Draft:Jeffrey Just

Jeffrey Joseph Just is an American entrepreneur and investor. Just co-founded Transit Wireless, which equipped the world's largest subway, the New York City Subway, with infrastructure for Wi-Fi and cell phone coverage.

Transit Wireless
Transit Wireless built distributed antenna system (DAS) for 277 of New York City’s substations and secured a 27-year partnership agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. To secure the contract, the company competed against top U.S. carriers, including Cingular Wireless, Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile. Transit Wireless was tasked with designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the network. The $200 million project was described by the New York Times as having the potential to “transform the riding habits of New Yorkers”. As the single point of contact for the request for proposal (RFP), Just was responsible for winning the award and negotiating terms of agreement with the MTA.

Popular Mechanics Magazine declared the project's endeavor a “modern day miracle”, noting its technical challenges, such as concurrent construction and train traffic, extreme underground temperatures ranging from below-freezing to exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the network’s exposure to pressurized water from routine subway cleaning, and the lack of existing communication systems for workers upon initial construction.

Despite construction complexities, by 2016, Transit Wireless installed 4,000 cellular antennas and 5,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, resulting in 120 million Wi-Fi log-ins and 280 million cellular calls in 2017, alone. By 2018, the network received an average of 400,000 Wi-Fi log-ins per weekday.

Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo publicly commended the Transit Wireless network for improving public safety and security for the subway’s 8 million daily riders: “A more stable network below ground ensures that riders and first responders can seamlessly communicate in events of emergency, which is essential in a system that carries millions of passengers every day”.

The project was completed at no cost to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and will generate an estimated $46 million in revenue for the MTA over the course of ten years, as service providers pay to utilize the network. Additionally, the subway’s 2.5 billion annual riders have access to complimentary Wi-Fi.

Pre-Transit Wireless
Prior to serving as President and Board Member of Transit Wireless, Just founded and was CEO for the Gunst Corporation (1987 - 1989), First Innovation Inc. (1990 - 1994), EXG Restaurants (1996 - 2000), and Dianet Communications (2003 - 2018).

Dianet Communications
In 2003, Dianet Communications was incorporated. Dianet Communications  was one of the first U.S. companies to offer a neutral host Distributed antenna system (DAS). The company developed large networks for public landmarks, including 30 Rockefeller Plaza and the Atlantic City Convention Center.

RadiantREIT
Presently, Just is the CEO and founding partner of the solar industry’s first mortgage Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). The REIT focuses on bringing long-term, public financing to solar projects throughout the United States.

Early Life
Just was born on January 6, 1965 to George Just, a salesman, and Gloria Just, Ph.D., a former Major, educator, and registered nurse in the United States Army Reserve. Just grew up in Nutley, New Jersey with his older sister Chris, who is now a nurse midwife, and his younger brother Tom, who is a mechanical engineer.

Education
Just attended Lincoln Elementary School in Nutley, NJ and graduated from Nutley High School in 1983. During his youth, Just participated in Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America). During high school, Just was a wrestler and cross-country runner. From 1983 - 1987, Just studied at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.

Family
Just currently resides in New Hope, Pennsylvania with his partner, Manjari Olds, Just’s two sons,   Olds’ children, and their family dog.

Public Recognition
Just has been highlighted by the New York Post, PV Magazine USA, The North American Clean Energy, Crunchbase, the International Battery and Energy Storage Alliance (IBESA), Renewable Energy Magazine (unique visitors per month: 32,277) and 3BL Media & TriplePundit