Staff
TOP INDUSTRY EXPERTS SERVING THE ANTENNA-SITING INDUSTRY
The AGL Media Group staff of industry veterans is committed to reporting and providing educational intelligence about news and events that affect the wireless industry. Our team delivers content and analysis regarding commercial, technical, legal, regulatory and financial news relating to site ownership, network build-outs, construction, technology and operations in high-quality and credible sources. Our content may be obtained through print, digital, online and conferences.
Richard P. Biby, P.E.
Publisher and CEO
Richard P. Biby established Biby Publishing LLC in 2004, and chose AGL (Above Ground Level) magazine as his first project. An industry veteran, Biby possesses an intimate knowledge of telecommunications systems and the infrastructure marketplace. Biby has been a frequent commentator in the telecommunications field and has first-hand experience as a successful entrepreneur creating new companies. His affection for radio technology and his desire to see a higher quality of editorial excellence in related trade publications are the engines driving AGL. Biby has owned communication sites and radio stations, has appeared in many zoning-application hearings, and has provided professional engineering services to the siting industry for many years. Biby has been the founder of two companies, Biby Engineering Services PC, and SiteSafe LLC. In addition to leading these two firms, he has served as Chief Technology Officer for Crown Castle International Corp. He has enjoyed active participation in professional industry associations and standards-and-practices bodies (including AFCCE, APCO, TIA, IEEE and PCIA) and governmental advisory committees for the FCC. He is Fellow of the Radio Club of America. Rich Biby may be contacted at: rbiby@aglmediagroup.com.
Rick Heilbrunn
President and COO
Mr. Heilbrunn has built and led finance and accounting organizations for companies in start-up, turnaround and fast-track growth cycles. He combines strategic and tactical finance expertise with high-caliber general management qualifications, superior leadership skills, management/finance consulting experience, and credentials as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He is an entrepreneurial finance executive contributing energy, drive, and focus to successfully link finance with core business competencies through technology-driven processes and solutions. Mr. Heilbrunn has been successful in helping early and mid-stage organizations secure capital and build core finance and operational capacity. During the past 25 years as Founding Principal of his named consulting firm and later under StartOps, LLC, his portfolio of clients has included a number of diversified public and private companies including a national real estate development organization with a portfolio value in excess of $4 billion and a $4.5 billion+ financial services organization. He has significant experience with venture-backed companies including as Chief Financial Officer and Founder of SquareLoop, Inc.(with Mr. Biby), a wireless software company; and Vice President and Corporate Controller for HomeVest Financial Group, a financial services company pioneering a patented mortgage instrument, and as Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration for United Property Services, helped raise almost $20 million of venture funding. Mr. Heilbrunn holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant. Rick Heilbrunn may be contacted at: rheilbrunn@aglmediagroup.com.
Don Bishop
Executive Editor and Associate Publisher
Don Bishop joined AGL Media Group in 2004. He helped to launch and was the founding editor of AGL Magazine, the AGL Bulletin email newsletter (now AGL eDigest) and DAS and Small Cells magazine (now AGL Small Cell Magazine). He served as host for AGL Conferences from 2010 to 2012, appearing at 12 conferences. Bishop writes and otherwise obtains editorial content published in AGL Magazine, AGL eDigest and the AGL Media Group website. Bishop also photographs and films conferences and conventions. Many of his photographs have appeared on the cover, in articles and in the “AGL Tower of the Month” center spread photo feature in AGL Magazine. During his time with Wiesner Publishing, Primedia Business Information and AGL Media Group, he helped to launch several magazines and edited or managed editorial departments for a dozen magazines and their associated websites, newsletters and live event coverage. He is a former property manager, radio station owner and CEO of a broadcast engineering consulting firm. He was elected a Fellow of the Radio Club of America in 1988, received its Presidents Award in 1993, and served on its board of directors for nine years. Don Bishop may be contacted at: dbishop@aglmediagroup.com.
Ernest Worthman
Executive Editor/Applied Wireless Technology
His 20-plus years of editorial experience includes being the Editorial Director of Wireless Design and Development and Fiber Optic Technology, the Editor of RF Design, the Technical Editor of Communications Magazine, Cellular Business, Global Communications and a Contributing Technical Editor to Mobile Radio Technology, Satellite Communications, as well as computer-related periodicals such as Windows NT. His technical writing practice client list includes RF Industries, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Agilent Technologies, Advanced Linear Devices, Ceitec, SA, Lucent Technologies, , Qwest, City and County of Denver, Sandia National Labs, Goldman Sachs, and others. Before becoming exclusive to publishing, he was a computer consultant and regularly taught courses and seminars in applications software, hardware technology, operating systems, and electronics. His credentials include a BS, Electronic Engineering Technology; A.A.S, Electronic Digital Technology. He has held a Colorado Post-Secondary/Adult teaching credential, member of IBM’s Software Developers Assistance Program and Independent Vendor League, a Microsoft Solutions Provider Partner. He is a senior/life member of the IEEE, the Press Liaison for the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society and a member of the IEEE Communications Society, IEEE MTT Society, IEEE Vehicular Technology Society and the IEEE 5G Community. He was also a first-class FCC technician in the early days of radio. Ernest Worthman may be contacted at: eworthman@aglmediagroup.com, or ernest_worthman@ieee.org
Ted Abrams, P.E.
Contributing Editor
The founder of Abrams Wireless, Ted Abrams, offers consulting services specializing in wireless infrastructure. In addition to strategic consultation, his practice includes technology interpretation and wholesale services for RF engineering related to interference, FCC compliance, and asset monetization. His experience includes time as executive vice president at VTel Wireless, senior vice president of technology at American Tower and chief technology officer at SpectraSite Communications. Abrams has delivered keynote speeches and has spoken as a participant of panel sessions at national and state conferences and conventions, including AGL Conferences. He is past chairman of the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s Innovation and Technology Council. A professional engineer licensed in many states, Abrams is a member of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the Radio Club of America. Ted Abrams may be contacted at: tabrams@aglmediagroup.com.
Deborah Plank
Western Region Sales Rep
Deborah brings a wealth of sales and marketing experience having 17 years of B2B media experience. She started her career with McGraw-Hill’s Modern Plastics Group. She spent 12 years there and during that time had 3 acquisitions. This, allowed her to work for Chemical Week, Canon, and UBM. UBM promoted her to their Medical Device Group. In both groups, she targeted advanced manufacturing and their audience was engineers from the design of the part to those running the processing machines and plants. She also worked for Midstream Business Magazine in Oil and Gas and Retail TouchPoints talking to the retail executive in charge of customer experience. Deborah Plank may be contacted at: dplank@aglmediagroup.com.
Karen Clark
Eastern Region Sales Rep & Advertising Coordinator
Karen has over 20 years in B2B telecommunications. She started her career with Primedia Business Information handling a large number of marketing projects for several telecommunications magazines. She worked on the circulation of AGL Magazine at its inception. Karen is a member of Colorado Wireless Association. Karen was the Executive Secretary for the Radio Club of America for a number of years. She was elected a Fellow of the Radio Club of America in 2004, received the Special Services Award in 2002, Special Recognition Award in 2013, has served on several RCA committees and serves on the Board of Directors for the past 3 years. She has also been involved in the local car racing for over 25 years and is the Treasurer of a local car racing association. Karen Clark may be contacted at: kclark@aglmediagroup.com.