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Victoria Headquarters
Paul Chandler President	Stuart Jensen System Engineer	Sue McDonald Order Support
Sherrey McGowan Bookkeeper Bill Scott Accountant	Kelly Michell Vice President, Sales & Services	Marleen Michell Office Administrator
Vancouver Office
Kevin Gibbons UC Engineer	Vance Loiselle Technical Support	Bob Moles Senior Account Manager
Richard Szostak System Engineer	Ron Ng Senior Account Manager	Don Tenge Senior Account Manager
Calgary Office
Ken Davis Vice President	Robyn Foret Senior Account Manager	Lance Doell Senior System Engineer
David Harper UC Engineer	Stuart Hill Senior Network Architect	Chris Kondas Office Assistant
Neil McGinnis Account Manager	Dave Marlowe Senior Account Manager	Perry Sawka Senior Account Manager
Leo Soto Senior Account Manager
Edmonton Office
Mike Bloemen Operations Manager	Nicolas Popiel UC Engineer	Mike Wynnyk Senior Account Manager

Victoria Headquarters

Paul Chandler, President
Tel: (250) 642-2893
Mobile: (250) 589-2893
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

Many years ago and fresh out of technical college, I began my career in a fledgling industry known as "data communications." It took many Sunday evening dinners at my folks' place to explain exactly what I did for a living. In the early years of my career, I was a break/fix guy for Gandalf and was out installing 2400BPS modems and PACX IVs. Times have certainly changed.

From my first position as a field service representative to my current capacity as President of Charter, it's been a long, fascinating journey. Along the way I've had many great opportunities and experiences, including the chance to work abroad. My time overseas was a richly rewarding experience: I designed and implemented networks for the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit System, Hang Yang University in Seoul, South Korea, and the Aga Kahn University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. I also taught technical courses in places like Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. The challenge of translating technical terms into languages I don't speak was as complex for me as I'm sure it was entertaining for my students. Here at home, I had the chance to travel and work in Pond Inlet, Nunavut as part of our Northern Internet Community Expansion Project. Pond Inlet is at Canada's third most northern Community, located 4,500 km north of Montreal at 72 42'N, 77 59'W and is a very spectacular part of Canada.

The success of Charter is the highlight of my career. As founder and architect of this company, I have seen it grow from an idea to being a trusted partner of some of Canada's leading business and government organizations. To them we deliver; high performance, business critical unified networks. Our philosophy of building value into networking component sales, coupled with passionate customer has established us with a reputation to be proud of.

I've been fortunate with the success of Charter, but I truly believe that luck is when opportunity meets preparation. We are prepared at Charter to deliver what our customers want, and we're lucky to be here to do it.

Stuart Jensen, System Engineer
Tel: (250) 953-9990
Mobile: (250) 589-2823
Fax: (250) 953-9989
Email:

As a founding member of Charter, I am particularly proud of our achievements. When we formed Charter in 1997, our primary goal was to provide our customers with the best service in the industry, a goal that entails working closely with clients to create a partnership between our companies, and ensure all of their business requirements are met. Listening closely to what clients have to say about their present and future network needs has allowed me to help design, install and implement network solutions that meet and exceed their expectations. Our "whatever it takes" attitude has enabled me to create and maintain long-lasting partnerships between Charter and our clients.

Before Charter, I had already spent eight years in the fast-paced world of telecommunications, working with Gandalf Canada and a number of other system integrators. My ability to work co-operatively with my clients and provide innovative solutions using the latest in technology developments proved a recipe for success. This co-operative relationship continues today with many of the same clients that I have worked with since starting in the industry.

I graduated with a B.Sc. from the University of Victoria in marine biology and worked in the aquaculture industry prior to becoming involved in networking (yes, a strange transition - from salmon to switches!). My family plays a big role in my life, and keeps me busy with the various sports activities that we are involved in, including golfing (still trying to break 100 consistently), cycling and camping. My goal is to work hard to ensure that that the partnerships that I have entered into with my clients and family continue to grow and succeed.

Sue McDonald, Order Support
Tel: (250) 642-2817
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

As a new member of the Charter team, I am delighted to be a part of a company that shares the same beliefs as I do. I am strongly committed to the emphasis placed on customer service, and keeping our customers informed and up to date with what is happening with their orders is an essential part of my position. Having a strong administrative background, I pride myself on being detail oriented – and believe me, there are a lot of details!

I look forward to a long and enjoyable career with Charter; and although I can’t do much with a small white ball, I do enjoy watching a round black disc slide down the ice. With two boys, Matt, 16 and Chris, 15, heavily involved in hockey, my husband and I spend most of our ‘downtime” at the rink. When we’re not watching or supporting the boys, we’re organizing or planning the next great fundraiser!

Sherrey McGowan, Bookkeeper

My love of math started as I was practicing multiplication tables when I was just five years old. Since then, numbers have been a passion of mine and I consider myself fortunate to be able to base my career on something I thoroughly enjoy. That my chosen career path has now brought me to Charter makes me especially grateful.

Accuracy and attention to detail are paramount in my position and I pride myself on both. I am responsible for the day-to-day financial operations for the company, including payables, receivables, and payroll. Most of my interactions are with Charter’s management and sales teams, but my history of excellent customer service allows me to provide assistance in a warm and friendly manner and I look forward to helping you with any accounts-related questions that may arise.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Pacific and Asian Studies from the University of Victoria and have worked in both the retail and hospitality industries. In addition to my academic and professional experiences, I am a former Canadian National Team lawn bowler and won the title of Junior Women’s Singles champion three consecutive years, both provincially and nationally.

When I’m not crunching numbers for Charter, you will find me enjoying the company of my wonderful husband and two beautiful children, or studying toward a Certified General Accountant designation.

Kelly Michell, Vice President Sales and Services
Tel: (250) 642-2813
Mobile: (250) 589-2813
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

Developing innovative and effective strategies to drive business growth has been a passion of mine throughout my business career. I have been fortunate to spend the past 20 years in executive roles from which I have been able to effect that change and see the benefits from both my customers’ and my company’s perspective. I have also had the pleasure of spending 10 of these years based in the US, where I have gained insight and experience into multiple international markets, merger & acquisitions strategies, and the venture capital market.

At Charter, my focus is ensuring that our customers’ needs are met not only through the delivery of “Best of Class” technology, but also through award-winning design, implementation, and support services. I enjoy utilizing my skills and knowledge to enhance Charter’s value to our clients and further drive our clients’ agenda in the market. I also enjoy working with our team to develop new service delivery methods to best meet our clients’ needs.

When not focused on business, I enjoy relaxing with family and friends and taking in the occasional round of golf. I coach amateur hockey, and have been actively involved in Female High Performance hockey for the past couple of years. I also spend some of my spare time mentoring with a couple of young technology companies.

Marleen Michell, Office Administrator
Tel: (250) 642-2817
Mobile: (250) 589-2803
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

For the past six years, I have been immersed in BOMs (bills of material), purchase orders and shipping acknowledgements. When you receive something from one of our top-notch Account Managers, you can bet that your order crossed my desk at several points.

Making sure that your solutions are arriving accurately and on time are two issues that I take very seriously. You can rest assured that commitment to total customer satisfaction at Charter is a philosophy that is practiced from the field right through Head Office.

When I am not worrying about your orders, you can find me spending time with my husband and two daughters.

Bill Scott, Accountant

Since becoming Charter’s external accountant in 1999, I have seen explosive growth in the company’s top and bottom lines. In my 15 years of public practice experience, Charter is without a doubt one of the best-run businesses I have seen. It consistently increases sales and earnings and I believe one of the main reasons is the excellent people it employs and its extremely low staff turnover rate. As a result of this continuity of excellent people, it has been able to deliver outstanding service to its customers.

I received my chartered accountant designation in 1997 and joined Charter in 2008 to oversee the financial management and records of the Firm. I am also a certified financial planner and help numerous other professionals and companies with their financial and investment objectives.

In my spare time, I enjoy coaching basketball and baseball and spending time with my two boys, Caelan and Coban.

I look forward to the opportunity of helping Charter continue to achieve its financial goals and objectives.

Vancouver Office

Kevin Gibbons, UC Engineer
Mobile: (250) 618-5832
Email:

I have been in telecommunications for over 25 years. I started my field work with Sask-Tel in the northern region providing all levels of telco service to government, and local businesses. My duties also included the upgrading of central offices, installing and maintaining mobile radio equipment, and installation/testing of data circuits.

In 1995, I was given the opportunity to work in the U.S. for Wiltel, a national Nortel vendor. I saw this as a great chance for me to advance my career within the industry. My wife and I moved the family to Utah, and remained in Salt Lake City for 13 years. My companies focus was mainly Nortel PBX, and all associated applications. My accounts included the City of Salt Lake, banking call centers, hotel chains, oil/ mining industry. I also installed, and maintained the 911 call center for Salt Lake County.

My family has, for the last decade, been found in the hockey rinks of Utah, and used to be sited the odd time in and around baseball diamonds. The kids are a little older now, so you might find me chasing the little white ball.

Since joining the Charter team, I can see the level of customer service by its team members, and am excited to be there. I look forward to the new customers, changes, and challenges.

Vance Loiselle, Technical Support
Tel: (604) 913-2001 Ext: 3183
Mobile: (604) 813-5753
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

My career in the telecommunications industry began back in 1985, having recently graduated from Camosun College Electronics Technology program in Victoria alongside Charter President Paul Chandler. A combination of a good friendship with Paul and joining in on a few casual company hockey games resulted in a position working with Gandalf Data in Vancouver one year later. The transition from Field Service Representative to Senior Technical Specialist over many years with Gandalf brought countless adventures and challenges, including trips to Amsterdam, Malaysia, Mexico City, Venezuela, Sao Paulo, Alaska and many other North American destinations supporting an international customer base.

Next came three years with DecisionOne as part of their newly formed Networking Group, where I continued to focus on customer service and support, provided technical training to field engineers and customers, and evolved with the rapid changing industry and voice and data convergence.

In 2002 I started an IT business of my own, offering services to local Vancouver clients, which included a contract with FSONA working with Free Space Optics and designing an RF Backup solution.

I joined Charter in 2005 as a System Engineer and am very happy to be part of such an energetic and customer-focused team. It is rewarding to play a part in the company's many successes and consistent recognition for outstanding customer service.

When not working I keep myself busy playing music in bands, golfing, playing hockey and mountain biking around beautiful westside Vancouver.

Bob Moles, Senior Account Manager
Tel: (604) 913-2002
Mobile: (778) 891-4990
Fax: (604) 926-5892
Email:

I have enjoyed many successful years in the information technology business, having been closely associated with data communications and networking since 1980. In the past 20 years, I have held positions in the UK, South Africa, and North America in the capacities of technical consultancy, management, and sales and marketing. My travels have allowed me to gain much experience in various disciplines including IT manufacturing, local government, public utilities, banking and insurance. Having first- hand experience from ‘the other side of the fence,’ I strongly believe that my clients should not become slaves to technology. Information technology is, and will always be, a tool that enables organizations to meet their business objectives.

I joined Charter in July 1998, when Paul Chandler persuaded me to join the Charter team with his fresh and innovative philosophy of delivering value and service to clients. At last, here was a company that thought along the same lines as myself. I had heard it all before from previous employers, about how they were going to provide superior service, but all too often the intentions got lost in internal procedures and bottom-line monitoring that favoured the vendor but disadvantaged the customer. Paul presented me with Charter’s unique model that totally focuses on customers' needs. "Whatever it takes," he assured me, and he was right.

When I'm not discussing business and convergence solutions with my clients, I can be found with the three most important people in my life – my wife Karen, my son Rory and my daughter Alysha. My Ovation 1994 Collectors’ Edition guitar is my other love; when I manage to find that one spare moment you'll find me trying to emulate my hero, Eric Clapton.

 

Ron Ng, Senior Account Manager
Tel: (778) 297-4487
Mobile: (604) 862-1821
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email: ron@charter.ca

I started my career in the telecommunications industry in the early 90s selling network access for businesses to get to something called “the Internet”. Some of these businesses even needed as much as 128 Kbps of bandwidth to access this thing Al Gore had invented. Crazy stuff.

The pace of innovation and change in the technology industry has been, and continues to be, truly staggering. And after almost two decades of working with all kinds of customers in all kinds of businesses, a number of basic principles still hold true for me. Look after your customers and provide them with great service. Add as much value as you can at all times. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Do whatever it takes to get the job done and make customers happy.

One of the things I truly appreciate about our team at Charter is how everyone is completely committed to these same principles. In this day and age, customer service can sometimes be a platitude or, even worse, an oxymoron. But here at Charter, great customer service is a way of life and simply the way we conduct business.

My time away from work is spent with my marvelous family – my wife, my thirteen-year-old son and ten-year-old daughter. I have the pleasure of being a head coach for a Richmond girls’ soccer team and an assistant coach for a Richmond boys’ soccer team. The coaching demands are high and the hours are long but the rewards are immeasurable. In addition to my family and coaching, I’m also passionate about food and wine, traveling and sports.

Richard Szostak, System Engineer
Tel: (778) 284-1094
Mobile: (778) 384-4092
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I joined the great team of individuals at Charter in 2007; however, I have been in the data communications business since the early 80s, when I started my career with Digital Equipment right after graduating from NAIT.

I started out as a field engineer working on mini- and main-frame computers and everything attached to them. I got interested in the data communications field when I discovered that by simply typing in a few key strokes, I could control a device half way around the world. Fascinated and impressed, I decided to focus on the world-wide web of networking. I left Digital in 1997 in order to join Bay Networks where I had the opportunity to work as a sales engineer, training and helping customers build network solutions to meet their business needs and help them move forward in the converging world of data and voice networking. During this time I moved to Boston, MA where I had the chance to work at such interesting places as North Eastern University, the birth place of Napster; the State of Massachusetts, where I help design a 400-node state-wide VPN frame relay network; Fairchild semiconductors; and Bose, to name a few.

My role at Charter is to help grow our business in Vancouver and support our growing customer base, bringing the "whatever it takes" attitude to building their next generation networks. When I'm not doing that, I enjoy hitting a little white ball around the golf course, snowboarding, and windsurfing.

Don Tenge, Senior Account Manager (BC & Yukon)
Tel: (604) 582-7858 Ext: 6208
Mobile: (604) 240-8828
Fax: (604) 582-7859
Email:

I joined Charter in 2001 and am very happy to be part of such a talented and professional team of people. I’ve worked in the information technology industry for 20+ years including ten years at Digital Equipment, five years at Nortel/Bay Networks and seven years at Charter. During my tenure at Nortel/Bay, I had the pleasure of working with Paul Chandler and his team on several of my key accounts. I was very impressed with the way Charter looked after its customers, and the close relationship we forged during those years played a key role in my decision to join the Charter team. 

Charter is a unique company both in how it looks after its customers and people. I’m happy to have played a role in the growth and success of the company over the last seven years and look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead. When I’m not working, I enjoy the natural beauty of BC's high country and the occasional foray to Whistler with my family.

 

Calgary Office

Ken Davis, Vice President
Tel: (403) 301-4280
Mobile: (403) 971-2800
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I began my career in the telecommunications industry in 1983. Needless to say, I have witnessed significant change over the past 27 years! To thrive in this industry, is to thrive on change. While I have seen significant advancements in technology, I have also watched organizations evolve in the way they embrace technological change, alter work environments and adapt to a rapidly changing workforce.

My industry experience includes telephony, wireless, wide area networks, data networking, security and network optimization, encompassing enterprise, service provider and carrier markets. I have held leadership roles with organizations such as NEC, Rogers, AT&T Canada, Williams Communications and TELUS. In 2004 I completed the Executive Development Program at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

As part of the executive team at Charter, I carry geographical responsibility for our operations in Alberta and points east. I am actively engaged with our partner community to constantly drive new value to our clients. At Charter I am surrounded by a team of professionals who are committed to doing whatever it takes to delight our customers. Their enthusiasm for excellence is contagious and contributes daily to our overall success and customer satisfaction.

Aside from work-related transfers that had our family spend time in Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver, I have been proud to call Calgary home throughout my career. I give back to my community through my year-round volunteer participation with The Calgary Stampede. In my spare time I enjoy the company of my wife and family, often gathering for a round of golf, skiing and enjoying all the great things that Calgary has to offer.

Lance Doell, Senior System Engineer
Tel: (403) 301-4285
Mobile: (403) 512-1198
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I joined Charter in 2004, but had already been working with them for a number of years. I am still very proud to be working and socializing with a wonderful group of colleagues. I have been in the telecommunications business for many, many years in various capacities on the engineering side. Lately, I’ve been working to bring data and telephony together in a secure environment. Convergence is the key.

Before Charter, I spent quite a few years at Nortel/Bay Networks in customer service as an Internet engineer, providing professional services for customers both large and small. My responsibilities included providing support when their networks were down and helping them grow their networks when they were up. Before this, I was with Develcon Electronics for many years, developing the skills I have used ever since. I have had the opportunity to travel to all corners of North America and many other parts of the world – Charter continues to offer me such opportunities, a part of the job I greatly enjoy.

When I’m not creating wonderful Internet experiences for our customers, I enjoy spending time with my family at home in Calgary. I also enjoy reading, playing video games, and playing golf.

Robyn Foret
Tel: (403) 803-1075
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email: robyn@charter.ca

I have been privileged to spend my entire career in the telecom sector, working for service providers, manufacturers and value-added resellers over the past 30+ years. In every role I’ve played, front line technician, sales professional, training director, product and service development, sales management and corporate executive, the underlying objective has always been about helping customers.

I am extremely pleased to have become a part of the Charter team of professionals who have redefined the term “value” in value-added reseller. Since joining in October of 2008, I’ve come to appreciate the unique and relevant value that Charter brings to the market. With strong leadership and a highly competent team, Charter provides its clients the best the industry has to offer and I’m proud to be a part of this group.

While I do enjoy my work and this industry, I am also pleased to demonstrate to my family that balance is possible. Christie and I have been able to instill in our three daughters a strong work ethic balanced with an active lifestyle and a consistent volunteering component.

David Harper, UC Engineer
Tel: (403) 301-4286
Mobile: (403) 681-6665
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I began my career in the telecommunications field in 1999 after being hired with Bell Canada as a summer student while attending college in Kingston, ON. I decided that telecommunications was a career that I wanted to pursue, as I enjoyed getting out and meeting with customers and took great pride in seeing a system implementation being completed from the beginning to end. By 2001, I had begun to focus my efforts on the Nortel BCM platforms and became a certified installer shortly thereafter. After three years mainly focusing on BCMs, I became heavily involved with the installation and maintenance of the Nortel Meridian Option 11c PBXs, now known as the Communication Server 1000. The telephony business is continually changing, and as the migration to VoIP continues to evolve, I enjoy the ongoing learning process and passing along my knowledge to our current and future customers.

I have been at Charter since May 2007. I relocated from Ontario to Calgary with my wife Kate and my two daughters Ava (3 years) and Audrey (1 year). While it has been a hectic summer getting settled in and becoming accustomed to our new surroundings, I wouldn’t change a thing. Being part of the Charter Team has been a refreshing change and our strong commitment to customer satisfaction is truly rewarding.

When I am not working on renovation projects around the house, I enjoy playing hockey, golf and spending time with my family. We are looking forward to exploring Alberta and seeing all that it has to offer.

Stuart Hill, Senior Network Architect
Tel: (403) 319-2062
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email: shill@charter.ca

I have been in IT since 1988, when I graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelors degree in computer science. Exposure to a large number of programming languages has garnered me a skill I have applied to the networking world through my work configuring network gear and writing programs for, and on, routers.

My first nine years in the business were spent in the enterprise world with PanCanadian Petroleum. During the second half of this time I moved into network development, helping to develop and build wide-area networking (WAN), video-conferencing, and microwave-connected services used by personnel across the prairies, from head office to remote and field offices.

I then moved to Metronet (later AT&T Canada), where I got to experience building a start-up and held a number of key roles, from routed services team lead to Manager of Operational Support Systems. Having learned so much about all sides of the business, I was ready to move into my next post: Network Architect and Network Operations Manager for Enmax Envision. At Envision, I grew their network architecture from a metro-ethernet play using Nortel Passport 8600 and OM5200 DWDM high-capacity fibre optic networks to a major internet service provider and provider of high-speed Ethernet services using Nortel’s OM1400 series and Juniper M10 routers.

In 2005, I left to work as an independent contractor and was quickly approached by Charter. I chose to join the team at this great company because Charter is good at marrying the needs of both carrier and enterprise clients to cutting-edge technologies such as multi-protocol label switching (MPLS). As I specialize and thrive in challenging areas such as these, the decision to work with Charter was an easy one. With 22 years of experience in the IT world now under my belt, my primary goal with each of my clients is, basically, to put myself out of a job – to push the technology to new limits, teach the client how to use it; then move on to the next challenge. I find that this focus benefits the clients greatly and meets my thirst for new knowledge and continued growth.

I love spending time with my kids, Emily and Nathan who are both avid hockey players. Charter’s focus on a good work-life balance has allowed me to coach them both all the way from Timbits through Peewee, and this is one of the things I particularly appreciate about the company’s approach.

Chris Kondas, Office Assistant
Tel: (403) 301-4288
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I joined the Charter team in October 2007 as the Office Assistant in Calgary. My key responsibilities are shipping and receiving, inventory control, and general office duties. I work closely with our Head Office to coordinate the logistics of your orders.

I have a strong background in administration with payroll/benefits and Human Resources experience. The opportunity to join Charter was a welcome change for me. I was attracted to the company because of their success, their commitment to customer service, and the flexibility they offer. Working with the Calgary team is always entertaining!

I enjoy learning about the products we provide and look forward to the opportunities within the Charter family.

Outside of work, I have a busy life with my husband and two children. We enjoy sports, camping and traveling.

Neil McGinnis, Senior Account Manager
Tel: (403) 301-4281 Ext: 3001
Mobile: (403) 863-4042
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

My journey in the telecommunications business started in 1984 when I graduated from the electronic engineering program at NAIT. After working in the oil patch for a couple of years, I chose to take a job at the University of Alberta in the Computing Services department. At the university I was introduced to a tremendous group of people who helped me learn my trade. The U of A were early adopters of new technologies and embraced the emergence of the Internet. My team worked very closely with the first Internet Service Providers as we transitioned the then AR-net and CA-net into the private sector during the beginning of the Internet explosion in Canada.

In 1995, I left the U of A to pursue a career in the private sector working for the fledgling networking division of cabling giant Anixter. As a system engineer for Anixter I worked within every sector of the economy and designed, sold and installed hundreds of corporate networks. It was here that I learned the value of customer satisfaction, and to this day I continue to strive to deliver exactly what the customer requires. My career then continued at Nortel in the emerging carriers group. It was fascinating to work with many companies as they built their networks without the encumbrance of legacy infrastructures.

In the last couple of years this market sector has again become vibrant. At Charter, I have been working closely with some new manufacturing partners, Juniper and MRV, to supply these customers with innovative solutions, predominantly in backbone MPLS routing and optical transport. Recently we have won contracts to supply core Juniper routers to MTS Allstream, Enmax Envision and several other Tier 2 Internet service providers, and are working closely with MRV on several Optical DWDM projects in Canada and France.

We are continually challenged by our customers to bring them solutions to their technical and business needs. Having to continually educate ourselves on new products and industry trends keeps the work interesting and allows us to bring significant value to our customers in both the Enterprise and Service Provider markets.

When I am not working I am kept just as busy helping my wife Cindy raise our son and daughter. I had the pleasure of helping coach my son’s PeeWee hockey team this year, which was rewarding and a lot of fun; my daughter is active in a Calgary ski club. All these activities help me keep a healthy balance and good perspective on life.

Dave Marlowe, Senior Account Manager
Tel: (403) 301-4282 Ext: 3207
Mobile: (403) 271-3999
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I have been in the computer networking industry since 1985, having started out with Digital Equipment working on PDP-11s and Vax’s. I then took the opportunity to get out of the computer systems end of the business and into Digital's fledgling networking division. While DEC did not survive past 1998, they did create some very innovative products and won several industry awards. To this day, I have customers with DEC hub network products installed in portions of their networks.

Upon DEC’s demise, I moved to Bay Networks, which has since been acquired by Nortel Networks. Y2K issues took me from Nortel to Charter in 2000. The Calgary team started with one person, myself; eight years later, we now number more than ten.

Like the rest of my Charter colleagues, the consistent theme throughout my career has been customer service. I've built a reputation on taking care of my clients. In fact, I still work with many of the clients I worked with when I was at DEC.

Perry Sawka, Senior Account Manager
Tel: (403) 301-4283 Ext: 3011
Mobile: (403) 615-7622
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

I joined the Charter Team in July 2004 as an Account Manager, responsible for building Converged Solutions for clients in Southern Alberta. Charter proceeded to grow significantly during my tenure, and my varied background within the industry of 25+ years positioned me well to assume the role of Operations Manager. My responsibilities in this role have enabled me to help the company to streamline activities related to the areas of Professional Services, Project Management and Charter Branded Services. However, this shift still allows me to focus on maintaining a high level of satisfaction internally for my peers and, most importantly, externally for the customers that Charter interacts with throughout the many phase of the sales cycle.

My new responsibility at Charter provides many new challenges and opportunities. For example, I am continuing to work towards completing my Project Management certification, form of continued education that provides necessary skills and benefits for my job, but also contributes to my providing an improved customer experience while conducting business with Charter.

While working on behalf of customers of Charter customers brings me joy, I also lead an active family life. Along with my wife, Laurie, I have four wonderful children that are involved in soccer, dance, martial arts and numerous other activities. We enjoy many outdoor activities, and in particular like spending our summer vacation in the BC interior and coastal region camping, enjoying the multitude of recreation sports it has to offer.

Leo Soto, Account Manager
Tel: (403) 301-4284
Mobile: (403) 589-7686
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi with degrees in Computer Science and Statistics, I went back to my native Venezuela where I established the country’s first e-mail service based on a professional BBS system. Telcel BellSouth became interested in my work and asked me to help develop the ISP business unit. Rising through the ranks to become a Regional Office Manager, I left Telcel BellSouth to further my professional training, completing certificates in Project Management and Telecommunication Engineering (Wireless Technology) at the University of California at Berkeley, and E-Commerce Management at San Jose State University.

In 2005 my family and I made Canada our new home. Shortly after arriving, I joined Charter, where my main focus is the development of new accounts in Southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba with the help of our partners: Nortel, Juniper Networks and MRV Communications.

On the rare occasions I am not working on an RFP or on a solution for one of our customers, my family and I enjoy and take advantage of the activities and tourism opportunities around Calgary.

 

Edmonton Office

Mike Bloemen, Operations Manager
Tel: (780) 420-1924
Mobile: (780) 709-9177
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

If there's one thing I can really appreciate about technology, it’s that "the more things change, the more they remain the same." I first started working with data networks over 15 years ago. Since then, I have seen many great advances in all aspects of communications. One of the few things that seems to stay the same is the complexity that these networks can have. There is no doubt that a single person cannot master all complexities. Since joining Charter, I have been able to say confidently that this team consistently rises to the challenge in mastering those complexities.

My experience includes graduating from the Telecom Engineering Technologist program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, many years’ experience on Windows- and Unix-based networks, a great deal of exposure with the Nortel SMB Voice portfolio and Telecom in general, and a generous helping of infrastructure knowledge. I have worked both directly in the field, and behind the lines in service coordination efforts. It’s always apparent that the 800-pound gorilla never quits, and neither should you.

I feel that you must keep interested and involved in technology to hold on to your passion for it. I am lucky enough to have this enthusiasm and really enjoy sharing it. My personal life is much the same. I am interested in many different topics and trends ranging from technology, motor sports and entertainment to outdoor activity. I am guilty of coaching one of my two sons into snowboarding and am encouraging him to play his guitar loud. I enjoy the challenge of being a mentoring Dad and appreciate the lessons from my sons on remembering to have fun. I aspire to lead the lifestyle that they seem to enjoy!

Nicolas Popiel, UC Engineer
Tel: (780) 420-1924
Mobile: (780) 975-0792
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

As a member of the technical team in Edmonton, I enjoy the challenge of designing and implementing solutions that help our customers succeed. I have always been driven by technology and its applications into the real world. I look forward to putting my 11 years of technology experience to work for you.

I enjoy the benefits of raising a family in the country, where my wife Darci and I, along with our children Alexandre and Gabrielle, ride horses, canoe and fish in summer and toboggan and skate in the winter- all in our own backyard.

Mike Wynnyk, Senior Account Manager, Northern Alberta and the Territories
Tel: (780) 413-1965
Mobile: (780) 904-8689
Fax: (888) 441-8199
Email:

Many things have changed over the years since I joined Charter in August of 1997. It has been very satisfying to see Charter continue to grow and evolve as we witness the incredible changes in our industry. One thing that has not changed, however, is the satisfaction I get from working for a company that continually matches my dedication to delivering quality customer service and value.

I am responsible for accounts in Central and Northern Alberta, the Northwest Territory and the Nunavut Territory. Much of northern Canada is connected with Nortel network solutions that we personally recommended and installed. I am proud to say that I have developed many long-term customer relationships during my time at Charter to date, which I believe is a testament to our commitment to keep our promises to our customers.

I graduated with a diploma in telecommunications technology from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1980 (back when networks were connected by modems running at 1200 bps). Immediately prior to joining Charter, I worked for telecom innovator Gandalf in Edmonton and Foster City, California in positions ranging from field engineer to regional sales. No matter what my job title has been, listening to and understanding my customer has always been my fundamental goal.

As well as working at Charter, I occasionally teach telecommunication classes. Away from the office, I enjoy cycling Edmonton’s excellent trail system, gardening, testing my creativity with gourmet cooking and generally enjoying all the good things life has to offer with my wife Susan and our four children. I am proud to say I have been able to balance the demands of business with the fulfillment of spending quality time with my family.