Executive Management

Here is an overview of the visionaries who have been key guiding forces behind the VIACK company and technology.

Neil E. Woodruff, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board

Neil's executive career started as Controller of Semimetals, Inc., a manufacturer of silicon materials. He subsequently held the Plant Controller's position at National Semiconductor and following that, EVP-Operations at Epitaxy, Inc. In 1984, Neil became V.P. & General Manager of General Signal's MicroAutomation Unit, a manufacturer of wafer dicing equipment. In 1990, Neil joined Applied Imaging Corp. as COO/CFO, and saw that start-up through a 1996 successful IPO. He joined the Emerging Markets Division of Imperial Bank in 1999 to establish an office and strategic relationships within the venture community in Raleigh, NC. Since that time, Neil has maintained his own management consulting business in San Jose, CA. He resides with his wife, Delia, in San Jose, CA and has five children. He graduated from Santa Clara University, BSC –Finance.

Geoff Shaw, Senior Vice President, Advanced Programs

Geoff Shaw is Senior Vice President, Advanced Programs Group. The Advanced Programs Group implements and manages Continuous Compliance Assurance projects to include the DOT funded Intermodal Containerized Freight Security (ICFS) program in collaboration with industry, government and university research partners. He is also responsible for establishing VIACK's risk assessment and policy compliance practice. This operation focuses on information sharing between multi-national governments and industries to better assess risks, ensure enhanced infrastructure security, and strengthen the economic competitiveness of the global supply chains dependent upon those infrastructures. Geoff previously served as president and CEO of ESI Corporation, which focused on large-scale distributed computing solutions for space mission planning, defense, and complex business process and data analysis applications. He also served as CEO and Chairman of the Global Commerce Companies from 1997 though 1999 which focused on multi-national payment and settlement systems technology. Geoff has served as a commissioner on The Colorado Governor's Commission on Science and Technology and on the board of directors of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. His expertise has been called upon by numerous advanced information systems conferences in North America, Asia and Europe, and he has been an invited author for technical and financial publications. Most recently, he was honored as a principle contributor to international space science for his work on the NASA Astrophysical Data System. Geoff is a graduate of the University of Arizona and a veteran of the United States Army.

Lance Heidinger, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Lance Heidinger's background and experience provide a rich complement to the team that will develop the correct strategy for VIACK and assure timely execution of that plan. Lance has years of experience in the financial management of Hewlett-Packard's having been a Division Controller for several organizations and the manager of HP's $10B Computer Business Operation planning and reporting team. He ascended to the executive ranks at Hewlett-Packard where he was the General Manager of Strategic Programs Integration Operation a $200M organization that won large computer procurement initiated by primarily the U.S. Government and on a smaller scale foreign governments and commercial companies around the world. Lance and his wife reside in Marana, AZ, 30 miles north of Tucson.

Brent Gwisdalla, Vice President of Business Operations

Brent Gwisdalla's teams play a critical role in customer service, training, account management and retention. Brent leads the cross-functional VIACK Client Adoption Retention and Education (CARE) Team which facilitates product implementation, client education, training and aftermarket growth. The comprehensive implementation approach developed by Brent places the client at the center of VIACK’s educational efforts, encompassing online education as well as custom-tailored learning and training to help users integrate the software into their natural work styles and business processes. In addition to these activities, Brent oversees internal organization development including the certification process for all client service analysts, performance based metrics for new hires, and ongoing education for all VIACK employees. He has been an active participant in the e-learning field since its inception in the early 1990s. With more than 17 years as a training and instructional design professional, he has created numerous educational events in print, multimedia, in person and other mediums. Brent has spoken at conferences such as ASTD and Online Learning and is a published author in key industry trade journals. Brent earned a Master's Degree in instructional design at Western Michigan University, where he also developed The Emerging Leaders Program, still in service to undergraduates today.