Carolyn Newey handles daily ops at Microspace
Microspace Communications Corp (Raleigh, NC) broadcasts video, audio and data content by satellite. As director of engineering and ops there, Carolyn Newey is responsible for the day-to-day workings of the company.

Microspace provides point-to-multipoint satellite communications for businesses. It distributes music content for Muzak, for example, as well as weather data, and supports hospital pagers, distance learning and business communications.

"We're the folks who deliver the content," Newey explains. "We're the largest provider of private business networks. We have service in the U.S. and Europe and we're working on service in Latin America."

Clearly, the aim is to operate 24/7 with a high degree of reliability. Newey handles capital equipment, budget and engineering hiring and training, and takes time to meet with clients and potential clients. She's also responsible for all the people in engineering and ops. In addition, she and her team handle any demos or customization work that a customer requests.

"We assist with sales to make sure all the technical parameters are covered," Newey explains. "Every client is unique, even within similar industries, and it's important that we deliver what they need. Someone is always here in the network center to respond to any customer concerns."

Newey has a 1983 BS with a major in EE from Duke University (Durham, NC). She began there as a chemistry major but transferred into engineering. "I enjoyed the rightness of it; the ability to find the correct solution," she explains.

After graduation she worked for the department of anesthesiology at Duke Medical Center for two years, concentrating on design and development of modular patient monitoring equipment. In 1985 she became an electronics project engineer, designing satellite receivers for Avnet Development Labs/Channel Master (Durham, NC).

In 1990 she joined Microspace as an engineering manager. She reached her director position in 1997.