All About board of directors
Sydney Smith Hicks, Ph.D Executive Chairman of the Board
Joining DeviceFidelity early in 2008, Sydney Smith Hicks was a co-founder of DeviceFidelity, managing the fund raising and early sales strategies. She is now involved in all aspects of DeviceFidelity’s business and capital planning, board matters, and investor relations. With more than 30 years in the banking industry, Hicks provides key insights into business, banking and payment trends. Hicks is CEO of SSHICKS Advisors, a banking and strategy consulting firm, and serves as a director at Smart Start Inc., a private, international company that produces and manages ignition interlock devices and services. Prior to her most recent endeavors, Hicks was CEO of VECTORsgi, a banking software and services company selling solutions to the large financial institutions. She successfully took the company private and later managed its successful sale to Metavante Corporation. Previous work experience includes 16+ years with NationsBank Corporation in various senior roles and nearly a decade with various regional Federal Reserve Banks and academic institutions. Other activities include currently serving as Vice Chairman of the Corporate Planning Committee of the National Association for Business Economics; as a member of the Advisory Board of Cornell College’s Berry Center for Economics, Business, and Public Policy; and as a member of the Advisory Council of the Department of Economics at Washington University in St. Louis (where she received her Ph.D in economics). She is on two not-for-profit boards in Dallas; and is a Life Member of the University of Texas at Dallas Development Board. Locally she has led several boards and organizations over the last 30 years, including IWFDallas.
Deepak Jain Co-Founder, President and CEO
Deepak Jain co-founded DeviceFidelity in 2007 around his innovative patent that enables design, development and deployment of the world’s first portable credit/debit card device that slides into cell phones. The product architecture opens a whole new range of secure, value-added services, such as Mobile TV, wireless broadband access and satellite radio. As CEO, Jain is responsible for all aspects of the business, with a particular focus on technology development, business development, team building and intellectual property management. Prior to co-founding DeviceFidelity, Jain was VP of Global Services and Technical Consulting at Gemalto, where he served as lead technologist for North American regional operations. Previously, Jain worked for two years at Axalto as senior director of technology and marketing and spent nearly a decade sharpening his telecommunications skills at Schlumberger. Jain rose to the role of director of wireless services, where he specialized in SIM card technology. In addition to his more than 15 years in the telecommunications industry, Jain’s international experience includes familiarity with the North American, European and Asian markets.
James H. Graves Director
James H. Graves has been a Partner at Erwin, Graves & Associates, L.P. since its founding in 2001. As both an investor and operator, Jim has helped numerous young companies receive the senior leadership needed to execute successful business plans. In 2005 Graves became a co-founder of BankCap Partners, a Dallas based private equity fund and currently serves as a board member. He also sits on the boards of Cash America International (CSH) and Hallmark Financial Services (HALL). Previously, Graves served as chief operating officer and head of Equity Capital Markets at J.C. Bradford. He was responsible for implementing firm strategy at the operating level and later managed the company’s sale to Paine Webber in March 2000. From 1980 to 1991 he was employed at Dean Witter Reynolds where he started the energy group, became the first head of the firms' industry banking groups and served on both the Senior Management Committee and Commitment Committee. Graves began his career working for Citibank in New York. He graduated from Trinity College in Hartford where he majored in Economics, lettered in Varsity Football and was president of his class. He is a member of Pi Gamma Mu economics honor society and was appointed an Illinois Scholar.
Matt Himelfarb Director
Matt is a managing partner at Dallas Venture Partners. He is an entrepreneurial JD/MBA with a background in all financial and legal aspects of private equity transactions and management. He has used his unique skill set to actively manage investments through their full life cycle: introduction to investment to sale. He has experience in both raising private equity funds and in sourcing investment opportunities. Formerly a Senior Associate with Trailblazer Capital, he was responsible for analyzing the firm's deal flow as well as managing the due diligence process for every one of the fund’s investments, bridge funding transactions and the sale of a portfolio company to a publicly traded corporation. Matt is a member of the State Bar of Texas, a board member at DeviceFidelity, Inc., a former President and current Board Member of DFW TeXchange and a frequent contributor to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (“NFTE”). Matt received both his law and business degrees from Southern Methodist University with a concentration in Finance. While in graduate school, Matt founded a digital music company where he was successful in both raising capital for his company and attracting local talent. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colgate University.
Russell St. John Director
Russell St. John is a director of DeviceFidelity. He also currently is Datacard Group’s Senior Vice President of Global Marketing, in the role since 2008. In this capacity he is responsible for defining the company’s growth strategies and articulation of product strategies which lead to the achievement of the growth objectives. He is also responsible for the brand development for Datacard Group. Prior to Datacard he acted in the COO capacity at a privately held, Minneapolis based, digital printing industry company. Prior to that he spent over twenty years at General Electric where he held a number of leadership positions including engineering, business development, sales and marketing roles. He holds an MBA and a bachelor's degree (double major) in mechanical engineering and material science from the University of Connecticut. He is a licensed professional engineer and certified master black belt. He brings significant marketing and product development leadership experience to the DeviceFidelity board. Russell serves as a board member Carver-Scott Educational Foundation. This is a not for profit organization that exists for the sole purpose of sustaining and advancing the unique and vital educational services and programs of the Carver Scott Educational Cooperative District 930. He also serves as a board member for Love INC which provides a means for the churches and other organizations of the community to work together to serve those who are in need of help.