Rick Nelson joined Direct Technology in 2005 to lead Business Development efforts. Since then, Rick’s leadership and passion have become hallmarks of his tenure at the company. Rick and the company's business and technical leaders are focused on leveraging world class development practices to solve complex business problems for their clients. Often, described as sincere, funny, passionate, hard-charging and dynamic, Rick has infused Direct Technology with his own brand of energetic leadership and spirit.

Rick was born in Northern California, graduated from Sacramento State University with a Bachelor's Degree and later earned a Masters Degree in Organizational Management all while working for United Parcel Service (UPS). It was during his 11 years at UPS that Rick learned the value of workflow efficiency. When not working in the business, you can find him trail running, cycling, paddling, boating or attending one of his two children’s sporting events with his wife Cristi.

Fred J. Michanie was the original founder of Direct Technology in 1995. Fred is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina who started his technical career as a Software Engineer for a variety of banking institutions including California Federal Savings and Loan, and First Nationwide Bank. His technical career took him from Software Engineering to Software Architecture, building and laying out large banking solutions that bridged the ubiquitous nature of the PC with the power of mainframe applications which later led him to manage teams at Intel Corporation in Folsom, CA. Fred is currently the President, working closely with the CEO in the implementation and establishment of corporate strategies that ensure the ongoing growth and stability of Direct Technology.

Fred is married to Gabriela Michanie, who he has two wonderful children with, Mathew and Alex. They enjoy traveling together and discovering new places while immersing themselves into different cultures. Fred is an avid sports car aficionado and has recently been able to satisfy his need for high performance cars with his love for environmental causes by taking delivery of a Tesla roadster – the first high-performance, all electric vehicle. With the family’s implementation of a solar grid at their home, the Michanie family continues to look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint while enjoying their life in the California foothills.

Mark Denning joined Direct Technology as CFO in May of 2004. He is directly responsible for all financial management and reporting of the company. In addition, he manages all corporate finance, financial forecasting and financial/risk management analysis. With his 28 years of accounting, finance, and consulting experience in several companies and industries, Mark is constantly analyzing the financial feasibility of the company’s growth strategies and corporate acquisitions. Mark earned his Bachelor's of Science in Accounting in 1981, and his CPA in 1984 while working seven years in Big 8 Accounting. He is married with two children, and enjoys sailing amongst several other outdoor activities.

Damion Walkup joined Direct Technology as a Software Engineer in 1998. Today, he is a principal contributor in assisting partners and clients to identify and implement cost effective solutions to achieve their business objectives.

Damion also served as the Operations Manager of Direct Technology which led the formation of the company's current organizational structure, establishing open and regular communication rhythms. Damion continues to lead efforts that allow Direct Technology to operate under adaptable Software Development methodologies which provide reliable results while accommodating our customer’s corporate governance policies. Damion cultivates the delivery team to foster their talents to help bring their vision to life. Prior to joining Direct Technology, Damion was an Educational Instructor with AESA, where he developed new training programs that expanded the company offerings launching them into the technology sector.

Wud Pocinwong joined the Direct Technology team in 2006 to expand the technology consulting business throughout the West Coast. Wud continues to lead business development and create relationships in all existing and emerging markets in the Northwest.

Wud graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelors Degree in Fisheries and later finished the Executive Management Program at his alma mater. Today, Wud continues to leverage over 15 years of experience in Supply Chain Operations gained through leadership positions at Unisea Foods, Starbucks, Wall Data, ImageX.com and T-Mobile. Perhaps the most important learning that Wud took away from his diverse work history was a real appreciation for the power of customer engagement and loyalty to drive customer retention. Wud has established a history of consistently exceeding expectations and developing significant relationships with both clients and colleagues.

Wud lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Julie and two wonderful children Conor and Makari. Wud enjoys spending time outdoors and staying active. You can usually find him windsurfing, skiing, fly fishing, playing lacrosse, or soccer with his family and friends.

Dan Konieczny joined Direct Technology in December of 2008 to run operations for the software development and IT infrastructure divisions. Dan brings over 20 years of experience as an information technology professional. He has been involved in large scale systems implementations in the government and private sector.

Dan is originally from Western New York. He graduated from SUNY College at Brockport with a Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics. Upon graduation, he accepted a position from Electronic Data Systems where he spent over five years as a Systems Engineer. After leaving EDS, Dan joined Andersen Consulting (Accenture) where he had a 14 year career. As a Senior Executive (Partner) with Accenture, Dan most recently managed Cayuse Technologies and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Dan resides in the Sacramento, CA area with his wife and three children. Dan and his family spend most of their free time snow skiing, boating, and attending their children's sporting events.

Jason Adge joined Direct Technology in 2005 as the Director of Operations. While at Direct Technology, Jason has worn many hats, all with one mission in mind, to grow the company. He now oversees and is responsible for all of services Direct Technology provides to the Utility Industry.

Jason was born in Sacramento, California and had a very exciting career in baseball before entering the work force. He played for Sacramento City College in 1993 and 1994. While at Sac City, he was ranked in the Top 10 by Baseball America for all Junior College players in the US, invited to the fall try outs in 1994 for Team USA, and selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 1993 draft. After Sac City, Jason transferred to the Baseball Powerhouse, University of Miami, in 1995 on a scholarship. While at Miami he participated in the College World Series in Omaha, NE. He was then drafted again by the Cleveland Indians in 1995, where he signed and played two years in their organization. Jason is married with two children. He enjoys coaching his kids, golfing, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Todd Asher joined Direct Technology in 2007 as a Senior Program Manager and has driven several key initiatives for major clients, such as, Microsoft and Boeing. Now as an Account Manager, Todd is responsible for client relationship management for many clients in the Seattle area. Todd is passionate about helping companies achieve their business goals and gain the greatest return on their investment.

Todd brings 16 years of product development and consulting experience to Direct Technology. Before joining Direct Technology, he was a Program Manager at two Seattle start-ups. He received his Bachelors Degree from Excelsior College while serving in the US Army. He lives in Sammamish, WA with his wife and three kids, plays soccer weekly and is a big Seattle sports fan.

Kristen Blos-Long joined Direct Technology in December 2005 as Vice President of Professional Services and brings over 15 years of experience in Staffing and Human Resources management to the company. She currently leads delivery for Direct Technology's Professional Services division in addition to HR. Kristen's background includes building HR and Recruiting departments from scratch, and developing them into world class teams in Silicon Valley and the Pacific Northwest. She attended of the University of California at Santa Barbara and San Jose State, where she majored in Advertising and Marketing. She is married with two children and enjoys making wine, antiquing and spending time with family and friends.

Dan Colleran joined Direct Technology in 2009 to lead the Professional Services division in the Bellevue office. A veteran of the staffing industry, he began his staffing career over a decade ago placing nursing and healthcare professionals in Puget Sound medical facilities. Starting as a recruiter, Dan moved into account management, and was eventually promoted to branch manager. Dan moved into a District Manager role for the healthcare division of a $5B multinational staffing company. Ready for a new challenge, Dan shifted into a management role within the IT and Engineering space, where he found his passion for working within the technology sector.

Dan is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, where he was a five-time All American track and field athlete. Since graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and hanging up his track shoes, he plays soccer weekly and an occasional pickup basketball game. He lives in Shoreline with his wife, Erin, and newborn baby boy, Liam.

Dave is a native of Arizona and spent time in Ohio, Florida and Georgia before coming to California. He started his education with studies in Economics at Ohio State before transitioning to Nuclear Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Dave finished his studies by completing his degree in Business Management at Kaplan University. He has a wife and three kids and enjoys the ocean, outdoors and console gaming with friends around the country.

Dave Murphy is a complex systems integration expert and business process analyst with backgrounds extending into risk mitigation, economics and engineering. Dave has spent the last 14 years in various technology and engineering projects. One of the largest engineering projects included a position at Science Applications International. There, he was primarily responsible for the design of graphical plant interfaces for a nuclear plant operating system upgrade at the Oconee facility, owned by Duke Power in South Carolina. Dave has designed and administered a variety of information systems from small clients to multi-million dollar commercial enterprises.

Dave has actively participated as a presenter for a variety of topics in both waste management and technology. He presented on plasma waste gasification to Yuba Feather River Sunrise Rotary and Yuba County Board of Supervisors, microwave gasification for the Sutter EDC, computer systems power management to the Yuba County Chamber of Commerce and a variety of other technology related topics at various public venues.

Travis Pruitt joined Direct Technology in 2008 as a Technical Project Manager and brings over 20 years of experience in the Seattle software industry. Travis provides project management and technical oversight across a variety of projects within Direct Technology. Travis started his career at Microsoft and then continued to act as Chief Technology Officer for a number of start-ups, successfully navigating the majority of them through corporate acquisitions. He has a long history of leading effective consulting efforts on large scale projects to clients including Microsoft, Boeing, SpaceLabs Medical, AT&T, and many others. Travis continues to provide clients of Direct Technology with a breadth of experience that result in practical, successful solutions. He is married to his wife Shelly and has two precocious children. He enjoys participating in any activity that has a score.