Management Team at CAROLINANET, Greensboro, NC

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Management Team

Nicky Smith serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Carolinanet. With more than 30 years as a senior-level executive for privately owned companies, Nicky has extensive experience with business and partnership development. Nicky is a highly effective manager of people and of growth in fast-paced industries. He is a team builder with strong leadership and communications skills, and is experienced in all aspects of technology, including data/voice communications, computer applications, and engineering. One of his strong characteristics is that he has extensive expertise in all aspects of startup companies and a proven track record in sales of technology, and information services and solutions. Most importantly, he has demonstrated a history of significant company growth and bottom-line profitability.

In 1980, Nicky - with the help of some venture investment-opened one of the first retail computer stores in Charlotte. Nicky enjoyed great success as one of the first business-class computer stores in Charlotte. The company grew from just a few employees in 1981 to more than 50 employees. In 1985, Nicky Smith returned to the Piedmont Triad area and started the company Micro Computer Resources, based in Greensboro with some other enthusiastic computer professionals. By mid-1990, the Internet had become a major focus of many networking companies. The management of this company then created a new corporation, NETMCR Internet Services, with the vision to provide access services, web development and network connectivity for businesses and individuals. This new business grew from just a few dial-up users and fewer than a dozen web sites to more than 4,000 dial-up users, hundreds of web sites, and business customers demanding high-speed access. Partnering with CLECs gave NETMCR a competitive edge, allowing it to offer voice services and high-speed Internet data access, using the unused channels of the T1 to the customer's premises. Annual revenue peaked to more than $3 million just prior to its sale. TriVergent Communications acquired the business and its talented staff on June 26, 2000.

Nicky earned his BS in Business Administration and Information Systems from Appalachian State University. Nicky can be reach by calling (336) 346-6000 or by email: nicky.smith@carolinanet.com

Steven Hinkle - serves as Director of Operations for Carolinanet. Steven Hinkle comes to Carolinanet from a background rich in customer service. His career started at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he spent several years as a Systems and Network Administrator for several departments. During this time, he had the chance to hone his skills in customer relations. The University environment is one in which many different personalities have to be served with similar software, but with an individual touch.

In 1995, when a newfound friendship at a Usenix conference led Steven to a career change at Berkeley Software Design Inc., another path was shown to him. In this job, he worked directly with customers world-wide, as well as with engineering and upper management, to ensure a satisfied customer base. Many of his years of experience, both in support and in management, came from his tenure here. Steven grew with the company, eventually becoming the Director of Technical Support until it was aquired by Wind River Systems, an embedded operating systems company, in 2001. He continued there as a Manager of Customer Support until 2004 when a downsizing eliminated his position. Now forced to take a new path, Steven re-evaluated his options and desires. He wanted to work with a small company where his contributions would really make a difference and he wanted to broaden his experience base. He also wanted the opportunity to learn and grow with a company, meeting new challenges every day. This lead him back to Nicky Smith, an old colleague, at Carolinanet.

Steven brings over twelve years of experience in customer support, system and network administration and over six year of management experience. His leadership and team building skills combined with a "can do" attitude will be a valuable assest to Carolinanet.

When he is not working, Steven enjoys spending time with his family and playing basketball. However, his new found passion is for scuba diving.

Steven can be reach by calling (336) 346-6000 or by email: steven.hinkle@carolinanet.com