The members of our management team have been part of Equinox Information Systems for an average of over 26 years each. As a result, you enjoy not only the benefit of their decades of experience in the telecommunications industry, but also the benefits of stability and continuity that come from so many years of serving together in one company. Click the "Play" buttons on the videos to watch interviews with our management team.
David Bastin
Joined in 1994
David joined Equinox in 1994 right out of college. Over the years, his knowledge and abilities have grown in parallel with Equinox, leading to his current role as Vice President of Software Engineering. Being the lead architect for all new software products, he designed the first Equinox solution capable of processing 100 million calls per day in the '90s, and then developed new systems that increased that limit to 2 billion calls. He also leads development for our Microsoft SQL Server project code. David and his wife have one daughter. An avid reader, he loves conspiracy theories and the union of fantasy with science fiction. David describes himself as "a God-fearing perfectionist," so he especially appreciates that at Equinox we believe in doing things the right way.
Eric Bright
Joined in 2013
An invaluable addition to our Support team, Eric started at Equinox in 2013. He is primarily responsible for supporting TeleLink and administering the company's website. Eric has a Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems, and before coming to Equinox, he ran his own custom software company for nearly two decades. Eric is the only Equinox employee who lives up to the Music City stereotype, in that he plays guitar with a wedding reception band on the weekends and leads worship at church. He even composed a custom jingle to promote Protector. Eric is married with three sons. He loves that Equinox fosters a professional yet informal environment that promotes teamwork, personal responsibility, and productivity, and that every employee is made to feel like a vital part of producing great products with exceptional service.
Simeon C'deBaca
Joined in 2021
After graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Bachelor's in Entrepreneurship, Simeon joined the Equinox Support team as a Quality Assurance Tester for TeleLink. In that role, Simeon helped make sure customers have a great experience with their Equinox software by evaluating enhancements and changes before deployment. That experience made him the perfect candidate to move into the role of Project Manager at the end of 2022. Growing up in Nashville, Simeon cares for the area and is glad to be working in his hometown. Simeon has a passion for volunteering and spent two summers working in Appalachia Tennessee to help eliminate substandard housing. Simeon also enjoys spending time with friends, playing sports, and has a real love for music. Simeon is excited to be part of the team because Equinox is a friendly environment that allows him to continue learning and applying new skills.
Donovan Dorr
Joined in 2023
While finishing his last semester at Lipscomb University in pursuit of an IT Management degree, Donovan began as a part-time member of the Equinox Support team. As a TeleLink support specialist, his primary responsibilities are to install, upgrade, and assist TeleLink customers with their application. Knowing Equinox had many long-time employees is what initially attracted Donovan to the company. After joining the team, Donovan says he likes the small company feel where everyone knows each other personally and is willing to help each other however possible. Donovan is interested in sports and follows the Tennessee Volunteers, Nashville Predators, but mainly the Tennessee Titans. His hobbies include bowling, playing video games, throwing cornhole, collecting sports cards, and going to local card shows.
Derek Drake
1995 - 2021
After graduating from Union University in 1995, Derek joined Equinox as a junior developer. Over the years, he developed an expertise in user interfaces, which lead to his current position as the senior developer in charge of all interface efforts for both Protector and TeleLink. Derek is extremely proud of his two children. When he's not spending time with them, you can bet he and his wife are going to concerts, travelling, and living life to its fullest. Born in Pittsburgh and loving sports, Derek is a die-hard Steelers fan. Derek loves working at Equinox because of the philosophy that work comes second to family. Gone But Never Forgotten.
Ronnie Gibbs
Joined in 1990
Ronnie came to Equinox in 1990 shortly after graduating from Union University with a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics. The code he has written since that time is currently in use in every application we sell. A natural problem solver and a tireless worker, Ronnie has led the charge for many new initiatives at Equinox, bringing new features and functions to our solutions year after year. Married with 3 kids, Ronnie is a coin collector and avid reader, as well as an accomplished pianist and organist. An eternal optimist, Ronnie is a lifelong fan of Vanderbilt athletics. Ronnie loves his job because there are always interesting technical challenges and variety of things to work on, coupled with the flexibility to be with his family when needed.
Lesa Grubbs
Joined in 1993
Lesa is the administrative glue that holds Equinox together-- a role she has held since 1993. She is Office Manager and also coordinates all trade shows and user group meetings. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from MTSU. Lesa and her husband Eddie have one son. In addition to volunteering in the special needs community, she enjoys spending time with friends and family. The one thing she appreciates most about Equinox is how Byron and Wayne value their employees.
Chase Haley
Joined in 2021
Fresh out of Tennessee Technological University with his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Chase joined the Equinox development team in 2021. One of Chase's career goals is learning more than just how to work but how to complete good, quality work. So, he knew he'd found the right company when during his interview, Byron told Chase he couldn't hide at Equinox; instead, Chase would have the attention and responsibility that comes from working closely with senior employees on significant projects. So, since day one, he's been assigned to work on tasks in all our solutions. Chase loves computers and all things technology, both at work and in his spare time. Outside working hours, he also enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending time with friends.
Mitch Heffington
Joined in 2015
Mitch began working at Equinox in 2015. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Management Information Systems, Mitch came to Equinox after several years of working in Asurion's Change and Incident Management department. For the first 8 years, Mitch was primarily responsible for supporting Protector customers. In late 2022 though, he transitioned to the role of QA testing for the TeleLink product, where he is responsible for inspecting all new features and system changes prior to production. He is married, has a son and daughter, likes to smoke barbeque, and enjoys working in his yard. Mitch appreciates that Equinox is a small company focused on keeping the employees happy and providing a great atmosphere in which to work.
Chad Henke
Joined in 2015
After obtaining a BS (Computer Science) from Tennessee Technology University in 1993, Chad went to work for Wipro Gallagher Systems. His experience as their Lead Architect/CTO made him a perfect fit for the Senior Software Architect role that opened at Equinox in 2015. Fun fact: he learned about the opportunity because he’d previously worked with both Bill Menees and Amy Oldham. Chad likes the complex technical challenges the projects at Equinox provide as well as the people with whom he works. Chad especially appreciates the company’s true ‘family first’ mentality, which offers a great work/life balance and ensures he gets to spend time travelling with his wife Heather, spending time outdoors (hiking, kayaking, boating), and hanging with his awesome grandchildren.
Ernest Howell
Joined in 1998
Among our support team, no one has been helping customers day in and day out longer than Ernest. He studied at Nashville State, earning an Associate's degree in Computer Information Systems. With more than 5 years of technical customer support experience under his belt, Ernest joined Equinox in 1998. His primary responsibility is providing support to most of our Protector customers, but he also helps out with TeleLink from time-to-time. Ernest has two adult children and two grandchildren. He enjoys watching and playing sports and is a jazz enthusiast.
Robert Hunter
Joined in 2008
Robert joined Equinox in 2008 as a developer. He spends his time updating and maintaining the code for both TeleLink and Protector. For kicks, he helps maintain our internal issue tracking system. Robert earned his Bachelors in Computer Science from MTSU. A classic introvert, Robert likes books, cats, and reticence. His favorite thing about Equinox is the dress code (always casual!).
Shane Kimble
Joined in 2024
Shane became the newest member of the Equinox Support team in 2024 after moving to Nashville to be part of its large, vibrant music community. With a BS Biology (Bellarmine University) and MS Computer Science degree (University of Louisville), Shane’s previously held jobs as a lab technician, data analyst, and developer. These experiences made him a perfect fit for his current role as a TeleLink support specialist. Shane enjoys the culture, location, and work-life balance at Equinox. Off the clock, he pursues health, reading, being outdoors, volunteering, and playing music…and is particularly interested in keeping thumbpicking (an old musical tradition that originated in Western KY and Nashville) alive.
Chris Lowe
Joined in 2011
Chris joined Equinox in 2011 as Software Quality Assurance Tester for TeleLink. In that role he helped to improve our QA and Testing procedures and expedited the process of installing a change at a customer’s site. In 2020, Chris began leading the department and eventually moved into the role of Vice President, Equinox Support. Chris attended TNU earning his Bachelors in Business Management and his MBA. He and his wife Jessica have 2 boys, 1 girl, and 2 dogs. A former college baseball standout, Chris loves sports. Chris likes the good work environment at Equinox—the balance between work life and family life as well as being able to work with and for good people.
Wayne Lowe
Joined in 1986. Retired in 2023.
Founder/President
Wayne founded Equinox in 1986 and remained actively involved until his well-earned retirement in 2023. During his tenure, he had oversight for the entire development staff and handled all HR and finance tasks for the company. Before founding Equinox, Wayne earned a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and a B.S. in Accounting from TNU and served as Compco's Director of Software Development for three years. Wayne and his wife Linda have 2 grown sons and 5 grandchildren. He loves to travel and tend his huge vegetable garden. Wayne co-founded a great place to work and created a wonderful legacy built on the belief that family comes first.
Bill Menees
Joined in 2011
After working as a senior software architect at Wipro Gallagher Solution, Bill joined Equinox in 2011. Bill is one of the chief architects of TeleLink 7. He is also responsible for maintaining control of all source code, automated builds, and virtual machines. At the University of Tennessee, Bill obtained a Bachelor of Science in Math (1993) and Computer Science (1995). He later earned a Master of Science in Computer Science (2019) at the Georgia Institute of Technology while continuing to work full time at Equinox. As a lifelong learner, Bill enjoys applying the latest technological advancements to his own programming projects when he's not at work. He also enjoys spending time with his son and wife—Amy Oldham who also works at Equinox. Having worked for a large, multi-national company, Bill appreciates that Equinox is locally owned and has no red tape, not to mention the company's great location, time flexibility, and people.
Byron Middendorf
Joined in 1986
Founder/CEO
Before founding Equinox in 1986, Byron worked as an account executive for AT&T, Director of Telecommunications for the State of Tennessee, and Director of Sales for Compco. He has a BS in Sociology and Communications from Trevecca Nazarene University. As CEO, he has overseen the growth of Equinox from an early adopter tech startup to a leading supplier of telecommunications analytics software in the US market, achieving profitability in the second year and in each subsequent year thereafter. In his role overseeing sales and support, Byron's influence is clearly seen in the culture of the company and the way we interact with our customers. However, he sees his greatest contribution as hiring a lot of smart people and treating them with respect for their capabilities and for their families. Byron has one son, Isaac, and one of his greatest pleasures is watching him play baseball. His favorite thing about Equinox, believe it or not, are the meetings. "In each meeting you get to see the comradery of a group of people who have worked together for, on average, over fifteen years. The meetings are typically productive, lighthearted, and a true reflection of the respect and affection that we all have for each other."
Emily Mutter
Joined 2024
Immediately after obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree (Computer Science) from Tennessee Technological University in 2024, Emily joined the Equinox team and began updating and implementing new features for Protector’s and TeleLink’s interface. Emily was drawn to this opportunity on the development team due to its impressively long employee tenure rate and because the company CEO told her she would learn more in the first three months on the job than during all of college (he was right). Emily loves the flexible work schedule and everyone's dedication to putting out high quality work. Away from work, she enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with her family.
Amy Oldham
Joined in 2010
Equinox hired Amy in 2010 as our first ever technical writer. With a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Technical and Scientific Communication from Miami University, she has a unique and valuable set of skills. Prior to Equinox, she focused on corporate communications and software documentation as a Technical Writer and Project Manager at The Oxford Associates followed by a stint as the Communications Department Manager at Gallagher Financial Systems. As the Director, Corporate Communications for Equinox, Amy creates and maintains the company’s technical documentation and is also responsible for the company’s newsletter, email campaigns, press releases, and social media presence. When not writing, Amy enjoys spending time with her son and husband, playing tennis, swimming, and attending Dave Matthews Band concerts. Her favorite thing about working at Equinox is the flexible work schedule.
Johnny Sikes
Joined in 1995
Originally from Bowling Green, KY, Johnny joined Equinox in 1995 after graduating from Western Kentucky with a degree in Computer Science. He is our resident expert on coding for data extraction and mediation, having created and fine-tuned the logic needed to extract and map fields for the 300 formats Equinox supports for our customers. His extraction routines form the backbone for virtually every data source/target combinations currently deployed at customer sites. Johnny explains that having the flexibility to take off and spend time with his wife and kids is one of the things he loves most about Equinox. In his time off, Johnny coaches his two sons in soccer and basketball, enjoys playing golf, and is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan.
Alex Vandyke
Joined in 2020
Alex began his career at Equinox in 2020 in a truly unforgettable way thanks to the global pandemic. Before joining Equinox, Alex graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and minor in computer science while working full time. Although Equinox is his first job after getting his degree, Alex has 7 years’ experience as a Sonoco production worker making biscuit cans for Pillsbury. According to Alex, his favorite aspect of Equinox is how they treat their employees and customers. He also loves the relaxed atmosphere created by his coworkers. Alex’s role as a Protector customer support representative is a perfect fit—due to his interests in ”almost all things computer related“, he currently serves as the sole technical support for his friends and family. Outside work, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and twin daughters. Beyond that, he devotes his free time to fixing and building computers, programming/working with Linux, hosting a server for himself and his friends, and working on SBCs (single board computers) like the raspberry pi for building projects.
Christi Vanoye
Joined in 1998
Christi has visited almost 40 states and multiple countries to install and train our customers. In addition to training for new and existing Protector and TeleLink installations, she also helps customers ensure that Protector is fully configured and provides fraud monitoring consultation based on her years of experiences and interactions with nearly 100 different fraud management implementations. For TeleLink installations, Christi also is responsible for all billing mediation design. Christi is married to her college sweetheart, and they have one adult son. Though she now lives in downtown Chicago, she grew up in a small town in Louisiana and loves the outdoors (SCUBA diving, hiking, gardening). She graduated from Texas A&M University and worked at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) for 11 years before joining Equinox. Christi loves that each day at Equinox brings a new project, a new place to visit, a new group to train, a new problem to solve.
David West
Joined in 1996
David joined Equinox in 1996 with a focus on sales and strategic planning. He continues in this role today, overseeing all sales and marketing efforts as well as working closely with customers and developers to ensure our solutions evolve to meet the ever changing needs of the telecom industry. Before Equinox, David spent 5 years in the publishing industry with roles in sales and project management. He has a BA in Political Science from Wheaton College (IL) and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. He loves traveling and spending time with his wife and their two daughters, as well as trying to master basketball and yoga (though not at the same time). David's favorite thing about Equinox is working with so many colleagues and customers who embody his two favorite attributes: smart and nice.
Renee Workman
Joined in 1996
A part of the Equinox team since 1996, Renee is a Software Quality Assurance Tester for both Protector and TeleLink. She is heavily involved in the annual Protector User Group Meeting. Drawing on her years of experience as a developer, the quality of her work and her efficiency in the testing arena have positively impacted all our products. She has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and loves bicycling, paddle boarding and golf. Currently telecommuting from Florida, Renee says she really appreciates the relationships with her coworkers and our customers.
Dennis Wynne
1988-2015
When Dennis started at Equinox in 1988, the only other employees were founders Byron Middendorf and Wayne Lowe. Prior to Equinox, Dennis did computer hardware service and repair, with programming being just a hobby. Smart and curious, Dennis is a tenacious problem solver, which quickly made him invaluable to Equinox. As a result, his code is in just about every solution we've ever deployed. Dennis is married with three grown children, 2 grandsons, and 3 granddogs. He enjoys reading, music, movies, and TV. Before he "got too old" he also loved motorcycles and sports cars. Dennis is proud to have been a part of Equinox's sustained success over the last 3 decades, which he attributes to the quality of the employees, from the owners down to newest hire, all adding up to make Equinox a great place to work.
Saying Goodbye and Thank You
