OptConnect, a longtime leader in fully managed wireless services, today announced that Chris Baird, CEO of OptConnect, has been recognized as a Forty Under 40 honoree by Utah Business Magazine. Each year, Utah Business celebrates professionals who are changing Utah’s business landscape in big ways—and they’re all under 40 years old. Chris has been with OptConnect since 2009, starting as an ATM repair specialist and working his way up through the ranks into leadership and management roles.
After years of hard work and dedicated leadership, Chris was appointed President of OptConnect in May of 2017 and then promoted again to CEO in October of 2018. His various roles within the company over the years have given him a deep knowledge and experience of the connectivity business while also giving him a unique ability to relate to what each employee is asked to do, what challenges exist, and how to best empower each employee to be successful since he has done it all himself before at one point or another.
Through Chris’ leadership and vision, OptConnect continues to grow and expand at increasing speed. In 2022, OptConnect added more and more satisfied customers, expanded into new markets, developed new products, and grew profitability. OptConnect’s monumental growth has landed the organization on the Inc. 5000 list 4 years in a row as one of the nation’s fastest growing companies in addition to being named a 2022 MountainWest Capital Network Utah 100 recipient, making OptConnect one of the 100 fastest-growing companies in the state of Utah.
Chris is an incredible CEO and is genuinely connected to everyone he interacts with. He invests tremendous amounts of energy and time in building solid relationships and partnerships and never gives up. Where many would stop pursuing a goal, Chris presses on and is able to achieve exceptional results that propel OptConnect forward. This goes to show the level of commitment Chris has to the business as well as OptConnect’s customers. OptConnect is connecting the future, and Chris is paving the way for us to be able to do that.
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized among such an esteemed group of professionals, and I am humbled by this recognition,” said Chris Baird, CEO of OptConnect. “I want to thank my family, friends, and colleagues who have supported me along the way. Their unwavering support and encouragement have been instrumental in my success.”
Forty Under 40 honorees will be featured in the February issue of Utah Business Magazine and will also be honored at a luncheon at the Grand America on Thursday, February 23rd.
To view a full list of 2023 Forty Under 40 honorees, visit https://www.utahbusiness.com/utah-business2023-40-under-40/. For more information about OptConnect, please visit https://www.optconnect.com.
About Utah Business Magazine
Utah Business magazine is Utah’s only statewide business publication. Olympus Publishers produces the monthly Utah Business magazine; an annual Book of Lists, comprehensive information and rankings about the state’s industries, from accounting firms to web designers; the annual Business Utah, the official publication of Utah’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development; and the quarterly Wasatch Digital iQ magazine, which connects Utah’s business and technology community and delivers a Daily iQ e-mail news service. For more information, please visit https://www.utahbusiness.com.
About OptConnect
Established in 2009, OptConnect has rapidly emerged as a premier provider of IoT connectivity solutions, serving diverse sectors including ATMs, vending machines, smart safes, digital signage, security assets and irrigation systems. With the strategic acquisition of Premier Wireless Solutions (PWS) in 2021 and the recent add-on addition of M2MDataGlobal in 2024, OptConnect has solidified its global presence and commitment to delivering cutting-edge wireless connectivity solutions. Our mission remains focused on helping customers design, deploy, and manage their IoT initiatives.
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Media Contact
OptConnect – Kevin Dalton
Chief Experience Officer
kevin.dalton@optconnect.com
(801) 415-9690
