WMS provides world class roaming products, wireless voice and data communications, cell phone service at sea & passenger cellular service








Wireless Maritime Services, LLC (WMS) was founded in February of 2004. WMS is a joint venture of AT&T and SeaMobile Enterprises. We provide world class roaming products, service, and support focused solely on the cruise line and ferry industry.

WMS aspires to have the leading talent in the Maritime Telecommunications Industry. We are built on a “talent culture” where only the best and brightest are part of our organization. “Business is built on brainpower” - this maxim is the bedrock of our business model.


WMS Key Leadership:

Leighton W. Carroll
President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Carroll is a 12 year veteran in the wireless industry and has been the President and CEO of WMS since September of 2005. Mr. Carroll has previously been responsible for the Merger and Integration Team for AT&T Mobility, leading the $5.1 billion Dobson Cellular acquisition integration. Previously he ran Roaming and International Operations for AT&T Mobility. He also led the planning, architecture, and deployment of ~50 systems to 60,000 end-users for Cingular Wireless. While with AT&T Wireless, Mr. Carroll was responsible for all IT systems and services for 3 SBUs. While with Vanguard Cellular Systems, Mr. Carroll was accountable for all customer facing systems for the enterprise. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and has received executive education at Harvard Business School, MIT, IMD, Wharton Business School, and Wake Forest University.


Mark Ralph
Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Ralph has 30 years of experience, with over 13 years in the wireless industry. He has direct experience leading large organizations involved in engineering, IT, systems, networks, customer services, and billing. With AT&T, Mr. Ralph utilized a strong operational background in managing the development of the customer services toolsets, roaming record internal clearinghouse, and Local Number Portability systems.  With Vanguard Cellular Systems, he was responsible for the interfaces to network systems and incorporating the billing of all new cellular products. Prior to his experiences in the wireless industry, Mr. Ralph was involved in the engineering of digital autopilots, infrared laser targeting systems, and NASA space shuttle launches. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, has a Masters degree in Systems Management, and executive education at MIT, Columbia Business School, and Wake Forest University.


Beth Negash
Director of Project Management & Shipboard Operations

 

Beth joined the WMS leadership team and has been heading up the Project Management Office since March 2006. She earned her Master of Project Management degree from Devry Institute’s Keller Graduate School of Management in 2002. Beth is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). She has played a key role in the Project Management group of Qtera (later acquired by Nortel Networks) as a Project Manager for a $25 million trial implementation of the Optera Long Haul product. Having started her career in the early 90’s at AT&T and being awarded promotions in various capacities that increased the size and scope of her responsibilities, Beth has worked at several national and global organizations in the telecommunications and management consulting industries. As a Senior Contracts Analyst at Newbridge Networks (now Alcatel) Beth was responsible for multimillion dollar projects of companies such as AT&T, MCI, Sprint, Bank of America, and Bloomberg. In 2002 Beth founded and still oversees Project Nehemiah, Inc., a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that provides professional and educational partnerships with schools in Ethiopia.


Tony Patino
Director of Technology and Network Operations

 

Mr. Patino is a 17 year telecom professional, spending the last 12 years in the wireless industry with both Major wireless carriers and Tier 1 infrastructure and services providers. He joined WMS in 2006 to assume complete responsibility over technology roadmap, planning & development, commercial network operations and Tier II & Tier III network support, network performance, and business continuity/disaster recovery. He has been involved in a leadership role with the design, build-out, launch, FOA (first office application), vendor management and operations of both GSM and CDMA wireless networks in major metropolitan areas for major wireless carriers; and managed service providers.

Prior to joining WMS, Tony was an Account Director for a Tier 1 vendor directly involved the business development, sale and rollout of NGN GSM softswitches to a Tier 1 carrier in the United States. Mr. Patino was also responsible for the day to day operation of a Managed Service Delivery team providing services to over 40 customers. He also spent several years working at various levels with wireless carriers starting as a Network Engineer early in his career and achieving Regional Manager, launching over 2000 cell sites and the supporting central office transport and switching infrastructure into commercial service.

Mr. Patino holds a Master’s degree in Telecommunications. He lives in Pembroke Pines, FL with his wife and their two children.


Brian Threlkeld
Director of Finance

Mr. Threlkeld comes to the WMS leadership team with 12 years of wireless experience.  He began his wireless career in accounting, but most recently worked in the Roaming and International Services group at AT&T Mobility. While in Roaming and International services, Mr. Threlkeld worked closely with executive management as the subject-matter expert for roaming revenue and expense.  He was the go-to person for reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and strategic analysis for various initiatives.  He managed a finance team that played a critical role in the systems and reporting integration associated with the Cingular / AT&T Wireless merger. Mr. Threlkeld and his team were involved in many key initiatives around wireless roaming solutions for improved coverage at reduced wholesale rates.  These initiatives led to tremendous cost savings and were essential to improving overall company margins.  Mr. Threlkeld is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and Oglethorpe University where he received his Economics and Accounting degrees.


Stuart Kull
Vice President of European Operations

Mr. Kull has been working in the cellular telecommunications industry since starting as a civil project manager with Western Wireless International in the Ivory Coast in 1999. As part of the integrated WMS organization, Stuart is a key leader in the significant expansion of the joint venture into the European theatre. As V.P. of European Operations for SeaMobile based in Paris, Stuart will continue daily interaction with European clients to build and maintain the strong relationships he has developed over the past few years.

Before joining SeaMobile, Stuart was the National Manager for Quality and Acceptance on the record breaking Ericsson WCDMA rollout. He delivered 1,473 of the over 6,000 sites under ‘Project Jersey’ to Telstra Australia.

Stuart holds an MBA from Monash University in Melbourne, specializing in strategic management. He is also a Certified Managerial Accountant (CMA).

Ty Narkmon
Vice President of Advanced Technology

Ty Narkmon, Vice President of Advanced Technology for WMS, brings over 20 years of experience in advanced design and engineering in the wireless and maritime industries. Prior to becoming part of the WMS organization, Mr. Narkmon was responsible for strategic engineering planning and design for SeaMobile Wireless since the inception of SeaMobile in 2005. He was responsible for developing several patent pending technological solutions to improve the delivery of wireless service on ships at sea.

Prior to SeaMobile, Mr. Narkmon was a Radio Frequency Engineer for AT&T Wireless/McCaw Communications. In this role, Mr. Narkmon was on the cutting edge of all new radio technology roll outs. As Senior Advisor to the Joint Venture for FarEasTone Telecom (AT&T Wireless International Joint Venture), located in Taipei, Taiwan, Mr. Narkmon led the RF strategy, design, implementation and management of on-air sites which supported millions of cellular customers. As a Senior Manager of Radio Base Station Technology and RF Engineering for AT&T Wireless Services/Cingular Wireless, Mr. Narkmon developed and managed various TDMA, GSM and UMTS roll outs for the company, including designing and implementing remote antenna distribution systems.

Ty received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana State University.


 


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3088 N. Commerce Parkway • Miramar, FL 33025

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