The Principals | Two Worlds, One Architecture

We  began our friendship and collaboration over thirty years ago during the 1992 International America’s Cup sailing regatta, bridging the gap between emerging communications technologies and the nationwide media landscape. 

Working with AT&T, we integrated emerging fiber and wireless technology into a global sports arena, not just to showcase hardware, but to create a measurable legacy in education and a compelling rationale for investors. 

Today, Modus Condito is the evolution of that partnership: a firm where Silicon Valley engineering meets Madison Avenue brand architecture. 

The Wire: Jason is a visionary innovator and tech evangelist who refuses to  recognize the word impossible. While his foundation is an electrical engineering degree with eight issued patents, he is far more than an engineer and an entrepreneur; he is a Creative Implementer who makes connections where others see complexity. From the foundational layers of Cellular (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) and V2X to UWB, Bluetooth, and WiFi, he translates complex technologies and advanced silicon into global commercial reality. 

The Execution: Jason’s Sleeves-Up philosophy was forged on the assembly line, where he spent part of his first internship career redlining designs alongside technicians to bridge the gap between theory, build and service. This pragmatic, no-ego ownership allows him to navigate the World Economic Forum (WEF) or a Fortune 100 boardroom with the same efficacy he brings to a startup's lab. Having served as a President, COO, and Global VP with thousands of employees, he understands the business rationale, regulatory and standards environment, and competitive differentiation required to achieve success. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsnellis/

Expertise: 

• Multidisciplinary Leadership: Managing global cross-functional teams and P&Ls for semiconductor, software, and industrial enterprises. 
• Full-Spectrum Value Chain: Engaging everyone from Tier-3 chip suppliers to OEM executives to ensure technical capabilities meet end-product needs in an iterative process of refinement and execution. 
• Strategic Evangelization: Converting nascent technologies into market-dominant standards through thoughtful mentorship and articulated business cases while utilizing market requirements as a ground truth for engineering capabilities. 
• Global Standards & Industry Associations: Leadership and technical roles in the IEEE, 5GAA, SAE, Bluetooth SIG, USB-IF, 1394-TA, World Economic Forum, amongst others. 

Formation: 

• B.S. Electrical Engineering, UC San Diego (Wireless and Queuing Theory). 
• Diploma, Comparative Strategic Management & International Finance, University of Oxford. 
• Business & Marketing Studies, UC San Diego. 

The Wonder: Brian is a broad-spectrum brand architect who spent three decades across North America, Asia, Europe, and Southern Africa catalyzing both heritage and emerging brands into the contemporary marketplace. His focus is the Translation of Value, uniting disparate organizations (from various industries and media to NGOs) to animate products and engage customers in ways that spark awareness, benefits-based interest, and long-term adoption. 

The Execution: Brian’s unmatched ability to create unlikely alliances has seen him  turn Texaco oil rigs into artificial reef aquarium experience, and Boeing satellite technology into workforce education. Whether relaunching once established brands in post-apartheid South  Africa or helping Sempra Energy rate-payers master smart-meter  technology to take control of their power use, Brian ensures that beyond being seen, business offerings resonate and inspire customer pull and consumer adoption. Brian speaks six languages and has lived and worked across three continents, bringing a deep cultural nuance to every project, ensuring that storytelling is meaningful and leads directly to increased market adoption and use. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianphawkins/

Expertise: 

• Brand Animation: Personalizing global icons to make them tangible and relevant to the end consumer. 
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Building strategic triangular partnerships between corporations, media, and government entities. 
• Workforce Education: Expanding proprietary programs like Patterns of Meaning, linking American heritage trades with tomorrow’s careers. 
• Lifestyle & Financial Marketing: Navigating high-value consumer sentiment, catalyzing consumer taste and aspiration to success in fashion, technology, and luxury services. 

Formation and Academic Leadership: 

• MBA in Global Advertising, Media & Branding, Thunderbird (ASU). 
• International Studies, Sciences Po Paris, the Paris Institute of Political Studies and University of Florence (Italy). 
• Academic Leadership: Former President, Lead Professor, and Curriculum Developer at institutions including Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM/ASU), UC San Diego, and Foreign Trade University (Hanoi/Saigon, Vietnam). 
• Global Pedagogical Footprint: A leading educator and provost who directed international programs at Niels Brock (Copenhagen), University of Sanya (Hainan, PRC), Foreign Trade University (Saigon & Hanoi), and De Montfort University (Leicester, UK).