Dr. Rocco L. Martino
Chairman and CEO –CyberFone Technologies, Inc
Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Research Institute
Dr.
Rocco Leonardo Martino is founder and Chairman of the Board of
CyberFone Technologies Inc. Most recently he was Chairman and CEO
of XRT, Inc., the world leader in providing complete global treasury,
cash and banking relationship management solutions for some of the
world's largest corporations and government entities. Treasury
management systems designed by XRT are integrated and operate in
real-time in a fault-tolerant, on-line environment in over 11,000
organizations in 51 countries.
Dr. Martino is the inventor of
the CyberFone and the driving force behind the software systems
permitting real-time video, voice and data linkages. The CyberFone
System is a totally new approach to providing communication and
computer capability at the desktop and in the home. The CyberFone
System permits video, voice, and data communication anywhere, with
anyone, at any time, at a fraction of today’s costs - a price within
the realm of everyone. The CyberFone System can augment or replace both
the telephone and many of the most popular functions of the PC - on the
desk or in the home. Furthermore, the CyberFone System is simpler and
not given to virtual overnight obsolescence.
A
pioneer and international authority in the planning and use of
computers, Dr. Martino originated many of the methods in use
today. Dr. Martino served in various high-level positions prior
to XRT and CyberFone Technologies, Inc. He was Director of Systems
Engineering at the Olin Corporation in New York, and then a Senior
Member of Booz, Allen & Hamilton Computer Division. He was the
President of Mauchly Associates Limited and Vice President of Mauchly
Associates created in partnership with Dr. John Mauchly, the
co-inventor of electronic computers. He also functioned as the
Technical Director for Sperry Computers of Canada. He allied with
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper USN, on Automatic Programming techniques,
which were the forerunner of COBOL. As Director of the Computer
Division for Adalia Limited, a consulting firm headed by Sir Robert
Watson-Watt, the inventor of radar, Dr. Martino participated in the
extensive development of electronic navigation systems.
Dr.
Martino graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Toronto in
Mathematics and Finance. He earned a Ph.D. from the Institute of
Aerospace Studies for work in the re-entry of Space Vehicles, including
the requirements for heat shields.
Dr. Martino has
been honored by various professional organizations. In 1993 he
received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Neumann University
for his contributions in Information Technology and Space Flight. In
2000, he received Honorary Degrees from Chestnut Hill College in
Philadelphia and from Gonzaga University in Spokane. Both degrees were
awarded for his humanitarian and charitable activities, as well as for
his scientific achievements. The National Italian American
Foundation honored Dr. Martino for Lifetime Achievement in 1992, as did
the Monte Jade Society in 1999, and the CYO in 2000. In this latter
award he was chosen as a symbol for Youth.
Dr.
Martino served as Professor of Mathematics and Engineering at the
University of Waterloo and at New York University. His graduate and
senior undergraduate lectures included such topics as Artificial
Intelligence, Information Management Systems, Economics in Planning,
and Financial Modeling Systems. He has continued to lecture and conduct
seminars throughout the World.
Dr. Martino has
served on various Public Service, Charitable, and Church Organizations.
He served a Vice Chair of the Board of the Gregorian University
Consortium Foundation from 1982-1998. He served a member of the Board
of St. Joseph’s University from 1989-1998. He served a member of the
Board of the Vatican Observatory from 1993-Present. He has been a
member of the Board of Councilors of the Eastern Lieutenancy of the
Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre since 1991; a member of the
Board of the Order of Malta Federal Association from 1996-2002; and is
currently a member of the Audit Committee of the Papal Foundation and
on the Executive Committee of the St. John Neumann Society. He
also served on the Boards of such organizations as the Catholic League
for Civil and Religious Liberty, and of Legatus where he was also
Eastern Regional Vice President. He was the Founding Chairman and
served from 1985-1989 with the MBF Foundation dedicated to applying
computer technology for lifetime and work-related assistance for those
with severe physical and/or mental handicaps. Most recently, Dr.
Martino led the efforts to restore the first Catholic Cathedral in the
Unites States – the Baltimore Basilica - to its original magnificence,
while bringing the utility infrastructure up to meet today’s standards
of excellence. For his devotion to the Church and its teachings, and
for his many and diverse efforts to strengthen it, Dr. Martino
has been initiated as a Knight in the Order of St. Gregory, Knight
Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem,
Knight in Obedience of the Order of Malta, Knight Commander of the
Constantinian Order of St. George, and Knight of the Order of St.
Maurice and Lazarus. He is a Steward of St. Peter of the Papal
Foundation, and a Steward of St. John Neumann.
Dr. Martino has also served on various Corporate Boards over the past fifty years.
Dr.
Martino has been a guest speaker at many functions in the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia. He has taken part in scores of
radio and video broadcasts speaking on Foreign Affairs, Information
Technology, The Smart Society, Charitable Activities, and
Church-related Functions and Programs.
Dr.
Martino is the author of twenty published books as well as scores of
papers, and numerous corporate monographs on computers, communications,
networks, and planning. He has been listed in various biographical
anthologies including Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in America,
Who’s Who in Theology and Science, Who’s Who in Finance, Who’s Who in
the East, Who’s Who in Canada, the International Dictionary of
Biography, and Dictionary of Notable Americans.
Dr. Martino
was born in Toronto, Canada. He immigrated to the United States
in February of 1962, and currently makes his home in Villanova,
Pennsylvania. He has been married to Barbara Italia Martino, nee
D’Iorio, for forty-eight years, and is the father of four sons.
He is a member of the Overbrook Golf Club in Bryn Mawr
Pennsylvania, the Union League of Philadelphia, and the Sea Isle City
Yacht Club. He is an avid sailor, and a Past Commodore of the Yacht
Club – 1974 – a member of the Board from 1971-1990. He has served as
Commodore of the Mid-Atlantic Yacht Racing Association from 1979-1981,
and Secretary from 1981-1988.
Dr. Martino’s secular
achievements encompass many areas of Product and Process Innovation but
most especially in four major areas. Dr. Martino has been in the
forefront of computer applications and process innovation almost from
the inception of the computer. His contributions have created
products and jobs, promoted economic growth, and enhanced the ability
of technology to address important aspects of business, commerce, and
government; and to improve the quality of life.
The
first achievement, chronologically from 1951 onwards, is associated
with procedures, techniques, and processes for creating actual computer
code, without having the programmer or system designer write that
code. Simple statements in the vernacular, and with formulae, are
created by the system program creator. These statements, much simpler
than computer code, are then processed through a computer program of
various types: compilers, assemblers, interpreters, translators,
and system generators. Dr. Martino’s efforts in
language formulation, compilers, translators and system generators
before long before such procedures became common
place. Some of this work was in association with Dr.
Grace Murray Hopper and the creation of COBOL. These techniques
were employed in science, engineering and finance, directed to
aerospace, navigation systems, and the application of computers to
finance and insurance. Some of these efforts were in association
with Sir Robert Watson Watt, the inventor of Radar.
The second achievement, chronologically from 1959
onwards, is associated with procedures, techniques, and processes for
planning and scheduling any kind of project, most especially new
product development and innovation. Dr. Martino pioneered the
application of the Critical Path Method to many types of projects, and
especially to linking project costs to the financial and departmental
structure of organizations. Dr. Martino also developed
variations of these network techniques to the creation of complex
systems, even with probability parameters; and to production
requirements linked to sales and finance, with minimal inventory of
finished goods and raw materials – a system which later was extended to
“Just in Time” by others. The initial efforts were in
association with Dr. John Mauchly, co-inventor of ENIAC.
These techniques were successfully employed in projects associated with
new products, new processes, and new structures.
The
third achievement, chronologically from 1975, is associated with
procedures, techniques, and processes for creating secure systems for
multiple users in networks both local and global. In particular,
when applied to financial and medical systems, the need was for
absolute security from penetration of any kind, for creating more than
one copy of a transaction in real time, and for providing the
capability for continuous operation in the event of any disaster,
whether man-made or from nature. Dr. Martino’s efforts were
in conceiving and designing procedures for secure systems and for
multi-user networks before others. By the mid 1990’s,
approximately three trillion dollars per day were processed through
systems designed and created by Dr. Martino and his staff at XRT.
Most
recently, Dr. Martino has been developing systems associated with
Convergent Technology. In the early 90’s, it became apparent that
the next great advance in technology would be to converge computers,
telephony, and communication power into a single instrument that could
operate in the hand or on the desk, in wireless or fixed mode, in
networks of any kind, and would meet the needs of the user in varying
circumstances without major costs of reprogramming and
maintenance. Furthermore, all this capability had to be
simpler to use than existing PC’s, hand- held devices, and telephony
networks systems – and at a lower cost. The work of this
latest achievement leading to the CyberFone occurred over many years
beginning in 1994 and still continuing at the present
time. Dr. Martino’s efforts have been in
conceptualization, and reduction into patent capable designs, processes
and systems; followed by the creation and development of prototypes for
proof of concept; and finally developing the capability for production
and deployment. The most recent manifestation of these
breakthrough software and hardware concepts has been to provide these
capabilities in cell phones, PDA’s, and other hand-held devices.
This application to wireless systems offers new capability with far
reaching consequences for emergency messages, real-time entry of data
as events occur, and instantaneous access to necessary systems.
All of these accomplishments have impacted the people of
the United States and elsewhere, improving their quality of life, their
economic well being, and communication with others. The benefits
to the US and to global commerce are significant. Benefits will
continue in the present and in the years ahead.