Meet Our Team of Exchange Technology Innovators

Maureen and Jim Downs

Kirk Kozel

Kirk manages the day-to-day operations at Connamara Technologies and oversees critical areas of the business such as engineering, product support, professional services, and most importantly, growing our team. Prior to his role at Connamara Tech, Kirk was the Chief Talent Officer at Connamara Systems, among other positions. Kirk earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering & Computer Science from the University of Michigan, where he also played lacrosse.

Daniel Davis

Dan leads the sales and marketing efforts at Connamara Technologies. Prior to joining Connamara Tech, Dan was a director at a B2B SaaS company, working directly with its employees, executive team, board, and private equity partner to implement its strategic programs. Prior, Dan helped PIMCO grow its new office in Austin, Texas – with roles in the strategy and sales groups. Dan graduated from Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania, where he captained the football team.

Grant Smith

As a product owner Grant is tasked with delivering exceptional software for Connamara’s clients; including project management, defining our product roadmap, and providing meaningful business analysis. Prior to his role as Product Owner, Grant was a Senior Business Analyst at Connamara Systems. Grant graduated summa cum laude from Bates College with a degree in economics.

Matt Lane

Matt leads the engineering group within Connamara Technologies, combining his engineering experience and client knowledge to provide clarity to exchange operators trying to achieve their vision. Prior to joining Connamara Tech, Matt was the Director of Technology at DigitalMint. He graduated from Purdue with a degree in Computer Science, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.

John Vatianou

John serves as the CISO for Connamara Technologies. He has 15 years of experience leading development teams.  John is responsible for managing all company controls for security, incident response, business continuity and disaster recovery, secure system development, and other information security areas within the business. John launched and manages Connamara’s SOC 2 compliance. John graduated from Aurora University and holds a Master of Science in Information Systems from DePaul University.

Mike Wilner

Mike is responsible for critical functions like platform architecture and product development. Prior to Connamara, Mike was a senior software architect at Connamara Systems, and a software engineer at Northrop Grumman. Mike graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Computer Engineering, where he was a highly decorated gymnast.

Amanda Peterson, CPA

Amanda Peterson joined Connamara in early 2023. She oversees the accounting, business support, financial planning, and analysis for Connamara Systems and Connamara Technologies. She brings over 15 years of finance and accounting experience, and she has been instrumental in building and leading successful finance teams. Amanda holds a CPA and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Toledo.