PocketSonics, Inc. was formed in January 2004 by three University of Virginia professors to commercialize technology developed in their laboratories. Development was driven by the clinical need to improve portable ultrasound visualization for vascular access guidance. Bringing together a combination of academic and commercial expertise in Integrated Circuit Design Electronics, Acoustics & Transducer Design, and Novel Beamforming Algorithms, the team spawned ideas that went contrary to how traditional ultrasound technologies had ever been engineered before. The resulting novel approaches have yielded the Sonic Window™ ultrasound device, as well as the creation of several patents related to this technology.

Currently, PocketSonics™ is focused exclusively on developing the Sonic Window™ - a pocket-sized hand-carried ultrasound device with revolutionary features, price points, ease of use, and mass appeal. The company is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA.

Our Management Team

Jeff Pompeo, MBA - President & CEO

Mr. Pompeo serves as president of the company and has a long career working with both large corporations and start-up technology firms. He has held executive Engineering and Commercial management positions for 2 venture-backed technology startups and also held key leadership positions at large multinational corporations such as General Electric, The Equitable, and American Management Systems. Jeff founded and served as president of GE-Cisco Industrial Systems, a $40 million joint venture between General Electric and Cisco Systems. Jeff has a BA in Computer Information Systems from James Madison University and a MBA from Virginia Tech.

Todd Hochrein, MBA - Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Hochrein serves as the interim CFO for PocketSonics™. Todd is also the principal of The Virginia Conservation Credit Exchange, LLC (VCCE). Todd has previously served as the CFO for the Kluge Estate in Charlottesville, Virginia, managing the financial operations for a variety of businesses for the Estate. Prior to the Kluge Estate, Todd worked as the senior financial officer for two start-up companies. He has raised over $100 million in debt and equity financing for a variety of businesses. Todd has a BS in Business Administration and a MBA from the University of Richmond.

Travis Blalock, Ph.D - Founder & Chief Integrated Circuit Scientist

Dr. Blalock is Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UVA. He has seven years of experience in Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, where he was promoted to Principal Project Scientist and designed the core IC technology currently in use in the Microsoft and Logitech Optical Mouse. Dr. Blalock earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University and is the holder or co-holder of more than a dozen patents.

John Hossack, Ph.D. - Founder & Chief Transducer Scientist

Dr. Hossack is Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UVA. He spent seven years at Acuson (now Siemens Ultrasound) as an Acoustics Design Engineer and Fellow (for ‘excellence in technical contribution’) and made contributions in transducer design, beamforming and 3D imaging. Dr. Hossack earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde and has 79 patents to his name.

William Walker, Ph.D. - Founder & Chief Signal Processing and Beamforming Scientist

Dr. Walker is Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at UVA. He previously formed a high-tech small business while serving as a Research Assistant, and later Assistant Research Professor, in the Biomedical Engineering Department of Duke University. Dr. Walker earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. Dr. Walker currently holds five patents with numerous applications pending.

Karen Morgan, Ph.D. - Director of Research & Development

Dr. Morgan began her career as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia from 1996-2000. She spent the next three years as a System Design Engineer for Siemens Ultrasound (formerly Acuson Corporation) in Mountain View, California where she helped develop and test new medical ultrasound technology. In 2003, she returned to Virginia where she immediately began work to secure small business research funding for PocketSonics™. Dr. Morgan earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from UVA and currently has two patents registered.