Sponsors for Freestone

Experienced Company President with a demonstrated history of working in the retail industry, Kevin Spencer emerges as a visionary leader, spearheading innovation, and transformation at Rod Plus Solutions Limited. As the President and Chief Executive Officer of this international technology services company, Kevin’s journey is defined by a relentless commitment to excellence and a passion for empowering retail businesses with cutting-edge solutions.A product of both Glenda and Ronald Spencer and producing two fantastic children in Casey and Ronald, Kevin has created a legacy for them to take the journey beyond the stars. His beautiful and intelligent wife Xiomelki stood strong at his side. His roots were generated in the beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago.Kevin’s expertise extends beyond retail, encompassing diverse sectors such as distribution, supermarkets, restaurants, and more. With major clients including industry giants like Massy Stores, PDFK Group, Prestige Holdings and Grace Kennedy Food Division, Kevin has solidified Rod Plus Solutions’ position as a leader in the technology services arena. Leading a five-person management team across the Caribbean and United States, Kevin’s strategic vision and hands-on approach have been instrumental in driving the company’s expansion and success.

Tyler Young, CEO of Tonic POS, brings an impressive 16-year track record as a business owner and innovator in the payment processing industry. Under his leadership, Tonic POS has transformed into a thriving organization, known for delivering pioneering point-of-sale technology solutions across the hospitality sector. His extensive experience as a business owner is evident in his strategic approach to company growth and his commitment to fostering a dynamic workplace culture. Tyler believes deeply in the power of a positive organizational culture to serve as a competitive advantage, enhancing employee engagement and satisfaction while driving overall business success. Living in Atlanta, GA with his two children, Tyler values personal connections and enjoys unwinding and building lasting relationships outside of work, whether it’s spending time with his family or sharing a drink with friends

As CRO of vLoyalty Peter manages all existing enterprise-level clients, in addition to leading sales efforts to secure additional Tier 1 and 2 clients specifically in the retail and restaurant industry. Peter is a serial entrepreneur with sales and business development expertise, having co-founded several companies in the fin-tech/loyalty and marketing space. Peter was on the founding team that built Empyr, one of the first card-linked offer platforms, acquired by Chase. In addition Peter founded the world’s first-ever Facebook Credits Loyalty Program, Plink, also utilizing card-linked tracking. Most recently, Peter co-founded Leafwire, the ‘Linkedin of Cannabis’, which quickly grew to become the largest business network in cannabis.

Starting in 2012 as a Value Added Reseller, I worked my way up from a bench technician, to an installer, and ultimately to the Director of Hospitality. At the end of 2023, I decided to move from the Reseller world and into the Software Vendor world. I can directly correlate my professional success to the time I’ve dedicated to the RSPA. With the NextGen community, the under 40 rising stars, and all the education streams available to members, I know I will be just one of many success stories from this community. I have an overwhelming need to give back to the community that has given me so much.

Will has been around retail POS literally all his life, growing up in the family business with CAP Software, with roles in installation, sales, marketing, product development and partnership management. He took over the company in 2008 and managed the acquisition by POS Nation in 2020. He has been involved with the RSPA since 2002 and has extensive experience as a VAR and ISV. He looks forward to working with the Board again to keep accelerating the RSPA’s recent trajectory of growth and member value. Away from the office Will is a father of two and enjoys spending his hours outdoors with the kids, driving racecars, and traveling.

Blake Rouse is a seasoned executive in the fintech space. As Senior Director of Business Development at Cardknox, Blake’s leadership has helped the company establish itself as a critical player in the retail IT channel. Through Blake’s vision, the company has expanded its product offerings to new channels, opened new markets, and established strong partnerships with key ISVs and VARs. As a two-time RSPA Next Gen Rising Star, Blake has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering value to partners, customers, and other key stakeholders alike. Blake takes an innovative approach to partnerships and has helped develop custom partnership models and deliver new PayFac solutions to the channel and ISV world.

As the founder of Helpt, an outsourced help desk provider, Matt brings a wealth of experience in value creation through community building. With a proven track record from previous ventures, he excels at fostering collaborative environments where members of a channel can operate as a team to deliver solutions rather than a series of companies simply adding a markup. His deep understanding of the importance of listening, empathy, diverse perspectives, and alignment of objectives makes him a strong candidate for the RSPA Board of Directors. He is eager to contribute his expertise to the RSPA’s mission.

As Star Micronics’ Partner Development Manager, Kate Orara leverages over 18 years of retail channel expertise. Her diverse background in sales, marketing, and business development spans distributors, value-added resellers, and end-users. Kate champions the channel as the optimal route to support end-users and values the power of relationships to deliver effective solutions.

Since joining the RSPA in 2012, Kate has aimed to drive the organization forward, offering a fresh perspective to inspire and guide the next generation of channel industry leaders. Her platform focuses on mentorship and scholarship programs, along with promoting inclusivity and innovation within the RSPA community.

Farrell McKenna is the Vice President of Operations at STCR. STCR is a Value Added Reseller (VAR) selling point of sale solutions to the grocery industry, located in upstate NY, with customers all over the U.S and globally. STCR is a reseller of LOC Software, Toshiba, Datalogic and Vusion products. As Vice President of Operations, Farrell oversees STCR’s project management, technical services and support center practice areas, as well as overseeing vendor relations and the company’s marketing function. Prior to joining STCR over six years ago, Farrell spent the earlier portion of his career in financial services and commercial banking. He attended Cornell University, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Economics & English literature. Farrell has three awesome young daughters with his wife Lila, and lives in Binghamton, NY. He is also an avid long distance runner who has completed a number of half marathons and one marathon – soon to be two.

Kevin McGrath, founder of Value Systems, began his journey in the tech world by building and repairing computers during the day while working as a pizza delivery driver at night. . Kevin eventually transitioned into the point-of-sale industry. Kevin and his team have built Value Systems into a successful business by always focusing on customer service above everything else. Kevin believes if you are fanatical about customer service and the customer experience everything else will fall into place.

Kevin enjoys a challenge and looks forward to helping customers grow their business. Kevin likes to identify pain points and help wherever possible. Kevin believes there is nothing more satisfying than creating a lifetime relationship with a customer. Kevin has retained many of his customers for 20+ years due to his dedication.

Scott McClannahan, a tech prodigy, started his IT business in 1996 in Atlanta GA – at the age just 15. Born as a business to provide websites, computers and basic support for small businesses, he quickly found himself consulting restaurant and night club owners about their IT problems, AV solutions, and of course, their POS, throughout the Atlanta area. Scott soon realized that there was a unique opportunity to serve an underserved community and begin providing POS and CC processing services around Atlanta. In 2012, Scott moved to Denver Colorado and rebranded as Simple POS Solutions Inc. Since that time, Scott has served in multiple leadership positions including churches, schools, and even providing mentorship to young entrepreneurs through an apprenticeship program. Today, Scott is the President and CEO of Simple POS, still focused on serving Restaurants and Retail businesses but now uniquely works with other resellers to provide a value added partnership enabling small resellers to tap into the resources of Scott’s 24/7 support team, and national IT services with over 1000 clients from New York to Hawaii, and even Guam.

Kirsten is the General Manager at Electronic Office, a VAR in Clive, Iowa. She joined the retail IT industry in 2019 starting as the only employee in a customer service and support role. Through the years, she has transitioned to handling all of the day-to-day operations, support and managing the sales team as well. When she isn’t at work, she enjoys going out to eat, staying active(ish) and watching movies with her fiancé and their puppy, Rocco.

My name is Jarrod Newman, I’m a 20+ year veteran of the payments industry, having spent much of my career with two of the largest payment processors in the world. I’ve recently made the transition to the point-of-sale industry after working side-by-side with this industry for many years. I’ve been in sales for more than 10 years but have spent most of my career in client facing positions and the last several years in sales leadership. I’ve worked my entire career to be successful and make my organizations successful while always being a reliable and trustworthy partner to our customers and partners.

Mike Monocello has been a VAR, ISV and writer covering the retail channel since 2006. His current roles at DevPro Journal and Managed Services Journal place him at the intersection of solution providers, vendors and distributors, giving him a unique perspective and holistic view of the IT industry across many verticals. Mike lives in Edinboro, PA, a small town outside Erie, PA, with his wife of 20 years. Hobbies include nature and portrait photography, gardening, woodworking, video games, biking and “floating” on his Onewheel.

Paul Leduc is the President of Globe POS Systems, a company renowned for its innovative retail and grocery solutions. With a degree in Business Administration from the University of Quebec in Outaouais, Paul’s career began in retail, leading to a pivotal role at Logivision. His strategic vision and passion for the industry propelled Globe POS Systems’ growth over 15 years, expanding its reach and services. Paul’s leadership has been instrumental in integrating technology solutions that enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction, solidifying Globe POS Systems’ reputation as a leader in the POS technology space in Canada.

Blake Gillum serves as the President of DCR. In this role, he oversees the company’s financial health and strategy, ensuring its long-term success. With over 14 years of experience in grocery, retail, and hospitality solutions, Blake is passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences, tailoring solutions to meet clients’ needs, and providing people-oriented leadership. He remains actively involved in the retail industry and is a dedicated supporter of the RSPA. Blake actively participates in multiple association and advisory boards and is a member of industry association committees. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and son, and together, they love traveling, exploring the outdoors, and discovering new places in their RV.