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- May 25, 2024
Cyber attacks on organizations of every size have been on an alarmingly steep rise as of late—specifically business email compromise (BEC) and adversary in the middle (AiTM) attacks, which are some of the most financially damaging (think wire fraud and ACH fraud).
Though these tactics are more devious and sophisticated than ever, they are preventable!
We feel a sense of urgency and obligation to implore our customers to be extremely cautious in your email handling practices and online activity, and ALWAYS VERIFY the legitimacy of a request before taking any action. It costs nothing to pick up the phone and call the supposed sender of an email before changing their payment information, for instance.
In recent months, it has gutted us to witness many Nebraska businesses fall victim to substantial cyber fraud.
If you are a managed IT client of ours, know that we have many layers of security in place to protect your organization. However, having the best seat belt, air bag, and car insurance doesn’t mean you should drive recklessly. A highly sophisticated AiTM attack on a naive end-user can still cause damage and cost your company in dollars, data, and damage to your reputation.
Knowledge is power.
An educated end-user is an empowered one and is far less likely to be duped or deceived. Below, we’ve included more information about the workings of these attacks as well as best practices for handling questionable emails.
Please share this information with your team or organization, as the end-user is your last line of defense.
What is business email compromise?
Business email compromise (BEC) is an exploit and often a phishing attack in which an attacker obtains access to a business email account and imitates the mailbox owner’s identity in order to defraud the company and its employees, customers, or partners. The culprit poses as a trusted figure, then asks for a fake bill to be paid or for sensitive data they can use in another scam. BEC scams are on the rise due to increased remote work—there were nearly 20,000 BEC complaints to the FBI last year. BEC incidents can lead to potential data theft and ransomware deployment as the attacker gains knowledge and understanding of business systems.
What is an AiTM attack?
This is a type of attack that involves session hijacking. It may originate from a compromised trusted vendor and transition into “adversary in the middle,” in which the attacker waits for a victim to log into an application (such as a banking or email account), and then swoops in to steal the session cookie. The attacker then uses the cookie to log into the owner’s account but, instead, from the attacker’s browser.This allows the attacker to bypass MFA methods for a time determined by the cookie expiration period, which may be minutes, hours, or days.
Tips and Pointers on Spotting and Handling BEC & AiTM attacks
The key practice we want to stress (and it is absolutely free and effective) is:
- VERIFY! VERIFY! VERIFY!
ALSO IMPORTANT:
- DO NOT trust that the sender is who it appears to be. It’s easy to spoof an email address. Once again, pick up the phone and speak directly to the supposed sender. It costs nothing to call and ask "Did you send me this email requesting a wire transfer?" However...
- DO NOT use the phone number provided in the email to call for verification. Find the contact information you know to be true for the individual or organization.
- DO NOT click any links in emails you weren’t expecting or that seem unusual. If you need to visit a website, type the URL into your search bar yourself.
- DO NOT open any attachments in emails you weren’t expecting or that seem unusual.
- DO NOT trust unusual or unexpected SMS messages either. If you receive a strange text message to your phone alleging to be someone you know, find a way to call the correct number and verify the request.
BOTTOM LINE:
If a request is unusual, unprompted, uncharacteristic of the sender, urges you to perform a task, or involves financial or other personal sensitive information, it warrants a phone call (or if they’re in your office, a face to face).
As always, please call or email us with any questions or concerns. Your security is our priority.
And ask us about cyber security awareness training!We’ll periodically test your organization’s end-users with fake phishing emails to identify areas where you may be vulnerable, and we’ll follow up with specific targeted education and training.
Stay vigilant and stay safe!
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Applied Connective is a managed technology servicesprovider offering expert managed IT, phone, physical security, infrastructure, and audio/video solutions to partners throughout Nebraska and beyond. For the past 20 years, we’ve been helping our customers leverage technology to become their most secure, efficient, and profitable.
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Kory Bourek
IT Support Specialist
Kyle Oldenkamp
Relationship Manager
Shelby James
IT Support Specialist in the Panhandle
- I've never met a cat I couldn't eventually be friends with. And I have been called "the cat whisperer" and/or "cat woman" by family and friends.
- I'm a mother of 7 pets. I have 3 dogs and 4 cats.
- I'm an avid reader and read over 100 books a year.
- I got interested in IT because I love solving problems and making things work again.
- You usually can find me by following my trail of forgotten half full coffee mugs.
Mandy Luettel
Director of Growth & Development
- My husband (Greg), daughter (Mila), and I live in Albion.
- My past 10 years of experience include account management, sales, client-facing, relationship building, recruiting/hiring, training, and talent acquisition. I have my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from College of Saint Mary with a Masters in Counseling from Doane College.
- My husband and I are high school sweethearts. We both furthered our education in Omaha as well as spent 10+ years living/working in Omaha. Brewing great beer (and family and friends and this great community) is what brought us back to Albion, NE where we started HWY 14 Brewing Company in the heart of downtown Albion. It has been incredible coming back to a community that helped raise me and mold me into the person I am today.
- My go to karaoke songs are Journey-Don’t Stop Believin’ or Lady Gaga-Shallow.
- I believe kitchens are for dancing.
Noah Burwell
IT Support Specialist
- I'm originally from David City, NE.
- Wayne State College Class of 2024 for computer science.
- I'm a lover of JDM vehicles, but I love working on anything I can get my hands on.
- I enjoy working with my hands and being on the move. Sitting still is my worst enemy.
- My dad has passed on his love of building and flying planes to me, and I'm looking to get my pilot's license.
- Most vacations I go on involve fishing with my dad and my brother.
Chase Gragg
IT Support Specialist
- I grew up in the Midwest but have lived everywhere from a boat in Florida to a couch in California.
- I’m currently studying IT Support at Central Community College, but my first try was at Iowa State as an Aerospace Engineer.
- I’m on scholarship for the Central Community College esports team playing League of Legends.
- I also serve in the Nebraska Army National Guard as a Retransmission Operator. When one radio is out of range to talk to another, I set up two giant antennas in the middle of nowhere to connect them.
- I’ll never forget that Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. I competed in Quiz Bowl at Columbus Public High School, and that trivia question is the reason I finished 2nd instead of 1st in the district. I also won 1st in the KTCH Radio Quiz Bowl competition.
Vaughn Finkral
IT Support Specialist
- I went to Northeast Community College for two years and am currently at Wayne State to finish.
- I loved speech and drama during high school but also did football, track, and other extracurriculars.
- I’m on the esports team at Wayne State and was MVP for the League of Legends team for Spring of 2023.
- In my free time, I enjoy video games with friends, and on weekends, I love to hang with the boys at the lake or fish.
- I am deathly terrified of wasps and hornets.
Ron Leimser
IT Support Specialist
- My wife Susan and I were high school sweethearts. We have an adult son (Aaron) and adult daughter (Sarah), that are both married. We have 1 grandson and another grand baby due in August. We live on our family farm southwest of Columbus.
- My son and I have a cow/calf operation and also raise chickens and sell eggs.
- Whenever possible, I hunt and fish, mostly deer, ducks, geese, coons, or whatever is in season.
- My wife and I are both huge Kansas City Chiefs and Husker fans. We enjoy traveling to KC whenever possible.
- My grandson is the 5th generation, and our farm will be in our family for 100 years very soon.
- An "interesting fact," I have never lived anywhere other than our family farm and have never been away from it for more than 10 days at a time.
Jill Petsche
IT Support Specialist
- Albion native
- Married my high school sweetheart (and now coworker), Travis—will be 17 years this fall!
- when we're not busy running to the kids' activities, I enjoy camping, spending time with my faily, playing on an indoor ladies volleyball league/summer sand volleyball, and reading. I'm also guilty of wasting hours binging shows on Netflix.
- One of the silliest questions I get asked is if my set of boy/girl twins are identical!
- I am not a morning person. I am not a night owl. I just really like my sleep . . . 😊
Nevan Hoffman
IT Support Specialist
- Graduated from Fullerton High School in 2016 and Wayne State College in 2020.
- I grew up in Fullerton and now live in Omaha.
- I have 3 brothers and 1 sister.
- I have 5 nieces and 2 nephews with a set of twin nephews on the way.
- My favorite show recently is HBO's Succession.
- Applied's resident Mac expert!
Lacey Henn
Administrative Assistant
- I married my high school sweetheart
- My husband, Edward, sons Cullen, Noah and I live in Albion.
- In my free time, you can probably catch me snuggling my boys or hanging with my family and friends.
- We have a mini aussie named Millie and a cat named Zoey.
- Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the weather and bringing my boys to the pumpkin patch.
- I finally tried sushi a few years ago and now I cannot get enough.
- My husband and I's favorite sports team is the St. Louis Cardinals. We like watching them play on tv and have been fortunate enough to travel to St. Louis a few times to watch them.
Andrew Grupp
IT Support Specialist
- I live in Albion, though I grew up in South Dakota and went to high school in San Diego, California. Albion is home and I absolutely love living here!
- I have four children who are absolutely following in my nerdy footsteps. They're all into 3D printing and PC gaming.
- I've worked for Gateway in the past (remember the cow-spotted boxes?) and spent quite a bit of time driving a truck before returning to my tech roots.
- Hobbies of mine include producing music, writing, making mead and PC gaming.
- I hold a General class amateur radio license and have built more than a few radio kits.
Heath Murray
IT Support Specialist
- I was born and raised on a farm southwest of Tilden, NE. I went to country school K-6 and graduated high school from Elkhorn Valley High School in Tilden, NE.
- My wife Nadine and I now live in Pierce, NE.
- I attended NECC and received an Associate’s degree in Cyber security and IT support and earned the Comp TIAA Security + certification.
- We have 5 children Cody, Kenley, Nathan, Sydney and Taylor as well as 6 grandchildren, Colter (6), Taron (4), Mavvis (2), Watson (1), Everett (11 months) and Ryett (8 months).
- We are fortunate that 3 of our children live within blocks of us, 1 only 13 miles away and the baby of the family finishing school in Kearney, NE.
- My wife and I raise French bulldogs and are bee-keepers (honey bees).
- In the free time that we have, we like to spend time with the kids and grandkids.
Will Frey
AVS Technician
- I was born and raised in Albion, NE.
- I went to Boone Central and graduated in 2019.
- I love being outdoors whether its hunting, fishing, camping, or boating.
- I have a German Shorthair Pointer named Gunner, and he is definitely a hand full.
- When September 1st rolls around, good luck finding me. I’m usually in a tree stand or out west stalking deer with my bow.
Konnor Gibson
IT Systems Specialist
- My wife and I live in Norfolk, NE, with one dog, three cats, and a turtle.
- I am from Lincoln, and moved to Norfolk in 2021.
- I got my start in IT working at a ISP in Lincoln, and have lots of experience with fiber and wireless service providing.
- Bomgaars is my favorite store after moving here in 2021.
- I’ll take any chance I can to meet a dog.
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
- Canned chicken
- Canned beans
- Whole grain pasta
- Whole grain cereals
- Rice
- Applesauce
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Powdered milk
- Boxed meals
- Cooking oils
- Crackers
- Granola bars
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Mouthwash
- Detergent
- Hand soap
- And any other food, hygiene, or household product that is unused, unopened, and unexpired.
Kenley Silhacek
Senior IT Systems Engineer
- I am born and raised in Pierce, NE. I currently live in Pierce with my wife Joey and 3 boys Colter, Taron, and Watson. We have an incredibly tight-knit family with all of our close family living within a few blocks of each other.
- I graduated high school from Pierce High School in 2010 and went on to NECC to get my associate's in PC Support and Networking. I later went back to school and took online classes to get my bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity from Bellevue University.
- I currently run a small business with my brother and best friend that we started in a basem*nt. We make custom duck and goose calls. We started Hammer Calls in 2015 and have grown that into almost a full-time job on its own.
- I have a long background in IT with working for a local wireless ISP through college and then moved over to Faith Regional doing networking and cybersecurity for 7 years.
- One of my favorite past times is golfing. With my kids getting older, they love coming along and learning how to play the game. They especially like driving me around in the golf cart now that they are old enough to reach the pedals.
Mason Uhing
IT Support Specialist
- I just graduated from Northeast Community College with an Associate's Degree in Network Security and Technical Services Support.
- I graduated from North Bend Central in 2021, while attending high school at North Bend I worked alongside the Technology Coordinator at the school.
- I grew up in Dodge Nebraska and lived there my entire life before moving to Norfolk for college.
- In my free time, I enjoy hunting, bowfishing and any vehicle related project.
- A fun fact about myself is that I own a replica of the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo.
Faith Nunn
IT Support Specialist
- I just graduated from Wayne State College with a degree in Computer Information Systems and a minor in Computer Science.
- I am originally from Harrison, Nebraska, and grew up on my family's ranch where I was able to work/show cattle and ride horses.
- My high school graduating class consisted of 6 of us and the high school only had like 30 students attending it.
- I love the thrill of things like riding dirt bikes, jet skis, cliff jumping, skydiving, etc. I haven't been able to sky dive or ride a jet ski yet, but they are on my bucket list.
- I was able to travel to Washington D.C. for National History Day my 8th grade year and I would love to travel outside the country soon.
Kara Frey
Administrative Assistant
- I'm a native of Albion.I graduated from Wayne State College with a bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising.
- My prior work history includes retail and administrative work.Once upon a time, I worked as an assistant buyer with big dreams of becoming Rachel Green from FRIENDS! Life threw a curve ball when my husband changed careers, and honestly, I love raising our kids in this little town we grew up in.
- Knowing that, it's probably no surprise that I think retail therapy is the best kind of therapy.My husband swears the UPS and FedEx drivers high-five as they meet in the driveway.
- I’m married to Eric and we have 4 girls (Ava, Norah, Mya, and Marah), a dog, and a bunch of farm cats.
- A little known fact about me is I’m NOT an animal lover—especially of cats. I rank them just slightly above a rodent, but here I am, living the dream tripping over a herd of cats every time I step outside my door.
Brandi Lueninghoener
IT Support Specialist
- I grew up on a farm outside of Meadow Grove with dairy cattle and sheep. My family only has sheep now (approx. 300). At one point they had around 700.
- I attended Dakota State University in Madison, SD, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, all within 5 years.
- I started my career in the electricity industry and moved to Grand Island; I decided that I wanted to be closer to family, so I moved back to Meadow Grove.
- I’m the oldest of 3 sisters, but I’m the shortest.
- I love scrapbooking, relaxing and watching tv, playing with our family’s dog, and spending time with family and friends.
- I took my first international trip to Iceland in 2019 and climbed a glacier.
- My grandparents had horses, and I was bucked off one once but still got back on.
- I once got stabbed in the foot (between two toes) with a beachfork while cleaning out the barn.
- My dad threatened to send me to school with a football helmet after I broke the same front tooth twice—once by playing football in the gym and running into the cement wall and another time when I was roller-skating in the gym and I fell on the cement floor.
“Lakeview Community Schools has enjoyed our partnership with Applied Connective. They have been incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and cooperative as we have worked together. Applied Connective has provided a team-like atmosphere in their service!”
Aaron Plas, Superintendent
Lakeview Community Schools
“We have been very pleased with their communication, efficiency, and customer service over the course of the last few years. We would highly recommend ACT to any other schools out there looking for a reliable partner for your technology needs.”
Brandon Detlefsen, Technology Director
Central City Public Schools
“Their service is always reliable and timely, and the staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Our needs are their #1 priority! Boone Central is beyond grateful to have top-of-the line technology services and customer support.”
Nicole Hardwick, Superintendent
Boone Central Public Schools
“They’ve been with us every step of the way as we implemented phone systems, security cameras, and keypad doors. Their customer service is second to none, and their business knowledge is outstanding.”
Ronda Weber, Technology Coordinator
Burwell Public School
“Applied Connective did an amazing job with our school security cameras. They were very professional and easy to work with. [They’re] patient with our questions and quickly respond when we need some direction. The cameras work great and are very easy to access. Thank you for a job well done!”
Amy Sokol, Principal
St. Anthony's School
Lance Bain
Voice Technician
- I have lived in Lincoln for nearly 2 decades and recently decided "Hey, why not Albion?" Coincidentally, my fiancée and her two sons live here as well.
- I was born and raised in small towns around the Kearney area and graduated from Amherst.
- I'm a big family person. I am the oldest sibling with 6 sisters and 2 brothers, including a twin brother and sister who are 20 years younger than me.
- I like grilling and BBQ and recently got a black stone that I don't know how to use properly.
- I played poker well enough in my early years to not need a job, do some cool things, and visit some cool places...but not well enough to retire on a beach somewhere forever.
- I almost instantly know the answers to basic multiplication tables. Somehow this hasn't made me a millionaire yet.
Brigitte Burbach
HR Manager
- I have the sweetest fur-baby, a “Chuggle” named Trixie. She is mix of Chihuahua and Pug & Beagle.
- I grew up on a farm, but never learned to drive any of the farm equipment…..or a stick shift.
- I unknowingly ran a half marathon with a stress fracture in my leg.
- I love to do CrossFit.
Clay Anderson
IT Support Specialist
- I believe technology isn't a knowledge to be kept secret by a few, but a tool to be leveraged in order to help many. I truly love making technology make sense for everyone.
- After some related education, I spent a little over six years planning, implementing and maintaining wireless and wired networks and systems, receiving a crash course in all things LAN/WAN, Linux/Unix.
- I serve as the Technical Lead at my church North Park in Columbus.
- God has blessed my beautiful wife Rebekah and I with three children, Reuben, Agnes, and Thurston.
- Multi-year recipient, World's Best Dad.
Brandon Petersen
Relationship Manager & IT Engineer
Relationship Manager/IT Engineer – I work side by side with our clients to ensure they are receiving the best value from our products and services, offer insights to improve their workflows, and resolve any issues that may arise as fast as possible.
- My wife Jamie, along with our 3 kids, Haylea, Elijah, and Noah, live south of Stanton on our family farm. We enjoy going to all of our kids' sports, activities, and school events.
- I graduated from Northeast Community College with a degree in Computer Programming. Over the last 20 years, I've covered a wide range of technology fields. Manufacturing, Healthcare, Telecommunications, Agriculture, supporting organizations from 5 to 1,500 employees, I've done a little bit of everything.
- In my free time, I love to work outside on the farm or in the garage. We raise goats, chickens, ducks, and the occasional raccoon or potbelly pig.
- This is actually my second time working at Applied Connective. I previously worked here from 2011-2012.
- Our American Bulldog, Tucker, is a great-grandson of the dog "Chance" from the movie Homeward Bound.
- I originally went to college on a Caterpillar scholarship to be a Diesel Technician.
Logan Niewohner
IT Systems Specialist
- I have been married almost two years to my high school sweetheart (been together almost eight years). She works as a pharmacy technician, pursuing her masters in social work. We live in Albion, along with our two golden retrievers Tigg & Mercy.
- I've always been the first to volunteer when my family needed anything fixed with their computers, tvs, phones, or anything else. I've been repairing electronic devices and offering troubleshooting to the community for the last six months.
- I really enjoy video games, whether it be on the computer or console. I was in the top 1,000 players on the COD of leaderboards a few years ago.
- In my spare time, I'm usually spending time with my wife and family as they bring me the most happiness in life.
- I went from having 10 kids in my class though middle school to having over 60 in high school when we moved to Albion.
- I actually like mowing and landscaping our yard!
Justin Borgmann
Level 1 IT Technician
As a level 1 IT Technician, I assist customers in their daily IT needs, and respond to any issues that may arise.
- I was born and raised in Norfolk, and have lived there for all but 3 years, which I spent in Lincoln, NE. I enjoy spending time outdoors, camping and boating, and following my favorite sports teams, the Huskers and the Cubs.
- I love to travel, and try to attend a Husker football road game yearly. My favorite two cities I’ve visited are San Diego and Chicago.
- I spend several weekends every summer in the Yankton, SD, area, camping and boating with family and friends.
- I’m very family-oriented, and enjoy spending time with my immediate and extended family. I have one older brother, who is married and living in Lincoln. I try to visit them and my two nephews as often as possible!
- While my golf game is in need of some serious professional help, I enjoy getting out on the course on the weekends when I can.
Bryce Molt
Level 1 IT Technician
As a Level 1 IT Technician, I provide general help desk support for clients.
- I graduated from Cedar Rapids Public Schools in 2009 and attended CCC in Columbus, NE.
- I have a very large family and most live in the Boone County area. 21 first cousins and 15 second cousins.
- During the summer, my brother races a couple nights a week, and I help him out on the car getting it ready for the track.
- My family and I like to go camping during the summer and enjoy finding new places. This year, my nephew Axton will join in on the fun.
- I like to attend local sporting events or any Husker event. This past year was not a good year, but hopefully next fall, that’ll change.
Weston Ray
Warehouse
- I am happily married to my wife, Kelli Ray, who is a PA at Boone County Health Center in Albion.
- We have been blessed with four children, Sawyer, Harlow, Asher, and Willow, and we have two cats and one dog.
- I’m ambidextrous.
- I’m an avid hunter and have taken two Boone & Crocket Bucks.
- I enjoy golf, but baseball has always been my favorite sport. Growing up, if you couldn’t find me, all you had to do was look for the closest diamond. Speaking of baseball, I’m a HUGE Cubs fan.
Casey Schalk
AVS Technician
My role as a general technician at Applied Connective is primarily to work with the AVS crew to install and configure surveillance, internet, security, and voice technologies.
- I’m a Boone County native, born and raised.
- I went to elementary, junior high, and high school in Cedar Rapids and graduated from Southeast Community College in Lincoln with an associate’s degree in Fire Protection before moving home to Cedar in 2011.
- My wife and I have known each other since being young tikes. We got married in 2017 and started our own little family, adding two boys, Riggins and Pierce.
- I am a die-hard Detroit Lions fan (even through the 0-16 season)! Not many people would stick around to see the bad (and the really bad) and continue to cheer on the same team for a lifetime. I would say a “bucket list” item for me is to live to see the Lions make the Super Bowl.
Grady Higgins
IT Support Specialist
- I live in Newman Grove with my wife Cara and two daughters. I originally grew up in Grand Island and left after high school to enlist in the US Air Force. My wife’s family is from the Newman Grove area, and we love being able to call it home.
- In the USAF, I trained as a Communications-Computer Systems Operator and learned computer maintenance and repair with some network administration. I’ve worked for 12 years as a 911 dispatcher helping the public.
- Ever since leaving the military, computers and computer gaming have been hobbies that I enjoy.
- Genealogy is another hobby I have gotten into the last few years, and it has become more of an addiction than hobby!
- I come from a family with lots of military and public safety history and we are always proud to serve near and far.
- My wife and I have the same cousins. We enjoy the fact that our families have known each other before we were born as my aunt and Cara’s uncle married.
Eric Beckman
AVS Project Foreman
- I graduated from Elgin Public in 2002 and never attended college.
- I still live in Elgin with my wife Anney of 18 years along with our children Jeslynn, Taylor, and Benson.
- I ran my own trucking business for 14 years until I decided to head in a different direction in life.
- I really enjoy working with my hands, especially building things or taking stuff apart to see how it works and putting it back together.
- I have been a Kansas City Chiefs fan for a long time (even though they were terrible for most of it), so in the fall, I try to spend all weekend watching football!
Kris Wright
General Technician
My role as General Technician includes installation and troubleshooting of door access and camera security systems.
- I have been married to my wife, Jamie, for 17 years and have two wonderful children, Lauryn and Kaleb
- I’ve spent the last 11 years as a residential and small business technician for cable contractor for Cox communications and, recently, Eagle Communications here in the Albion area.
- I enjoy helping coach my kids sporting events and, when not coaching, traveling to watch them play.
- My favorite past-time—besides sitting in my chair—is grilling. There is nothing better then being outside smoking a pork butt or beef brisket all day.
Mikki Mangus
General Accountant
Some of my duties as General Accountant include payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable and reconciliation. I am happy that I am part of the Applied Connective Team.
- I live in Albion with my husband Tom. Between the two of use we have six kids, three boys & three girls, kind of like the Brady Bunch.
- I have been doing payroll, bookkeeping, and income tax preparation for nearly 25 years. I enjoy working with numbers and the challenges that go along with it.
- I love spending time with family, cooking, and being outdoors. When all six kids are home, it gets loud, crazy, and fun.
- During the summer, I spend almost every weekend at Calamus lake, boating, fishing, and camping.
- Mikki is actually my nickname. My real name is Antoinette.
- My guilty pleasure is Snickers ice cream bars.
Heidi Kahlo
IT Technician
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Eric Petsche
General Technician
My role as a general technician at Applied Connective is primarily to work with the AVS crew to install and configure surveillance, security, Internet, and voice technologies.
- I’m a born-and-raised Boone County native.
- I went to elementary school in Petersburg, high school at Boone Central here in Albion, graduated with a degree in business administration from Southeast Community College in Lincoln, and moved back to Petersburg in 2015.
- My wife, Tori, and I have known each other since junior high, and we are happily married with three kids, Jade, Lexi, and Reid.
- As a kid in tee ball, I’ve was dubbed “Pockets” because I’d run the bases with my hands in my pockets, and it continues to be a nickname I hear often today.
- I’m a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan.
Kelsi Funk
IT Systems Specialist
- I grew up in a small town called Prague, which has a population of about 300 people.
- I attended Northeast Community College and graduated with an associate's degree in Information Technology in Cisco Networking and Internet Security in 2019. I graduated with my bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity through Bellevue University in 2021.
- I love spending time with my family. I have one sister name Mikala and 2 dogs named Oppi & Rexx.
- I have one niece named Harper and one nephew named Braxton. They both enjoy spending time with their auntie.
- I am OBSESSED with shoes. I only have about 85 pairs.
- My favorite thing to do on the weekends is go shopping, attend concerts, and spend time with my family and friends.
- I love watching Husker volleyball.
Chase Thieman
AVS Technician
My role as an AVS technician at Applied Connective is to work with the AVS team to install and configure surveillance, security, internet, and voice technologies.
- I went to Boone Central from preschool all the way through high school, graduating in 2020. I was raised in Petersburg and plan on living there my whole life.
- I enjoy spending my free time outdoors doing activities like hunting, fishing, working on the farm, hiking, and many more activities.
- I’m a big-time Husker fan and enjoy watching all their games no matter what sport it is.
- My favorite outdoor activity is hunting, and I spend most of evening either hunting or preparing to hunt (checking trail cameras, practicing archery, and hanging tree stands).
- The only vegetables I like are corn and potatoes.
Cody Banzhaf
IT Manager
- My wife, Stephanie, and I have four daughters and a dog named Cletus.
- We enjoy a variety of outdoor camping activities, including camping and boating.
- I am a former GM and raid leader of a successful WoW guild.
- I’ve been the recipient of multiple Nebraska Master Angler Awards over the years.
- When I was younger, I had a SWEET mullet—of which my coworkers absolutely insist I supply photographic evidence.
- In 2002, I was the Nebraska State Wrestling Champion.
Eric Henn
Voice Technician
My job is to do whatever Ed tells me to. Just kidding…sort of. I am part of the voice group.
- I graduated from Neligh-Oakdale high school in 2006 and Wayne State College in 2011 with a degree in K-12 Health/PE.
- My wife, Alyssa, and I have three kids, Hazel, Emmett, and Charlie. Alyssa is an RN at Boone County Heath Center and is the exact same person as me…only in a woman’s body.
- I love the sport of wrestling and have been participating/coaching since I was 5.
- I am a proud team member of “Buff’s Dairy,” the 2017 Neligh Men’s Bowling League Champions.
- Until I was about 18, I thought the lyrics to “Smoke on the Water” were “Stone Covered Water.”
- I do not like pizza cheese or cold cheese. All other cheese is fine.
Alex Herstedt
Telecom / IT Technician
As a Telecom/IT Technician, I work with traditional and hosted phone systems.
- I’m married to my wonderful wife, Kaitlin, and we have two daughters and a son, Jillian, Abigail, and Matthew.
- I have an AAS in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management and a BS in Information Technology.
- I was a chef for almost 8 years before switching career fields.
- I like to collect ferrite cores to irritate one particular colleague here at work.
- I’ve been serving in the National Guard since 2008.
- I am an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church.
Scott Whaley
Level 2 IT Technician
I’m part of the IT team at Applied Connective, so my days are spent setting up new PCs for customers; troubleshooting broken PCs, printers, etc., and installing new hardware.
- I have experience in large steel construction and general IT.
- I’m from Sioux Falls, SD, and studied political science at USD before moving to Albion in 2017.
- I enjoy watching the Chicago Bears & Detroit Tigers.
- I’ve been to all of the lower 48 states.
- My family and close friends call me Scoot.
- My guilty pleasure: I love to sing along to Jewel.
- I could not live without Red Bull.
- My favorite singer is Tom Petty, and I’ve seen him in concert three times.
Jessi Larson
Creative & Marketing
I’m in charge of creative content development and marketing here at Applied Connective—advertising, design, copywriting, website management, PR, and social media as well as coordinating philanthropy efforts.
- My husband Kyle, daughter Kacey, son Finn, yellow lab Huckleberry, and I live in Albion.
- I studied Advertising & English at UNL and worked in marketing as a project manager and copywriter in Omaha before joining Applied Connective in 2017.
- I am: an Albion native, mostly Czech, double-jointed in one thumb, and still patiently waiting for “Mambo No. 6.”
- We recreate different Christmas movie scenes for our holiday card every year—because we’re the jolliest bunch of [impersonators] this side of the nuthouse.
- My faith and family are most important to me, and I'm a big believer in the power of gratitude and a good 90s power ballad to change your day.
Matt Childress
Relationship Manager
- I graduated from Midland University with a degree in Business Administration, concentration in Management Information Systems.
- I grew up in Colorado Springs, but after meeting my wife, Brittany, in college, decided move back to her hometown: Albion.
- I enjoy spending my time aimlessly walking around Menard’s.
- I am a huge baseball fan. My favorite team is the Colorado Rockies.
- I am slowly but surely becoming a Boone Central Cardinal fan, and I am probably the annoying and way-too-intense guy that you hear yelling at the game.
- I buy Ranch dressing by the gallon because I basically drink it with my meals.
Sara Rasmussen
IT Service Manager
- My husband, Cody, and I have two daughters, two dogs, two donkeys, a mama cat, and sheep.
- I’m originally from Albion and am happy to live around all our family and friends.
- I’m fascinated by the medical field. I’ve worked in medical facilities and to keep my interest piqued, I became an EMT.
- I enjoy learning how to fix/build things. All of my family and friends are gifted in a vast variety of things, so I feel I’m always learning something new from them.
- Notification bubbles on phones/computers drive me crazy!
Nathan Niewohner
IT Project Manager
- My wife, Ashley, and I are parents to Greyson, Emersyn, and Carsyn. The five of us live in Elgin with our Huskie, Rex.
- I graduated from Northeast Community College with an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in PC Support and Networking (and also had an equal amount of music classes for my degree in college).
- I wish spiked hair and reversed upside-down visors would come back in style.
- In my free time I enjoy cooking, grilling, baking, or anything that involves food.
- One of my proudest accomplishments is passing the Nebraska Firefighter 1 certification.
Justin Niewohner
AVS Project Manager
I install surveillance, security, Internet, phone, and audio systems to fit our customers’ needs.
- My wife, Betsy, and I have two daughters, Julia and Emma.
- I graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
- I play in weekly leagues of golf, basketball, sand volleyball, and flag football throughout the year.
- I am a “beer geek.” When we grocery shop, I spend at least 20 minutes (or until my wife tells me it’s time to go) in the wine and spirits section looking up beer ratings on BeerAdvocate before I make a purchase.
- I am usually around a smoker on the weekends. I love barbecuing: pork butt, brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey, pork loin, etc.
Ryan Robinson
AVS Service Technician
I provide and coordinate technical services and support for infrastructure, access control, surveillance, and audio/video solutions.
- I live on our family farm near Cedar Rapids, NE (yes, Nebraska has a Cedar Rapids too!) along with my wife, Sarah, and our two children, Reagan and Flynn.
- I have a degree in Architectural Drafting and also have a strong Ag and Construction background.
- I love spending time with my family, whether it be taking an evening drive, playing with the dog in the yard, or just relaxing at night watching our favorite shows and listening to our favorite music.
- I’m a HUGE Dwight Yoakam fan! I’ve also managed to get my wife hooked and am currently doing my best to mold my kids to follow me into Dwight Yoakam fandom. This makes family road trips more like a Dwight Concert!
- My hobbies are few, but I can’t get enough of them. Hunting and woodworking are passions of mine. They require patience, adaptability, skill, attention to detail, and the ability to always keep your end-goal in sight—and I apply those skills to all aspects of my life, particularly when implementing today’s high-tech solutions for our customers.
- My mantra is “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.” If you’re ever in a tough spot, just remember those three things!
Jarod Dendinger
VP of Business Development
My role here at Applied Connective centers on business development, so that involves assisting our team in focusing on value-added processes as well as leveraging technology to provide solutions for our business partners that support them in continued success and growth.
- I have been married to my lovely wife, Shelby, since 2016. We have a two year old daughter named, Elliot, who currently is really into Scooby Doo, Trolls, and Frozen. We have a furry son who is 6 years old, Dennis the Goldendoodle.
- I grew up in Norfolk, NE and went to a high school that shall not be named. (Go Knights!) I graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and majored in Management Information Systems.
- I have worked in IT since 2006 and have had the privilege of working in many different facets of IT. I have dabbled in helpdesk support, networking, industrial automation, development, organizational change management, and corporate business system (ERP) implementation.
- I took 10 years of piano lessons growing up, and played bass guitar in a band “Rhymes with Orange” with my two older brothers – Eric and Jake (I’m the youngest of three). (Check us out on Spotify!)
- I grew up on an acreage in the middle of Norfolk, NE where my Dad continues to grow some of the best sweet corn in Northeast Nebraska. The sweet corn business really took off when me and my older brother would sell it door to door around our neighborhood with our garden tractor and trailer.
- I absolutely love being near or on any body of water, when I get to go fishing that is an added bonus. I spend as much time as I possibly can in the summer up at our family cabin on the Missouri River.
- Similar to Will, I like bowling, darts, yard games, cards and board games. I know he has troubles finding people to join him, so if he ever reads this, I would gladly participate with him.
Will Zoucha
VP of Operations
- My wife, Megan, and I have two school-age children, Aurora and Miles, and live three miles south of Fullerton. I grew up in Cedar Rapids, NE, and attended Wayne State College, which is where I met Megan.
- Outside the office, I try to spend as much free time with my family as possible. We like to work outside and sit around a fire and listen to music. We’re also starting to spend a significant amount of time playing/watching/traveling to softball, baseball, volleyball, football, basketball, swimming, 4-H, etc., etc., etc.
- I am the longest-tenured employee at Applied Connective, not counting the Boss. I’ve seen a lot of really great things happen here and am excited for what’s to come.
- I like bowling, yard games, cards, and board games. I am very competitive and have been informed that I am unpleasant to be around when having lost.
- During football season, my Sunday afternoons and evenings have been and will be marked as “busy” on my schedule for many years. We also try to attend at least one NFL and one Nebraska game each season.
Ed Knott
President
As President at Applied Connective, I am responsible for organizational direction and general oversight of all product/service areas.
- My wife, Colleen, is an RN, and we have 3 children.
- I grew up on a small farming/ranching operation north of Taylor, NE, and received my bachelor’s degree at Doane College.
- Life is crazy busy, but if I get some free time, I like to enjoy it outdoors…preferably fishing or hunting.
- Co-workers love my unrealistic but realistic expectations for task completion…
- My wife would kill me if I volunteer for one more thing. I’m currently involved with or have been a member of Boone Central School Board, Teammates Advisory Board, Albion Citizens Advisory Board, Boone County Fitness Center Board.
- I’m proud and privileged to work alongside some of the brightest and best individuals in the area.
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