Management Team

After more than 25 years as a senior executive and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, Tom got the civilian space bug from a lunch discussion with a number of founders of Xircomm, including Dirk Gates, and has never looked back. Having successfully started and run four high technology ventures, he returned to his roots in 2002. Tom had worked for the NASA-Ames chemical research projects office in 1980. He decided it was time to pursue his passion for space exploration again, by joining the civilian space race full time, designing and building his own rockets.

Tom founded the Mavericks Civilian Space Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation dedicated to facilitating civilian space research, STEM education and competition as an enabler of civilian space explorers. Tom is a TRA L-3 certified flyer with a passion and drive for developing new experimental propulsion technologies that will reduce the cost and increase the accessibility of civilian space exploration.

Tom holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and B.S. in Radiochemistry, and has completed graduate studies in Engineering Management at Santa Clara University.

Jacquie has over sixteen years of experience in starting and managing non-profit organizations, including trade and professional associations, educational foundations, youth organizations and chambers of commerce. In addition, she owned and operated a successful corporate events company, Creative Events, serving San Francisco Bay Area clients by providing coordination and execution of Educational Programs, Tradeshows, Conferences, and more.

Jacquie is a results oriented with extensive experience in creating and sustaining high program performance and growth while enhancing relationships with a diverse range of volunteers, community members, politicians, customers/members, coworkers and management.  She is responsible for the day-to-day management of the foundation operations, including human resources, development and management of financial policies regulatory compliance and operational budget; developing strategic and tactical plans for fundraising, marketing and communications; managing conference program development; maintaining and enhancing all aspects of membership recruitment and retention, and the development of value-added benefits of membership.

Jacquie has a Bachelor of Science degree from San Jose State University and has completed MBA coursework at University of Colorado, Boulder.

Eric has 20 years of experience in software and production engineering, and engineering and operations project management. He is responsible for Mavericks’ network operations and applications platform; project management tools and methodology; the Mavericks Social Network platform, and Rocketpedia. Eric has worked at large Silicon Valley corporations including Yahoo!, Apple, Sega of America, The Learning Company, and LiveOps.

His educational background is in Molecular Biology at the University of California at Berkeley and Project Management at San Jose State University.

After graduating from San Jose State University, where he built and competed in a practical fuel economy vehicle that achieved 528mpg at 50mph, Jon worked in the defense industry and then for a variety of high tech companies in Silicon Valley. Early in his career, he worked as a field engineer supporting several Navy and Air Force missile launching systems, rail gun development programs and track vehicles. Later Jon managed the design, development and field testing of wafer etching and thin film metrology equipment and robotic systems used to move silicon wafers in semiconductor fabs. Throughout his career, Jon has been active in racing, custom car construction and other activities where passionate people express themselves. He is actively involved in several group programs as a strong technical contributor with good leadership and project management skills.

Over the last year Jon has been involved with Mavericks in developing rockets and rocket sub-systems. He finds it fascinating working with passionate people focused on well intentioned goals. “To be an active participant in providing students with opportunities that can help them understand the importance of developing skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to see how this can enable them to achieve goals that they believed were not possible, is extremely satisfying. Programs like Mavericks in the Classroom provide insights that many students don’t find until they are in college or working in industry. To be involved in activities that have the attention of our nation’s leaders and are truly important for the future of our country is an unbelievable opportunity, not just for me, but for my family.”

Dick is an avid R/C enthusiast, who been interested in rocketry since grade school. He flew his L3 high power project to 24,000 feet at XPRS in 2004. He has participated in the ARLISS program, and was an active participant in the To 100k Project, which attempted to launch a sustainer to 100,000 ft.

He was in the ministry from 1974-1983.  From 1983 -2003,  Dick owned and operated a commercial fishing in Alaska during the summer, and from 1984- 2006 also owned and operated a general contracting business for residential, commercial building restructure, tenant improvements, including completion of construction projects for Alaska Village Services in Mountain Village and Shungnak, Alaska and a remodel at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks facility in Nome, Alaska.

Dick received his Bachelor Arts degree in Theology in 1971 and a graduate degree in 1974 from Andrews University.

Robert is a California native and a highly experienced Silicon Valley hardware/firmware engineer and entrepreneur. During his 30+ years of experience, he’s designed products for Integrated Solutions, Apple Computer, SuperMac, Bay Networks, Finisar, Ikanos, I-Cube, 3M, Xilinx, Actel, LAM Research, Quantic Systems, Pacific Scientific (EMC), Space Propulsion Group, Disney-Imagineering, and Keri Systems. He’s developed products operating from frequencies of DC to 3+ GHz, involving analog, digital, mixed signal, FPGA, and Standard Cell ASIC technology. Rob specializes in robust analog, mixed signal, and electro-explosive control system design as well as motor initiator and propellant development.

Rob is a co-founder and co-owner of G-Wiz Partners, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of rocket flight avionics and altimeters to the high power rocketry community. G-Wiz designs and manufactures accelerometer-based altimeters, flight recorders, pyrotechnic actuators, and GPS/Telemetry systems for a wide range of rockets. Rob also formulated and sold IgniterMan Igniter Kits for a number of years prior to 9/11. He has been associated with the high power community for 12+ years and has held responsibilities of Prefect and board member for AeroPAC and Mavericks. Rob has been a certified L-3 TRA flyer for over 7 years.

Like most rocketeers, Rob is a ‘BAR’ or born-again-rocketeer who rediscovered his true passion after his son, Scott, crashed his Estes Gnome rocket at a summer science camp for kids. After much consoling of his son and a trip to the local hobby shop, he found the new world of High Power Rocketry.