John P. Abato is the President and Founder of JALCO Services, Inc, a company specializing in technology services. The firm is designed to provide varying degrees of support, from troubleshooting a client's existing IT problems to managing entire projects; for clients simply "filling in the gaps" or embarking on new technology or creative solutions.

JALCO is a particularly attractive commodity in these times where workable IT underpinnings for business are at a premium. Proven senior talent like Mr. Abato and his team of IT and creative professionals would ordinarily be available only to firms with very large technology departments - until now, until JALCO.

John Abato is a seasoned professional with 28 years experience in the Wall Street telecommunications environment, specifically in the design, implementation and operation of network systems and services in support of corporate objectives. He has managed large IT departments (over 300 - staff and contractors), overseen project management including global deployments, relocations, new buildings, annual operating budgets of up to $175 million with experience spanning all aspects of network enabled services in complex and demanding situations.

Mr. Abato is known in the industry as a consistently high performer who excels in providing technology solutions in extremely volatile corporate climates, focusing on high availability, contingency planning and cost effectiveness. He was most recently the Director of Network Services for Merrill Lynch, where, from 1997 to 2001, he managed all domestic and international telecommunications services, vendor management and product management for all of Merrill's domestic and wide area global network data services. He was active in the Y2K readiness and contingency planning, as well as deploying various network initiatives and operational projects, all designed for maximum availability and minimal business disruption.

At Salomon Brothers, from 1986 to 1996 in both New York and Japan, Mr. Abato, as VP, Global Network Organization, managed the firm's international operations. He spearheaded office expansions into Asia and Europe, and took on various global initiatives and deployments for Salomon. While there, Mr. Abato acted as project manager for two Tokyo office relocations, and developed and implemented a contingency plan for all of the Japan sites. He also oversaw the implementation of networking to new offices in Sydney, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Toronto, Seoul, Paris, Zurich and Moscow, and developed contingency plans for each office.

Mr. Abato began his career at ITT World Communications where, from 1974 to 1986, he designed and operated network systems for global customer data and voice connectivity. One of his primary roles was to build and operate fault-tolerant customer networking systems for international clients, and later to move into firm-wide central office engineering, including design and project management for a disaster recovery communications facility and fault-tolerant networks for State Department and other government agencies.

Mr. Abato prides himself on keeping current on IT industry trends, the better to serve his customer base. He was a member of the Steering Committee for the Security Industry Association (SIA), where he was involved in SIA network development with Verizon and volume purchase deals and next generation networks with multiple carriers. He was also a Founding Member and Committee Chair for the FINIS consortium, where he led negotiations on a joint Tariff 12 contract for network services of four top investment banks. He is affiliated with the Wall Street Telecommunications Association, as well as TelCOM, the Telecommunications Council of Multinational Companies dealing with global carriers and technology vendors.