Meet Softec’s Board of Directors

This page includes the backgrounds and connections to our Board Members. These volunteers make it possible for Softec to do what Softec does.  Without their time contributions, Softec simply would not exist.

Bob Dumouchel, In Memory

Bob Dumouchel was a driving force in Softec since 1996, serving three terms as President and contributing over two decades of leadership on our board. A serial entrepreneur with seven technology startups to his name, Bob often said, “four were successful and three I learned from.” His passion for innovation was matched only by his belief that the strength of a business community comes from the connections between people.

Bob built countless relationships through Softec Moments that turned challenges into opportunities and ideas into reality. Beyond Softec, he founded several companies, including What’s Next?, a marketing agency specializing in technology innovations. He also served as Program Administrator for the regional CEO Roundtables beginning in 2005, supporting business leaders across the Central Coast.

Bob’s energy, mentorship, and vision left a lasting impact on Softec and the wider community. We are grateful for his many years of service and will carry forward the spirit of connection and innovation he championed.

Steven Burgess, Vice President and Treasurer

Steve Burgess is the president of Burgess Consulting and Computer Forensics and a serial entrepreneur. He is a tech writer & speaker, startup mentor, Life and Business Coach, and an internationally recognized computer forensics consultant, as well as nanotechnology activist, recently President of the nonprofit, The Foresight Institute, in San Francisco. He has hosted numerous Tech Brews in Santa Maria and acted as a coach, judge, and participant in various Startup Weekends up and down the Central Coast.

A founder of the data recovery industry in 1984 and a pioneer of today’s burgeoning computer forensics and electronic discovery industry, Burgess is active as a digital forensic specialist and testifies widely as an expert witness in the field. Steve has reported on Japan’s space programs, contributed various Nanotech Glossaries, is the author of “The (Needed) New Economics of Abundance,” contributor to the text, “Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases,” and regularly writes on cyberissues, tech tips, and CSI stories found at his website.

 Jeff Buckingham, VP of Connections

I’m a true believer in outstanding customer service – the foundation of our company’s mission. And I love telecommunications and technology. But when I was a kid, I always dreamed of being a dairy farmer. Luckily for me, running a business is a lot like running a farm: It takes patience and stamina, know the landscape well and help others find their way.

An avid tech enthusiast, I started my career in 1983 at Call America, just as the Bell System broke up. I started as the company’s first sales person and eventually became president. But my love of learning how things work started long before that. When I was 15 and my pickup truck got stuck in the mud, I decided to change the entire drive train to four-wheel drive in my parents’ backyard.

After a brief stint as a full-time rancher, I founded the “new” Call America in 2001 with my business partner, Cheryl Lovell. And we watched our company grow to 25 employees, serving more than 2,000 customers on the Central Coast.

Cheryl and I partnered again and co-founded Blue Rooster Telecom in 2009. In 2014 we merged Blue Rooster Telecom together with Norcast Telecom Networks to form a new “Blue” version of Norcast. In 2016 Norcast joined forces with Digital West, another great local company. In 2021 Digital West joined forces with Astound Broadband. Now, with the growing Astound fiber optic network, I’m able to work with our team to bring tremendous fiber investments to the Central Coast. This is the best of times “lighting up” our community with broadband.

My community is my home, and I’m a very social creature. I serve my community in a variety of ways that are meaningful and make a difference in my life and, I hope, also in the lives of others. I’m lucky to love what I do and do what I love – solve problems and provide great customer service.

Brian Schwarz, VP of Tech Reads

Since 2018, Brian Schwartz has been the ‘Brewmaster’ for our popular TechBrew networking event. He’s responsible for coordinating our guest speakers, setting up the events, and hosting the virtual TechBrew on Zoom. Brian graduated from Cal Poly in 1994 with a degree in Industrial Technology and worked for a variety of technology companies (including IBM) before launching his publishing consulting & author services firm in 2009. As a technologist, he has created two SAAS products (PubWriter.com and AuthorDock.com). As an advocate for local authors, he writes a monthly column for SLO Life Magazine. Prior to returning to the central coast in 2013, Brian was living in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he wrote and published 50 Interviews: Entrepreneurs Thriving in Uncertain Times. You can reach Brian through his website at https://selfpublish.org/contact

 Tyler Skinner, VP of Women’s Issues

Tom Ross – Board Member

Albert Qian – Board Member

Karen Edwards, Ph.D. – Board Member

Karen Edwards, Ph.D., is an entrepreneur, small business owner, and tech enthusiast. She serves as the Dean of Workforce Partnerships & Credentialing at Laurus College, leading initiatives that connect education and industry to prepare the workforce for the future. With more than 20 years of college-level teaching experience, she brings expertise in curriculum design, accessibility, and workforce strategy. Karen also co-owns Central Coast Bicycles, a company that designs and manufactures personalized gravel, mountain, and road bikes. Active in the community, she has served on local Chamber of Commerce committees and is an Ambassador for the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Her doctoral research focused on Renaissance Italy, and she sees the same transformative energy in how AI is reshaping education and the future of work.