MAK Technologies User Conference, UK I Virtual

Mrs Holhjem  is a Senior Scientist at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment – FFI, at the Defence Systems Division. Mrs Holhjem has mainly been working on modeling, simulation and analysis of ground based air defence. Most of her work has been related to the Ground Based Air Defence system NASAMS, which is in use by the Norwegian Defence Force. For example, she has implemented models of different types of ground based air defence in different simulators at FFI, and has both participated and organized, together with other colleagues, large distributed, interactive simulation experiments where these models have been used.

Ad van Lier is a senior M&S architect at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. His work covered developing instructional designs in the field of computer-aided instruction in simulators, information analysis and development, specification of simulator requirements based on training needs analysis and support in procurement of new simulator systems. He also participated in the development of the SISO validation standard GMV&V.  He is currently in charge of developing a simulation battle lab.

Tom van den Berg is a senior scientist in the Modeling, Simulation and Gaming department at TNO, The Netherlands. He has over 25 years of experience in distributed operating systems, database systems, and simulation systems. His research area includes simulation systems engineering, distributed simulation architectures, systems of systems, and concept development & experimentation. Tom is a member of several SISO Product Development / Support Groups, participates in several NATO MSG activities, and is co-chair of NATO MSG-164 (“Modelling and Simulation as a Service (MSaaS)).

Murray Gamble is Director of Engineering for CogSim Technologies Inc. (CTI) based in Ottawa, Canada. Before joining CTI, Mr Gamble was the Vice-President Technology for The HFE Group, an Ottawa-based firm and a recognized Canadian provider of simulation and training products and services, which he co-founded in 2000. A Certified Modeling and Simulation Professional (CMSP), Murray is a recognized expert in areas of distributed simulation, tactical data links, and visualization technology, and is often called upon as an M&S and Training & Simulation (T&S) Subject Matter Expert by industry and government.

Dan Brockway is MAK’s Vice President of Marketing, responsible for market research, marketing communications, sales support, and acting as liaison to product management. Brockway brings more than two decades of modeling and simulation industry experience to the role including work with visual, NVG, and IR sensor simulation; 3D modeling, terrain generation, and rendering; satellite imagery and geographic information systems; and software engineering.

Jim Kogler brings refined engineering skills and vast customer knowledge to his role as Vice President of Products. He is responsible for overseeing the strategic design, market positioning, engineering development, documentation, and technical support for all MAK products.

In past roles at MAK, Kogler has designed and developed key software, including VR-Exchange, MAK Gateway, and the MAK FOM Editor. He developed many of the standards and processes by which MAK software is built. Through building teams and overseeing the roll-out of new products and product lines, he has helped to shape MAK’s market direction and enable the pursuit of strategic business opportunities.

Bill Cole brings strong program management skills and relevant military simulation experience to his new role as MAK Technologies’ CEO. He has over twenty years of experience leading successful military acquisition programs and recently retired from the U.S. Army as a Brigadier General.  He most recently served as the Army’s Program Executive Officer for Simulation (PEO-STRI), Training and Instrumentation in Orlando, Florida.

Bill was the PM of the “Excalibur” GPS-guided artillery projectile from 2004-2006, with responsibility to get that system through initial testing and into early production. After a tour on the Pentagon staff, Bill became the Army’s PM in charge of developing and fielding body armor, uniforms and parachutes from 2009-2012. During that assignment his office simultaneously fielded new body armor to Soldiers in Iraq and new flame-resistant uniforms with an improved camouflage pattern to Soldiers in Afghanistan.

Bill deployed to Afghanistan himself in 2012, spending almost a year helping to deliver new advanced technology systems to Soldiers in combat. Returning from that deployment, Bill served as the Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology.