Executive Team

 

 

Rajeev Varshneya, Chief Executive Officer
Rajeev Varshneya has over 25 years of corporate experience in running technology centric businesses with senior executive roles in technology, strategy, operations, strategic investments, general management. Prior to heading up Vigilistics, Rajeev was a Venture Partner at Blade Ventures, Mr. Varshneya was responsible for managing the firm’s operating activities in Asia and he spent significant time providing direct operating support to the firm’s portfolio companies, particularly those who have outsourced technology operations in Asia.  Prior to joining Blade Ventures, he managed businesses in Europe, Asia and United States and, in his last position he was the CTO of emerging businesses in wireless/multi-media consumer electronics products for Phillips, Electronics. He has been a founder and CEO of a software operation in India that he ran between 1995 and 1999 and the CIO of a multi-billion business prior to that. Mr. Varshneya currently serves on the boards of MetricStream and Vigilistics. He holds a BSc (Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering) from New Delhi, India and an ME (Electronics) from Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Nelson, Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Craig Nelson is recognized as the leading expert on practical application of software and automation in food manufacturing. Craig shares this expertise in a unique role as an independent consultant to the FDA on matters of regulatory compliance where automation is used for regulatory reporting. He recently rewrote Appendix H of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) and lectures on this topic at FDA-sponsored training meetings nationwide. Prior to Vigilistics, Craig was a founding partner of Mission Controls Automation. His vast process industry experience and innovative approach to system integration and management helped Mission Controls become the premier provider of automation and MES software to major food processors. As a systems integrator, Craig utilized products and tools from the major vendors. He recognized the need for a configurable application to solve industry-wide challenges and, with his partners, invested considerably in creating the Vigilistics product in collaboration with seven major dairy and food processing companies. As Chief Strategy Officer, Craig inspires the further development and application of Vigilistics software. His unique perspective on solving the operational and regulatory challenges that face all food manufacturers continues to drive cost-saving innovation in those companies. His contribution to practical application of Food Safety and Bioterrorism Act regulations continues as a consultant and speaker for the FDA, regular industry speaking engagements, and publications on these topics.

 

 

 

 

Venkat Nalla, Director of Engineering

Venkat Nalla has over 20 years of industry experience in various fields and architected different systems involving Software, Firmware, hardware (digital and analog), Receivers, Transmitters, and Antennas etc. He is extensive in hands on with Software, Firmware and hardware development and project management. To top that, he has vast experience in Servos and RF systems and developed various servo control and antenna systems ranging from VHF to Microwave for satellite and missile tracking applications.  Prior to joining Vigilistics, he provided consultancy services at different companies in USA, in the areas of product coordination and software/firmware development internationally where he contributed significantly to the development of a world class laser with femto-meter accuracy and tuning speeds up to 30,000 nm/sec. He was hands on in developing a software abstraction layer supporting multiple real-time operating systems like WinCE, AMX etc. Prior to moving to USA, he served the Indian Government at Indian Space Research Organization, Bharat Electronics Ltd (a Defense company under Indian Government), under various capacities, where he designed different servo controls and antenna systems leading to development of highly accurate tracking radar systems, costing $1 to $5 million per system and managed several defense and civilian projects simultaneously. He was also a member of Specification Review Committee for Satellite and UHF TV transmitting antennas held by Doordarshan (Indian TV Broadcasting Corp.). As a matter of fact the UHF TV transmitting antennas in India are from his design/development contribution. Mr. Nalla holds a bachelor's degree in EE and a Master's degree in Software Systems.