About Us
Automation Innovations was founded in September 2014 by Dr. Maxville “Max” Frost. His “Teamwork” vision continues to be a company that offers superior services at competitive rates while serving as good stewards of taxpayer dollars. As a former Marine, he is dedicated to the success of the mission first while always supporting the Warfighters. The tenets to achieve this “Teamwork” Vision begins with leadership, communication, and collaboration supported by the research, skills, and creativity to achieve these goals.
In fact, all of our personnel are either retired military, prior service, or have deep ties to the US military that formulate the foundation of their own buy-in to Dr. Frost’s “Teamwork” Vision. We are all dedicated to serving and supporting our current brothers- and sisters-in-arms. You will never hear us say, “can’t do it” or “not our job,” because we will always assist by any means available. We will always seek to solve your problems or provide meaningful recommendations, even when we may not be a part of a recommended solution.
We will always stand by our recommendations. Because Dr. Frost has created a culture of evidence-based decision-making within the company, we are prepared to present the facts that support the solutions we provide or recommend. By remaining committed to these values, Dr. Frost trusts that the business fundamentals will follow. Dr. Frost will not trade profit for fact or sacrifice his or the company’s integrity.
Experience
Our Senior Leadership and PMs have over 125 years of combined experience working in contingency environments, remote locations, and under austere conditions. The challenges that our leaders have faced, whether in their previous lives or with Automation Innovations, have cultivated their problem-solving, action-oriented approaches that are now available to you through Automation Innovations. These talented leaders are not buried within layers of organizational structure but are immediately available to you as evidenced by our own CEO, Dr. Frost, who is also a working PM forward as the Middle East, In-theater lead in Kuwait. In every Program, you have an actual decision-maker available to you, with the knowledge and expertise to make decisions and to commit resources to get the mission accomplished.
Leadership Team
Dr. Maxville Lew Van Frost
Chief Executive Officer
He has over 35 years of expertise in the field of Information Technology. For the last 10 years, Dr. Frost has been specifically working on expanding the use of MLoS technology as a means of building reliable network infrastructure. In 2012, Dr. Frost developed a solution that expanded the utilization of the existing MLoS capability beyond its original use of exchange and routing of ISR video and began transmitting data and voice making networks available to sites and units that otherwise had no connectivity to military SIPR and NIPR networks or the internet. Initial field-testing conducted at Camp Leatherneck in Southwest Afghanistan resulted in a solution broadening the pipeline capacity and expanding utilization beyond just being a relay of ISR video information.
In 2015, Dr. Frost led the first team to begin fielding MLoS into the CJTF-OIR AO conducting field tests and demonstrations at Camp Arifjan, and shortly thereafter, beginning fielding across Iraq. His experience, knowledge, innovation and commitment to this project have taken the MLoS technology from being an afterthought to the forefront of solutions to extend Tier 1 and Tier 2 networks. This innovation has led MLoS to become a preferred solution to fill network infrastructure requirements over other less reliable, more expensive solutions such as Teck-V, SNAP, and in many cases fiber. Even within the Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Patriot Battery Commands, Dr. Frost’s work with MLoS has led to the Missile Defense System Command shift in technology away from TROPO and ULTRA-TROPO to MLoS.
In addition to the direct support and leadership to the OIR MLoS efforts, Dr. Frost has also been a keynote speaker on the benefits and capabilities of MLoS technology to the warfighter at the AFRICOM Infrastructure Symposiums in Stuttgart, Germany (twice), and the DISA Telecommunication Critical Infrastructure Symposium in Manama, Bahrain (once). As such, he has become the recognized Subject Matter Expert for all things MLoS at USCENTCOM at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, and across multiple Combatant Commands (COCOM). He has served within the SWA Theater of operations for the last 6 years in Kuwait as the Deployed MLoS Program Manager. Dr. Frost is also an Advanced (“Competent”) Tower Climbing Safety/Rescuer and Tower Climbing Instructor
Mr. Ken Mangum
Director of Operations
Mr. Mangum brings a plethora of MLoS radio knowledge and expertise over his 20 years of experience including an assignment as a Special Intelligence Communicator Operator in the Signal Intelligence field in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Mangum has worked alongside Dr. Frost as a Senior Field Engineer for the past 10 years within the Southwest Asia (SWA) Theater. Mr. Mangum has a vast knowledge and reputation for solid decision making in fielding, configuring, and operating MLoS radios. He has provided on demand solutions in an ever evolving, fast-paced wartime environment that enable mission successes at multiple echelons. Beyond his experience installing Microwave radios, Mr. Mangum has spent the last 10 years as an Advanced (“Competent”) Tower Climbing Safety/Rescuer and Tower Climbing Instructor. Having climbed hundreds of towers throughout the SWA AO over the last 10 years, Mr. Mangum has become the Subject Matter Expert in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) tower climbing “best practices” standards and regulations and has certified hundreds of Authorized Tower Climber/Rescuers. Mr. Mangum is also a Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA).