Our Team
Don Roberts
You might guess from the grey hair that I bring over 40 years of domestic and international systems integration experience to the position of Principal at Exotek. Due to the diversity of my professional experiences and my commitment to the future focus of the industry, I have become a leader in providing guidance to systems integrators as they steer their companies through periods of significant growth. In addition to sitting on the board of a number of companies, I am also certified to perform business level audits throughout the world in order to assess companies’ compliance with the CSIA Certification program.
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Prior to joining Exotek, I had the pleasure of managing one of Canada’s largest control systems integration businesses. I’ve served on advisory councils for Allen-Bradley, Digital Equipment, and one of Canada’s leading high-tech universities, the University of Waterloo. Served on the Board of Governors of Conestoga College and acted as an industry adviser to several automation courses at the college. Many companies such as National Instruments (NI), Rockwell Automation and Phoenix Contact look to me for advice on how best to work with their system integrator partners.
You will find me as a frequent speaker at a number of conferences and an active supporter of the CSIA. I regularly judge in the Control Engineering Magazine System Integrator of the Year Award contest. Companies often ask me to be involved in the negotiations of mergers and acquisitions in the system integration industry and to provide executive level coaching to many company owners. One of my favorite activities is facilitating an executive peer group of industry leading companies.
I have a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Engineering from the University of Waterloo. I am also a graduate of one of Canada’s most prestigious business programs, the Richard Ivey Executive Management Program. I live with my wife in Waterloo, Ontario and enjoys weekends at their lake house in the Muskokas.
Brian Mullen
As an independent management consultant, I have over 30 years experience in the control systems integration industry which includes an extensive background in senior management and engineering with one of Canada’s leading control systems integrators. Since 2000, I have had the opportunity to work globally with numerous and a diverse range of leading control system integrators at various stages of growth to provide management advisory support, facilitate strategic and business planning activities and provide guidance to improve their internal processes relative to industry standards.
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Since 2001, I have served as an auditor for the CSIA’s Certification Program and continues to sit on the CSIA’s Best Practices Committee supporting the ongoing development of the CSIA Best Practices and the Certification Audit Program.
I currently works with Exotek, LLC providing consulting services to the systems integration industry.
I am a licensed Professional Engineer with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Waterloo. He is currently based out of Ontario, Canada.
Jack Barber
I’m an independent management consultant who brings more than 30 years at National Instruments (NI), most of which focused on building the system integration business as the NI Partner Program Manager. I spent extensive time with NI Partners around the world understanding and sharing best business practices. During my last 7 years, I helped NI build its Global Services working with project teams to deliver large-scale solutions to NI’s most strategic and demanding customers. I founded and grew NI Project Support team who was tasked with taking care of project management/administration, so that the engineering team could focus on the technical implementations.
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In my NI partner management role, I recognized the critical importance of assisting NI Partners to gain the business acumen necessary to manage and grow their organizations. By joining Exotek, I have returned to his passion of helping system integrators.
I work with our clients in several areas including assessing and implementing best practices, advising and facilitating their strategic planning and execution, improving their business practices, and managing peer groups. As a certified Myers-Briggs professional, I also help our clients improve their self-awareness (a foundational element of leadership) and build high performance teams.
I graduated with a BSEE from the University of Texas, and currently based out of Austin which is conveniently located near the NI headquarters, so I can further facilitate NI Partner business. My family and I also enjoy spending time at our cabin in Colorado.
Jeff Miller
I’m an independent management consultant who brings 25 years of experience as a PMO Leader of a large systems integrator, Interstates, Inc. I also bring 15 additional years of leadership experience in the Power Systems industry working as a Client Services Manager, Project Manager, and Operations Manager. During my tenure at Interstates, Inc. I worked with the PM team to build the PMO from the ground up as we grew our SI business from 30 people to 300.
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I was instrumental in building out the systems, tools, templates, and methods for Interstates as we worked to become CSIA certified for the 1st time in 2003 and then led them through 7 additional certification audits. I have been involved in the CSIA Best Practices Committee for over 20 years and led that team for more than 6 of those years. I was also on the Board of Directors of CSIA for over 8 years of that time and served as both the Director of Finance and the Board Chair during my tenure. I became an adjunct professor for Northwestern College in Orange City, IA where I am teaching 2 courses for a Project Management minor in their business program.
As part of the Exotek team, I’m currently facilitating Project Management peer groups. I have always had a passion for all things project management and enjoy leading these groups. In addition to project management, I have a passion for building the next generation leaders to take on new challenges!
I graduated from South Dakota State University with a BSEE and currently live near Sioux Falls, SD with my wife of over 40 years. My wife and I also spend time in Edmond, OK where one of my sons and his family live.
Joe Snyder
I work in business management consulting, succession planning, and, via Exotek, in peer group facilitation. I have extensive experience as a peer group member and facilitator, and I enjoy making connections that allow others to find the best within themselves and their organizations. I’ve worked in systems integration for nearly 25 years, initially managing a small firm before later founding Process and Data Automation with two other individuals. I grew PDA from the three-person firm to more than thirty when I then facilitated the sale to a $4B global beverage and liquid food packaging company. I remained with the company for nearly four years after, growing it to almost fifty people before my eventual semi-retirement.
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My career focused on business management and operations. Working in a people-based industry, this included a keen focus on the development of staff and their management repertoire. I created multiple programs which focused on all levels of talent from interns through to senior engineers and managers. I learned to grow staff and opportunities via work and strategic partnerships, thus balancing the financial responsibilities of the business with the development requirements. I leveraged processes like CSIA audits to improve my organization via the efforts of others and this led to multiple successful outcomes for the business and the growth of all participants.
Following my enlistment as a paratrooper with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, I completed an EET degree at Penn State University. I am a Penn State Alumni Fellow award winner, and I consult via the School of Engineering advisory board and Electrical Engineering Technology Industry Advancement Committee. I live primarily in Erie, PA along with extensive time in the Cleveland, OH, area where two of my three children and two grandchildren reside. I also enjoy ample time at our home in St. Croix, USVI. I am an avid SCUBA instructor, travel the world taking underwater photograph, and volunteer regularly in teen diver programs.
Meg Godwin
I am an Administrative Assistant that brings 7 years of organizational experience. While following my husband around the country for his cardiology training, I have spent time scribing medical notes/data and educating high schoolers in various science curricula in New Orleans, as well as managing staff and volunteers within a couple of non-profits in Atlanta and Kansas City. I currently assist the Exotek team with marketing and sales activity, client relations management, and administrative tasks.
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I graduated in 2015 from Texas Christian University with a BA in Biology, as well as minors in Spanish for the Health Professions and Chemistry. I am currently based out of Kansas City, Missouri. Although my husband and I have been parents to 1 dog and 3 cats since 2016, we welcomed our first human child over Labor Day weekend in 2023. In our free time, we enjoy watching movies, attending Kansas City football games (Go Chiefs), and going on walks with our son.
Penny Wright
I am a senior manager leading Exotek marketing and operations. With 24 years of experience in alliances, partnerships, and channel business, I bring expertise in leading global partner programs/centers of excellence, operations and partner relationship management, marketing strategy and execution, corporate and partner events, and partner and sales enablement. During my 20-year career at NI (now a part of Emerson), I worked with Jack Barber, Don Roberts, and NI partners on strategic sales, marketing, and operations initiatives playing a critical role in achieving business outcomes. As part of Team Exotek, I identify, initiate, and facilitate engagements that help our SI clients improve their business practices and processes.
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While at NI, our corporate team joined the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP), where I became an active member, guest speaker, and volunteer, and received my Certificate of Achievement in Alliance Management (CA-AM). In 2021, I embraced entrepreneurship and established my own consulting firm helping companies optimize their partnering strategy, methodologies, and operating models. From 2022-2024, I led program and business development for ASAP conferences and virtual education full time.
A native Texan, I share my love of Austin with my husband of 27 years, two young adult daughters, and a zoo of rescue critters. I attended the University of and am an accomplished musician and vocalist boasting a 90’s career in the music halls of Austin’s famous 6th Street, but more recently serving in worship ministries. In my free time, I restore and upcycle antiques and family heirlooms, as well as regularly volunteer and support various local charities assisting the less fortunate and animals in need.
