Executive Team

Mark Hopperton
Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder
Castle Access

Mark Hopperton is the chief technology officer, member of the board of directors, and one of the five founders of the company. Hopperton is a specialist in computer design and has developed numerous original computer programs to address internal operational requirements for a range of corporate clients.

Hopperton’s 20 years of information technology experience includes establishing management information systems from the ground up and expanding the capabilities of computers, long before they could handle such functions. He accomplished this by writing original code, enabling the computer to handle specific internal tasks or expand its existing capabilities. For example, in the early 1980s, he programmed the entire payroll system at Alliant International University (formerly United States International University) and developed programs for the university’s registration system. He also expanded the traditional word processing systems so text could be typed, printed and edited-functions taken for granted in today’s programming systems. Hopperton also created original systems that linked text and photography programs to data base systems in such applications as the printing business, including the Auto Trader Magazine. In this case, Hopperton’s original programming capability resulted in Palos™, a page layout operating system that allowed the paste-up function to become digitalized.

In the early 1990s, Hopperton founded Simplenet, a company that provided low cost Web hosting. He designed the operating system to provide Web site design, hosting and handle email problems. The “simple” but ingenious model provided companies with an affordable Web presence, with offerings of ample disk space and expanded access to the Internet. The model was so successful; it was later purchased by Broadcast.com and subsequently by Yahoo.com. Hopperton oversees Castle Access’ network efficiencies and infrastructure to assure the provision of continuous Internet connectivity for its customers.

Mike Vignato
President, and Co-founder
Castle Access

Mike Vignato is the President, member of the board of directors, and one of the five founders of Castle Access. Vignato has more than 10 years experience in the Internet/computer field in a range of product marketing and business development positions. In 1997, he was the director of Business Development for Simplenet, a Web hosting and access center. When the company was purchased by Broadcast.com, and subsequently acquired by Yahoo.com, Vignato was named Yahoo’s Product Manager, responsible for the company’s streaming audio/video product offering. Prior to co-founding Castle Access, Vignato was the strategic relations manager at Akamai, responsible for the syndication product offering. Vignato’s breadth of experience includes a strong customer-service background, coupled with an understanding of the growth and expansion of Internet-related services, including Web hosting and co-location services. He is adept at facilitating a company’s strategic, well-planned expansion into co-location, assuring the expansion is aligned with mission critical corporate objectives. Vignato has a BS in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Mark Barlow
Chief Operating Officer, and Co-founder
Castle Access

Mark Barlow is the chief operating officer, member of the board of directors, and one of the five founders of the company. Barlow has more than 20 years experience in a range of operations management positions in the retail, publishing and sports center industries. From 1980-88, Barlow was the operations manager for the San Diego Auto Trader, which grew in size from 8 to 100 employees during his tenure there. In the next four years, Barlow was COO for Let’s Play Sports, a San Diego-based sports center company. During his tenure there, the company grew to be the largest and most successful center of its type in the country, with facilities in 10 states.

Prior to his joining Castle Access, Barlow was vice president and marketing director for Palos Software, a San Diego-based software company specializing in photo-ad magazines. Barlow held this position for more than 7 years, with oversight in selling, training, and installing entire software systems and managing a staff of software engineers, hardware and quality assurance specialists.

Barlow is adept at explaining IT and software issues and providing ongoing support to a range of corporate customers. His expertise in operations management is evident in the growth, results and success of the numerous companies he has managed during the last 20 years.

Joseph Alfrey
Chief Financial Officer, and Co-founder
Castle Access

Joseph Alfrey is the Chief Financial Officer, member of the board of directors, and one of the five founders of Castle Access. Alfrey has fifteen years financial and accounting experience in a range of start-up and public companies in the medical device and health care industries that included Alaris Medical Systems and Medtronic. Alfrey’s broad skill set includes general and cost accounting, budgeting and forecasting, financial reporting, acquisition and strategic planning, and fundraising activities.

In his previous position with Alaris Medical, Alfrey was responsible for corporate planning, strategic planning and business acquisition analysis. Prior to this, he was controller of venture capital backed Hearten Medical Inc., with oversight of all aspects of financial planning and internal/external reporting. During his tenure there, Alfrey formulated business strategy, managed investor and banking relationships, and developed business plans for additional venture capital funding. Previous positions included responsibilities in product marketing and acquisition analysis.

Alfrey is a Certified Management Accountant and holds a BBA in Business Economics from the University of San Diego and an MBA in Finance from San Diego State University.

John Giaquinta
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Castle Access

John Giaquinta is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Castle Access. He has worked in corporate sales and operations in San Diego for more than 25 years. His focus for many years has been in launching start-up telecommunication organizations to guiding large Fortune 500 Companies.

Prior to joining Castle Access, John lead several large scale telecommunication campaigns. He has held positions as Vice President for MFS Communications, Vice President for BroadStream Communications, Director of Sales for Winstar and TWTelecom. He also served as Senior Director of Operations and Network Infrastructure for Wingcast LLC, a joint venture between Qualcomm and Ford Motor Company. John designed, engineered and deployed their nationwide voice and data network including call centers, data centers and switch centers for this telematics provider.

Originally, from Brooklyn, New York, John graduated from San Diego State University with a Master’s Degree in Physics in addition to receiving a Degree in Telecommunications Management.