Peter A. Howley is a serial entrepreneur with unprecedented experience in building high growth disruptive service companies in the telecom sector. Mr. Howley has been involved in starting, building, advising, mentoring, financing and leading service companies. As Chairman of The Howley Management Group he works closely with Entrepreneurs, CEO’s and Boards to turn great ideas in to great businesses.
His career in Telecom began at AT&T serving in a number of managerial positions. In 1973, he was recruited into a start-up MCI where in addition to critical regulatory and policy work, he launched their initial service in New York City and then Los Angeles. Mr. Howley next led Citizens Utilities Company’s very high growth Arizona Telephone Operations as General Manager and Vice President. Citizens Utilities has the distinction of increasing earnings every quarter for fifty five years.
Mr. Howley has the distinction of leading his first venture backed company from start up through successful IPO and acquisition into the pages of American business history as CEO of Centex Telemanagement (Nasdeq: CNTX). It was recognized as one of the fastest growing, best managed, most profitable companies in America by publications including Business Week, Fortune, Equities, and INC Magazines. It retains a cult status in the service industry.
At Centex in 1985 Mr. Howley created the Telemanagement concept for small and medium-sized companies. He built the company into the world’s leading telecommunications management services company. This included its sale at a sizable premium. The company was highlighted in three books including Dr. Spechlers’ book Managing Quality in America’s Most Admired Companies. The Wall Street Journal declared Centex “the darling of Wall Street.” It continues to be used as a case study at Harvard Business School among others.
Recruited during a presentation of the CNTX model at Stanford University, Mr. Howley joined the founders of Exodus Communications, a Global Web Hosting Company, at its inception. He continued to advise and serve on the post IPO Board (Nasdeq: EXDS) until June 2000. Exodus still holds a NASDAQ record for 13 consecutive quarters of greater than 40% revenue growth. One out of every three to four Internet crossing packets traversed the Exodus network at its peak.
As Co-founder of IPWireless in 1999 and initial CEO, Mr. Howley enthusiastically led the company in developing the world’s leading, cost effective, wireless mobile broadband technology. His personal fundraising efforts raised more than $120 million. His leadership as an active investor and board advisor has been instrumental in the company’s successful acquisition in May, 2007 by NextWave (Nasdeq: WAVE ).
In addition to founding five companies, Mr. Howley has also advised, served on the board and as interim CEO in numerous companies looking to accelerate their success. He has published articles, spoken frequently to a wide array of audiences on industry topics, and been quoted extensively in publications including USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Fortune Magazine.
Mr. Howley is a Charter Member of the Washington DC based American Business Conference Foundation and Board Director of The Independent Institute, an influential and non-political scholarly research and educational organization which sponsor comprehensive studies on political economy. He graduated from New York University with an Industrial Engineering degree, served two military tours and was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for Outstanding Achievement. Mr. Howley acquired an MBA degree in Marketing from NYU. His thesis was on the viability of tele-purchasing using the “Picture Phone”, a theory thoroughly proven in today’s PC-Internet e-commerce world. He continues to be involved with the NYU Stern School of Business, serving as speaker, business plan judge and mentor.