MANAGEMENT TEAM

LARRY OLSON
C.E.O. / President
Larry Olson has extensive experience in both public and private company management with a focus on finance and marketing. He worked with one of Western Canada's leading venture capital firms (Discovery Capital Corp.), was a policy analyst for the government of British Columbia technology sector, and has operated his own management consulting firm for the past 21 years providing finance and business development services to clients in a variety of sectors including biotechnology, software development, manufacturing and industry.

Mr. Olson is on the Board of Directors of Med Access Investments (VCC) Ltd., a venture capital company, and Reef Resources Inc., a junior oil & gas company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX: REE).

AL CARRUTHERS
Vice President - Industry Development
With over 20 years experience and leadership in mine detection technology, Mr. Carruthers has extensive global experience and knowledge pertinent to MCC’s current and future development.

From 1985 to 1998, as project manager at Canadian Forces Defence Research Establishment Suffield (DRES), Mr. Carruthers managed numerous projects including the development of a remotely operated metallic mine detection system, a multi-sensor landmine detection project, and was a research engineer for the development and design of demolition devices and explosive mine clearance devices.

As manager of the Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technology from 1998 to 2003, Mr. Carruthers managed a $20 million budget for the research and development of technology applicable to demining. Then from 2003 to 2007, as the Technology Officer at the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), he was responsible for monitoring all new demining technology, was involved in developing, lab testing and field testing of new mine detection technology, and advised on the design, development and deployment of potential mine action technologies.

Mr. Carruthers also brings experience working in the challenging environments MCC will be engaged. He coordinated numerous demining equipment trials and evaluations in mine affected countries such as Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Laos, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Angola, and Namibia. He has also gained experience in developing nations via two UN tours of duty in India/Pakistan and Iraq.

Respected internationally as a mine detection technology expert, Mr. Carruthers helped develop the CEN Standards for the Test and Evaluation of Metal Detectors and for Mechanical Demining Equipment; planned, organized and directed several technical conferences for mine action technologies; edited the GICHD Technology Newsletter; was editor of the 2005 edition of “Guidebook for Detection Technologies and Systems for Humanitarian Demining”; and is currently editing a guidebook for the design and testing of mechanical demining machines.

As Vice President Industry Development, Mr. Carruthers will be involved in research and development of our UAV-based remote sensing system, and final product development and testing based on his extensive understanding of real life customer needs and preferences. 

With his extensive high level and direct contacts in the international demining community, Mr. Carruthers will assist in both strategic technology and business development, opening doors for MCC that only someone with his extensive experience and network can open.

In the operational stage Mr. Carruthers will play an integral role as MCC establishes manufacturing facilities and training centres, trains deminers and rolls out operations. 

DR. PIERRE ZAKARAUSKAS

Executive Director - Technology & Product Development
Pierre Zakarauskas, is a scientist, inventor and entrepreneur. Pierre received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of British Columbia in 1984. He spent 11 years as a defence scientist for the Canadian Department of National Defence conducting research in submarine detection. Pierre co-founded a successful high tech company, Wavemakers Inc., that developed signal processing software for hands free cell phones used in the challenging car environment. At Wavemakers Inc., Pierre successively held the posts of President, Vice President of Research and Development, and Chief Technology Officer. Wavemakers was acquired by Harman International Industries (NYSE:HAR) in July 2003.

Dr. Zakarauskas is currently CEO of Zak Technology Inc., a venture dedicated to developing and applying signal processing to humanitarian problems such as landmine detection. He has filed a patent for a device to detect landmines in heavily forested areas.

STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS

 

ROKE MANOR RESEARCH 
Owned by Siemens and based in Romsey, Hampshire, Roke Manor Research is an innovative solutions provider and contract R&D specialist.  It pioneers developments in electronic sensors, networks, and communications technology, providing products and services to Siemens businesses, Government departments and commercial customers. For more information, visit  www.roke.co.uk.

Mine Clearing Corp. has a services agreement in place with Roke Manor successfully negotiated with Roke Manor to whereby they will assist us in developing acquire the exclusive right to develop certain intellectual property (sensor technology) for the purpose of detecting, mapping and removing buried landmines. At the end of the successful R&D program Mine Clearing Corp. we expect we will would own any additional intellectual property developed as a result of the R&D program and be in a position to market products developed as a result of this R&D program.

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