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February 27. 2013 2:18PM

Former Gov. Lynch joins Ping4 Inc. board of directors

By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON
Union Leader Correspondent

NASHUA — Former Gov. John Lynch, who left office last month, isn’t taking much time off, with an announcement Wednesday that he is the newest member of a local emergency alert company.

Lynch has joined the board of directors for Ping4 Inc., the creator of ping4alerts, an emergency alert communication system for smartphones.

“I’m excited to join the Ping4 Inc. team,” Lynch said in a statement. “One of Ping4 Inc.’s core philosophies is that doing good for the world is good for business. The ping4alerts platform is a tremendous advancement for the public safety market.”

Alerts from Ping4 provide highly localized, rich-media hyperlocal alerts regarding geographically relevant dangers and emergencies that are in close proximity to smartphones bearing the app, wherever they may be at any given moment.

The system has been deployed by several state emergency management agencies, police departments and educational institutions throughout the nation and in New Hampshire.

“The company is poised for both domestic and international expansion and, through public-private partnerships, will help keep citizens safe and informed across the globe,” Lynch said in the release. “The future of disaster management is in getting lifesaving information into the hands of the public in real time.”

The company’s CEO, Jim Bender, described Lynch’s leadership and executive talents as exceptional.

“We are fortunate to have him join us,” Bender said, explaining Lynch’s experience in the public and private sector, coupled with his first-hand experience with emergency management, will bring a valuable resource to Ping4.

The University of New Hampshire was Ping4’s first customer, followed by the Manchester Police Department, Bender said previously, adding the client base continues to grow as the company uses venture capital to perfect its product, add new features, develop a patent portfolio and create a world-class sales and marketing campaign.

“We continue to make great strides in the area of emergency management and emergency communications,” Bender said Wednesday. “With $4 million in private investment and the addition of (former) Gov. Lynch to our board, Ping 4 Inc. is increasingly well positioned for success.”

Ping4 alerts are different from other alert-notification systems because the software requires no information about the users who have downloaded the app. Authorities can reach the smartphones — compatible with iPhones and Android mobile devices — without knowing private email accounts, street addresses or even phone numbers.

The company, housed at 20 Cotton Road in Nashua, has garnered $4 million in venture capital so far this year, raising a total of nearly $7 million in private placement since its inception, according to company officials.