blueprint rf
Management Team
Arol Wolford – Chairman of the Board
As a technology architect for the construction and design industries, Arol Wolford, Chairman of Blueprint RF; has led a career changing the landscape of the commercial building information industry. As a well-known entrepreneur, he has spent the past 30 years developing leading-edge businesses that transform the industry through technology and innovation.
With a deep understanding of the construction industry, Wolford brings a unique perspective to Blueprint RF that connects existing and future hospitality technologies with physical facility management to enable the development of forward-thinking green solutions.
Wolford has founded and grown numerous leading businesses including SMARTBIM, a building information solutions company, as well as Construction Market Data (CMD) which was acquired by Reed Elsvier for $300 million. As President and CEO of CMD, Wolford oversaw such well-known information sources as Association Construction Publications, Architects' First Source, Buildcore Product Source, CanaData, Clark Reports, Construction Market Data (CMD), Cordell Building Information Services, Manufacturers' Survey Associates, and R.S. Means. He also founded Manufacturer’s Survey Group and has served as general manager of Southam Construction Information News Service.
Wolford serves as an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects and is a senior fellow of the Design Futures Council and a member of its executive board.
Ron Peterson – Chief Executive Officer
Ron Peterson’s career has placed him at the crossroads of the technology, hospitality and construction industries to become the CEO and founder of Blueprint RF. His experience over the past three decades has prepared him to spearhead one of the most innovative endeavors that promises to propel hospitality technology to the next level.
As an innovator Peterson has helped guide organizations to introduce ground-breaking ideas which have transformed consumer’s daily experiences and interaction with technology to what we know today. Much of his career has been spent growing organizations beyond the start-up phase into thriving businesses with mature products.
High-speed wireless connectivity was in its infancy when Peterson began with start-up StayOnline. As member of senior management he helped grow the company, and in turn the hospitality wireless technology industry, through its acquisition by Lodgenet Entertainment. As CEO of Interstate America/eXitSource, he guided the start-up to become a multi-million dollar company as a printable and wireless navigable mapping company. Peterson began his career with Construction Market Data, where he met Arol Wolford and led sales teams and opened regional offices throughout the country.
Peterson holds a BS in Public Administration from George Mason University and resides in Atlanta, GA.
James Tubo – Chief Operating Officer
Known for his delivery of customer-focused service and attention to detail, Chief Operating Officer of Blueprint RF, James Tubo brings an uncommon understanding of the needs of those of the front-line of technology driven services. His experience as a certified network engineer and relationships with leading hotel brands gives him a unique perspective centered on the fast-paced world of the hospitality industry.
Tubo has repeatedly risen to exceed the high-standards set by some of the world’s-leading hotel brands with his expertise in broadband technology. As Director of National Accounts for LodgeNet Interactive, he was directly responsible for all aspects of strategic business development and tactical sales operations. His understanding of the customer’s needs is founded in his roots at as a senior network engineer with StayOnline where he had the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing the hospitality and design and construction industries.
He also founded NetSource, a network integration and consulting firm where he explored the early uses of wireless technology as well as AireWaves, a wireless ISP and networks integration company.
Tubo is a graduate of Penn State University with a BS in Political Science and holds Cisco Engineering Certifications, including CCDA, CCNA.
John Blake – Chief Engineering Officer and General Manager
Blake incorporates his "innovation creates opportunity" approach into developing and orchestrating corporate strategies for client relations, contract negotiation and operations. His experience with in all aspects of selling, designing and installing networks provides him with a greater understanding of needs of the customer making for a more customer-centric and responsive management style.
For the past seven years, Blake has developed enterprise level networks in the wide area and local area networking realms with a specialty in wireless for the hospitality industry. He has worked as Manager of Engineering at StayOnline, Regional Sales Manager for LodgeNet Interactive and Owner/President of ProLink Designs where he worked closely with top rated hospitality industry network providers to design and install wired and wireless networks.
He has also worked as an engineer for both Flour Daniel Telecom/BellSouth and KeyTrak in addition as a sales engineer and buyer for Philips Electronics. He proudly served the United States in the US Army and is currently a Technical Sergeant for the US Air Force.
Blake holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology from DeVry University. He also is a certified Load Planner and Hazardous Materials Inspector and a Cisco Certified Design Associate.
Alieu Secka – Chief Technology Officer
Alieu has both the industry experience and technical background to drive Blueprint RF’s solutions and technology roadmap. He is able to manage development of customized and flexible technical features that will have a meaningful impact on the hotel customer, and ultimately, the guest experience,” said Ron Peterson, CEO of Blueprint RF. “His well earned reputation throughout the hospitality industry will be a tremendous asset to our team and will help differentiate the company from other IT companies.
His breadth of experience in connectivity solutions designed specifically for the hospitality industry compliments and rounds out Blueprint RF’s existing team of experts. Secka previously worked as Lead Technical Specialist with LodgeNet/Stayonline where he managed a team of UNIX platform experts and network engineers. Additionally, he is Cisco CCNA course instructor for Javelin Technical Training Center in Atlanta, GA.
Secka earned a Certificate in Professional Computing and Information Processing from the Management Development Institute in Gambia, West Africa and also holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from DeVry Institute.
Ken Thon – VP of Project Management
Thon leads a team of project managers to design, install and implement the company’s next-generation server application and energy efficiency technology solution specifically designed to meet the needs of the hospitality industry.
Thon brings to Blueprint RF more than 25 years of systems support, implementation and project management experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently he served as a Senior Project Manager with LodgeNet Interactive, where he redesigned and developed a standardized process within the Implementation department. His ability to create streamlined systems added structure to the StayOnline Installation Department where he managed large system implementation projects before the company’s acquisition by LodgeNet.
His career is deeply rooted in hospitality. Thon started in a technical support roll with Hyatt Hotels in 1985 and was in charge of design and implementation of back office computer systems for all newly built properties between 1990 and 1996. He moved to Homestead Studio Suites where he was responsible for all computer and telecommunications systems installations between 1998 and 2001. When Homestead merged with Extended Stay Hotels, Thon was charged with shutting down the telecommunications and data center operations in Atlanta and transferring the operations to the Extended Stay corporate office in Spartanburg, S.C. Once in Spartanburg, he headed the effort to implement High Speed Internet services into all 480 hotels of the newly merged company. During his tenure with these companies, Thon developed his ability to design processes and implement procedures that keep projects in line, on target and within budget.
A graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Thon holds a BS in Civil Engineering - Structural Design and Material Analysis and resides in Woodstock, GA.