A Team Passionate About Quality
While we have an incredible passion for crafting quality IT solutions for our clients, we’re also quite human. In our off-hours, when we’re not spending time with our families and cooking (two of our team’s biggest passions), we love hiking and whitewater rafting, SCUBA diving or just hanging out on the beach, enjoying time with our dogs and sipping a craft beer or a fine wine, and watching movies like The Big Lebowski, GoodFellas, Airplane!, and Anastasia. Our team enjoys all types of music including genres like reggae and musicians like Dave Matthews Band and Jack Johnson.
Meet the Team
The Leadership Team
John Gapinski
President
Secured Retail Networks is headed by founder and President, John Gapinski. The core idea for SRN was developed after years of working in information and network security where John developed a niche implementing network security solutions for multi-unit restaurants. Realizing there was a business opportunity catering to the unique needs of hospitality and retail, he launched SRN in the summer of 2007 and has grown its customer base ever since.
John holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and computer science from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Chris Webb
Senior Vice President of Operations
As Senior Vice President of Operations, Chris has responsibilities in all aspects of the Secured Retail business. Focusing on process and efficiencies, he works with all departments to solve problems, refine approaches, and encourage staff to be as effective as they can be. Before joining Secured Retail, Chris held various operations roles within major companies in the healthcare field, most recently at United HealthGroup. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University at Long Beach focusing on Psychology and Marketing.
Jamie Ellison
Vice President of Strategy
As the Vice President of Strategy, Jamie develops and manages new strategic sales and marketing initiatives in alignment with SRN’s overall growth strategy. Before joining Secured Retail Networks, Jamie was VP of Digital for Virtual Graffiti, Inc, managing e-commerce sales and business strategy. Jamie earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management Information Systems from California State University Long Beach.
Melissa Fieber
Director, Project Management
Before coming on-board at SRN, Melissa’s past work experience was exclusively based in customer service, either in restaurant industry – starting at the lowest level and working up to managing several bars and restaurants – or in the medical industry as an MRI Tech. Melissa, who is originally from Wisconsin, is not a fan of winter – one of the primary reasons she is now based in California (but she will always be a Badger!)
Preston Strait III
Vice President of Engineering
Preston serves as SRN’s Vice President of Engineering. With a long history in IT security and deep experience in enterprise network solutions, Preston has helped implement solutions for large college campuses, school districts, healthcare institutions, Fortune 500 companies, and large retailers with thousands of locations. Preston currently holds numerous technology certifications including HPE Aruba ACCX, ACDX, and ACMX and the prestigious Fortinet NSE 8 Network Security Expert certification.
Scott Pederson
Vice President of Managed Services
Scott Pedersen serves as our Vice President of Managed Services, leading our team of engineering and support personnel. Prior to SRN, Scott worked as Senior Technical Leader at Tolt Solution/Pomeroy managing sales and operational groups including product engineering, service solutions, solution sales and marketing and professional services. Scott received his BA from the University of California – Irvine.
We’re Here For You
Our Job is Your Network. Your Job is Your Business.
No one wants to hire an IT Support provider, then constantly worry about their technology. Once you hand us the controls, we take it from there. We focus on IT, you focus on growing your business. It’s a great symbiosis.
