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Executive Officers and Directors
KEY TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS Paul Moller, President, and Chairman of the Board
Dr. Moller founded the Company and has served as the company’s President since its formation. He holds a Masters in Engineering and Ph.D. from McGill University. Dr. Moller was a professor of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at the University of California, Davis, from 1963 to 1975, where he developed the Aeronautical Engineering program. In 1972 he founded SuperTrapp Industries and was Chief Executive Officer, as SuperTrapp became the most recognized international name in high-performance engine silencing systems. SuperTrapp Industries was sold in 1988. In 1983 he founded the Company to develop powered lift aircraft. Under his direction the Company completed contracts with NASA, NOSC, DARPA, NRL, Harry Diamond Labs, Hughes Aircraft Company, California Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air force. These contracts included the development and deployment of numerous unmanned aerial vehicles and Wankel based engines. Dr. Moller has received 43 patents including the first U.S. patent on a fundamentally new form of powered lift aircraft. In 1980 he developed the Davis Research Park, a 38-acre industrial-research complex within the city of Davis, CA in which the Company is located. Jim Toreson, Director and CEO of Freedom Motors
Dr. Toreson has over 16 years experience as a chief executive, and over 20 years experience in manufacturing, including quality control, materials management, JIT production, process control, and manufacturing engineering. He also has eight years of experience in flexible automation, statistical process control (SPC), and quality system including ISO 9000 and Six Sigma programs. More recently as the founder of ONSHORE, a management consulting firm specializing in technology-intensive products and services he has acted as the CEO of Chineseinvestors.com, an Internet portal serving the world-wide ethnic Chinese marketplace for financial services; VP of Marketing and Sales of APPIANT Technology, Inc., a NASDAQ company providing ASP services for speech recognition; and VP of Business Development for eSpaces, a company providing physically secure and cyber-secure work spaces. Dr. Toreson has a BSEE and MSEE from the University of Michigan, a Dr. of Science from the University of Nevada, and has completed coursework for his PhD EE at the University of Pennsylvania. Bruce E. Calkins, General Manager
Mr. Calkins earned his B.S. in Management from the University of San Francisco in 1983 while working for Bechtel Petroleum. Mr. Calkins also holds an A.A. degree in Drafting Technology from American River College in Sacramento. A native of northern California, Mr. Calkins has worked in both public and private sector positions, managing technical teams of between 10 and 100+ specialists. Immediately prior to joining MI, Mr. Calkins oversaw technical services at all federal installations west of the Mississippi River for Intergraph Federal Systems, a Fortune 1000 computer systems integration firm. He was responsible for technical support of high-performance computer systems, software and consulting at over 120 client installations. In addition, he supervised many project-specific activities, including software product development using ISO 9000 production standards, hardware marketing, product planning and large-scale installation and benchmark programs throughout the United States and parts of Asia. Stacey Horigan, Controller
Mrs. Horigan earned her B.S. in Business Administration with an Accountancy Concentration from The California State University at Sacramento in 1998. Immediately prior to joining the Moller team Mrs. Horigan was employed with Hallmark Properties, a management firm dealing in the Hospitality & Residential Industries. Mrs. Horigan facilitated the financial operations within the accounting department for the six different divisions.
George L. Stevens, Project Manager
Before joining the company as the Engine Test and Quality Control Engineer, Mr. Stevens worked for GSE Inc. as a project manager and systems designer on the development of a 2-stroke diesel engine. While at California State University, where he received a BS in Mechanical Engineering, he was the Project Leader on the development of a hybrid electric automobile. Mr. Stevens had previously received a BS in Electronic Engineering Technology from Brigham Young University in 1984.
Faulkner White, Director
Mr. White received his B.A. in Psychology (Distinction) with a minor in Computer Science from Dartmouth College in 1972. He has consulted for Apple Computer, Motorola and McDonnell Douglas. In 1995 Mr. White collaborated in the development of a new type of breast biopsy gun for Biopsys Medical Inc., developing software to track the efficacy of the new design for the FDA, and subsequently for the customers themselves. He is currently developing Customer Relationship Management software for the laser eye surgery and cosmetic surgery markets. Mr. White is also a certified DBA in Oracle database technology.
Mike Shanley, Director
Mr. Shanley has been a pilot since 1969, serving with the Royal Australian Air Force in Vietnam in 1971 and has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Skycar project since 1987. Mr. Shanley has a BA in English Literature from the University of Queensland, Australia, is the author of the novel “Strela” and was a magazine publisher and editor from 1987 to 1996. He is presently co-director of a security company based in the United Kingdom providing security at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted airports. Mr. Shanley is also Chairman of Shanley International Ltd., a company set up specifically to facilitate trade with China.
Stephen P. Smith, Director
After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT, Steve started his professional career at Deloitte & Touche, LLP, in the Stamford office where he achieved senior accountant status and earned his CPA. Subsequent to his tenure with D&T, Steve accepted the Manager of Accounting position at Universal Studios Hollywood. After completing his MBA with an emphasis in Finance at Pepperdine University in December 2004, Steve was hired as the Global Financial Reporting Manager at CB Richard Ellis Investors Group located in downtown Los Angeles. Ultimately, after nearly 10 years of technical accounting and financial reporting experience, Steve joined Vaco in March 2006.
KEY TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS Otto Scharft
has 25 years in engine development at OMC where he worked for over 10 years as Group Leader in rotary engine research. He was responsible for a number of new rotary engine designs. David Garside
Mr. Garside has worked most of his life on rotary engines. He was technical and commercial leader at Norton Motors during their development of the Norton rotary motorcycle engine. He was instrumental in the development and production of a UAV rotary engine that is now used extensively in surveillance. Norton Motors previously contracted with Freedom Motors to undertake a rotary engine endurance test. Mr. Garside holds 11 UK patents and was awarded the MBE by the Queen for his services to the UK Industry. In 1992 he lead a Management Buyout of Norton Motors. Mr. Garside retired from UAV Engines Ltd (previously Norton) in 2001 but is still active in the field of rotary engines. Mike Griffith
Mr. Griffith joined the Company in 1987 as Manager of Engine Development. He earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1964. Mr. Griffith has a 40-year history in Wankel engine development including Program Manager and Development Engineer at John Deere’s Wankel Engine Division (1984-1987), Senior Technical Specialist in the Wankel Engine Division of Curtiss-Wright (1979-1983), and Wankel Engine Project Engineer for Outboard Marine Corporation (1966-1974).
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