01

AI architecture & operations literacy

Not just awareness of AI — the ability to evaluate whether your AI strategy is technically coherent. From LLM infrastructure to intelligent operations engines to inference delivery, he has designed and patented the underlying systems.

  • Issued patent: Inference as a Service
  • Designed AI-driven Intelligent Operations Engine at $1.2B portfolio scale
  • Evaluated and selected AI platforms for Fortune 500 deployments
02

Infrastructure & platform strategy

Edge compute, composable infrastructure, Zero Trust security, cloud-native architecture — not as concepts, but as shipped systems. He has been the founding architect twice over, and holds the patents that emerged from that work.

  • Issued patents in composable infrastructure and network orchestration
  • <5ms latency platform serving Amazon, NFL, Nokia, T-Mobile
  • CMMC 2.0 and Zero Trust implementation at enterprise scale
03

Defense & national security architecture

As Chief Architect for USTRANSCOM’s Designated Secure Enclave — working directly under General Gregory Touhill (ret.), later the first US Federal CISO — he has designed classified computing environments to the most rigorous DoD standards.

  • SPAWAR / NAVWAR classified program delivery
  • DoD-grade security architecture and governance
  • Agile delivery in classified, high-friction environments
04

Revenue and product instinct

He has built platforms from concept to customer, and understands the full arc from invention to market validation. His edge cloud platform drove $837M in segment revenue. His earlier cloud architecture work unlocked $250M in pull-through revenue.

  • Monthly CTO briefings and executive decision-making authority
  • Secured marquee deployments that validated product-market fit
  • Led R&D partnerships and filed multiple patent families
05

IP strategy & patent portfolio judgment

With 12 filings across 4 patent families — including 4 issued patents — he understands what is actually novel, what is patentable, and what a patent portfolio means for a company’s defensibility, valuation, and strategic position.

  • Named inventor on USPTO patents in AI, infrastructure, networking
  • Can evaluate whether claimed IP is genuinely defensible
  • Helps boards understand what to protect and how
06

Brand stewardship at global scale

Entrusted with infrastructure brand responsibility by IBM, AT&T, Lumen, and the US Navy. He understands the relationship between technical decisions and organizational reputation — particularly in high-visibility, zero-tolerance environments.

  • 100% uptime SLA: Wimbledon, US Open, Masters, Australian Open
  • Fortune 500 enterprise architecture with brand accountability
  • Public infrastructure reaching millions of consumers
Primary fit

AI-native infrastructure startups

Companies building on edge compute, AI inference delivery, composable infrastructure, or network intelligence. The patent portfolio in Inference as a Service and distributed composable infrastructure is directly relevant — and immediately legible — to any serious technical team in this space.

Series A–C · $5M–$100M raised · Technical product
Primary fit

Defense tech & GovTech companies

Companies building for DoD, federal agencies, or the national security community. His SPAWAR/USTRANSCOM background, CMMC 2.0 expertise, and experience in classified environments are rare credentials at the board level in this sector.

Defense prime ecosystem · Federal civilian · SBIR / OTA programs
Secondary fit

Enterprise AI transformation

Fortune 500 or large private companies undertaking significant AI or infrastructure modernization — where a board-level voice with both invention experience and enterprise delivery track record materially improves decision quality.

$250M+ revenue · Technology transformation underway
Secondary fit

PE & VC portfolio companies

Private equity and venture-backed companies in infrastructure, cloud, edge, or AI where a technical advisor with a credible invention history can support due diligence, technical strategy, and board-level oversight of the engineering function.

Technical advisory · Post-acquisition integration · CTO augmentation
Primary fit

State, local & education (SLED)

Government IT leadership and GovTech companies navigating AI adoption, Zero Trust mandates, and infrastructure modernization. The SPAWAR/USTRANSCOM credentials and CMMC-adjacent architecture experience transfer directly to SLED compliance environments — with the added weight of federal-grade credibility most SLED-focused advisors don't carry.

State / county / municipal · Higher education · GovTech startups
Secondary fit

FinOps & infrastructure cost reduction

Companies where cloud and infrastructure spend has outgrown the value it delivers — and startups building cost-reduction or FinOps tooling. The $1.2B infrastructure portfolio stewardship at Lumen is the direct credential: enterprise-scale accountability for infrastructure economics, not advisory from the side.

FinOps programs · Cloud cost optimization · Infrastructure cost-reduction startups
Advisory board seat

Board and executive advisory

For founders and executive teams that need an experienced technical voice in critical decisions, investor narratives, and architecture tradeoffs.

  • Monthly 60–90 minute strategic session
  • On-demand availability for decision support
  • Architecture and roadmap challenge review
  • Board and investor technical messaging support
  • 0.25–1% equity at seed/Series A (negotiable)
Fractional CTO / strategy

Fractional CTO (vCTO)

For companies that need senior technical leadership now, without waiting on a full-time hire. Focused on architecture velocity, team alignment, and delivery confidence.

  • Weekly leadership and engineering cadence
  • Architecture reviews with clear go/no-go recommendations
  • Hiring profile and org design guidance
  • Execution roadmap and dependency de-risking
  • CTO-level support in board and investor meetings
Project / defined scope

Scoped architecture engagements

Focused engagements for teams with a specific challenge and timeline, where a strong architecture plan needs to become an executable delivery path.

  • AI operations strategy and architecture
  • Edge and latency-critical system design
  • Zero Trust and CMMC 2.0 frameworks
  • Platform modernization and cloud migration
  • Innovation program design and patent strategy
Entry-point engagements

Pattern Review & Architecture Sprint

For companies with a real technical problem but not yet at retainer scale. A bounded, fixed-scope engagement with a defined deliverable — and no retainer pressure. The right starting point before a longer engagement.

  • Architecture or AI readiness review (Pattern Review)
  • Short-engagement intensive for time-sensitive decisions (Architecture Sprint)
  • Honest assessment — no upsell, no retainer required
  • Scales to a larger engagement when the fit is right
Note

For early-stage companies where equity is a meaningful part of compensation, cash rates can be adjusted downward in exchange for equity participation. A typical arrangement at seed or Series A: 30–40% reduction in cash rate in exchange for 0.25–1% equity, with standard advisor vesting. For later-stage companies or project engagements, cash-only structures are available at the rates above. All engagements begin with a no-obligation discovery conversation to determine whether the fit is genuine on both sides.

Start a conversation.

Advisory relationships work when the fit is right — when the problem is real, the team is strong, and there’s a genuine need for the specific kind of judgment and experience being offered.

Use the form to describe what you’re building, where you are, and what kind of advisory relationship you have in mind. There’s no pitch required — a clear description of the challenge is enough to start.

Response within 2–3 business days.

This form is for serious advisory inquiries. All conversations are treated with discretion. Frank responds personally to every message.