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Meet the latest addition to our team – Saks Vig

Meet Our Team – Quick Q&A with Saks

We’re excited to welcome Saks to our growing US team at COS Systems. Based in the Greater Toronto Area, he’ll be leading our Principal Enterprise Architect leading initiatives to strengthen our technical capabilities across North America. Get to know him in this quick Q&A.

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

I’m a technologist with over 18 years in the telecommunications and IT industry. My background is built on designing solutions, driving process automation, and leading complex system integrations, with a specific focus on Open Access models, Fiber Broadband, Customer Service Provisioning, and TMF APIs. Previously, I spent time as a Solution Architect at AT&T, where I gained a deep understanding of the unique challenges large-scale ISPs face. Outside of work, I’m a dedicated family man – husband to a supportive wife and father to my 9-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son.

You’re joining our growing (US) team – what will you be working on, and how does your role strengthen COS Systems in North America?

I’m joining as the Principal Enterprise Architect. My focus is on aligning our technology strategy with business goals as we scale in the North American market. Specifically, I’ll be working on the COS Wholesale Engine and COS FSM application. My goal is to leverage the strong technical foundation established by the amazing team at COS and build on it to deliver rapid, high-quality scalability for our North American market presence.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

Honestly, it was a combination of the people and the mission. I had the chance to connect with a few friends at COS before making the decision, and seeing their passion really highlighted the company’s culture and genuine customer centricity. On the technical side, the clear drive to become the global leader in Open Access Network solutions is a journey I wanted to be a part of.

What are your goals for the coming months in your new role?

My priority is to dive deep into the COS product ecosystem –  the Business Engine, Wholesale Engine, and FSM. But in keeping with the COS culture of customer focus, I want to go beyond the software to really understand the operational and implementation challenges our US industry partners face. My goal is to translate those insights into a clear, outcome-driven architectural roadmap that solves real-world operational challenges and positions us for long-term scalability and market leadership.

What are you most excited about when it comes to working with COS customers and partners in the US?

I’m excited about the sheer scale of the opportunity here. The US market has unique and complex requirements, and I’m looking forward to collaborating directly with our partners to design architectures that meet those needs. It’s deeply satisfying to see a technical strategy directly translate into a smoother, more efficient operation for a customer.

What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?

I’m a big believer in deep-work sessions, or “Focus Blocks.” When I need to tackle a complex architecture problem, I proactively block off time on my calendar, turn off notifications, put on my music, and immerse myself in the task. It’s the only way to deliver high-quality, strategic thinking amidst the noise.

If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?

I’d love to instantly master Swedish – it would be a great way to connect even better with my colleagues at HQ! 

But jokes apart, I’d choose Generative AI for network and solution architecture. Being able to apply deep learning to instantly optimize Open Access fiber designs would be a massive asset, allowing us to accelerate our design cycles and get robust solutions to market much faster.

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?

Quality time with my wife and kids is always priority number one. With a 9-year-old and a 10-month-old, life is busy! Once the house finally settles down, I usually unwind by just disconnecting and catching up on a good series on Netflix. It’s the best way to turn off the ‘architect brain’ for a while.

Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?

Steadfast.

Connect with Saks!

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Meet the latest addition to our team – Zack Mitchell

Meet Our Team – Quick Q&A with Zack

We’re excited to welcome Zack to our growing US team at COS Systems. Based in Wake Forest, NC, he’ll be working closely with our North American customers and partners to help assess and summarize issues, along with assisting in the implementation of new features. Get to know him in this quick Q&A.

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

A results-driven expert in the fiber industry, I bring nearly 8 years of experience, from field operations to data analytics. This background provides a comprehensive understanding of customer needs in a Field Service Management Tool.

You’re joining our growing (US) team – what will you be working on, and how does your role strengthen COS Systems in North America?

I will serve as a liaison, working closely with our developers to translate end-user needs. This will enable the development team to focus more time and energy on feature construction.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

The Software and the Culture

What are your goals for the coming months in your new role?

To support our customers with increased documentation, release notes, and demos 

What are you most excited about when it comes to working with COS customers and partners in the US?

I’m excited to build strong relationships and further understand the needs of our customers

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I used to race dirtbikes when I was in grade school

What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?

Stop and recalibrate. I find it super helpful in times of busyness to stop, take a deep breath, and reshift focus to the highest priority items.

 If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?

Carpentry. Imagine being able to build any piece of furniture you want, completely custom to you.

 What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?

Watching trashy reality tv shows with my fiancé and laughing at the absurdity.

Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?

Confident

Connect with Zack!

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Meet the latest addition to our team – Nicholas Gerrer

Meet Our Team – Quick Q&A with Nick

We’re excited to welcome Nick to our growing US team at COS Systems. Based in Deerfield Beach, FL, he’ll be working closely with our North American customers and partners to drive product development and provide local support. Get to know him in this quick Q&A.

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

I’m Nick, and I come from a background in software engineering across a variety of business domains, including domain and hosting resellers, legal technology, and managed home repair. I’ve spent the past 10 years working in engineering departments, where I focused on leading technology initiatives and architecting business-critical systems. Originally from New York, I’ve always been passionate about leveraging the latest technology to solve real-world problems.

You’re joining our growing (US) team – what will you be working on, and how does your role strengthen COS Systems in North America?

I’ll be focusing on developing our Wholesale Engine application. My background in architecting business-critical systems will help strengthen the product as we grow, and being US-based means I can work more closely with our North American customers and partners to ensure they feel fully supported.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

A few things stood out to me. First, the company culture—it was clear from my conversations that COS Systems values its people and fosters a collaborative environment. I was also excited about the autonomy I’ll have as an engineer to make meaningful contributions. On the technical side, the opportunity to work within the Laravel framework and ecosystem was a big draw. And ultimately, I wanted to join a company that genuinely cares about innovation—not just as a buzzword, but as part of how they operate.

What are your goals for the coming months in your new role?

In the short term, I want to get up to speed on the COS product offerings, build relationships with key customers, and understand the US market landscape. Long-term, I’m aiming to become a go-to resource for our products and contribute to technical decisions that shape their future.

What are you most excited about when it comes to working with COS customers and partners in the US?

I’m most excited about learning a business domain that’s new to me, helping solve real challenges for customers, seeing the impact of our solutions firsthand, and building long-term partnerships. The US market has so much opportunity for growth, and I can’t wait to be part of it.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I’ve recently started prioritizing international travel with the goal of visiting a new destination at least once a year. I love learning about new cultures and ways of life—last year was Thailand, and next up is Italy. I also play ice hockey weekly in recreational adult leagues.

What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?

I throw on classical music or electronic dance music when I want to focus on writing code or developing architectural solutions.

 If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?

Speaking another language fluently. I’d choose this because of my love for international travel.

 What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?

Playing video games, watching sports, and catching up on TV.

Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?

Adaptable

Connect with Nick!

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Meet the latest addition to our team – Björn Sandman

Meet Our Team – Quick Q&A with Björn

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

I am 44 years old and was born and raised a little bit outside of Umeå. I have an education in computer science at Umeå University.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

I worked at COS for nine years, then moved to the audiobook industry, where I’ve worked for seven years to expand my views. Now I feel it’s a good time to come back and bring new experience and perspectives.

What are your goals for the coming months?

Getting back up to speed and bringing some good practices to improve our processes. 

Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Björn” button?

I am always up for conversations about pretty much anything!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I have an exceptionally acute sense of smell. While it offers little practical benefit, the drawback is that it makes me acutely aware of unpleasant smells.

If you could swap jobs with anyone at COS Systems for a day, who would it be and why?

Björn Wännman, it would be interesting to see things from the sales side.

What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?

Not really a hack, but focus on a task at the time and try to ignore other things.

If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?

I’ve worked on both front-end and back-end development, but I’ve often relied on others for the visual design. If my design skills were stronger, I’d be more independent.”

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?

Usually, any form of exercise does the trick. Either a run, a long walk, or maybe a visit to the gym

Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?

Energetic

Welcome back Björn!

CONNECT WITH BJÖRN
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Meet the latest addition to our team – Emma Hjalmarsson Wahlström

 

 

Meet Our Team – Quick Q&A with Emma 

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

Hi! I’m Emma, born in Umeå in northern Sweden. I recently made a big life change—from hairdresser to software engineer. I took a two-year program in .NET System Development with AI competence, a hands-on education where we started building projects right away. It was incredibly fun and rewarding, and it really sparked my passion for development. I graduated in 2023 and have since worked at a startup, where I got to apply and grow my new skills. And now I’m thrilled to be here at a global, well-established company, continuing my journey as a Junior Software Engineer at COS.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

Before I applied, I’d heard great things about COS from people who had worked with some of the employees here. When I walked into the office for my interview, everyone was so welcoming and warm—that feeling only grew stronger at my second interview. COS is a well-established company with a solid, well-structured system that I truly respect. The employees seem perfectly suited to their roles, and it’s clear everyone genuinely enjoys what they do.

What are your goals for the coming months?

I want to learn as much as possible about the company as a whole and grow into my role as a Junior Developer. I’m naturally curious and love understanding how things work. I’m also excited to get to know my colleagues—both here in Sweden and across other continents—and to better understand what everyone is working on at COS.

Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Emma” button?

I’m still new to the company and to my role as a Junior Developer, so I might not always be the right person for work-related questions just yet. But I do love a good chat, and if I can make someone smile, that makes my day. My hairdressing background means I’m naturally tuned in to listening and staying open to any kind of conversation. I’ve learned that when you do that, you often discover things you’d never have looked for on your own.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I pick up different dialects terrifyingly fast—it honestly embarrasses me sometimes! I’ll be mid-conversation and suddenly realize I’m talking just like the person I’m with. Help!
I also lived for a year in Barcelona, and I spent some time living in Hemavan, a ski resort in northern Sweden, while working in Mo i Rana, Norway. Fun fact: the road between Hemavan and Mo i Rana is only about 10 miles, but it’s incredibly tough to drive. Some days the road completely disappeared under the snow, and once I was even chased by a moose (true story!). They’re way faster than you’d think—I had to speed off in my car to get away!

If you could swap jobs with anyone at COS Systems for a day, who would it be and why?

Since I’m still new, I haven’t learned exactly what everyone does yet. But from what I’ve seen, I’d choose Maren Buchmüller, Head of Marketing—just to try something completely different. It also seems like a lot of fun!

What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?

Headphones on and 8D music—it’s magical how focused I become. I also make sure to take short breaks throughout the day; I prefer many small ones rather than one long break, and I always try to get some fresh air.

If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?

I’d love to instantly become an expert in more programming languages, cybersecurity, and machine learning.

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?

An audiobook while I’m driving or out for a walk is my go-to. A good workout—or a good meal paired with a great TV show—also helps me relax after a long day.

Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?

  •  Caring.

Welcome aboard Emma!

CONNECT WITH EMMA
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Meet the latest addition to our team – Dustin Dvorak

 

Meet Our Team – Quick Q&A with Dustin Dvorak

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

  • Born and raised in Fort Worth, TX
  • Programming computers for over 30 years
  • Bible Student in college at Dallas Baptist University where I also studied Linguistics, Math, and Computer Science
  • Served as a Communications Officer in the United States Marine Corps where I led the top 3 emergency response communications teams for the Pacific Theatre Area of Operations based out of Okinawa, Japan including Operation Tomodachi in 2011
  • Consulted in Energy, IT,  Telecom, and Non-Profit
  • Executive MBA from TCU in 2015
  • Co-founded Element8 Internet in 2015 and led the technology department as CIO/CTO through multiple iterations up to a 200bn capital raise with Digital Alpha Fund in 2023

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

  • While consulting for PRIME Fiber, I met COS’ CTO Sajan and CEO Mikael as a customer.
  • Quickly impressed with the teamwork, culture, and sophistication of the WE and FSM platforms.
  • The emphasis on automating business processes and operations in telecom, along with open access and interoperability, very much align with my own vision for my life’s work.

What are your goals for the coming months?

  • Wrangle the Customer Success Team Projects (and all associated Task-bunnies that tend to multiply rapidly!)
  • Increase team-wide efficiencies from Customer Feedback to Product Engineering
  • Make friends with my new teammates!

Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Dustin” button?

  • I can help with the entire software stack and development lifecycle, from managing infrastructure to writing code, pull requests, and documentation.
  • I am an expert in Strategic/Operational/Tactical planning.
  • I think in terms of force multiplication and greatest impact (probably because I am naturally lazy, so I want an AI that just does my entire job for me!)

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

  • I have a diverse range of interests, including computers, math, science, theology, and history.
  • Built my first computer at the age of 6 and my first Hello World program at 8!

If you could swap jobs with anyone at COS Systems for a day, who would it be and why?

  • Every single team member in a rotating round-robin to understand their needs, pain-points, and workflows.
  • Mikael because he seems like a lot of fun – so I would want to be his assistant for a day.
  • Jessica/Fannie/Spencer because they all know so much about their respective roles.
  • I don’t want to ‘swap’ jobs with Regian for a day – just hang out and play D&D with him all day while working alongside him on support tickets!

What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?

  • Focus is key; only do the next right thing.
  • Slow is smooth; smooth is fast; fast is lethal.

If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?

  • Functional neurology and chiropractic care; this has been a life-changing treatment in my own well-being as a combat veteran and I would love to serve other veterans as well as missionaries and the persecuted church around the world.
  • Within my current role and career path – I would love to become an expert in the toolchains for AI/ML as well as DSLs.

What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?

  • I love spending time with my wife, mother, and two girls!
  • I enjoy training our new puppy Montana.
  • Watching anime – IYKYK – enough said.

Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?

  • Ridiculous!

Welcome aboard Dustin!

CONNECT WITH DUSTIN
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Meet the latest addition to our team – Kurtis Lyne

  1. Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?
    I have been working professionally in the information technology field for 10+ years, but started learning IT when I was 13. I convinced my parents to let me purchase an old server off ebay so I could start hosting video game servers for me and my friends. Since then I have not stopped learning and improving my technical skills.
  2. What caught your interest in COS Systems?
    I had been working with a COS customer as a Third Party contractor and during my interaction with COS staff and Business Engine I found the mission of the company very interesting and had expressed my interest in moving on from my previous organization with Pablo Perez who I had worked with in the past.
  3. What are your goals for the coming months?
    Learn everything about COS and be able to provide high quality support to both COS employees and customers.
  4. Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Kurtis” button?
    I am always available and happy to assist with anything anyone needs. If I don’t know the answer I will always try to help research or find the answer.
  5. If you could swap jobs with anyone at COS Systems for a day, who would it be and why?
    I am fairly new to COS so I have not met everyone yet or figured out their roles. But I think switching roles with anyone on the dev team would be interesting. I have some development experience so getting to actually try being a developer for a bit would be interesting.
  6. What’s your go-to productivity hack when things get busy?
    Headphones for listening to music or podcasts to block out distraction and focus on the tasks at hand.
  7. If you could instantly become an expert in one new skill, what would it be?
    Software Development, I have some experience but being able to become an expert in a few languages instantly would be amazing.
  8. What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long workday?
    Video Games or TV
  9. Lastly, what’s one word your friends or colleagues would use to describe you?
    Dependable

CONNECT WITH KURTIS
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Meet the latest addition to our team – Regian Landström

Tell us a little about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

I’m Regian, an energetic and outgoing IT enthusiast with a strong background in programming. I’ve worked in IT support for around four years, gaining experience in both telecom and factory environments. My passion for technology started early—I’ve been developing applications and small games since I was about 10 years old. IT has always been a big part of my life, and I love learning and exploring new challenges in the field.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

I was looking for a place where I could grow both personally and professionally, and I truly believe COS Systems is the perfect environment for that. The job posting immediately caught my attention—it sounded like an exciting and challenging role. But what really sealed the deal for me was meeting the team during my interview. Their energy and passion made it clear that this was a place I wanted to be.

What are your goals for the coming months?

My main goal is to build a strong foundation of knowledge so I can dive deeper into my role as quickly as possible. I believe that having a solid base makes it much easier to expand and develop expertise over time. The sooner I get up to speed, the sooner I can contribute in a meaningful way.

Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Regian” button?

I believe that strong teams are built on connection and collaboration. Whether it’s bouncing ideas off each other, solving challenges together, or just having a casual chat, staying connected fosters trust and understanding. Even a simple Slack message can go a long way in strengthening teamwork, and I’m always happy to connect!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I am Sámi from my dads side.

CONNECT WITH REGIAN
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Our Sales team keeps growing – Meet Adam Puckett

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

Hi, I’m Adam Pucket, the new Vice President of Sales for the Americas. Born and raised in the Midwest, I’ve called Colorado home for nearly 20 years, where I live with my wife, our four children, a dog, and three cats.

My career has primarily been centered around telecommunications, with additional experience in IT Managed Services, Data Centers, and Private Cloud solutions. Most recently, I worked with Ready.net, collaborating with state broadband offices to deploy ARPA, CPF, and BEAD programs—guiding them from initial challenges through compliance and reporting. I’m passionate about finding innovative solutions to expand broadband access and enable opportunities in underserved areas.

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

I was drawn to COS Systems because its mission aligns with my own: to expand affordable, sustainable broadband access to families and businesses. Witnessing the transformative power of closing the digital divide—whether in education, healthcare, or economic opportunities—has solidified my commitment to this work. Broadband access is no longer a luxury; it’s essential for full participation in modern society, and no family or community should be left behind.

Additionally, COS’s reputation and product were major factors. Within my professional network, COS Systems is recognized as the go-to solution for Open Access networks. The company’s impressive backstory, coupled with its innovative solutions, made my decision to join an easy one. And as I’ve come to learn, the people behind COS are just as exceptional as the product.

What are your goals for the coming months?

My immediate goal is to help communities, providers, and partners implement networks that are both affordable and sustainable, especially in rural, tribal, and underserved areas. I aim to explore innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide and create opportunities that transform lives. This means not just building infrastructure but also fostering ecosystems that enable growth, from local businesses to educational institutions. Success for me is seeing the tangible impact broadband has on a community’s development.

Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Adam” button?

Let’s connect if you share a passion for bringing reliable broadband access to families and businesses. Collaboration is key in the broadband industry, where success depends on strong partnerships across communities, providers, and stakeholders. Whether you’re a financial partner, infrastructure builder, or service provider, working together can make the complex process of deploying fiber networks more efficient and impactful. If we share this vision, I’d love to explore how we can add value to each other’s efforts.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I’m lucky to have the ultimate backyard—our public lands. Whether I’m hiking, camping, fishing, or riding motorcycles, I really enjoy exploring this national treasure. It’s an American treasure that everyone should experience, and no one should take it for granted.

CONNECT WITH ADAM
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Our team keeps growing – Meet Sofie Arnqvist

Tell us a little bit about yourself – who are you, and what is your background?

Hi! I’m Sofie, and I was born and raised in Umeå, in northern Sweden. I have recently graduated with a Degree of Master of Science in Business and Economics at Umeå School of Business and Economics. Previously, along with my studies, I have worked in the electricity industry in customer service, administration, customer-related tasks, and billing. I have worked with most types of customers, such as private customers, small and large companies, and social media. My interest lies in developing and streamlining the business while it is of the utmost importance that customers, suppliers, and colleagues are satisfied with me and my work. 

What caught your interest in COS Systems?

Mainly it was the culture within the company, together with the people that opened my eyes to want to be part of COS. It is incredibly warm and welcoming. Beyond that, it feels exciting to be part of a growing company with an important value proposition to infrastructure and residents worldwide. COS has an environment that encourages you to be creative and work on streamlining and improving work processes. This is exactly what I was looking for due to my interest in business development. 

What are your goals for the coming months?

The goal is to familiarize myself with the work processes, mainly invoicing and reporting, and to gain a better understanding of the product. I look forward to having the opportunity to work with the company to optimize and improve existing work processes by having the chance to use the knowledge I have gained during my years at university in practice together with my previous work experience. I hope that I will be a trustworthy person within the company that everyone can rely on and get support from.

Why should people contact you and press the “connect with Sofie” button?

You’re welcome to reach out to me, as I’ve stepped into the role of Business Operations Manager at COS Systems as of August 2024. I handle the day-to-day operations, office management, and internal processes to keep everything running smoothly for both our team and external partners. Connecting with me can help optimize communication around COS’s operational strategies.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I love animals, especially horses, which I have been doing almost all my life. I train dressage but enjoy almost as much just working with horses from the ground. I have a cat named Milo, who is more like a dog than a cat. He goes on walks with me and is obsessed with closeness. He loves to sit on my shoulder when I’m walking around at home and, unfortunately, to hang and dangle from our ceiling lights…

I also enjoy food, both cooking and eating, which is something I like to do with family and friends on weekends, preferably with some good red wine or sparkling wine (especially champagne). A fun and maybe weird fact about me is that one of my favorite things is when I know I’m going to eat at a special restaurant because then I can sit and read the menu for hours in advance 🙂

CONNECT WITH SOFIE
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