing operational sales plans for the both the domestic and international marketing, resulting in millions of dollars of new federal business. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado, earning a bachelor of science in marketing with an emphasis in international business.
Kenny Woods
Vice President of National Accounts
An accomplished sales professional with more than 20 years of experience building and managing multi-million dollar enterprise software sales organizations, Kenny Woods serves as senior vice president of sales for Awarepoint. In this position, Woods plays a major role building new customer and partner relationships, and manages a national sales operations workforce supporting both direct sales and strategic partner relationships.
Woods brings a long track record of successful enterprise software management experience building national sales teams in emerging markets and new technologies. Prior to joining the company, Woods served as vice president of major accounts and channel sales for Federation Software. Federation Software is a leading company in developing and delivering solutions for product data management software interoperability. There, Woods was instrumental in developing relationships spanning a multitude of industries (Aerospace and Defense, High-Tech & Electronics, Automotive and others).
Previously, Woods held various regional, national and global sales management positions with both public and private software companies including Axs-One, Connecture, Creekpath Systems, Selectica and Parametric Technology. Woods wide-ranging background incorporates records compliance management solutions (supporting Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA, among others); data storage management solutions; automation of sales, service and processing for the health and benefits insurance industry and contract lifecycle management solutions.
Woods graduated from Newberry College in Newberry, SC, with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
Robert Love
Vice President of Client Services
Robert holds the management responsibilities for Awarepoint’s customer training, Awarepoint Solution and Real-time Location System (RTLS) installations and ongoing customer support functions.
Robert has worked for fortune 500 and startup companies specializing in delivering products and cultivating relationships throughout his 25 year career. Robert’s customer service experience ranges from large healthcare organizations as well higher education. Customer service isn’t his only passion, Robert has created user applications/tools (specializing in Microsoft VBA) that he calls his inspirations. These inspirations come from a customers need to have a better tool to manage their business. This has garnered him as the go to IT person in each of these organizations. These tools have been implemented enterprise wide as well as gone to market.
His tenacity and willingness to think out-of-the-box has earned him respect and admiration from customers and top level management. His work has been recognized with various awards and even included a tree planted in his honor to recognize his dedication and service for his customers while achieving company objectives.
