Management Team

D. Sean McEwen (Chairman/CEO - KonaTel)

Mr. McEwen founded KonaTel in 2014 as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) to provide business wireless voice and data services. Immediately prior to creating KonaTel, from 2010 to 2013, he served as an executive management consultant to international telecommunications companies in the U.S., Peru, Croatia, Serbia, and China. From 2010 to 2011, McEwen also served as a founding board member of One Fund (NYSE: ONEF) an exchange traded fund.

In early 1983, Mr. McEwen co-founded Online Data Corp. By way of acquisitions and a name change, the company eventually became TriTech Software Systems. In its initial years from 1983 to 1990, TriTech developed a variety of custom enterprise software solutions for E. F. Hutton Life Insurance, Travel Lodge Hotels, Foodmaker (Jack in the Box restaurants), AT&T, and Visa's Plus Systems national ATM network.

In 1990, TriTech shifted to providing mission critical enterprise software solutions and systems integration services for local and national public safety organizations (i.e., Police, Fire, and EMS). TriTech's flagship product, VisiCAD, was the nation's first 9-1-1 emergency dispatching system based solely on Microsoft technology, utilizing integrated GPS based tracking and predictive routing technology. In 1995, TriTech won Microsoft's Most Innovative Windows Application award, and in 1998, TriTech was named to the Inc. 500 as the 344th fastest growing privately held company in the United States.

Mr. McEwen served as Vice President of TriTech from 1983 to 1988, President from 1988 to 1996, and Chairman/CEO from 1996 to 2000. In addition, Mr. McEwen served as a member of the board of directors until successfully exiting the company in 2006 when controlling interest was sold to Westview Capital Partners.

Chuck Griffin (President/COO - KonaTel)

Mr. Griffin brings over 25 years of executive telecommunications experience to KonaTel and currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining KonaTel, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lingo Communications. Lingo, part of Bullseye Communications, successfully operates as a global provider of voice and data services spanning residential, SMB, enterprise, and wholesale markets, while serving over 250,000 customers worldwide.

While CEO of Lingo, formerly Impact Telecom, Mr. Griffin was instrumental in building the company into an international facilities-based TDM and VoIP company, managing over 25 billion voice minutes across its worldwide network. With private equity investment, Impact grew both organically and through acquisitions to over 400 employees and $300 million in annual revenue. During Mr. Griffin's tenure, some of Lingo's acquisitions included brands such as Excel, Matrix, AmericaTel, Startec, Vancouver Telecom, Touch 1, TNCI, PacWest, Unipoint, and PacWest Telecom.

Prior to his tenure with Impact, Mr. Griffin held multiple executive positions including CEO, Chief Operating Officer, VP of Business Development, and VP of Sales for various companies including ICG Communications, Idigi Wireless, @Link Networks, and iPath Communications. These opportunities provided exposure to a variety of technologies including ATM, MPLS, Ethernet over Copper (EoC), Point to Multi-Point fixed base wireless, Dedicated Internet Access (DIA), Class IV and Class V Voice over IP, and native SIP solutions. A business development specialist, Mr. Griffin has led organizations across many phases of growth including start-up, stacked acquisition, as well as restructuring and synergy efforts.

Mr. Griffin graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Business Communications from Metropolitan State University of Colorado. A lover of the outdoors, Mr. Griffin is a licensed pilot, alpinist, and has lived in Colorado with his wife of over 33 years.

Brian Riffle (CFO - KonaTel)

Mr. Riffle is a Certified Public Accountant with over 35 years of experience in various industries. He is the managing partner of the certified public accounting firm of CFO Strategies. His industry experience has included retail, healthcare, financial services, cloud computing, and telecommunications organizations. Mr. Riffle has also served as a master's level college accounting instructor since 1994.

Mr. Riffle holds certifications in several popular accounting system packages and cloud-based software applications, and he has implemented accounting systems and industry-specific operational software solutions for over 200 companies. Since 2014, Mr. Riffle has served as KonaTel's corporate accountant and CFO since becoming a publicly traded company in 2017.

Mr. Riffle earned a B.A. in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1987.

Joshua Ploude (CEO - Apeiron Systems, a KonaTel subsidiary)

Mr. Ploude is CEO and co-founder of Apeiron Systems, and since its founding in 2013, has guided the company's vision and operational strategy. Apeiron became a wholly owned subsidiary of KonaTel in late 2018. Mr. Ploude works directly with software, hardware, and carrier network vendors in the development of Apeiron's software-based cloud service platform, while ensuring requisite functionality to support a variety of corporate initiatives.

Prior to the founding of Apeiron, Mr. Ploude led the planning and creation of various national Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) and Internet Service Provider (ISP) facilities-based networks. He has also managed multiple greenfield network deployments (i.e., a new network where no previous network existed) across various wireline and wireless deployments.

From 1999 to 2005, Mr. Ploude served as CTO of PCS1/Datavo, a facilities-based CLEC serving a California-wide footprint. From 2006 to 2010, he served as President/CEO of Ethos Communications, a consultancy assisting CLECs and ISPs with operational and technology development. From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Ploude served as CTO of TNCI, a facilities-based CLEC & ISP, serving a 48-state national network.

Mr. Ploude holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from UCLA.

Paul LaPier (VP Finance - KonaTel)

Mr. LaPier serves as the Vice President of Finance for KonaTel.

Mr. LaPier previously served as Controller of Prosper Wireless, a provider of wireless services under the now expired Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Prior to his time at Prosper, Mr. LaPier served as Vice President of Finance and corporate secretary of KonaTel from 2018 to 2022.

Mr. LaPier has worked in the telecommunications industry for more than 25 years. He initially started with Excel Telecommunication, a provider of long-distance services. After Excel, Mr. LaPier worked for VarTec Telecom, Sage Telecom, dPi Teleconnect, US Connect & BT of the Americas. Mr. LaPier served in a variety of upper management level tax and finance roles specializing in compliance, audit management, billing system implementation and M&A transactions.

Mr. LaPier holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.