Niko Michas – President & Founding Partner
Niko founded BridgeNet Solutions in October of 2001.  He has over 18 years of experience in logistics and supply chain management.  For eight years, Niko was a member of UPS management, assisting in day to day operations, sales, and later, in helping clients determine service and mode options. Niko's experience has allowed him to co-design a major customized transportation management system and assist in the design of general ledger coding software for a national third-party logistics firm.  Both are currently being used by over 3,000 clients nationwide. Niko's logistics and technology experience has helped BridgeNet become a major provider of enhanced reporting and operational efficiency solutions.

Noah Cepela – Account Manager
Noah began working for BridgeNet in 2008 after graduating from the University of Illinois. His undergraduate research on data analytics and distribution models proved useful when he was able to expand his role at BridgeNet by organizing and implementing cost-savings solutions through market trend research and analytics. He now works with global clients to establish processes that spread efficiencies and create savings opportunities.

Aaron Samuels – Account Manager
Aaron joined BridgeNet in 2006 as an analyst. He has also served BridgeNet as the SalesForce database administrator, been a project manager, and held the role of executive assistant. Prior to joining BridgeNet, Aaron worked with for the Office of Administration at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Notable are his two years as a database administrator and supervisor for the telesales division of that department. His analytical and problem-solving skills have proved invaluable to BridgeNet throughout many RFP initiatives.

Alison Mitchell – Account Manager
Alison started in BridgeNet's Auditing Department in 2005.  Since that time, she has been promoted to auditing supervisor and sales project manager, and, most recently, to account manager.   Alison graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's degree in Communications.  Her professional career started at a law firm in Kansas City.  Her strong organizational and customer service skills are highly valued at BridgeNet.

Kevin McCaskey – Account Manager
Kevin McCaskey came to BridgeNet from a Chicago-based third-party logistics provider, which he helped build from a small start-up company to a publicly traded 3PL of over 500 employees.  A graduate from the University of Minnesota, Kevin has a well-rounded background in logistics, and specializes in LTL, FTL, parcel, and international shipping.  Kevin now works with BridgeNet's local and international clients to execute cost-savings initiatives from concept to completion.

Grant Price – Account Manager
In 2008, Grant joined BridgeNet and began working directly with clients and carriers as an analyst.  He has since held multiple positions, including implementation project manager and quality assurance department manager.  The latter position allowed him to spearhead multiple initiatives to streamline and improve BridgeNet's data collection and client reporting systems.  Grant has a background in science, engineering, and analysis.

Julie Pletzke – Account Manager
After working for a number of consulting firms in various roles, Julie joined BridgeNet in 2010.  She has since had the opportunity to work with a multitude of clients within different industries.  Among the many things Julie brings to BridgeNet is an expertise in project planning and implementation.  She has a bachelor's degree in English and Sociology from Western Illinois University, and is a regular contributor to BridgeNet's monthly newsletter.

Steve Stephens – Finance Manager
Steve joined the BridgeNet team in 2009 as a project manager, and has since settled into a management position in the Finance Department.  He graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor's degree in Marketing.  His professional career started in the banking industry, where he worked for fifteen years.  He spent four years as an assistant vice president before being promoted to vice president of lending in 2007.  The problem-solving, decision-making, and customer service skills that he honed in these positions have proven to be invaluable assets to BridgeNet.  Steve currently resides in Tinley Park, IL with his wife, Jackie.

Jim Pacella – Sr. BI Developer
Jim has been with BridgeNet since 2005.  He regularly works with technologies by Microsoft, including but not limited to:  SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008.  He also works with SQL Integration Services, SQL Reporting Services, C#, and ASP.Net to build robust database applications.  Prior to joining BridgeNet, he used MS Access, Visual Basic and C# with SQL Server to build departmental database applications in order to automate processes and improve work-by-exception.

Bhavana Nadella – BI Developer
Prior to joining BridgeNet, Bhavana worked as an informatica developer in the insurance, finance, IT development, and medical industries, and also as an ETL developer at a major IT firm.  She has expertise in:  SQL Server 2008, Oracle 10g, Oracle Applications, Informatica 8.1.1 and 8.6, Informix, TOAD 8.0, DAC, OBIEE, IIS, XML, XBRL, Windows XP Client and UNIX Server, and more.  Bhavana also has extensive experience in ETL and MPP data warehousing. 

Gustavo Chavez – Data Analyst
Gustavo has worked as an IT specialist for a number of international companies.  At BridgeNet, he analyzes and formats carrier data for reporting purposes for prospective and current clients and prepares data for importing into BridgeNet's database.  He has helped streamline BridgeNet's data flow by automating various processes.  Gustavo is bilingual in English and Spanish and has a bachelor's degree in Science Electronics and Communications Engineering.