With over twenty-five years of experience supporting the defense and communications markets, Cyrus Wilson, a U.S. Army veteran, was appointed the new VP of Defense Sales for goTenna this past June. In this new position, he will lead and manage goTenna’s Department of Defense (DoD) business strategy and execution. He will deliver value and grow revenue throughout the DoD’s operational, research, and development elements.

Before joining goTenna, Wilson spearheaded the support services division at Cubic Corporation, a technology-based solutions company for the transportation and defense markets. During his ten-year career at Cubic Corporation, Wilson held pivotal positions in program management, sales, marketing, and product sustainment. While Wilson was in the U.S. Army, he specialized in providing secure data links and communication systems worldwide.

With his Army experience and profound track record of driving success in complex environments, Wilson not only enhances goTenna’s team of veterans but also helps advance the company’s goal of transforming how operators connect during critical missions. He will play a vital role in strategically engaging key defense customers by demonstrating the value of goTenna’s capabilities to the warfighter.

To learn more, we recently sat down with Cyrus Wilson to gain a deeper understanding of his background, his goals for goTenna in his new VP of Defense Sales role, and the challenges he will face in this new role.

The Last Mile (TLM): Can you tell our readers about your background, why you started working with goTenna, and why you decided to make this move in your career? 

Cyrus Wilson: I’ve spent the last twenty years supporting defense communications. I left the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) with experience in satellite communications and computer networking. For the past several years, I have worked hard to shape the future of communications, the effect it has on the warfighter, and the ability of the warfighter to do their job.

goTenna falls in line with my mission to provide the best-in-class mesh technology and capability to military, law enforcement, and public safety personnel out there who need communications solutions to fill in their operational gaps.

TLM: What about goTenna enticed you to join the team? How can their communications solution benefit the military?

Cyrus Wilson: I love the customers that we support. goTenna has an outstanding track record for providing high-quality products to customers at the edge – such as military personnel, police officers, and various other Department of Defense (DoD) personnel.

“…I WANT TO SEE GOTENNA GREATLY EXPAND ACROSS THE DEFENSE MARKET  WHILE PARTNERING WITH VARIOUS INTEGRATORS SHARING THE SAME MISSION. ULTIMATELY, I’D LIKE FOR GOTENNA TO BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF KEY PROGRAMS OF RECORD BY PROVIDING CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS TO THE WARFIGHTER.” –CYRUS WILSON

Many military personnel work in environments where traditional communications are nonexistent or denied and our technology is best employed in these areas. We provide communications that allow our customers to communicate in austere environments.

TLM: What goals do you have in mind for your new role at goTenna?

Cyrus Wilson: My first goal is to provide the best product possible to our customers. Second, I want to see goTenna greatly expand across the defense market while partnering with various integrators sharing the same mission. Ultimately, I’d like for goTenna to become an integral part of key programs of record by providing critical communications to the warfighter.

Second, I want to see goTenna greatly expand across the defense market while partnering with various integrators sharing the same mission. Ultimately, I’d like for goTenna to become an integral part of key Programs of Record by providing critical communications to the warfighter.

TLM: What are some challenges you foresee in your new role?

Cyrus Wilson: There are always barriers in business. Whether it’s military, DoD, or commercial, you have to face the same challenges to grow and make yourself relevant to different customers. There are thousands of companies out there and everybody thinks their product is the best – making it a very competitive market.

“THE KEY IS LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE AND BUILDING A PRODUCT THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS THEIR EXPECTATIONS.” –CYRUS WILSON

Some of the barriers we must overcome include getting in front of the right customers to pitch our product and explain our relevance. We must get in front of the right programs and ensure that our product is a solution to the capability gaps these customers are looking for. We also need to make sure that we provide the right amount of information and specifications to those customers so they can make informed decisions.

With that being said, I would not consider these challenges. These are milestones that every company has to accomplish to be successful in this market. The key is listening to customers to understand what their needs are and building a product that meets or exceeds their expectations.

TLM: Have you seen or been part of any use cases where goTenna filled capability gaps for defense agencies?

Cyrus Wilson: There have been multiple field tests where our mobile mesh solution has been utilized to fill capability gaps for the armed forces. For instance, our goTenna Pro X series devices have been deployed to enhance communication for tactical operators during military freefall operations by enabling text-based communication. Using this method provided a more reliable alternative to traditional voice comms, which can often fail due to the absence of a terrestrial network or excessive noise on the aircraft.

“…GOTENNA PRO X DEVICES HAVE PROVIDED A LOW-VISABILITY FOOTPRINT TO TACTICAL OPERATORS DURING OPERATIONS BY ALLOWING THEM TO TRASNMIT COMMUNICATION DATA QUICKLY AND DISCREETLY.” –CYRUS WILSON

Our solution has also been used during Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) to allow special forces to quickly establish interoperable networks to ensure shared situational awareness among operators, while also providing ease of use because of the minimal training required for our devices. In addition, goTenna Pro X devices have provided a low-visibility footprint to tactical operators during operations by allowing them to transmit communication data quickly and discreetly. 

To learn more about how goTenna’s mobile mesh networking solution can help the military, click HERE.