OptConnect, a longtime leader in managed wireless services, today announced that Chris Baird, President and CEO of OptConnect, has been honored as CEO of the Year by Utah Business Magazine.
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 and Chief Executive Officer of OptConnect in October of 2018.
“I am honored to be recognized as CEO of the Year,” said Chris Baird. “My focus has always been about putting people first. I believe that human capital is one of the primary elements of any strategic design. Everything we’ve ever accomplished at OptConnect and all of the significant milestones in my personal life can all be traced back to great people who took the time to remind me that I mattered.”
Through Chris’ leadership and vision, OptConnect continues to grow and expand at increasing speed. In 2020, OptConnect added more and more satisfied customers, expanded into new markets, developed new products, and grew profitability during incredibly challenging times. OptConnect’s monumental growth has landed the company on the Inc 5000 list 3 years in a row as one of the nation’s fastest growing companies in addition to being named a 2020 MountainWest Capital Network Utah 100 recipient, making OptConnect one of the 100 fastestgrowing companies in the state.
With the rapid spread of COVID-19, Chris worked hard to ensure that OptConnect was as prepared as possible internally and externally to continue to be safe and efficient. Though OptConnect faced some hardships Chris remained focused on doing what we could, leading a shift in a 100% remote employee base. Even with COVID-19 impacting so much, OptConnect still had an incredible year of growth.
“During the past 12 months, every business has felt the strain of dealing with “the new normal.” But these CEOs have not only pulled their company through the hardship of a pandemic, they’ve dedicated themselves to overcoming the challenge and boldly going where no CEO has gone before,” said Utah Business Magazine.
For more information about OptConnect, please visit https://optconnect.com.
About Utah Business
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 http://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
Gateway Group
Christina Lockwood, Ryan Deloney
(949) 574-3860
optconnect@gateway-grp.com
