Our Leadership

Unmatched Experience in Airborne Connectivity

John LaValle
Chief Executive Officer

In his more than 20 years with technology companies, John LaValle has completed three successful IPOs, a high-value acquisition and one of the largest secondary offerings in internet history, as well as helping to raise over $1.3 billion in funding. John’s successful track record includes COO and/or CFO roles at National Beverage Properties, TelASIC Communications, Kotura, Inc., Stamps.com (IPO 1999), Comcore Semiconductor (purchased by National Semiconductor), Trikon Technologies (IPO 1995), Superconductor Technologies (IPO 1992) and PS Medical (purchased by Medtronic). He also sits on the board of several private technology firms. John graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston College and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

John Guidon
Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder

John Guidon’s successful background in satellite, digital communications and internet technology-combined with his experience as a pilot-make him uniquely qualified to lead Row 44. John’s distinguished technology career included consulting on airborne electronics for Marconi Space and Defense Systems, then as an engineer for Litton, where he was responsible for navigation elements still used in aircraft today. A natural entrepreneur, John founded the microelectronics consultancy GME, which he took to $20 million in annual sales and, after 10 years, recast as chipmaker ComCore Semiconductor, which he sold to National Semiconductor for $200 million. John graduated with honors in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College in London.

Howard Lefkowitz
Chief Commercial Officer

Howard Lefkowitz brings to Row 44 decades of marketing and leadership experience in internet business, television and film. Howard served as vice president of business development and marketing for Earthlink. He helped Dick Clark Productions bring the first interactive primetime show to network TV and worked with Ted Turner’s WTBS to create that station’s first original show, starring a then-unknown Alex Trebek. He was also a senior executive at multichannel retailer HSN, and later served as president of one of the multibillion-dollar company’s subsidiaries. During his nine-year tenure as president and CEO, VEGAS.com became the most visited and successful site for city hospitality and information on the web. VEGAS.com now receives millions of unique visitors per month and operates back-of-house systems, including box offices, for many of the largest hotels in Las Vegas.

Travis Christ
Chief Sales Officer

A highly experienced and successful travel-industry executive, Travis leads the sales and business development efforts for Row 44, engaging airlines worldwide to assist in their efforts to provide their travelers with the most progressive broadband entertainment experience in the air. Travis spent 20 years with American, Continental, and US Airways, most recently as US Airways’ Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Distribution – where he was responsible for business development, corporate and agency sales, multi-channel product distribution, marketing, the usairways.com website, and President of US Airways Vacations. Travis holds an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Steve Redford
Vice President, Networks

In a 28-year career in communications, Steve Redford has overseen a number of groundbreaking advances in airborne communication technology – including the first airborne telephony/cellular network integration, the first airborne “internet lite” service, and prototype broadband air-to-ground networks. As a software engineer with Marconi Space and Defense Systems, Steve developed expertise in radar, airborne telephony and in-flight entertainment systems. Rising to CTO at Verizon Airfone, Steve oversaw advancements in remote fleet management, onboard data communications deployed to over 700 aircraft, and ultimately the implementation of an air-to-ground broadband system taken to flying prototype. Steve studied Mathematics at England’s University of Reading.

Jim Costello
Vice President, Engineering

Jim Costello has more than 20 years’ experience in the wireless communications industry, including over a decade developing solutions for aircraft connectivity. As the system architect for Verizon Communications’ air-to-ground wireless communications network, Jim played a key role in the development of the GTE Airfone product. Jim’s thorough understanding of both the technical and business aspects of delivering connectivity to aircraft led to increasing responsibility at Verizon’s Airfone business unit, where he ultimately served as Vice President, Product and Service Development before moving on to Motorola as Director of Advanced Technology. Jim’s pioneering experience in the aircraft-connectivity space includes extensive work with Raytheon, GEC Marconi, Qualcomm, EMS Technologies, and AP Labs. Jim graduated from Purdue University with a BS degree in Engineering and from Lake Forest Graduate School with an MBA.

Frederick St.Amour
Vice President, Sales

Frederick St.Amour has a successful track record in developing and leading sales and business-development teams for technology firms. Mr. St.Amour’s experience spans telecommunications, IT infrastructure, data management and security, and applications deployment in commercial, government, and military markets worldwide. Mr. St.Amour holds degrees in Physics and Chemistry in addition to advanced degrees in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, and IT Engineering from Northwestern University.