The OceanGate Team
Stockton is OceanGate's Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Technology Officer. He is also the Chairman of Remote Control Technologies, a Kirkland based manufacturer of wireless remote control devices for industrial applications. Prior to joining RCT, Stockton was a founding partner of Peregrine Partners, a San Francisco based venture capital firm. He began his career as a Flight Test Engineer on the F-15 program with the McDonnell Douglas Corporation. In the early 1980s Stockton flew over 400 hours as a DC-8 co-pilot for Overseas National Airways flying out of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He holds a commercial pilot’s license, with multi engine, helicopter, instrument, seaplane and DC-8 ratings. Stockton is a member of the Board of Directors of BlueView Technologies, a manufacturer of small, high frequency sonar systems and also serves on the board of Entomo, an enterprise software developer focused on post-sale Channel Management and Financial Reporting. He constructed and flies a Glasair III experimental aircraft and completed a heavily modified Kittredge K-350 two man submersible in 2006. Stockton obtained his BSE in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 1984 and his MBA from the U.C. Berkeley Hass School of Business in 1989.
Guillermo Söhnlein is OceanGate's Co-Founder and CEO. He is also Chairman of the Marine Technology Society's Ocean Exploration Committee.
Supplementing his passion for ocean exploration with a passion for space exploration, Guillermo was previously the founder of the International Association of Space Entrepreneurs, an online community focused on promoting global entrepreneurship in space ventures, and Space Angels Network, a national group of accredited investors focused on early-stage aerospace ventures. He has spent over ten years in leadership roles with various early stage technology ventures in Silicon Valley and the Washington DC area. He has consulted extensively with entrepreneurs, startups, angel investor groups, venture capital firms, hedge funds, and nonprofit organizations, and he currently serves on the advisory boards of several technology ventures.
Guillermo earned an AB in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and a JD from the University of California Hastings College of the Law, after which he served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps as a Judge Advocate.
Joel leads OceanGate’s marketing and expedition development teams. He previously managed tour development and marketing for a variety of companies including a luxury cruise line operating in Alaska, Puget Sound and along the Columbia River where he developed itineraries and operational plans for both cruise and land-based tour expeditions. He has also previously co-founded two software start-ups, created product launch strategies, led business development efforts, and managed client service teams. Joel earned a BS in Graphic Design from Western Washington University and an MBA from the University of Washington.
Karl has over 20 years' experience as a chief engineer for numerous 120-foot plus yachts and is a United States Coast Guard Marine Engineer. His past work includes designing a power train for a 22-foot Explorer hovercraft, successfully managing several multi-million dollar projects, and designing and building a prototype deep sea equipment pressure stabilizer. Karl is an FAA certified private pilot.
As Chief Pilot, Tym provides nearly 25 years of experience developing, maintaining and operating manned and unmanned submersibles. He previously helped the navy develop a deep diving (6000 meter) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), its shipboard handling system and the operation. Later he worked for the University of Hawaii in their manned submersible program and has gone on to become a submersible pilot, maintenance expert, shop machinist, mechanical designer, ROV technician/operator, and has nearly a dozen submersible vessel surveys under his belt. Tym also rebuilt and operated Antipodes for a tourism venture based in New Zealand. Prior to joining OceanGate, Tym worked on a project that involved getting two Deep Rovers re-classed, modified and dive ready for the filming of “Aliens of the Deep” by James Cameron. He even managed to get my 15 minutes of fame piloting one of the Deep Rovers during the filming. Tym has piloted 5 different submersibles and has logged over 700 dives as a submersible pilot.
As OceanGate’s entrepreneur-in-residence, Brad is responsible for providing organizational and functional support for new projects. He excels at crafting business plans, pioneering new sales channels, planning and executing marketing plans, creating partnerships and raising capital. Brad’s first taste of entrepreneurial success occurred as a teenager, manufacturing and selling surfboards in his parent’s garage. His broad range of work experience comprises a compelling list across several industries including: Travel and Hospitality, Recruiting and Human Resources, Internet and Technology, Sustainability and Real Estate. He has earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Miami with a Major in Entrepreneurship. Brad will have earned his MBA from the University of Miami, School of Business in December 2012.