by Marc LeGare, CEO, Proactive Communications, Inc.
When I look back at 2007, I see a great deal of progress, not only for our own business, but also for our customers. As some of you may have learned in the last issue of MilsatMagazine, our company, Proactive Communications, Inc. (PCI) became the first US company to sign an IT contract with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior in May of this year.
We provide 6,000 internal security officials, police and commandos, ports of entry, border enforcement camps, passport control, and provincial joint coordination centers with secure satellite communications in Iraq. As with some satellite telecom businesses, we must eventually hand the reigns to our customers when we leave their environment. With the new agreement in Iraq, we successfully transitioned the day-to-day operations and management of the network to this burgeoning new government.
It has been especially rewarding to work with the Iraqis. When we started working with them, the communications infrastructure had outdated connectivity and the Iraqis had limited technological skills. We worked closely with them to train them on how to design and construct a local area network, install and commission a VSAT system, deploy and train users on office productivity software, and trouble shooting across the range of products they install. This year we empowered the Iraqis by teaching and training them to operate and run their own communications infrastructures, such as their own network operations center. And we also got to witness a great deal of camaraderie and teamwork among Christians, Sunni and Shiites on our team.
Through our work with the Iraqis in 2007, we’ve been able to expand satellite coverage from 170 nodes to 250+. We have upgraded the VOIP capability and migrated to more capable management systems and deployed these to Iraq. All of these advancements have enabled the various government units and agencies within Iraq to be interoperable. This has enabled them to easily and securely communicate with one another, which is an essential ingredient to running and protecting a government.
We’ve also seen progress in Afghanistan, where we expanded coverage from Ku band to C-band and increased the size of the networks by 50 percent. On the US front, we’ve added a Gulf Coast regional medical center and its affiliates, as well as begun work in support of the Florida National Guard.
With the progress achieved in 2007, we look forward to beginning the New Year with strong momentum and a renewed vigor.
Marc LeGare became CEO of Proactive Communications, Inc. (PCI) in 2006, after serving as the company’s Chief Operating officer and Operations Manager since 2003. Prior to joining PCI, Mr. LeGare was Senior Consultant and Operations Manager for Force XXI Battle Command Brigade of TRW/Northrop-Grumman. From 1981 to 1999, Mr. LeGare served various command and staff positions for the U.S. Army worldwide, including Battalion Commander from 1999 to 2001. LeGare earned a B.S. from the United States Military Academy, West Point, a Master of Science from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the School of Advanced Military Studies. Proactive Communications offers satellite communications, enterprise services, IT consulting and field support services.
