Meet Gerald

Gerald D. Prothro is Managing Director and owner of IKT Investments Ltd, providing technology consulting and investment services, previously he was Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at BroadStream, Communication Corporation, responsible for the architecture, design and development of the company's wireless Next Generation Network (NGN). Prior to joining BroadStream, Mr. Prothro served as an advisor to BroadStream and to the telecommunications industry, specializing in technology integration and network computing, He retired from the IBM Corporation where he held numerous executive and senior management positions, most recently serving as Vice President of Strategy, Vice President and IBM Chief Information Officer where he was the architect of IBM's Worldwide Internet Protocol (IP) Network. He was elected an IBM Corporate Officer in 1992 and IBM Chief Information Officer in 1994. Prior positions include IBM Vice President of Information and Telecommunication Systems, IBM Director and Secretary of the Corporate Management Board, Data Systems Division Vice President and General Manager of Poughkeepsie Site, responsible for the design, development and manufacture of mainframe computers, high performance servers and system software, Storage Products Division Plant Manager of San Jose, responsible for new product technology introduction, storage technology fabrication and storage device manufacturing, and Data Systems Division, Assistant Plant Manager of technology and subproducts. Prior to joining IBM, he was a fellow and consultant to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

 In March 1991, he received Howard University's Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement in the field of Business and Corporate Affairs and in September 1991, he received the IBM U.S. Education Excellence Award, IBM Data Systems Award in Excellence and Achievement. In February 1994, he was a recipient of the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Professional Achievement in Private Industry; the Excellence in Information Technology Award from İnformation Week 500 editors in September 1996, and the 10th Annual CIO - 100 Top Information Technology Honoree in August 1997.

He is a former director for Nationwide Financial Services Inc, Nationwide Life Insurance Company and FedCap Rehabilitation Services Inc. As well as a retired trustee of Howard University, Chairman of the Audit and Legal Committee and Chairman of the Board of Visitors for the College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science. He was an advisor to FECI Incorporated, was a member of the Advisory Board for Saturn Venture Partners LLC and a friend of Valhalla Partners the Corporate Advisory Council to the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention. He is a member of the Brooklyn Guardsmen and Alpha Sigma Boule. Mr. Prothro earned a B.S. in mathematics and physics, and a M.S. in atomic physics from Howard University and an executive M.B.A from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He lives in Goldens Bridge, New York and Carmel, California with his wife, Brenda. Both are avid boaters and cruise the Northeast waters.