Executive Team
Dave Rusin, Founder & CEO
Before Dave Rusin started AFS, he was President of Frontier Communications, the country's first CLEC. That experience taught him that phone companies didn't have what it takes to provide exceptional network services. It also inspired him to start a company that would do things right.
Dave's vision, since the beginning, has been simple: Own your own network, because that's the only way to deliver on your promises. And treat customers the way you want to be treated yourself.
Dave started out with no customers and no cable. American Fiber Systems now has over 1,200,000 miles of high-capacity, high-bandwidth metropolitan fiber optic cable in cities across the U.S., and counts many of the most respected names in the Fortune 1000 as customers.
Gita Ramachandran, Chief Financial Officer
Gita has over 20 years experience in finance, auditing and corporate accounting. Before joining AFS, Gita was a CPA with Price Waterhouse Coopers and Deloitte & Touche. She was also a former V.P. of Finance and of Corporate Audit at other major corporations.
Gita runs a disciplined shop, enabling AFS to provide highly price-competitive services to our customers while still pleasing our stockholders. When Gita is not scrutinizing our finances, she likes to spend her time spoiling her two grandchildren.
Also, as an accomplished silver medalist in Ballroom dancing, Gita is currently secretly practicing to be a contestant on 'Dancing With The Stars."
Mike D'Angelo, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Mike D'Angelo's main responsibility is getting our customers what they need, when they need it. Through his efforts in helping our customers' businesses to succeed, AFS has succeeded itself-growing over 500% in the past 3 years.
Prior to joining AFS, Mike helped lead a CLEC from 30 people and $0 revenues to 1200 people and over $300M in revenues.
He currently lives in Webster, NY with his wife and two children-who he coaches in T-ball and eventually hopes to have accompany him on the golf course.
Mike's other current passion is striving to qualify for Hyatt's elite "Diamond" level status.
Rich Coyle, Senior Vice President, Operations
When you find your network is functioning exactly as you had hoped, there are plenty of people at AFS who you can thank. But there’s one person in particular: Rich Coyle.
Rich is our Senior V.P. for Operations. As such, he is in charge of making sure your network runs so smoothly you never have to give it a second thought. He developed his ability to do that at IDACOMM and Sierra Pacific, eventually rising to the post of President and Managing Director before joining AFS.
Rich lives in Las Vegas where he likes to spend time with his family. He enjoys fishing, overseeing the operations of his children’s youth sports and his involvement with the Mariah Carey Fan Club.
Dave Danchak, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development
Dave is the reason more and more markets are able turn to AFS. He is in charge of our mergers and acquisitions. Dave's talent for finding network companies with the right technology and culture is helping AFS to grow-and more importantly, helping us to provide more and more customers with the kind of network services they really need.
When Dave's not traveling, he lives in West Palm Beach, where he enjoys golfing and planning visits to see his five grandchildren.
:: News & Reviews
“We're in an industry that it's easy to throw out the three-letter acronyms. And people will talk above you and try to make you feel as though you're foolish, and it's nice to be able to sit and talk to someone who says "Here's what you've got going on, Lowell. Here's what we're going to be able to do to help you." And they've always delivered what they've promised.”