Home 40 Under 40 Archive by category The Class of 2017 (Page 2)

The Class of 2017

Kristopher Pacunas

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40 Under 40 The Class of 2017

CEO, GigXero Inc.; Age 37

Kristopher Pacunas

Kristopher Pacunas

Kristopher Pacunas may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but this superman of the Internet is using his amazing powers in a never-ending battle for the ultimate online experience — one high-density building at a time.

Pacunas is the founder and CEO of GigXero, which installs and services high-speed (gigabit and above) Internet connections nationwide, with large-scale commercial and mixed-use residential buildings already under contract in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Illinois. GigXero access is 20 to 100 times faster than incumbent cable companies.

“I think the Internet is as important as electricity — you can’t go without it,” said Pacunas. “But if you’re always experiencing slow downloads or constant buffering, it can cost businesses a lot of money. My goal is to create a superior Internet experience that will make a big difference in everyday life.”

He launched GigXero in 2015, starting with an apartment building in Amherst. Residents list the high-speed service as their favorite amenity. He also completed a $200 million development in Newark, N.J., providing high-speed, low-cost Internet access for buildings and their tenants, including at least one Internet-dependent business that brought in 1,000 jobs simply because of the extremely fast, reliable, and secure service.

“We’re focusing on where we can make the most difference,” Pacunas said.

He has been achieving goals through technology since attending Springfield Technical Community College. He left before graduating, he explained, because he became distracted by job opportunities, including his position as IT director for Belchertown, which he started while still at STCC. In 2001, at the age of 22, he aced five interviews to become Amherst’s IT director.

“The fourth and fifth interviews were basically just exercises for the town to find reasons not to hire me,” said Pacunas, who now lives in Belchertown with his wife, Courtney, and their six children. “They wanted to be sure my age wouldn’t be an issue.”

One of his proudest Amherst achievements is a mile-long, contiguous, and completely free public outdoor wi-fi network, enabling seamless connectivity throughout the town. “You could eat, shop, or walk without skipping a beat, a big plus to economic development,” he noted.

The secret to his success? Pacunas says it’s simply his passion for what he does. “I’m a highly driven geek who thinks he can make the Internet better.”

—Alta Stark

Jacqueline Johnson

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40 Under 40 The Class of 2017

Chief Operations Officer, Caring Health Center; Age 31

Jacqueline Johnson

Jacqueline Johnson

Jacqueline Johnson has more than 15 years of professional experience working as a grass-roots community organizer and leader of diverse teams. But it’s her life experience that has shaped her success.

Raised by a strong, single Latina mother in Northampton’s Florence Heights projects, Johnson’s upbringing not only prepared, but motivated her to be the best she could be.

“My mom was 15 when I was born. Growing up, I saw a lot — drugs, alcohol, poverty. If it weren’t for my mom, my life could have turned out very differently,” said Johnson. “She told me to go to school, work hard, and do well.”

So she did, overcoming whatever challenges she faced. “I went to school in Northampton. None of the kids looked like me or spoke like me. They were mainly middle- to upper-class, and predominately white. There were a lot of economic and racial barriers, but I took every opportunity I could to grow.”

She started volunteering when she was 11, using her own street smarts and know-how to help kids at risk. She says the youth-development work gave her a sense of identity, and the beginning of a lifelong investment in social justice and community advocacy.

Johnson graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in politics and urban development. She went on to earn a master’s in social justice from UMass Amherst, and started working for Springfield’s Caring Health Center when she was 21, as an HIV program director focused on management and prevention for people at high risk, specifically Latina intravenous drug users.

“I realized the odds were against me,” said Johnson. “I was helping people I grew up with, and it hit home that I could have been one of the program’s participants.”

Today, she’s the center’s chief operations officer, who never loses sight of what sustains her: the personal and professional relationships she’s made throughout her life. “I respect them all — friends, co-workers, and, of course, the people who come through our doors every day. They all inspire me and are the reason I love coming to work.”

Besides leading CHC through its development and expansion of new sites and services, Johnson also works tirelessly to secure funding and improve healthcare accessibility for the region’s diverse residents. She’s also served as a liaison to Northampton’s mayor and to the Latina community, and is a frequent public speaker and motivator — following in the footsteps of the mother who inspired her.

 —Alta Stark

Gillian Palmer

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40 Under 40 The Class of 2017

Business Development Coordinator, Eastern States Exposition; Age 39

Gillian Palmer

Gillian Palmer

Gillian Palmer worked in the insurance field for MassMutual for a decade before one aspect of her job piqued her interest … in a career change.

“My last position at MassMutual was in the concierge program for top producers, and that gave me a lot of different hats, like business consulting and event coordinating, which I found I loved,” she said.

That led her to the Eastern States Exposition, where she’s wearing at least as many hats these days, and loving the look of all of them. As business development coordinator, Palmer travels the country, meeting with tour operators and other groups, looking for new events to bring to the fairgrounds in West Springfield, and keeping its always-busy schedule stocked throughout the year.

She also serves as food and beverage manager during the 17-day Big E each fall, which means coordinating that critical element during the fair itself, but also lining up offerings well in advance. “I travel around the country to different fairs and find out what’s going on in food, who’s frying what, and what the latest creations are.”

While area venues do compete for events year-round, Palmer described her industry as much more collegial than, say, insurance. “That’s what makes my job fun. The challenge for me is I’m always trying to find something new and cutting-edge.”

At the same time, Eastern States is known for its annual traditions, including car shows, gun shows, home and garden events, equestrian competitions, and agricultural and livestock shows — not to mention the really big event each September and October.

“Coming to the fair since I was a little girl, and now being behind the scenes and working at the company, it’s humbling and super satisfying,” she said. “To be a part of the last couple years, with the 100th anniversary, was amazing.”

It’s a feeling of connection with the community that Palmer seeks in other ways as well; she’s on the Bay Path University Alumni Council, special events chair of the Springfield Rotary Club, board director of the Professional Women’s Chamber board, vice president of marketing and communications for Meeting Professionals International’s Connecticut River Valley chapter, and volunteering for the American Heart Assoc., the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“It has always been important for me to give back,” Palmer said. “I feel this world is so much bigger than me, and I’ve always wanted to do my little part to make a difference.”

—Joseph Bednar