Stephen Lee Morgan

Stephen Lee Morgan is Chief Operating Officer of CLS America, a provider of mobile satellite services (MSS) for use in a variety of applications involving asset tracking, monitoring, and data telemetry and subsidiary of CLS Group of Companies of Toulouse, France. Morgan previously served as President of North American CLS (NACLS), prior to its merger with Service Argos in January 2006 to form CLS America. [cite web |url=http://www.cls.fr/documents/cls/presse/communiques/cp_cls-america_en.pdf |title=The CLS Group of Companies will enter its 20th Year of operations in the United States of America with a new look and a new way of doing business|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= PDF|work= CLS America, Inc. |date=January 2006] He is also President and CEO of the Argos Foundation, [cite web |url=http://www.argosfoundation.org/ |title=The Argos Foundation, Inc.|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work= ] which is working closely with Jean-Michel Cousteau and his Ocean Futures organization, on the development of the Global Ocean Network project. [cite web |url=http://www.argosfoundation.org/gon/ |title=The Global Ocean Network|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work=The Argos Foundation, Inc.]

Background

Morgan joined NACLS in March 2003 as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and was promoted to President and appointed a member of the Board of Directors in October 2003. In late 2003, he spearheaded the establishment of not-for-profit corporation in Florida to support the wider use of MSS technologies throughout the world. cite web |url=https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/Alumni_Connection/ALUMNI_HALL_OF_FAME/Stephen_Morgan |title=Stephen Lee Morgan|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work=Excelsior College Alumni Connection] This led to the incorporation of the Argos Foundation in March 2004, to which Morgan was appointed as President and CEO, as well as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees; in 2006, he became Chairman of the Board. Morgan had previously worked for the CLS organization as Director, Business Development from 1992 through 1996. Prior to his return to the CLS Group of Companies, Morgan was involved in numerous start-up ventures in the satellite industry, including Kitcomm Satellite Communications and Miraxis (the latter a spin-off venture of the well-established EMS Technologies of Norcross, Georgia). [cite web |url=http://www.fit.edu/alumni/specialinterests/notable_alumni/notablealumni.html|title=Florida Institute of Technology Notable Alumni|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work=] [cite web |url=http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/18oct01.htm|title=Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work=] [cite web |url=http://www.argosfoundation.org/mfi/|title=Miraxis Satellite-Based Broadband Services|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work=The Argos Foundation, Inc.]

In 1986, Morgan proposed the establishment of a (state-sponsored) space technology industry development initiative to Governor Bob Martinez, and was appointed to the newly-established Florida Governor's Commission on Space in 1987. ] The Commission, sometimes referred to as the Young Commission after Chairman A. Thomas Young, then President of Martin Marietta Florida Operations, was vice-chaired by then-Secretary of Commerce Jeb Bush, who later became Governor of Florida. While a member of the Commission, Morgan led the task group which developed the concept of a state-operated space launch facility. This initiative led to the establishment of Florida Space Authority, which operates a number of space launch complexes for commercial use at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Following this experience, Morgan was appointed as Virginia's Director of Space Industry Development, at the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) in 1989. While with CIT, he established a number of programs the Virginia Space Business Incubator, the first small business organization of its kind in the US. ] He also provided funding to and managed the effort at Old Dominion University to establish the Center for Space Transportation Research, which later became the Virginia Space Flight Center, a commercial space launch facility at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Prior to becoming involved in the management of space initiatives, Morgan was an engineer with a number of firms involved in space and telecommunications in Florida, including Harris Corporation, and McDonnell Douglas Technical Services Company at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. ]

Morgan started his career in the aerospace industry when he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1976. He was stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, and while there, earned a B.S. degree in computer science from the University of North Dakota. ] Returning to his native state of Florida in 1980, he later earned M.S. and Ed.S. degrees in engineering management and space technology, from the Florida Institute of Technology. ] He received a commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve in May 1981, and served in a number of capacities as a reserve officer until his retirement from the Naval Reserve in 1998, with the rank of Lt. Commander. His military decorations and awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Meritorious Unit Citations, two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with mobilization device, and bronze hourglass denoting 10 years of Reserve service, the Navy Overseas Service Ribbon, and Expert Rifle and Pistol badges. He was recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and served with the Naval Space Command in Dahlgren, Virginia, and the U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado, during that conflict. ] He earned a further B.A. degree in history and political science from the University of the State of New York.

Morgan served on the Board of the National Safe Waterways and Seaports Alliance, and is Contributing Editor for Innovation at "Cargo Security International" magazine. [cite web |url=http://www.argosfoundation.org/csimag/|title=Cargo Security International|accessdate=2008-05-05 |format= |work=The Argos Foundation, Inc.] He holds the Certified in Homeland Security (CHS) designation from the American College of Forensic Examiners International. Morgan is a member of the American Legion, Post 200, Satellite Beach, Florida.

In July 2008, Morgan was commissioned as a Major in the Virginia Defense Forcecite web |url=http://www.vdf.virginia.gov/|title=Virginia Defense Force|accessdate=2008-07-14 |format= |work=The Virginia Defense Force.] , pursuant to Virginia Law 44-75. His initial assignment was to serve as the Personnel Officer (S1) of the Black Horse Brigadecite web |url=http://www.blackhorsebrigade.org/|title=Black Horse Brigade|accessdate=2008-07-14 |format= |work=The Black Horse Brigade.] , headquartered in Manassas, Virginia. Other public service positions held by Morgan include service as a Chief Election Officer, for the Fairfax (County) Electoral Board, and as a member of the Fairfax (County) Community Emergency Response Team.

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