Fuz Eller

Background

About Fuz Eller

I have over 35 years of trench-level experience in the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance field. 20 years as an Airborne Cryptologic Linguist. 15 years in research and development, product development, and program management. Beyond that, my experience as a business owner in the advanced speech technologies arena gave me a new understanding of business and product development processes, especially in a high-risk venture. That time in the commercial sector, as chief cook and bottle washer, was a wonderful lesson in all aspects of creating and selling, from writing code to producing marketing and ad material. I'm back in the DoD contractor world, but also engaged in commercial product development. My roles throughout my working life have consistently kept my technical, team, and follower skills tuned, while fulfilling ever growing responsibilities in leadership roles. In the Air Force, I enjoyed being the Senior Cryptologic Authority on a reconnaissance aircraft one day, and then switching roles as an Analyst/Reporter or operator then next. In research program management I ran the project details like requirements development and financials, but also participated in everything from system design to operator testing and technical writing before delivery to a customer. My experience in advance research and development, as a Principal Investigator, added the Inventor hat to my collection. Following research methodologies, documenting absolutely everything, and capturing intellectual property and patent candidates, all while answering challenging research questions was a truly mind-blowing experience. The 2013 Government shutdown provided me with an opportunity to test my mettle as a business owner. I'm truly grateful for the programs and support available in Central New York that helped me push new limits in speech technologies, while also receiving an education in business and entrepreneurship through the Germinator Program.