Dave Rusin, Founder & CEOBefore Dave Rusin started AFS, he was President of Frontier Communications, the country’s first CLEC. That experience taught him that phone companies didn’t have what it takes to provide exceptional network services. It also inspired him to start a company that would do things right.
Dave’s vision, since the beginning, has been simple: Own your own network, because that’s the only way to deliver on your promises. And treat customers the way you want to be treated yourself.
Dave started out with no customers and no cable. American Fiber Systems now has over 1,200,000 miles of high-capacity, high-bandwidth metropolitan fiber optic cable in cities across the U.S., and counts many of the most respected names in the Fortune 1000 as customers.
You can read about Dave’s insights, vision and more on his telecom blog at www.TelecomStraightShooter.com.
Gita Ramachandran, Chief Financial OfficerGita brings over 25 years of financial experience to AFS. Gita comes to AFS from Global Crossing (formerly, Frontier Corporation) where she was Vice president of Corporate Audit.
Prior to Global Crossing, Gita served as VP of Finance of Cor Solutions, a healthcare company in Chicago, and was a Divisional Controller at Baxter International, also in Chicago. Gita has five plus years of public accounting experience with Price Waterhouse Coopers in Chicago and Deloitte and Touche in Toronto.
Gita has served on the executive boards of Financial Executive International (Rochester), Susan B Anthony House and Center for Youth. She has variety of other interests that include travel, reading, enjoying the arts and golf. When Gita is not scrutinizing our finances, she likes to spend her time spoiling her two grandchildren.
Mike D’Angelo, Senior Vice President, Sales & MarketingMike D’Angelo’s main responsibility is getting our customers what they need, when they need it. Through his efforts in helping our customers’ businesses to succeed, AFS has succeeded itself-growing over 500% in the past 3 years.
Prior to joining AFS, Mike helped lead a CLEC from 30 people and $0 revenues to 1200 people and over $300M in revenues.
He currently lives in Webster, NY with his wife and two children-who he coaches in T-ball and eventually hopes to have accompany him on the golf course.
Mike’s other current passion is striving to qualify for Hyatt’s elite “Diamond” level status.
Rich Coyle, Senior Vice President, OperationsWhen you find your network is functioning exactly as you had hoped, there are plenty of people at AFS who you can thank. But there’s one person in particular: Rich Coyle.
Rich is our Senior V.P. for Operations. As such, he is in charge of making sure your network runs so smoothly you never have to give it a second thought. He developed his ability to do that at IDACOMM and Sierra Pacific, eventually rising to the post of President and Managing Director before joining AFS.
Rich lives in Las Vegas where he likes to spend time with his family. He enjoys fishing, overseeing the operations of his children’s youth sports and rooting for his favorite New York City-based sports teams.
Dave Danchak, Senior Vice President, Corporate DevelopmentDave is the reason more and more markets are able turn to AFS. He is in charge of our mergers and acquisitions. Dave’s talent for finding network companies with the right technology and culture is helping AFS to grow-and more importantly, helping us to provide more and more customers with the kind of network services they really need.
When Dave’s not traveling, he lives in West Palm Beach, where he enjoys golfing and planning visits to see his five grandchildren.
Bruce Frankiewich, General Counsel & Vice President of RegulatoryBruce joined AFS in November 2000 and has over twenty years of legal experience. Having both wireless and wire line telecom experience, he has secured the company’s regulatory approvals to operate and private agreements needed for network deployment, closed on & refinanced the company’s senior debt, negotiated & drafted agreements for three major acquisitions (both asset based and stock based) , implemented related integration and negotiated & drafted agreements for a product line divestiture.
Prior to AFS worked at Frontier Cellular now known as Verizon Wireless, where he counseled Senior Management on legal and business issues involved in wireless telecommunications, drafted and negotiated retail store and cell site leases, and participated in the sale and leaseback of a portfolio of 400 cell towers.
Bruce is active in his local parish and Knights of Columbus Council. Bruce resides in Brighton, NY with his wife & two daughters & enjoys fishing and spending time outdoors with his family.
"I have to say, its been a pleasure working with American Fiber for this move. You guys have been on the ball every step of the way. Now if only Bell South worked like that... Thanks for everything."