GSD

Definitive Agreement

DarkPulse, Inc. (OTC: DPLS)

GSD
First $9.80
Recent $11.01
12%

Gladstone Acquisition Corp

Raised
$100M
CIK
1843248
SPAC Ticker
GLEEU
Merger
DarkPulse, Inc. (OTC: DPLS)
Focus
Agriculture, Food
External link: SEC Filings

SPAC Team

Leadership

David Gladstone has been our Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Investment Officer and Director since January 2021. Mr. Gladstone has been serving as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gladstone Land Corporation (Nasdaq: LAND), Gladstone Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: GLAD), Gladstone Investment Corporation (Nasdaq: GAIN) and Gladstone Commercial Corporation (Nasdaq: GOOD) since the inception of The Gladstone Companies in 2001. Prior to founding The Gladstone Companies, Mr. Gladstone served as either chairman or vice chairman of the board of directors of American Capital Strategies, Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), a publicly traded leveraged buyout fund and mezzanine debt finance company, from 1997 to 2001. From 1974 to 1997, Mr. Gladstone held various positions, including chairman and chief executive officer, with Allied Capital Corporation (NYSE: ALD), Allied Capital Corporation II, Allied Capital Lending Corporation and Allied Capital Advisors, Inc., a registered investment adviser that managed the Allied companies. The Allied companies were the largest group of publicly traded mezzanine debt funds in the United States and were managers of two private venture capital limited partnerships and a private real estate investment trust (“REIT”). From 1991 to 1997, Mr. Gladstone served either as chairman of the board of directors or president of Allied Capital Commercial Corporation, a publicly traded REIT that invested in real estate loans to small and medium-sized businesses, managed by Allied Capital Advisors, Inc. He managed the growth of Allied Capital Commercial from no assets at the time of its initial public offering to $385 million in assets at the time it merged into Allied Capital Corporation in 1997. From 1992 to 1997, Mr. Gladstone served as a director, president and chief executive officer of Business Mortgage Investors, a privately held mortgage REIT managed by Allied Capital Advisors, which invested in real estate loans to small and medium-sized businesses. Mr. Gladstone is also a past director of Capital Automotive REIT, a real estate investment trust that purchases and net leases real estate to automobile dealerships. Mr. Gladstone served as a director of The Riggs National Corporation (the parent of Riggs Bank) from 1993 to May 1997 and of Riggs Bank from 1991 to 1993. He served as a trustee of the George Washington University and currently is trustee emeritus. He is a past member of the Listings and Hearings Committee of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Mr. Gladstone was the founder and managing member of The Capital Investors, LLC, a group of angel investors, and is currently a member emeritus. Mr. Gladstone holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School, an MA from American University and a BA from the University of Virginia. Mr. Gladstone has co-authored two books on financing for small and medium-sized businesses, Venture Capital Handbook and Venture Capital Investing.

Michael J. Malesardi has been our Chief Financial Officer since January 2021. Mr. Malesardi has been serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of The Gladstone Companies, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Gladstone Management Corporation and Gladstone Administration, LLC since he joined in July 2018 on an interim basis and since September 2018 on a permanent basis. He started his career with Price Waterhouse in 1982 in Washington, DC and Calgary, Alberta, rising to Audit Senior Manager. From 1992 to 2015 he served in financial leadership roles of several public and private companies including Presidio Networked Solutions, AES, OmniSky, PSINet and Watson Wyatt. From 2015 to 2016 he served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Ethics Officer of NVR. From 2016 to 2018 he provided financial consulting services to several public companies. A CPA licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Mr. Malesardi is a graduate of Washington and Lee University with a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting.

Terry L. Brubaker has been our Chief Operating Officer since January 2021 and has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors. Mr. Brubaker served as: (1) Vice Chairman of Gladstone Capital, Gladstone Investment, Gladstone Commercial Corporation and Gladstone Land Corporation since 2004, 2005, 2004 and 2007, respectively; (2) Chief Operating Officer of Gladstone Capital Corporation, Gladstone Investment Corporation, Gladstone Commercial Corporation and Gladstone Land Corporation since 2001, 2005, 2003 and 2007, respectively; and (3) Assistant Secretary of Gladstone Capital Corporation and Gladstone Investment Corporation since October 2012. In addition, Mr. Brubaker has served as the Vice Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and a Director of Gladstone Management Corporation since 2006. He also served as President of Gladstone Management Corporation from inception through February 2006, when he assumed duties of Vice Chairman. Mr. Brubaker has also served as Chief Operating Officer of Gladstone Administration, LLC since its inception in 2005. In March 1999, Mr. Brubaker founded and, until May 1, 2003, served as Chairman of Heads Up Systems, a company providing processing industries with leading edge technology. From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Brubaker served as Vice President of the paper group for the American Forest & Paper Association. From 1992 to 1995, Mr. Brubaker served as President of Interstate Resources, a pulp and paper company. From 1991 to 1992, Mr. Brubaker served as President of IRI, a radiation measurement equipment manufacturer. From 1981 to 1991, Mr. Brubaker held several management positions at James River Corporation, a forest and paper company, including Vice President of Strategic Planning from 1981 to 1982, Group Vice President of the Groveton Group and Premium Printing Papers from 1982 to 1990 and Vice President of Human Resources Development in 1991. From 1976 to 1981, Mr. Brubaker was Strategic Planning Manager and Marketing Manager of White Papers at Boise Cascade. Previously, Mr. Brubaker was a Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company from 1972 to 1976. Prior to 1972, Mr. Brubaker was a U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot. Mr. Brubaker holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BSE from Princeton University. Mr. Brubaker’s significant investment and financial expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Michael LiCalsi has been our General Counsel and Secretary since January 2021. Additionally, Mr. LiCalsi Mr. LiCalsi has served in a variety of roles at the Gladstone family of affiliated companies since 2009. He has served: (1) on the board of directors of The Gladstone Companies, Inc. since 2020 and as General Counsel and Secretary since 2009; (2) as Executive Vice President of Administration of Gladstone Management Corporation since 2020 and General Counsel and Secretary since 2009; (3) as President of Gladstone Administration, LLC since 2013 and as its General Counsel and Secretary since 2009; and (4) as General Counsel of Gladstone Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: GLAD), Gladstone Investment Corporation (Nasdaq: GAIN), Gladstone Commercial Corporation (Nasdaq: GOOD), and Gladstone Land Corporation (Nasdaq: LAND) since October 2009 and as Secretary since October 2012. Mr. LiCalsi also serves in several capacities for Gladstone Securities, LLC, serving as a member of its board of managers since 2010, a managing principal since 2011, and Chief Legal Officer and Secretary since 2010. A graduate of the George Mason University School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the George Mason Law Review from 2004 to 2005. Mr. LiCalsi is currently a member of the Virginia State Bar and District of Columbia Bar. Before joining the Gladstone Companies, Mr. LiCalsi served as an Associate Attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Baker Botts L.L.P., a multinational law firm. From 1996 to 2004, Mr. LiCalsi held various positions at TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc. (currently TD Ameritrade, Inc.), including those of regional and national vice president. Prior to his tenure in the financial services industry, Mr. LiCalsi graduated from Rutgers College, with a BA in History.

Bill Frisbie has been our Executive Vice President of East Coast Operations since January 2021. Mr. Frisbie has been serving as the Executive Vice President of East Coast Operations of Gladstone Land Corporation, a fund managed by The Gladstone Companies, since October 2020, joining the team in 2006 and is responsible for sourcing and executing farmland acquisitions in the Eastern United States, as well as managing the long-term leases and capital improvements of those properties. Mr. Frisbie received his MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia in 2006 and his BA in Biology from the University of Virginia in 1999. Mr. Frisbie is a former Chairman of the NCREIF Farmland Index and is an Associate Candidate for the Accredited Land Consultant designation.

Bill Reiman has been our Executive Vice President of West Coast Operations since January 2021. Mr. Reiman has been serving as the Executive Vice President of West Coast Operations of Gladstone Land Corporation, a fund managed by The Gladstone Companies, since October 2020, joining the team as a Managing Director in August 2013 and focuses on the acquisition of agricultural land and facilities in the Western United States, as well as managing the long-term leases of those properties. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Reiman built and managed a $25 million strawberry and raspberry farming operation in Oxnard, CA. Mr. Reiman is also the past Chairman of the Board of the California Strawberry Commission and a past Chairman of the Ventura County Agriculture Association. Mr. Reiman has a BS from the University of California at Davis in Agricultural Science and Management.

Paul W. Adelgren has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors . Mr. Adelgren has been a director of Gladstone Land Corporation since January 2013, a director of Gladstone Capital Corporation since January 2003, a director of Gladstone Investment Corporation since June 2005 and a director of Gladstone Commercial Corporation since August 2003. From 1997 to January 2018, Mr. Adelgren served as the pastor of Missionary Alliance Church. From 1991 to 1997, Mr. Adelgren was pastor of New Life Alliance Church. From 1988 to 1991, Mr. Adelgren was the comptroller, treasurer, and vice president for finance and materials of Williams & Watts, Inc., a logistics management and procurement business located in Fairfield, New Jersey. Prior to Joining Williams & Watts, Mr. Adelgren served in the United States Navy, where he served in a number of capacities, including as the director of the Strategic Submarine Support Department, SPCC Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, as an executive officer at the Naval Supply Center, Charleston, South Carolina and as the director of the Joint Uniform Military Pay System, Navy Finance Center. He is a retired Navy Captain. Mr. Adelgren holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of Kansas. Mr. Adelgren’s significant investment and financial expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Michela A. English has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors . Ms. English has been a director of Gladstone Land Corporation since January 2013, a director of Gladstone Capital Corporation since June 2002, a director of Gladstone Investment Corporation since June 2005 and a director of Gladstone Commercial Corporation since August 2003. Ms. English is currently a private investor and serves as a strategic advisor to companies and nonprofit organizations. Ms. English has served as a director of Fight for Children, a non-profit charitable organization focused on providing high quality education and health care services to underserved youth in Washington, D.C., since January 2017, and Ms. English served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fight for Children from June 2006 to December 2016. From March 1996 to March 2004, Ms. English held several positions with Discovery Communications, Inc., including president of Discovery Consumer Products, president of Discovery Enterprises Worldwide and president of Discovery.com. From 1991 to 1996, Ms. English served as senior vice president of the National Geographic Society and was a member of the National Geographic Society’s Board of Trustees and Education Foundation Board. Prior to 1991, Ms. English served as vice president, corporate planning and business development for Marriott Corporation and as a senior engagement manager for McKinsey & Company. Ms. English currently serves as a director of the Hershey Trust Company and the Milton Hershey School, as a director of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), as a director of D.C. Preparatory Academy and a director of the District of Columbia Public Education Fund. Ms. English is an emeritus member of the board of Sweet Briar College. Ms. English holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from Sweet Briar College and a Master of Public and Private Management degree from the Yale University School of Management. Ms. English’s significant investment and financial expertise make her well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Caren D. Merrick has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors . Ms. Merrick has been a director of Gladstone Land Corporation, Gladstone Capital Corporation, Gladstone Commercial Corporation and Gladstone Investment Corporation since November 2014. Ms. Merrick has been CEO of Virginia Ready Initiative, a partnership between businesses and the Virginia Community College system that offers reskilling for Virginians whose employment was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, since 2020. Ms. Merrick is founder and CEO of Caren Merrick & Co., an advisory firm on growth strategies since 2014. Ms. Merrick founded and from 2014 to 2017 served as the chief executive officer of Pocket Mentor, a mobile application and digital publishing company focused on leadership development and career advancement. From 2004 to 2019, she has served as a partner with Bibury Partners, an investment and advisory firm that focuses on enterprise and consumer technology sectors. In addition, she served as a board member of WashingtonFirst Bank and chairperson of the technology committee from 2015 to 2018. She served as a board member of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority from 2012 to 2018. Ms. Merrick served on the board of directors of WashingtonFirst Bankshares (Nasdaq: WFBI) from May 2015 until January 2018. Ms. Merrick co-founded and from 1996 to 2001 served as an executive vice president of, webMethods, Inc., a company that provides business-to-business enterprise software solutions for Global 2000 companies. Ms. Merrick served on the boards of directors of VisualCV, a venture-backed online resume and corporate talent management solution, from 2008 to 2011, Inova Healthcare Services from 2001 to 2005, and the Northern Virginia Technology Council from 2000 to 2004. Ms. Merrick previously served as a member of the Technology Subgroup on the Virginia Governor’s Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission from 2010 to 2011. Ms. Merrick also was director of AOL.com for America Online from 1996 to 1997, and has also been a consultant for Australia Post, a $5 billion government business enterprise that provides postal, retail and financial, logistics and fulfillment services across Australia. Ms. Merrick is also a founding investor in Venture Philanthropy Partners, a philanthropic investment organization that mentors nonprofit leaders in growing programs to improve the lives of children from low income families in the National Capital Region. She has also served on the boards of several Washington, DC area charities, including Greater DC Cares, CharityWorks, the Fairfax Symphony and the Langley School. She is an active member of ARCS – Advancing Science in America – Achievement Awards for College Scientists. She served on the Advisory Board of the Global Good Fund and the Women in Technology’s Leadership Foundry. She also serves on the board of the International Women’s Forum, Washington DC Chapter. Ms. Merrick received a BA in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and has received a Certificate of Director Education from the National Association of Corporate Directors. Ms. Merrick’s significant investment and financial expertise make her well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

John H. Outland has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors . Mr. Outland has been a director of Gladstone Land Corporation since January 2013, a director of Gladstone Capital Corporation since December 2003, a director of Gladstone Investment Corporation since June 2005 and a director of Gladstone Commercial Corporation since December 2003. Mr. Outland has been a private investor since June 2006. From March 2004 to June 2006, he served as vice president of Genworth Financial, Inc. From 2002 to March 2004, Mr. Outland served as a managing director for 1789 Capital Advisors, where he provided market and transaction structure analysis and advice on a consulting basis for multifamily commercial mortgage purchase programs. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Outland served as vice president of mortgage-backed securities at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company where he was team leader for bond insurance transactions, responsible for sourcing business, coordinating credit, loan files, due diligence and legal review processes, and negotiating structure and business issues. From 1993 to 1999, Mr. Outland was senior vice president for Citicorp Mortgage Securities, Inc., where he securitized non-conforming mortgage products. From 1989 to 1993, Mr. Outland was vice president of real estate and mortgage finance for Nomura Securities International, Inc., where he performed due diligence on and negotiated the financing of commercial mortgage packages in preparation for securitization. Mr. Outland holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. Mr. Outland’s significant investment and financial expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Anthony W. Parker has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors . Mr. Parker has been a director of Gladstone Land Corporation since January 2013, a director of Gladstone Capital Corporation since August 2001, a director of Gladstone Investment Corporation since June 2005 and a director of Gladstone Commercial since August 2003. Mr. Parker founded Parker Tide Corp. in 1997 and has since served as Chairman of the Board. Parker Tide is a government contracting company providing mission critical solutions to the Federal Government. From 1992 to 1996, Mr. Parker was chairman of Capitol Resource Funding, Inc., a commercial finance company. Mr. Parker practiced corporate and tax law for over 15 years – from 1980 to 1983 at Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard & McPherson, and in private practice from 1983 to 1992. From 1973 to 1977, Mr. Parker served as executive assistant to the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Mr. Parker is also a director of Naval Academy Sailing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation located in Annapolis, Maryland, a director of the Bishop Walker School, a part of the Episcopal diocese of Washington, D.C. and a vice chairman and member of the Board of Visitors, U.S. Naval Academy. Mr. Parker received his J.D. and Masters in Tax Law from Georgetown Law Center and his undergraduate degree from Harvard College. Mr. Parker’s significant investment and financial expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Walter H. Wilkinson, Jr. has agreed to serve as a member of our board of directors . Mr. Wilkinson has served as a director of Gladstone Land Corporation, Gladstone Investment Corporation, Gladstone Capital Corporation and Gladstone Commercial Corporation since October 2014. Mr. Wilkinson is the founder and was a general partner of Kitty Hawk Capital, a venture capital firm established in 1980 and based in Charlotte, North Carolina, from its founding through 2016. He has served on the board of the N.C. State University Foundation and has previously served as Chairman of its Graduate School Advisory Board where he endowed the Wilkinson Research Ethics Fellowship. For many years he served on the board and as chairman of the finance committee of the Ben Craig Center, a business incubator affiliated with the University of N.C. at Charlotte. He is a past member and director of the National Venture Capital Association and is a past member and Chairman of the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies. Mr. Wilkinson was founding Chairman of the Carolinas Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), and served on its board of directors from 2013 through December 2015, and has been a NACD Leadership Fellow, having completed the NACD’s program for corporate directors and its continuing educational requirements to maintain this level of recognition. Mr. Wilkinson served as a director of R.F. Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: RFMD) from 1992, serving as its Chairman of its board of directors from July 2008, until its $11 billion merger with Triquint Semiconductor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TQNT) in January 2015 to form QORVO (Nasdaq: QRVO). He served as Lead Independent Director for QORVO from January 2015 until August 2018. Mr. Wilkinson also serves or has served as a director of numerous venture-backed companies, both public and private. Mr. Wilkinson is a graduate of N.C. State University (BS) and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration (MBA). Mr. Wilkinson’s significant investment and financial expertise make him well qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors.