Michael Lubitz
CEO & Chairman
Michael Lubitz originally formed GTT Group as a global patent brokerage specializing in essential asset transactions with transnational competency. The patent brokerage soon evolved into an industry leader in patent valuation, patent acquisition, patent analysis, and strategic patent initiatives. Mr. Lubitz’s brokerage transactions have included the highest value per asset transaction and the single largest asset transfer between practicing entities GTT’s Group’s success related to patent transactions has been in part attributed to its core competency in patent valuation. Mr. Lubitz has always emphasized patent valuation analysis before considering any transaction that may have significant consequence.

Mr. Lubitz is regarded as a pioneer in patent valuation, having initiated GTT Group’s internal system of integrating actual transaction data within a complex modeling framework. The assessment methodology has been deployed across a wide variety of portfolios and businesses to confirm and identify pent up or undiscovered value. Mr. Lubitz is also the originator of the Patent Market Index or PMI, which is widely regarded as the benchmark economic index for patent activity within the United States.

Prior to starting what would become GTT Group in 1997, Mr. Lubitz was in-house counsel to Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation and then patent counsel to Shin-Etsu Handotai America. Mr. Lubitz is well known as a patent portfolio development specialist, having developed significant portfolios in the semiconductor and communications related areas that eventually led to substantial patent asset transactions. Mr. Lubitz also advised the American Association for the Advancement of Science on technology transfer and new venture creation issues in Japan. Before entering law school, Mr. Lubitz served as a systems specialist for Kyocera Corporation in Kyoto, Japan. Mr. Lubitz has a Bachelor of Science in General Business with an emphasis in Japanese from Arizona State University. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego, School of Law. At the University of San Diego he received the American Jurisprudence Award for his work in Ethics and Secured Transactions and served as an Associate Editor of the Journal for Contemporary Legal Issues.

Kari Laento
Co-founder & Representative Director
Kari Laento is a GTT representative director and heads up GTT’s Northern Europe operations. He was formerly the President and CEO of SnV Partners, a leading venture capital firm based in Helsinki, Finland. Mr. Laento was an early investor in Paypal. Previously, Mr. Laento was the Senior Vice President of Corporate Venture Capital for Sonera Corporation. He also served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Sourcing and Intellectual Asset Management. Mr. Laento was a member of the Advisory Board for both the Noptek Fund and the TelAdvent Fund. Mr. Laento has published several books including, Intellectual Property Rights and Corporate Valuation, and he is a member of the prestigious IPR Roundtable. He monetized Neste Oy’s patent holdings in 1980 and is considered a pioneer in technology licensing. An accomplished Olympiad, Mr. Laento has served as both President and board member for the Finnish Basketball Federation and as a member of the board of the National Olympic Committee. Mr. Laento is proficient in four languages, Finnish, Swedish, English and German. Mr. Laento has a Master of Laws degree, University of Helsinki. He also attended Helsinki Business School, Finnish Institute of Management, and Darden Business School, University of Virginia.

George Fleming
Chief Financial Officer
George Fleming previously served as President of United Resources, an entity responsible for United Grocer’s lending portfolio including secondary market development and SEC compliance. Subsequent to United Resources, Mr. Fleming managed his own financial services company specializing in providing secured financing for growing companies. Mr. Fleming brings over 40 years experience to GTT and is responsible for all significant aspects of GTT’s financial, accounting and risk management operations. Mr. Fleming holds a B.S. from Portland State University.

Andrew Godsey
Director, Asset Services
As a Director of Asset Services, Andrew Godsey is part of a team of dedicated sales staff responsible for consistent and responsive worldwide client marketing and relations. Since joining GTT, Mr. Godsey has managed dozens of global patent related transactions including comprehensive valuation analyses, patent asset sales and strategic acquisitions. In his time at GTT, Mr. Godsey has developed GTT’s client communication, customer service and negotiation protocol, which involves constant interaction and feedback with clients to produce the highest quality result possible in an effective and efficient manner. Prior to joining GTT, Mr. Godsey served as marketing consultant for several Fortune 1000 companies where he contributed to such areas as public relations, advertising, investor relations and sales management. Mr. Godsey holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Western Washington University.

Daniel Buri
Director, Asset Services
A member of GTT’s dedicated asset services group, Dan Buri assisted with the development of GTT’s licensing support services. In addition, he has played pivotal roles in GTTʼs patent-leveraged financing and M&A advisories. Danʼs expertise includes best practices related to patent portfolio valuation as well as analysis to support the clientʼs strategic and monetization objectives. He is active in all aspects of the clientʼs engagement from analysis and valuation to successful monetization. Danʼs client experience ranges from venture companies to the worldʼs most successful information communication companies. In addition, Dan is a licensed attorney before the Utah State Bar and a patent attorney registered with the USPTO. Dan received a B.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Portland and a J.D. from Lewis and Clark College, Northwestern School of Law.

Michael Moore
Director, Senior Analyst
Michael Moore is a Director/Senior Analyst at GTT. He has provided leadership on a number of pivotal engagements ranging from wireless communications standards to patent-driven enterprise valuation. Mike’s responsibilities include managing GTT’s proprietary patent information and valuation modeling systems. Mike holds degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Indiana University, and attended law school at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Before joining GTT, Mike worked at Swider Medeiros Haver LLP, an IP Boutique Firm, where his practice emphasized patent prosecution and related intellectual property transactions. Mike initially worked at Klarquist Sparkman LLP, prosecuting patents in the ICT sector.