Our Staff
Steve Olson
Steve's training includes Communications Center Manager, Communications Unit Leader, Communications Unit Technician, and Incident Tactical Dispatcher. His work with OTTC includes MCC7500 console, Dispatch and Admin operations, radio End-User Train the Trainer, radio CPS programming and other services. He has served as COML for two full scale Coast Guard exercises including Operation Down Under in the summer of 2011 and Operation Peeking Duck in the summer of 2013. He has received formal training as a Communications Unit Leader instructor at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmetsburg, Maryland.
Steve also works with the Lake County MN Sheriff’s Office as PSAP Manager, Jail Administrator and local ARMER System Administrator. He managed the county’s transition to the MN 800 MHz ARMER P25 Trunked network in 2012 for all public safety agencies, and is responsible for the maintenance and programming of the estimated 600 ARMER P25 mobile and portable radios used by Lake County. Steve is active in the MN Northeast Region ARMER Services Board and committees as well as the Statewide NextGen 911 committee. In his free time he enjoys hunting, fishing and an occasional round of golf.
David Theis
Dave is a recently-retired Senior Systems Technologist with Motorola Solutions. Dave worked with Motorola for 37 years serving in many roles including FTR, Systems Integration Manager, Systems Engineer, and Systems Technologist (ST). In his most recent role as an ST Dave was responsible for integrating local, regional, and statewide communications system solutions for public safety users and utility customers throughout the United States. Dave’s work with OTTC includes radio End User Train the Trainer, Trunked System Administration, radio CPS Programming and other services.
He has been the primary Motorola ST for MN ARMER since the system's inception in 2003, and was also the ST for the South Dakota Statewide Radio system, the ORION system in Nebraska and many other ASTRO P25 systems. Dave has provided radio subscriber, console, and network training to service shops as well as customers. He currently is the Radio System Administrator for the University of Minnesota. His other work-related history includes 8 years in the USAF, 5 years with Northwestern Bell, and Motorola. He is CompTIA certified in networks, desktop hardware, and network security. When away from work Dave enjoys fishing, camping and other outdoor activities.
Rowan Watkins
Rowan’s training includes Radio System Administration, radio End-User Train the Trainer, Radio Programming and Template Building, MCC 7500 Series Dispatch Consoles, and he is a Communications Unit Technician (COMT).
Rowan is also the Radio Communications Analyst for Cook County MN since 2012, and is responsible for managing all aspects of MN ARMER radio system use and projects for Cook County. His work includes managing resources, contractors/consultants, tower site contracts and agreements, communication and training, and defining future operational processes.
Rowan functions as the Cook County ARMER System Administrator, where he is responsible for all County LMR assets as well as for all agencies and entities operating under the Cook County ARMER participation plan. Entities included in the Plan are nine fire departments, three ambulance services, the Cook County Sheriff's Office, Cook County Search & Rescue, and multiple public service entities.
Jason Matthias
Jason has been involved in Public Safety Communications since 1996. His work with OTTC specializes in End User Train the Trainer, MCC7500 console Dispatcher training, and other services.
Since 2003 Jason has worked with the St. Louis County Minnesota 911 Center as an Emergency Communications Specialist. During this time he assisted in the implementation of a 5-county shared CAD system, as well as train the communications staff and end-users during the county’s transition to the Minnesota ARMER 800 MHz Trunked system.
As a Dispatch Center Supervisor he oversees the ongoing education, policy and procedure and quality assurance programs. He is also the coordinator of the SLC Tactical Communications Team, working jointly with the SLC and Duluth Tactical Response Teams. He spends much of his time working with the 185 agencies dispatched by St. Louis Co 911 on the day-to-day use of the ARMER system.
Dave Pike
Dave is currently a Sergeant with the Mower County Sheriff’s Office in Austin, MN, as well as working for OTTC. Dave started his career with Mower County (MN) in 1995 as a Deputy Sheriff; he was promoted to Patrol Sergeant and is responsible for supervising deputies in all aspects of Law Enforcement. In 2006 Dave began assuming the responsibility for department technology, which included hardware and software configuration for the Sheriff’s Office.
Dave serves as the ARMER Local System Administrator (SA) for the County, and began working on the migration of all Mower County public safety agencies to the Minnesota ARMER radio system in 2012. As the Local SA Dave is responsible for the maintenance and programming of the Dispatch Console and all 450 ARMER Radio System Subscribers/Radios in Mower County, as well as training 18 departments on ARMER System use.
Dave’s duties include representing the County in the Southeast Region of MN on various committees, and in 2015 was elected the SE RAC Chair. He is also a member of the Brownsdale Fire Department and has served as Fire Chief since 2000. In 2017, Dave became an instructor for the Minnesota State College System as a Fire Training Instructor. Dave has provided training in Leadership, Scene Safety, Hazardous Materials and General Firefighting. His training also includes Communications Unit Leader, Communications Unit Technician, Firefighter 1 and 2, Fire Officer 1, Fire Instructor 1 and 2.
Rey Freeman
Rey launched RFCC in 2013 after 13 years with GeoComm as the primary radio systems consultant and project manager. He has over 40 years experience in the field of Land Mobile and Public Safety radio networks, specializing in all system types including Low Band, VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz Trunked, analog and P25.
From 1998 to 2000 he managed land mobile radio and in-flight data systems for
Northwest Airlines at their world headquarters in Minneapolis, and implemented the first 800 MHz Trunked systems at the MSP and DTW airports.
Before his work at Northwest, he was the 9-1-1 Supervisor for the City of Richfield Minnesota. His career began with Motorola as a technician and installation supervisor in St. Paul, Minnesota.
When not chasing electrons and looking up at towers he can be found working on classic cars, playing guitar in a Surf band, and teaching his grandchildren how to have fun.