The People-Building Robot Company

Mel Torrie grew up on a farm in Alberta Canada and earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Computer Science minor from Utah State University. Mr. Torrie then taught at Utah State University and worked on multiple NASA Space Shuttle payloads. In 2000 he spun out Autonomous Solutions INC. (ASI) from the university’s Electrical Engineering robotics center (CSOIS) to make driverless vehicles a reality in industries like agriculture, mining, construction, logistics, and automotive. Mel is an invited keynote speaker and trainer on the topics of Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Robotics, AI, and Machine Learning in countries like Egypt, Russia, China, Japan, Croatia, Germany, South Africa, and Australia.

Brian Stewart serves ASI as Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Stewart joined ASI in 2017, bringing his expertise in large-scale data systems to advanced vehicle autonomy and AI. Before joining ASI as Vice President of Products, he spent more than a decade developing enterprise-scale software in security and big data analytics, holding key leadership roles at Intel and McAfee where he built and scaled mission-critical systems for many Fortune 500 companies. A contributing inventor on several patents and analytic techniques unique within enterprise data management, Brian continued driving innovation at ASI by working with ASI’s industry-leading roboticists to develop new technologies that advanced how major automotive OEMs like Ford, GM, Toyota, Hyundai, and Stellantis tested their vehicles. Brian blends strong engineering experience with product strategy to deliver scalable, innovative technologies that push the boundaries of autonomous solutions.

Cory Rowe joined ASI in 2014 and serves as ASI’s Chief Product Officer. Mr. Rowe has over a decade of experience leading product development, with a focus on autonomous haulage and mining solutions, including major projects in Western Australia, which served ASI well during his tenure as ASI’s Mining Product Owner. Before joining ASI, Cory held operations management roles at several companies, including a mining contractor, an equipment manufacturer, and an equipment rental company. He has a degree in Business Administration and is passionate about helping teams reach their full potential, working on high-impact projects, and collaborating globally to deliver innovative, autonomous solutions.

Jed Jones joined ASI in October 2019 as the Business Controller of one of ASI’s division, then promoted to Director of Finance, and now serves as ASI’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Jones has over 20 years of financial and operation experience in a variety of industries. Previously Jed was acting president of NOWCFO, a premier consulting firm with a focus on outsourced finance and accounting need. Prior to that he played several key roles in operations and finance at Wheeler Machinery, a large Utah Caterpillar dealer. Jed has a master’s degree in Accounting and is a licensed CPA in the State of Utah.

Mike Schaefer is an experienced C-Level business leader and technology executive with ten years’ experience in the autonomy field. Mr. Schaefer now serves as ASI’s Chief Adoption Officer. Mike focuses on driving business value via strategy, championing end-user technology adoption, and building organizations through talent, culture and process. Before joining ASI in 2017, Mike held senior leadership roles with Tennant, Ecolab, and various consumer package good companies. He is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin.

Sam Abidi leads corporate development and commercial strategy at AS as Chief Commercial Officer. Before joining ASI, Mr. Abidi served as CCO at multiple autonomous and AI companies, helping to structure over a dozen key commercial partnerships and launch various products. Before these roles, Sam was a management consultant at Deloitte, where he advised Fortune 500s and government agencies on strategies to adopt and scale new technologies across the industrial sector. Sam holds a B.S. in computer engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Todd Aznavorian is known for turning bold ideas into safe, simple, and scalable products customers trust. Mr. Aznavorian serves as ASI’s Chief Operating Officer, which follows his service as ASI’s VP of Engineering. A veteran builder of highperforming product organizations, Todd led development on GM’s factoryinstalled OnStar systems and built global precisionfarming and telematics teams at CNH Industrial, He then directed analytics and RFdriven performance programs at Hubbell Inc. At ASI, Todd champions growth of people and partners, excellence in execution, and precision-driven operations, so ASI’s solutions become a lasting force multiplier for customers.

Alice DiSanto is ASI’s VP of Global Marketing. Working closely with ASI sales and strategic partners, Ms. DiSanto focuses on business trends and prioritizes voice- of-customer insights. Her extensive experience in technology-centric sales and marketing informs her leadership of ASI’s marketing team. Prior, Alice served as Rajant’s Global VP of Marketing. Specific to robotics, Alice was with Sharp Electronics and positioned their first-ever outdoor robot to earn five industry awards within the initial 18 months. She is the former chair of the Security Industry Association (SIA)’s Women in Security Forum (WISF) and now serves as past-chair. She also holds numerous security industry awards.

Devin has been with ASI since 2013 and has led the company in different capacities. Before his role as Operations Director he fulfilled the positions of Corporate General Manager, Product Manager over the Security Business Unit, and Product Manager over the Mining Business Unit. Prior to ASI, Devin worked as a software engineer and project engineer for Lockheed Martin in Colorado Springs, CO, under a space and missile warning command and control program for the United States Air Force. He attained a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Utah State University and an MBA from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS).

Drew Larsen is the Vice President of Business Development for ASI. Mr. Larsen has over 25 years of combined experience in autonomous machine operations and heavy-duty vehicle technology. With an MBA from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, Drew has spent the last decade promoting autonomous haulage systems (AHS) and other surface automation solutions to the global mining industry. Drew’s prior experience includes executive-level positions and technical leadership roles with heavy-duty truck and airframe OEMs, as well as technology sales and various automation projects throughout his career in mining, aerospace, and manufacturing. Drew now leads business development operations for all ASI market verticals.

Todd Rigby is ASI's Vice President of Product Development. For over 25 years, Mr. Rigby has held various leadership positions with multiple companies across multiple industries. Mr. Rigby led the Development team expanding the first digital cellular network in the US. He grew a regional Heavy Construction technology distributor by 10 times, and he built a Global Sales Channel for a leading Wireless company, which resulted in the largest market share in the global mining market. Technology has been the common thread between his many endeavors. He enjoys helping large industrial companies solve their most complex problems by adopting cutting-edge technology. Although he joined ASI in May 2025, his relationship with the company began 20 years prior, when Todd started selling GPS receivers to them. Todd holds a BS degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.