Key Management

Corporate Info / Key Management

Wireless Maritime Services, LLC (WMS) was founded in February of 2004. WMS is a joint venture of AT&T and MTN Satellite Communications. 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.

JR Wilson
President & CEO

JR Wilson was named President and CEO of Wireless Maritime Services in July, 2012. In addition to his leadership role at WMS, Mr. Wilson is Vice President Partnerships & Alliances for AT&T Mobility. Mr. Wilson is responsible for developing international wireless strategy and partnerships, as well as domestic, international, and WI-FI wholesale roaming and retail roaming support. In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Wilson is responsible for managing AT&T's global managed mobility services contracts, negotiations, and carrier relations function, and leading AT&T’s international partnerships and alliances for AT&T’s global Machine-to-Machine business. In his role at AT&T Mobility, Mr. Wilson has a long history working on WMS related matters going back to its inception in 2004 and strategic matters at the WMS Board of Directors level. In 2010 Mr. Wilson was elected to the Board of Directors of the Wireless Broadband Alliance. In June 2012 he was elected to serve a second term. The WBA is an international trade organization with the mission of facilitating the adoption of WI-FI enabled services through improvements in the user experience, interoperability and service delivery across technologies, devices and networks. Mr. Wilson joined AT&T Wireless Services (formerly Cingular) in 2001 and has led major wireless projects in various international markets in Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Prior to his current role, Mr. Wilson served in key roles in corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, international roaming and strategy, and international development. Mr. Wilson started his career in Seattle with Arthur Anderson, after graduating with honors from Syracuse University. Mr. Wilson currently lives and works in Atlanta, GA with his wife and three children.

Pramod Arora
Chief Operating Officer

Pramod Arora was named Chief Operating Officer of Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) in December 2012. In this role, Mr. Arora is responsible for leading all aspects of WMS business, including sales, marketing, product development, customer service, network engineering and operations. Mr. Arora has over 18 years of experience in a diverse range of functions including sales, business development, marketing, engineering, internal auditing, and global partnerships. Prior to being named to his current position, Mr. Arora was responsible for managing carrier alliances and partnerships in the US, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent for AT&T’s global managed mobility services and global Machine-to Machine business. Mr. Arora holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Jabalpur University in India, and an MBA from The University of Georgia in Athens.

Brian Threlkeld
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Threlkeld comes to the WMS leadership team with 14 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.

Mark Ralph
Vice President Of Operations

Mr. Ralph has 30 years of experience, with over 15 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 Master’s degree in Systems Management, and executive education at MIT, Columbia Business School, and Wake Forest University.

Jim McKenna
Vice President Customer Support & Product Management

Jim joined WMS in 2008 and previously worked for 11 years in the cruise line and hospitality industries. He has experience directly overseeing all the onboard revenue operations for two fleets of a major cruise line, including brand and product development, along with the revitalization and design of new ships. During his tenure in the hotel industry, Jim was responsible for sales and revenue maximization by leading large sales teams. He is also a trained Six Sigma Black Belt with experience in applying this process improvement methodology to customer support and client satisfaction. Jim is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, has a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the School of International & Public Affairs at Columbia University, and also holds an MBA in Finance from the Columbia Business School.

Tony Patino
Vice President of Engineering and Technical Operations

Mr. Patino is a 19 year telecom professional, spending the last 14 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.

Clive Poole
Director of Sales

Dr. Clive Poole is responsible for WMS sales and business development activities in Europe and Asia. Dr. Poole has more than 25 years of experience in the electronics and telecommunications industries in both the UK and the Far East, with broad experience of product design, manufacturing and sales within a demanding multi-cultural environment. He has been responsible for the development and launch of numerous successful electronic products and has held top management positions in several Asian high tech companies, including as CEO of a paging systems manufacturer in Hong Kong and as Managing Director of a public listed manufacturing company in Thailand. Before joining WMS, Dr. Poole was responsible for the conception and successful launch of Navitas Telecom, the maritime GSM arm of Jersey Telecom, and was responsible for sales and business development for Navitas from 2005 till 2009. Dr. Poole has a Master’s degree and a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester, England, and an MBA from the Open University, and is a visiting lecturer in electronics, telecommunications and business strategy at several universities.

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 during the $25 million trial implementation of the Optera Long Haul product at Qtera (later acquired by Nortel Networks). Having started her career AT&T and having been 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. At Newbridge Networks (now Alcatel) Beth was responsible for multimillion dollar projects for 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.