Founder, CEO
Mr. Bastow is the founder and CEO of Thin Air Software LLC. He has more than 20 years of progressive experience in successfully conceptualizing, implementing and commercializing software oriented solutions in a variety of industries, including Financial Services, Healthcare and Manufacturing. In addition to his technical aptitude derived from formal education in computer science and years as a software architect and developer, Mr. Bastow possesses the broad range of business skills and experience necessary to launch, operate and grow technology-based companies.
Prior to Thin Air Software, Mr. Bastow was a principal, senior vice president and CTO of Mortgagebot LLC, a financial services technology provider. Mortgagebot spun out of M&I Marshall and Ilsley Corp. and simultaneously merged with Thin Air Software in April 2001. Mr. Bastow played an instrumental roll in developing and executing the strategy to take the company private. Mortgagebot was recapitalized in August 2005 with a market value of approximately $94 million.
In addition to Thin Air Software and Mortgagebot, Mr. Bastow has founded or co-founded several other technology-based organizations, including Tushaus Computer Services (TCS) in 1993 and Doral Systems Corp. (DSC) in 1995. TCS went on to be named to the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing privately held companies in America. DSC ultimately went on to become a subsidiary of subsequently created Doral USA, which also was named to the Inc 500. Doral USA was sold in July of 2004 for nearly $100 million. TCS remains privately held by the remaining original founder and had nearly $20 million in revenue in 2004.
Prior to beginning his entrepreneurial activity, Mr. Bastow spent a number of years as a software engineer in several organizations, including M&I Data Services (now Metevante) and Bechtel Power. Mr. Bastow attended the University of Michigan where he studied physics and computer science.
President
Mr. Starr is responsible for company strategy, client development and business operations. He has a 25-year career in information technology and a broad-based entrepreneurial background growing successful companies. His philosophy is to fully understand a client's business objectives and use that insight to overcome complex business challenges. Technology is secondary and is viewed as an enabler to executing client market strategies.
Prior to joining Thin Air Software, he founded Venture Out, a strategy advisory firm serving company executives, many in the technology industry. His experience includes company startup formation, conceptualizing and launching new products and services, strategy, and private equity funding.
Mr. Starr served in key executive management roles leading sales, consulting and operations at IKON Technology Services and its predecessor company, eventually becoming president. Under his leadership, the company had strong revenue growth and was a top financial performer and innovator in the market. Prior to its acquisition by IKON, the company was listed on the INC. 500 of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
Mr. Starr is actively involved in the community and organizations that foster entrepreneurship, growth, and capital formation in the technology sector. He is a founding board member of ITAWi, Wisconsin's statewide IT association www.itawi.org , and past board member of eInnovate and the Wisconsin Technology Leadership Association (WITLA). He is a contributing writer on entrepreneurship and technology topics. Mr. Starr graduated with distinction from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, earning a BBA in Finance and Marketing. He also attended Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.
Senior Vice President, CTO
Ms. Erickson provides the framework and guides the evolution of Thin Air Software's technical vision. She is responsible for software design, providing leadership to the application development, support, and deployment teams, and working closely with customers to ensure alignment of product, technical, and business goals. Ms. Erickson's ability to significantly impact the organization is a result of the combination of personal leadership, team building capabilities, organizational and project management skills and technical acumen she possesses.
Ms. Erickson has been a principal and key member of the management team in both the previous incarnation of Thin Air Software and Mortgagebot. At Mortgagebot, Ms. Erickson served as vice president and held to titles of both Director of Software Development and Chief Software Architect. In addition to developing strategic technology initiatives, she played a pivotal role in the day-to-day execution and synchronization of the technical, operational and product teams. At the original Thin Air Software, Ms. Erickson was critical in delivering award-winning solutions to M&I Mortgage Corp. and to securing the relationship that ultimately lead to the formation of and merging with Mortgagebot LLC.
Prior to beginning with Thin Air Software, Ms. Erickson served as software engineer at various companies, including a role as Senior Developer on the Research and Development team at The Enterprise, Ltd (a division of Homestore Inc.). Ms. Erickson attended Marquette University, where she attended on academic scholarship and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Computer Science.
Senior Vice President, CFO
Mr. Roberts is responsible for corporate finance and accounting, as well as leading due diligent efforts for joint venture and other partnership-oriented opportunities. He draws on his extensive experience to evaluate potential projects and ensure that the company's values of shared vision, synergistic expertise, mutual investment, and aligned financial interests are upheld with each new relationship.
In addition to his duties at Thin Air Software, Mr. Roberts provides financial consulting services to a variety of clients in the software, healthcare and financial services industries through his consulting company, Executive Outcomes, Ltd. Executive Outcomes provides ongoing advisory services to selected companies, as well as limited term engagements focused on start-up activities, turn-around situations and fraud investigations. Mr. Roberts also manages several investment partnerships that participate in both publicly traded companies and private equity transactions.
Prior to joining Thin Air Software and founding Executive Outcomes, Ltd and his investment partnerships, Mr. Roberts held senior executive positions in a number of organizations. These include Chief Financial Officer and Director of Doral Dental USA, LLC, Chief Financial Officer of Memorial Sisters of Charity Health Network of Huston and Chief Financial Officer of CareNetwork, Inc. While At Doral, the company grew from start-up to number 28 on the Inc. 500 list of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies, with annual revenues of over $100 million. While at CareNetwork, Mr. Roberts participated in taking the company public and eventually selling it to Humana.
Mr. Roberts received a B.S. degree in accounting from Marquette University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
