Executive Team

Laurent brings over twenty years of experience leading various technology companies, including ten years in his present capacity at ACI. In this capacity, he is responsible for all aspects of business, financing, software, and hardware development on behalf of ACI.

At the age of 19, he created Group Ambition, a company that represented high-tech Japanese companies and set up their European distribution. In 1992 Laurent began his virtual reality career and in 1994 produced the world's largest public virtual reality entertainment exhibition in Toronto, Canada, an event that drew 60,000 visitors.

He also authored a 400-plus page virtual reality entertainment resource guide featured on the Internet that is a considered a leading guide for virtual reality entertainment aficionados. Some of Laurent's earlier accomplishments include selection by the National Research Council (the working arm of the United States National Academy of Sciences and the United States National Academy of Engineering) to review their report on Modeling and Simulation, "The Challenge of Collaboration between the Entertainment and Defense Industries."

Laurent graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Math-Physics from Lycée Jacques Prévert.

Richard served for more than 20 years on the staff of the United States Senate, having joined the professional staff of the Senate Committee on Appropriations in June, 1974. Upon his retirement in January 1995, he had held the position of Staff Director of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense for six years. In his work for the Committee, Richard traveled extensively, both independently and as the senior staff member on congressional delegations. Through his long association with Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii , Richard established close ties to the state of Hawaii . Over the years, he has worked on economic development issues, with private corporations, and with the University of Hawaii , especially the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. He is also the Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the East-West Center . Richard has been awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in Political Science from the University of Connecticut and has pursued graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington , D.C

Michael specializes in the areas of management accounting, financial statement analysis, and investor relations. An entrepreneur in his own right, running a profitable accounting practice for over a decade, Michael's expertise in corporate structuring and deal terms has been instrumental in securing early stage financing for numerous technology company clients. Michael is a graduate of California State University at Northridge and holds a degree in Accounting and Real Estate Finance.

Tom joined the company in December 2003, after 30 years of service in the U.S. military. Tom also has extensive, hands-on experience in installation management. While serving as an installation and support group commander, he was responsible for over 3,000 direct employees and a $106 million operating budget. He directed the activities of military personnel, government employees, contractors, and volunteers and coordinated the provision of facilities, schools, maintenance, utilities, logistics, and quality of life services and support to a community of over 24,000 people. His focus on people and improved service resulted in the community being designated an Army Community of Excellence in worldwide competition. Tom's strategic and operational planning skills were developed both through education and experience. He participated in the Army's senior executive development program. One of eight fellowship students selected each year for this demanding program, he attended graduate level seminars, conducted research, and prepared monographs on strategic and operational issues. As part of the program, he visited military headquarters worldwide and interviewed senior leaders concerning their operational plans. On a practical basis, he coordinated logistics planning for military forces in Korea . In that role he analyzed logistics status, identified requirements, developed operational plans, and coordinated for required resources. Tom was recognized as exceptionally adept at identifying problems and developing pragmatic, common sense, cost-effective solutions.