Leadership

Paul Estes

President and CEO

Prior to his position as President and CEO of Colo4, Paul served as an Executive Vice President with Cequel III and as the Chief Operating Officer of AAT Communications Corp. With AAT, Paul was responsible for day-to-day operations and played a key role in a string of acquisitions that increased AAT's owned-tower portfolio nearly nine-fold. He was also instrumental to AAT's closing of approximately $180 million of equity capital in November 2003.

Before AAT and Cequel III, Paul served as Vice President, Operations, for Charter Communications, Inc. Paul joined Charter in 1994, and held multiple positions with the company, including Operations Analyst and Budget Coordinator; Director, Financial Administration; Assistant to the President; and Vice President, Financial Controls. Prior to Charter, Paul was an internal auditor for Americoal Services, Inc., in Fairview Heights, Illinois. Before then, he served as an operational analyst for Cencom Cable Associates, Inc., in St. Louis, Missouri. He has more than 15 years experience in domestic and international financial auditing.

Paul received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Southeast Missouri State University.

Paul VanMeter

CTO

Co-founder Paul VanMeter has been recognized as a leader in the colocation service industry, spearheading the successful growth of Colo4 since 2000. With more than 20 years of experience in the colocation and telecommunications industries, Paul brings together facility and connectivity resources to support companies that depend on technology and server-based systems. His expertise in infrastructure buildout helped ensure that Colo4's flagship facility was completed on time and under budget. His efforts at strategic planning within the Dallas market, including bringing in multiple fiber backbone providers to the data center, have translated into concrete, sustainable growth for Colo4 and its customers. Paul's commitment to significantly expanding Colo4's power capacity and network has resulted in Colo4's industry-leading power configuration and a DWDM connection to the INFOMART.

In 2009, Paul was named a finalist in the Metroplex Technology Business Council's Tech Titans Awards in the Emerging Company CEO category. With an extensive business and technical knowledge base, Paul also brings more than 10 years experience in independent consulting to telecommunications companies in Texas and around the nation. He has also held technical, sales and support positions with Teleport Communications Group (TCG), Southwestern Bell and Westel Communications.

Pat Thompson

Vice President, Administrations

Pat Thompson is a founding partner of Colo4, bringing more than 20 years of business experience in managing investments in telecommunications, energy and agriculture. He is responsible for all financial functions for the company, including accounting controls, contracts, audit compliance and real estate acquisitions. Pat was instrumental in securing funding for the buildout of Colo4's first facility in 2000 and led the financial management of the company's 40,000 sq ft data center expansion in 2009. His approach focuses on financial stability and strategic capital expenditures that directly support the growth of Colo4 and its customers.

Under Pat's guidance, Colo4 has garnered several awards for revenue growth, both regionally and nationally, including multiple Dallas 100™ Awards and recognitions from Inc. magazine. He serves on the advisory board for Sterling Bank's North Texas Region and is a member of the Stemmons Corridor Business Association. Pat earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jeremy Pope

Director of Operations

Bringing more than 13 years of experience in the industry, Jeremy Pope oversees the day to day technical operations at Colo4 and leads the customer facing element of Colo4's "Unrivaled Support", the technical support team. He is a Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP). In his more than six years at Colo4, Jeremy has guided Colo4 customers in engineering complex custom cage and cabinet configurations as well as in meeting specific requirements for large scale moves into the data center, from cross connects and cabling to the provisioning of telco circuits. Through his expertise in data center migration, he has helped clients assess the viability and cost-benefit analysis of a move into a colocation facility, as well as plan for solutions that support future growth. He has remained a consistent point contact for customers from their pre-installation planning phase to their present day needs.

Previously, Jeremy worked at Accenture as a Network Engineer, monitoring and managing the company's global network and at Amerisafe Inc, as a systems administrator, maintaining the company's IT infrastructure. Jeremy studied Business Administration at Louisiana State University.

Ricky Vasquez

Facilities Manager

Ricky Vasquez is responsible for daily oversight and management of Colo4's data center to ensure the ongoing flawless operation of the facility. With over a decade of industry experience, Ricky leads Colo4's Facilities team, which is responsible for maintenance and operation of the facility, including electrical systems, mechanical systems, security and electrical contractors, janitorial services, and all other aspects of physical operations. He documents and monitors facility management standards, policies/procedures and service level agreements. With extensive expertise in data center power applications and electrical code compliance, Ricky spearheads efforts to continuously implement new data center strategies that increase efficiency and serve customers. Ricky was instrumental in overseeing and managing Colo4's 40,000 sq ft, multi-million dollar facility build-out.

Previously, he served as the director of retail and Internet operations for one of the largest recreational gaming facilities in Texas and was the owner/operator of a Web service provider, which he successfully sold. Ricky studied Business Computer Information Systems at the University of North Texas.