Leadership - Halocon

Halocon’s leadership team is made up of forward-thinking innovators who are always one step ahead. With a strong focus on emerging technologies and a knack for anticipating market needs, they drive the company to create solutions that deliver the future, not just keep up with it. Their vision and expertise ensure Halcoon is always pushing boundaries and staying ahead of the curve.

John Wall

Chief Executive Officer

John Wall conceptualized the idea that became Halocon and now serves as its CEO. Prior to Halocon, John was the founder and for nearly 13 years, Chairman, and CEO of Asymmetric Solutions, one of the leading providers of outsourced training and exercise support to United States Special Operations Command, leading it toward exit to a publicly traded defense contractor. John is a graduate of the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and served in South America and Middle East functionalities for the CIA’s National Clandestine Service. He is a licensed Airline Transport Pilot and USPA Parachute Freefall Instructor.

Eric Hinckley

Chief Technology Officer

Eric Hinckley is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Halocon, Inc., a groundbreaking company he and John Wall launched in 2022. As CTO, Eric drives innovation by leading the product development, engineering, and technology infrastructure teams while collaborating with the CEO to define the company’s technical vision and strategy.

A seasoned executive, visionary entrepreneur, and accomplished engineer, Eric brings over 20 years of leadership experience across real estate development, power systems, renewable energy, and control system engineering. Additionally, he is the holder of ten U.S. patents, underscoring his ability to innovate at the highest level.

Eric earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has consistently led transformative projects throughout his career. As the former CTO of Sustainable Living Innovations, he spearheaded the design and development of the world’s most energy-efficient prefabricated high-rise apartment building system, bringing together engineers, architects, and tradespeople to redefine modern construction. Prior to that, he served as CTO at AES Distributed Energy, a Forbes Global 2000 company, where he played a pivotal role in advancing power and renewable energy solutions on a global scale.

Benjer Petersen

Director of Internal Technologies

Benjer Petersen joined in 2024 as Halocon’s Director of Technology Operations. At Halocon he oversees the internal technology infrastructure, operational standards, and compliance. Benjer joined Halocon with over 20 years of experience having lead companies and teams in commercial construction, renewable distributed and utility power generation, and building technology. Benjer holds a BS from the University of Denver and an MBA from the University of Colorado Denver with a proven track record of building targeted and scalable infrastructure and delivering on complex projects. In past roles as VP of Supply Chain and VP of Technology Operations, he led the development and deployment of ERPs and technology infrastructure that facilitated unprecedented growth and acquisitions.

Madeline Cameron

Director of Software Engineering

Madeline joined Halocon as its Director of Software Engineering in 2022. For the past decade, Madeline has thrived in the fast-paced world of early-stage startups, building cutting-edge software and tackling high-stakes challenges. Her journey began at USGS-CEGIS, where, as an undergrad, she developed powerful data tools to help PhDs analyze massive datasets. Since then, she’s taken on high-trust, mission-critical roles—from leading monetization strategies to serving as a principal engineer on a decentralized cryptocurrency system. She’s built secure trading platforms with cage access, engineered transformative school therapy technology, and driven innovation at every step. Madeline holds a BS in Computer Science from Missouri University of Science & Technology and brings a relentless energy to everything she builds.

Alex Saliba

Director of Implementation

Alex Saliba has been working in the data, telecom, and security industry since 2005, involved in ground-up deployments and systems design for telephony, security, and data networks. Throughout his career, he has worked with municipalities, schools, universities, and healthcare systems to deploy various systems, offering high-quality, white-glove services. After graduating from Marietta High School in 2005, he pursued studies in Computer Information Technology at WVU-Parkersburg from 2006 to 2008. Over the next 18 years, he established a strong reputation, working with high-profile clients. In 2023, Saliba joined Halocon, where he oversee the installation of systems and contributes to enhancing our products to maintain Halocon's leadership in the security industry.

Howard Richards

Manager of Client Relationships

Howard Richards, a St. Louis native and product of the local public school system, earned a Bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of Missouri before working at KRCG-TV in Jefferson City. He enjoyed a distinguished seven-season NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, retiring in 1987, before serving a 13-year tenure with the CIA, including a tour in Tel Aviv for security coordination. Since 2011, Richards has been the Mizzou Tigers' radio football analyst, recently completing his 14th season, and has been inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame (2015), Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (2018), and University of Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame (2021). He also contributes to the community through his roles with the Segs4Vets Foundation and St. Louis Sports Commission, and as a 2019 FOCUS/Leadership St. Louis graduate, emphasizing leadership for community improvement.