GeoLinks CEO and leadership

Phillip Deneef got his official start in telecom more than 19 years ago spearheading a team of B2B data specialists for T-Mobile and Cingular. By 2003, Deneef had quickly advanced into various positions of leadership in business development and marketing for a series of global manufacturing and telecommunications companies. Over the course of the next 15 years, Deneef developed a highly regarded reputation as a telecom expert with a consistent track record of implementing proactive strategies that more than doubled company revenue and valuation.

Thus, in 2014 Deneef was personally recruited by GeoLinks’ Co-Founder and CEO, Skyler Ditchfield, to join the GeoLinks’ team as the Director of Marketing and Sales. Over the course of the next three years Deneef’s drive, innovative ideas, technical know-how, and innate business acumen played an instrumental role in driving the company to achieve a 748% growth rate, landing GeoLinks on Inc. Magazine’s Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America in both 2017 and 2018.

Today, Phillip Deneef holds the position of Chief Strategy Officer at GeoLinks, overseeing a wide range of company initiatives including the development of strategic national partnerships, product expansion, and improving the overall customer experience. Deneef represents GeoLinks as a principle member of both local and national consortiums and organizations that actively advocate and influence policies that aim to resolve the broadband gap in rural America.

Starting his career at the age of 18 after being recruited from a call center to become a public affairs liaison for an industry-leading insurance firm, Adams quickly rose in ranks amongst his peers ultimately leading the brand’s Public Affairs team in just under 6 months. During his almost seven year tenure in the insurance industry, Adams discovered both his natural ability and passion for strategic negotiation and system development. This lead him to pursue a role as the Director of Operations for two consecutive global manufacturing companies, where he was single-handedly entrusted to oversee all aspects of the company’s operations and manufacturing departments.

While his career path had thus far proved lucrative, in 2014 Adams sought out to find a company he could truly help build from the ground-up. Living in Ventura, California at the time, Adams soon caught wind of a local ISP called California Internet. After researching what little he could find on the company online at the time, he came across an open position and applied immediately. Hired on the spot in his interview, Adams hit the ground running and was quickly promoted to Director of Operations in yet again just under 6-months time. His work ethic, dedication, attention to detail, and innate ability to unify a team earned him the spot of Chief Operations Officer in 2016. In July of 2017, Adams stepped into the role of both President and Chief Operating Officer of California Internet L.P. DBA GeoLinks, and is currently responsible for the day-to-day leadership and general management of the Operations and Engineering Departments of the company. Since joining GeoLinks in 2014, Adams has helped propel the company to become not only the fastest growing telecom in the state of California, but the Fastest Growing Internet and Voice Provider in America and landed the company on Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest growing private companies in America - the Inc. 5000, four-years running. Under his leadership GeoLinks has earned a variety of accolades including Top Ten Most Trusted Networking Solutions Providers, Most Disruptive Technology, Top Ten Innovators in Diversity and Inclusion, the Innovations in Networking Corporate Partner Award and certification as a Great Place to Work three years in a row (2018-2020).

His innovative and efficient processes, and inherent ability to both establish and cultivate long-lasting rapport both within the company and with outside partners, has lead GeoLinks to become a known leader nationally in closing the digital divide. Adams full-heartedly believes in each and every member of the GeoLinks team, and encourages everyone that they too one day can become President.

Ryan Hauf was born with an innate curiosity to learn and understand the workings of technology and electronics. Home schooled in rural Ojai, California, by the age of ten Hauf officially became known as a household tinkerer after assembling a “top of the line 386 computer” from scratch. By 11, Hauf, alongside his cousin Skyler Ditchfield, built a BBS network to service 100 members of their local community. While the gig was less than lucrative to a couple of kids simply building a network for fun, it was evident that this 11-year-old was destined for a career in technology. Thus, throughout the next decade, he took it upon himself to obsessively self-teach and learn about the latest-and-greatest in modern tech and electronics through both the Internet, and plain old trial and error. This initially lead him down a path of various IT and AV jobs throughout his local community.

Then, one day, while on his Uncle’s ranch in Ojai, Hauf discovered that the neighboring properties were struggling to establish a DSL connection. He decided to make it a fun side project to solve their connectivity issues. Shortly thereafter, Hauf built the precursor to what is now referred to as GeoLinks’ ClearFiber™ network using entry-grade fixed wireless equipment, solar repeaters, and a wind machine. Successfully establishing connectivity, word-of-mouth spread quickly throughout the Ojai community, and Hauf found himself hiking up to various mountain tops to build out additional site repeaters. It wasn’t until his cousin approached him and asked him how much he was making with this new venture until he realized that he had essentially built and established a free Internet network for Ojai. The two partnered up, formed a business plan, and hit the ground running.

In only 7 short years, GeoLinks has now become the fastest growing WISP in the country, and the Fastest Growing Internet and Voice provider in America on the Inc. 5000. Despite the company’s accelerated success, Hauf still joins his team out in the field each and every day. He leads by example, and consistently strives to not only better GeoLinks’ network, but better the lives of every employee and customer he works with. Recently recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2018 CTO of the Year awards, he is recognized by his team, industry, and community as a humble, self-taught, local technology enthusiast who was able to turn his passion into a sustainable revenue source that not only fueled his local economy, but has disrupted a billion-dollar industry.

Phil Oseas currently serves as Chief Accounting Officer of California Internet L.P. DBA GeoLinks.

Advising businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage pre-revenue venture-backed startups, Phil has more than 25 years of financial and accounting experience in a variety of industries including consumer products, manufacturing, entertainment, oil and gas, medical device, and education.

Within the private sector, Phil served as CFO within the consumer products, oil and gas, and education industries where he was also responsible for information technology, risk management, and human resources.

Phil is a CPA (inactive) and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Psychology from The University of California, Los Angeles.

Dessi Sarabosing is a financial executive that excels in global business environments experiencing or preparing for significant growth and change in both publicly traded and private companies.

Ms. Sarabosing is a strategic leader driving shareholder value creation through holistic business transformation founded on operational excellence, financial stability, portfolio optimization, sustainable sales growth, technology advancements & innovation. Ms. Sarabosing is an insightful & passionate business leader, who continuously strives for improvement through building and developing exceptional teams, designing innovative strategies and executing tactics to achieve objectives. Ms. Sarabosing is a dynamic visionary with experience managing Accounting, Finance, Treasury, Strategic Planning, Investor Relations, Tax, Real Estate, Legal, Human Resources & Information Technologies.

Ms. Sarabosing has successfully completed multiple capital raising, recapitalization, debt refinancing, securitization, pre-IPO transformation, IPO, M&A & exit transactions. She has a strong track record of problem solving, process improvement and exceptional organization, communication, relationship building, management, and technical skills.

CFO of the Year, Rising Star Category, OCBJ January 2017

Founder and President of Professional Women United (PWU)

Orange County Influential People - OC500

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Turnaround, Restructure and Transformation for medium & large businesses

• Capital Raise, Debt Raise & Restructure, Securitization, IPO Readiness, M&A, Recapitalization & Exit Transactions

• Global Operations, Business Intelligence & Strategy

• Investor Relations, SEC Reporting & Compliance, Budgeting & Forecasting, Financial Planning & Analysis

• Private Equity-Backed Ventures

• Multi-Unit, Franchise, Telecom Infrastructure

• Experience Managing Accounting, Finance, Treasury, Investor Relations, Strategy, Tax, Real Estate, Legal, Human Resources & IT

• Problem Solving, Results-Driven, Process Improvement and Structure

• Visionary Leadership & Relationship-Building Management