Sydney Rhea grew up in Fredericksburg, Iowa before moving to Cedar Falls. Sydney is currently attending the University of Northern Iowa to work toward her CPA and Masters in Accounting.
Outside of Next Generation Wireless, Sydney is very active in student organizations and enjoys golfing with friends.
Recently, Sydney was awarded the Rising Leader Award from the College of Business at UNI. This award went to a first or second year student that demonstrated great leadership, growth, and potential within a student organization!
Something you may not know about Sydney is she is very afraid of heights. Her favorite food is pasta and her favorite candy is sour gummy worms! Her favorite place to enjoy in the summer is on the Mississippi River - soaking up the sun! Someday, she hopes to visit Greece!

Daniel (Dan) Adams grew up in Lombard, Illinois and graduated with his Associates Degree from the College of DuPage. Since joining the NGW Team, Dan shares that his favorite thing about NGW is its culture and how genuinely everyone cares for one another.
Dan, his wife, and their two sons are very active in the Dixon Community. Not only does Dan volunteer to coach his son's YMCA soccer team, but his family regularly contributes to local food pantries and shelters. When Dan isn't working - you will find him spending time with his family, coaching soccer, fishing, or golfing. He loves pizza, Snickers candy bars, the show The Office, and Classic Rock.
Someday, Dan hopes to travel to Bora Bora and stay in a hut over the Ocean. He also hopes to visit Alaska or spend a month traveling in Italy!

Austin Blackburn grew up in Dixon, Illinois where he attended Sauk Valley Community College for Welding. Upon joining the Next Generation Wireless Team, Austin quickly realized how much he enjoyed the fun yet professional work environment. ``This is an amazing organization whose values are very helpful in our communities.``
When Austin isn't working, you will most likely find him spending time with his 4-year-old daughter and his 1-year-old son. Austin loves the show ``The Arrow``, Sushi, Sour Candy, and any genre of music. He describes himself as someone who is fun and always able to see the best in things. Someday, he hopes to visit Bora Bora to go on vacation!

Vicki Steffens grew up in Grayslake, Illinois before calling East Dubuque, Illinois her home. Prior to joining the NGW Family, Vicki worked at a Corporate US Cellular store where she was awarded a trip to Mexico the last four years for her performance as an RWC - an accomplishment she worked very hard for and is proud of. After joining the NGW Family, Vicki shares that her favorite thing about NGW is how much compassion and support our organization has. ``Everyone is always lending a helping hand``. ⁠
When Vicki is not working, you will find her enjoying time with her husband and two grandchildren. For the last five years, Vicki and her husband have taken on remodeling their home on their own and are excited to finally enjoy it now that they are finished! Someday, Vicki hopes to travel to Hawaii and experience a real Luau!⁠

Ryan Mahoney grew up in Carroll & Ankeny Iowa before moving to Cedar Falls to attend College at Hawkeye Community College. Once Ryan started working at Next Generation Wireless he shared that one of the best things about this organization is truly the environment created by his peers and Leaders. ``Everyone is here to work hard and help each other out``. Ryan has learned a lot in his time with NGW but one of the biggest takeaways has been to consistently work hard towards your goals.
When Ryan isn't working you will most likely find him listening to country music, eating chicken, or watching his favorite movie - Fast and Furious. Something Ryan has always wanted to do is travel through Europe!

Kolton Peterson grew up in Iowa Falls, Iowa where he graduated from Ellsworth Community College with an AA in Liberal Arts. One year ago, Kolton joined our Cedar Falls Team. Since joining our team, he shares that he loves having the opportunity to help people with their needs while working in a fast-paced environment. He also loves the opportunity to work with the same technology he uses every day.
When Kolton is not working, he is most likely watching or playing sports. He is very athletic and is actively involved in numerous sports leagues throughout the year. A fun fact about Kolton is that he currently holds his high school's strikeout record for most in a game and in a season!
Kolton loves seafood, chocolate, country music, and the movie The Final Season. Someday he hopes to go to a Yankees game and to travel to Dubai just to explore!

Summer Lee Shepard grew up in Rock Falls, Illinois. Prior to joining the Next Generation Wireless Team, she was a skilled Sandwich Artist at Subway. Summer shares that she was drawn to N.G.W. for the opportunities it provided her to work with technology while helping customers. She has always been that go-to person in her family when it comes to phone troubleshooting!
When Summer is not working, you will most likely find her listening to country music, watching Netflix, or cheering on the Bears or Lakers. Her favorite candy-bars are Snickers and Twix and her go-to restaurant is Culvers, but she also loves pizza and tacos. Something interesting about Summer is that she has had braces for over eight years.
Summer has always wanted to try is sky diving and someday she hopes to vacation in the Bahamas or Greece!

Bobbi Grego grew up in Oelwein, Iowa where she first discovered her love for sales and the wireless industry while working at her hometown U.S. Cellular. When she was job hunting in Marshalltown, she recognized Next Generation Wireless's name and applied. She loves how this organization and our services, provide an opportunity to help people.
When Bobbi is not working, she is most likely hanging out with her husband and their three cats, who they consider children. She loves pizza and will listen to any genre of music as long as it's not Polka! If you catch her watching TV, she is most likely tuned into some type of horror or thriller film. Bobbi is very outgoing and loves meeting new people!
Traveling to New York has been a dream of hers for as long as she can remember. Another bucket list item would be to visit Disneyland!
Bobbi recently volunteered her time to help remove debris in Marshalltown after the August derecho. Thank you for all you do Bobbi. We are so happy you're on our team!

Molly grew up in Reinbeck, Iowa before attending Upper Iowa⁠ University where she graduated with a Masters Degree in Business Administration and Human Resources Management. Once joining the Next Generation Wireless Team, Molly quickly realized how much she loves the size of our organization and the opportunity we have to make an individual impact.⁠
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Not only is Molly our HR Leader, but she is the current President of a local HR nonprofit membership group called Cedar Valley Society of Human Resource Management. She shares that this is something that keeps her connected and continues to push her outside of her comfort zone.⁠
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Outside of our organization, Molly lives on an acreage with her husband, two daughters, and three dogs. On the weekends, you will most likely find her family at the race track cheering on Molly's husband as he races his dirt bike. When they aren't at the race track, Molly enjoys reading, cooking, and watching movies. She will also never turn down the opportunity to travel anywhere and everywhere. Someday, Molly hopes to own a boat, live in a lakehouse, stay in an overwater bungalow, and travel as much as she can!⁠

Samantha Pewe grew up in Toronto, Iowa before attending the University of Northern Iowa to study Social Work. Although there is not an NGW store in Toronto, Iowa, Samantha was already familiar with our organization because her sister had worked here while attending UNI!
Once Samantha joined our team, she shares how much she loves that everyone here wants to see one another succeed. She loves how NGW feels like family and that everyone she works with truly cares about her as a person. Throughout her career with our organization so far, she says she has grown in her ability to support people from all walks of life.
When Samantha is not working, you will most likely find her baking, cooking, or watching Netflix. Her favorite dish is Chicken Alfredo and her favorite show is Law & Order SVU.
Something she has always wanted to try is scuba diving! If Samantha could go on vacation anywhere, it would be to the Netherlands because that is where her family is from and it is a beautiful place!

Kasey Wisnefski grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Princeton, Texas before graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with degrees in both Animal Science and Agriculture Education.
While attending college, Kasey took a sales class that truly left an impression on her and has influenced a lot of what she does currently in her day to day sales. NGW is the first organization outside of college to give her the opportunity to show what she can do. She shares that she is so appreciative for all the patience, support, and tools her NGW family has supplied her along the way. Kasey loves her NGW team in Dubuque and describes them as her 'dysfunctional family'. ``We are an assortment of individuals but somehow we all gel very well together!`` For those just getting started at NGW, Kasey encourages you to be patient and allow yourself to learn things at your own pace.
When Kasey isn't working, she is most likely cheering on the Badgers, Bears, Blackhawks, Brewers, or Rangers. She also enjoys throwing darts, playing softball, and going to Livestock Shows. Her favorite foods include tacos, pizza, subs, and seafood. Kasey's favorite genre of music is Rock and Alternative Rock, but she listens to a pretty wide variety of things.
As a 'low-key history buff' Kasey hopes to one day visit Pearl Harbor to see the WWII memorial. She also hopes to one day make it back to Disney/Orlando Studios now that she is older.

Lucas Shippert grew up in Freeport, Illinois and is currently attending classes at Highland Community College where he is working towards a degree in Arts with a minor in Business Management.
Since joining the Next Generation Team, Lucas shares that one of his favorite things about this organization is his team. His team has been incredibly helpful and supportive in helping him dive into the sales world. He's learned that to be successful in his role, he needs to practice patience and stay involved within the organization.
When Lucas isn't working, he is most likely eating pizza, watching movies from his huge movie collection, or watching his favorite show - Game of Thrones. He is also a huge Chicago Bears Football fan (GO BEARS)!
Someday, Lucas hopes to check skydiving and a trip to Jamaica off his bucket list.

Breanne Appel grew up in Denver, Iowa before serving in the National Guard as a welder. During that time, she lived and worked in Cedar Rapids. After marrying her husband, she moved back to the Cedar Valley and started her career with Next Generation Wireless.
Breanne shares that one of her favorite things about NGW is her amazing coworkers and culture. ``I really love the culture of the company. Everyone is really encouraging and friendly.``
For those just getting started in their careers at NGW, she encourages you to not feel overwhelmed. You will soon get the hang of it and find how rewarding and fun it is to work here!
Breanne's hobbies include reading, drawing, kayaking, and cooking. Her favorite food is frosting, favorite genre of music is rock, and if she's watching a movie, it's most likely the Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail (her favorite)! Breanne's dream vacation would be to go to Mexico and visit the Mayan Ruins.

Meet Beni Ntakirutimana, an RWC from Southern Burundi, East Africa. Beni graduated from Wartburg College majoring in Business Administration. In Beni's free time, he enjoys watching the NBA or Homeland. His choice of music is Afro-beats and his preferred food is pizza. Beni would describe himself as an ``interesting`` individual. He hopes to one day visit the Virgin Islands and to eventually ride a horse. Beni says the best thing about working at N.G.W. is that, ``everyone wants their peers to succeed...people are ready to provide whatever resources I might need to make sure that I excel in what I do.`` Beni talks about how not to compare yourself to anyone else when just starting at NGW. An interesting fact about Beni is
that he speaks 4 languages. How cool! Beni also mentions that he came into sales to ``gain people skills and see first-hand results...and to see how the wireless solutions we provide are impacting their lives.`` We are so glad Beni is a part of our team!

Kai Bouma grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska before earning a degree in Vocal Performance at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Kai later relocated to the Iowa City area where he enrolled in Music Therapy classes through the University of Iowa and began his career with NGW.
When Kai joined the NGW team, he was a little apprehensive about a career in sales. Music has always been his passion. However, he soon found that his true vocation is helping others and he loves that NGW provides him that very opportunity. Kai shares that his favorite things about NGW include our community involvement at local events and our team culture.
Knowing Kai graduated with a Vocal Performance degree, it should come at no surprise that he LOVES music (especially Symphonic Metal/Rock). But he also loves tacos, video games, baking, reading, crocheting, and the show Brooklyn 99. Something Kai has always wanted to do is go dog sledding and visit Scandinavia to learn more about his heritage!

Jake Burns grew up in Victor, Iowa before joining the N.G.W. Family as the Sales Leader for our Waterloo Team! Jake shares that he loves his work environment and the support he receives from our organization. He loves working with people and sales. ``Mostly, I enjoy the satisfaction of being able to help people with items and services they may need or want.``
When Jake isn't working, he is most likely lifting weights, golfing, playing video games, repairing electronics, fishing, or hiking. He loves pizza, punk rock, the movie Tommy Boy, and spending time with his wife, Amber, and four children Payton (12), Letty (6), Roger (5), and Jordy (2)!
Some things Jake has always wanted to do include deep-sea fishing, diving into the world of becoming a personal trainer, and honeymooning in Ireland!

Ally grew up in Iowa City and is currently a student at the University of Iowa where she is studying Psychology. When Ally joined the NGW Team in North Liberty, the first thing she noticed was how welcoming and friendly her team was. She's never been in sales so she shares that she has been learning as she goes. ``This is by far my favorite job I have ever had.`` Her favorite part about being in sales is how she has the ability to have some control over her own ``business``. Ally says she has never had a job that she has actually WANTED to go back to work until she worked at NGW. She looks forward to seeing her coworkers and enjoys working towards a goal with her teammates.
When Ally isn't working, you'll find her volunteering at Best Buddies, Dance Marathon, ALSA, and the children's hospital. She LOVES volunteering. Her favorite food are pickles and she enjoys watching crime shows. Ally describes herself as being very motivated and she shares that one day she hopes to vacation at Disney World!

Jose Manuel Ortiz grew up in Freeport, IL, ``home of the pretzels`` before joining the Next Generation Wireless team in 2012! Since joining the team, Jose shares that he loves the team atmosphere and family feel of this organization the most!
If Jose wasn't leading his team, he said he would most likely be selling sport cars. ``I was in the auto industry in my younger years, and I enjoyed being around cars``. Something else you may not know about Jose is that he designed an entire park back when he was running a landscaping supply store.
When Jose isn't working, he is most likely outdoors building, landscaping, or barbecuing. If forced to be indoors, you'll find him watching Judge Dredd or a movie with Sylvester Stallone.
Someday, Jose hopes to vacation in Hawaii with his wife, or bring the entire family back to Disney for a few days in Florida!

Annette grew up in Waterloo and attended Hawkeye Community College where she studied Business Administration prior to joining the Next Generation Wireless family. She is extremely passionate about her career here at NGW and credits her awesome co-workers and leadership team as to why she's had such a great start within the organization. She shares that she loves her work environment and all the people she's able to connect with. If she were to give any advice to someone just starting their career with NGW, it would be to reach out for help if you need it. Don't be afraid to ask questions!
When Annette isn't working, you will most likely find her outdoors, shopping, working out, or spending time with family and friends. She loves Chicken Alfredo, country music, and the shows Chicago Fire/PD. Annette describes herself as being very determined and goal-oriented. Something she has always wanted to do is celebrate New Years Eve in New York City and she would love to someday go on an Alaskan cruise!

Twelve years ago, Jennie joined the Next Generation Wireless Corporate Office Team after leaving an office position she held for twenty-three years. She shares that she is so happy she made that change. ``I work with a talented team who are all polite, willing to help with whatever is needed, and take pride in what they do.`` Another aspect of NGW that Jennie is thankful for is the home and work life balance she's had throughout the years. Having that flexibility as her sons were growing up meant a lot to her.
Jennie lives in Sumner, Iowa with her husband Bob. Together they have two sons, Jalen & Alex. When Jennie and Bob aren't working - they love trekking up to Northern Minnesota to relax at their cabin. Jennie enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking, fishing, and gardening. She loves chocolate anything and her favorite music is 80's rock. Something she's always wanted to do is visit Alaska. She shares that she will finally be checking that dream off her bucket list this summer with her husband!

In 2017, Next Generation Wireless welcomed on Megan Hix to the Corporate Team as an Accounting/Human Resources Associate. Megan says her favorite things about working at NGW thus far are the culture, work environment, and team. ``I love how passionate everyone is!`` Megan grew up in Independence, Iowa before graduating from Hawkeye Community College with an Associates Degree in Applied Science. When Megan isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, family, and friends.
In her spare time, Megan enjoys golfing and traveling. On one of her traveling adventures, she shared a story where she jumped off a 35-foot cliff into the ocean at Ricks Cafe in Negril, Jamaica! Megan is also a LuLaRoe Independent Fashion Consultant! Within the next year or so, Megan hopes to cross off a bucket list item... para-sailing! She also shared that her dream vacation would be to Italy...which makes sense because she absolutely LOVES pasta! Welcome to the Next Generation Wireless Team, Megan!

Travis Haight joined NGW back in 2013 as a Retail Wireless Consultant before being promoted to Assistant Sales Leader. Travis has a tremendous amount of passion and knowledge for what he does and it shines through his work. Travis grew up in Freeport and attended Highland Community College for General Studies. What he's learned throughout his career at NGW thus far, is that no day is the same. ``If you have a bad day today, forget about it, because tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity.`` Something he loves about Next Generation Wireless is how everyone ``from the top down`` feels like family. Travis is also passionate about baseball. Someday, he hopes to visit all 30 MLB stadiums in one summer! When he isn't watching baseball, you'll find him spending time with his family, listening to country music, and/or eating tacos! Travis describes himself as light-hearted and shares that if he could go on vacation to anywhere, he would love to go on a safari in Australia!

Catrina Sandhagen is actually sharing her 1 Year Anniversary this month with Next Generation Wireless. Back on March 27th, Trina joined the North Liberty Team as a Retail Wireless Consultant and has recently accepted a promotion to become the new Assistant Sales Leader! Manny shares that Trina is an absolute asset to the North Liberty Team. ``She brings a positive and winning attitude into work every day! We appreciate all that she brings to the organization and welcome more years to come with NGW!`` When Trina isn't working, she is most likely reading or spending time with her daughter. If Trina were to go on a dream vacation, it would probably consist of eating Mexican food every meal and a trip to Disney World with her daughter! Something she has always wanted to do but hasn't - is go to an Iowa Football Game!

Nathan Wiebold, aka Dubs, grew up in Shellsburg, Iowa before attending Iowa State University for Accounting/Finance. Nathan joined our team just over a year and a half ago and loves how everyone at NGW feels like family. When asked what animal NGW reminds him of - he replied: ``Wolf- because everyone unites as a pack and goes after the same thing.``Nathan says it has been so rewarding having a career at NGW because he's always had an interest in technology and now he has the opportunity to help people understand the very technology he's selling. He loves showing them how it can assist them in their everyday lives.
When Nathan isn't working, you will probably find him hitting up Johnny's Steakhouse, watching Troy or The Office, or listening to rap. Nathan said that if he could use one word to describe himself it would be ``superlative``. If he could go on vacation anywhere, he would love to check out Oregon or Washington. He loves the rain so the weather in Oregon and Washington would be just fine by his standards! He would also like to give skydiving a try someday, ``Free falling from an airplane down to solid ground-- what could go wrong!?!``

Blane Swanson joined the Freeport Team as an RWC back in September of 2017. Blane says that one of his favorite things about NGW is how his store is like one big family. Blane joined our team without having any prior sales experience but knew he was good at talking to people. As it turns out, Blane is more than a good talker - he's a great salesman! His advice? He says, ``...the worst thing anyone can say is no, but if you don't ask - you don't sell!``
Blane grew up in Freeport, Illinois and is married to his wife of 11 years! They have two Labrador Retrievers, Bailey and Cena. Blane's favorite food is Chipotle but he says he's not too picky and will eat anything if you ever want to buy him lunch. His number one bucket list item is to go to a North Carolina Tarheels basketball game and he plans to do just that within the next year! He also shares that his dream vacation would be to visit Dublin, Ireland. When Blane isn't at work, you'll most likely find him eating, playing disc golf, shooting hoops, gardening, or sampling out new beers. Fun fact - did you know Blane used to play Semi-Pro Disc Golf? He says one word to describe himself is ``energetic`` - and we agree!

Timothy Ryan Wolfe, or ``Wolfie`` as some refer to him, joined the Next Generation Wireless team as a Property Manager more than three years ago. Tim attended the University of Northern Iowa focusing on Finance, Real Estate, and Economics. So it's no surprise that Tim loves having the opportunity to do what he loves on a daily basis. He went into this field because it is something he is passionate about, is good at, and enjoys doing! Tim also shares that he loves the culture at N.G.W. and that working for a well-led team makes ``work`` a whole lot more enjoyable!
When Tim isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, helping his friends out, and cheering on the Chicago Cubs (HUGE Cubs fan right here)!
Tim's favorite food is Mexican, so it's fitting that his favorite restaurant is Carlos O'Kellys. In fact, he loves Mexican food so much that if he were to go on a vacation to anywhere - it would be someplace in Mexico! His favorite movies are comedies and his favorite music genre is country. If Tim had control of the TV remote, you would most likely be watching Survivor, The Last Ship, or Shameless with him. Something he has always wanted to try is bungee jumping and skydiving.