OptConnect (Kaysville, UT) is expanding its Kaysville headquarters, defying Utah’s tech migration trend. CEO Chris Baird shares how disciplined growth, local talent, and operational focus are driving the company's national success from Davis County.
TechBuzz sat down with CEO Chris Baird to discuss the company’s strategy and vision.
As many Utah tech companies scale, they tend to follow a familiar trajectory: relocating to high-profile campuses in Lehi, Draper, or Sandy. But OptConnect is taking a different approach—by staying put. TechBuzz sat down with the CEO Chris Baird to discuss the company’s strategy, vision, and reasons for their commitment to Kaysville.
The Kaysville-based company, which provides fully managed wireless connectivity for devices such as ATMs, kiosks, digital signage, and smart infrastructure, recently signed a long-term lease to significantly expand its headquarters in Davis County. For CEO Chris Baird, the decision reflects more than office space—it’s a signal of long-term commitment to the people and community that helped build the company.
Founded in 2009 as an offshoot of ATM provider Grant Victor, OptConnect began as a temporary fix for a one-off event. A client needed wireless connectivity in a hurry, and the team improvised. The stopgap solution proved surprisingly effective, demand grew, and the concept evolved into a standalone business.
When Grant Victor’s investment priorities evolved and connectivity became a lower strategic focus given other various objectives, OptConnect adapted by managing its own growth with limited internal resources. Through disciplined execution and a strong operational focus, the team exceeded expectations. By 2017, OptConnect successfully spun out as an independent company with support from Philadelphia-based private equity firm Graham Partners
The company’s core offering is a plug-and-play cellular router bundled with built-in data plans, remote monitoring, and 24/7 support—enabling customers to get devices online without needing an in-house IT team or permanent network infrastructure. Demand surged as more companies adopted “zero trust” environments and began requiring vendors to bring their own connectivity.
Today, OptConnect supports over 10,000 organizations across sectors including financial services, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and clean tech. The devices are often deployed in places where traditional wired connections are either impractical or too expensive to install—think smart irrigation systems, digital menus, and remote medical equipment.
Despite national and international growth, OptConnect has maintained its Utah roots. Baird told TechBuzz the decision to stay in Kaysville was both cultural and strategic.
“Nearly half of our 300 employees live nearby,” Baird said. “The local workforce is educated, motivated, and grounded. That proximity creates retention, alignment, and execution advantages you can’t always replicate elsewhere.”
Cost is another factor. Compared to Utah County’s saturated real estate market, operating in Kaysville gives the company more flexibility to invest in R&D, customer experience, and engineering talent. “We’ve always been disciplined about where we allocate capital. The location helps us maintain that discipline,” said Baird.
Culture, too, plays a role. Internally, OptConnect encourages employees to take on “stretch goals” each quarter. While that idea isn’t uncommon in the tech world, it’s deeply embedded at OptConnect. Baird described it as part of a broader ethos—doing hard things with intention. He recently completed a half Ironman for his 40th birthday and said the experience helped reinforce that mindset within the company. Several team members have since trained for endurance events of their own.
“That’s not about racing,” Baird clarified. “It’s about pushing beyond comfort zones and seeing what’s possible. That’s how we approach our business decisions, too.”
The new headquarters expansion will include a larger network operations center, hybrid-friendly collaboration zones, training spaces, and sustainability upgrades such as solar-powered infrastructure. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
Looking ahead, the company is cautiously entering new verticals, including water and wastewater management, commercial solar infrastructure, and advanced medical devices. “We don’t chase everything,” Baird said. “We only move into new markets when we know we can support them at the same service level our existing customers expect.”
Closer to home, OptConnect is also targeting more Utah-based partners, particularly in energy, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing. One barrier, according to Baird, is simple awareness. “We hear from companies all the time who say, ‘Where were you two years ago?’ Now that our platform is proven and scalable, we’re re-engaging those conversations.”
The company is also expanding its white-label program, allowing manufacturers to embed OptConnect’s connectivity into their own hardware. “That lets our partners ship connected products right out of the box, without requiring the end user to do any setup,” Baird explained.
Graham Partners, OptConnect’s private equity backer, has signaled broader interest in northern Utah, recently investing in Ogden-based Becklar, a security and video monitoring company. While Salt Lake and Utah Counties remain hubs of tech activity, second-ring cities like Kaysville and Ogden may be gaining ground as viable growth centers.
For Utah startups and founders weighing where to build, OptConnect offers a powerful counter-narrative. You don’t need a flashy office in Lehi or a downtown Salt Lake address to make an impact. What you need is a clear mission, a great team, and the courage to do things a little differently. And maybe, in OptConnect’s case, a really good router.
Explore OptConnect’s solutions or learn more about career opportunities at optconnect.com.
