UgMO™ is the pioneer in rootzone monitoring and management. Its unique blend of advanced web application, agronomists and state-of-the-art hardware is designed to raise the performance capabilities of golf course superintendents, sport turf managers, landscapers, farmers, professional property managers and environmental stewards. UgMO™ allows you to measure, analyze and manage more efficiently and effectively. UgMO™ Saves you water, resources and money.
The UgMO™ team is uniquely dedicated and qualified.
Robert Burch, Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Burch is chief executive officer of Advanced Sensor Technology. In addition, he is chief executive officer of Red Badge, Inc., a real estate and venture capital corporation, co-founder of Everlands, a worldwide outdoor lifestyle membership club, and co-founder of Asian American Partners. Mr. Burch was the co-founder of Eagle’s Eye, a successful retail clothier, and an early-stage investor in numerous companies including Internet Capital Group, Jawbone, Color Kinetics and Voss Water. He has a B.A. from Denison University.
Walt Norley, Company Founder
Mr. Norley is the company founder and its former CEO. Mr. Norley now oversees the Company’s Strategic Partnerships and sits on the Board of Directors. He founded the company in 2004 and was the company CEO until January 2010. Previous to UgMO, Mr. Norley ran several environmental technology companies including Global Fuel Systems, a developer of Natural Gas Vehicle fuel tanks, and IVG Composites the manufacturer of Vertex HSG an advanced composite materials company based in Russia. Mr. Norley’s initial experience in the environmental world was in the late 1980’s with Pennswood Development and their efforts to build an advanced technology facility for safely disposing industrial waste. He attended the University of Georgia on a full athletic scholarship.
Joe Cahill, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Cahill is the former chief financial officer of Gamesa US where he helped transform the company’s financial operations from an early-stage renewal energy company into one with more than $900 million in revenues. He has also served as a corporate finance director at Unisys Corporation and as a consultant for Andersen Consulting (Accenture). He is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, earned an M.B.A. from Villanova University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).
Don Apruzzese, President Residential and Commercial Division
A marketing veteran with 20 years experience, most recently Mr. Apruzzese was executive vice president and chief marketing officer for The Vehicle Production Group, an early stage automotive company working to launch the first purpose-built vehicle for people in wheelchairs. Prior to this he was the senior director of consumer marketing at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals; vice president of broadband development at Sharewave, a wireless networking semiconductor company; director of product marketing management at MediaOne, where he launched one of the first cable modem services; and product manager at Braun, Inc.; and held various marketing positions with Ford Motor Company. He has an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Carl Mistretta, Vice President Business Development
Mr. Mistretta brings two decades of professional experience, including executive positions with Nicklaus Design and Greg Norman Golf Course Design. Additional experience includes landscape architecture, land planning, irrigation and large-scale landscape installation and maintenance. Most recently he has helped position global companies for profitability through creative sales, marketing, distribution and strategic partnering programs. He has a degree in Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University.
Carmen Magro, Vice President Agronomy
Mr. Magro’s extensive turf management experience includes serving as senior agronomist at Floratine Products Group and as director of the Turfgrass Management Program and Research Facilities at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a B.S. in Turfgrass Science. He has also worked as an international consultant.
Katayoun “Kathy” Sohrabi, Ph.D., Vice President Engineering
Dr. Sohrabi is the inventor of numerous patents in wireless network design and development. Prior to joining AST, Dr. Sohrabi was a Systems Engineer at NextWave, a leading supplier of wireless broadband products and services, and network architect for Sensoria Corporation. She earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA.
Jeff Campbell, Ph.D., Vice President Sensor Development
Dr. Campbell holds two separate patents involving soil sensors and has published numerous articles on the topic in peer reviewed journals. He has been active for more than 20 years in soil sensor design, field trials, and interface integration systems. He is currently an organizer and editor for the International Symposium on Soil Water Measurement Using Capacitance, Impedance, and TDT. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from Dartmouth College and is a graduate of the University of Redlands where he earned degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics.
