The GDS Executive Team
GDS has assembled one of the most experienced management teams in the country in our sector. With well over 100+ years of industry experience, each member is individually recognized as an expert, an innovator and a trusted advisor to clients.
Chris took over day-to-day executive leadership of GDS from his father after holding various positions with the company for the past 30 years. As President, he sets the vision and strategy for GDS, and handles large strategic relationships with customers, vendors and partners. But he sees his greatest accomplishment as empowering GDS employees to deliver the highest levels of service and create successful business outcomes for customers. It is this dedication to success that led him to be named one of the Top 40 under 40 by the Young Presidents Organization.
Doug Pickle comes to GDS with 30 years of experience in the IT & Technology industry, having held various senior leadership roles in sales and business development throughout his career. His leadership has consistently resulted in revenue growth, market expansion, and enhanced customer satisfaction.
Prior to joining Global Data Systems, Doug Pickle served as Senior Director of National Sales for Optimum Business, where he led a national sales team focused on providing telecommunications and connectivity solutions to mid-size/enterprise businesses and wholesale customers. He attended McNeese State University with a focus on Electrical Engineering.
Robert joined GDS more than 20 years ago, after serving 10 years in the U.S. Air Force and working for an Internet Service Provider for four years. He began as Network Engineer and transitioned to Principal Consultant, Senior Technologist and Vice President of Professional Services before transitioning to CTO. Today, Robert is responsible for infrastructure development and management, product and service development, and sales engineering support.
He is a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, with expertise in IP telephony, security, data center and physical security technologies. He uses his technical leadership to help GDS and its customers align technologies to business outcomes.
Alan helps lead growth and sales strategy at GDS, bringing years of experience in sales leadership, marketing, solution development, and business operations. Known for blending creativity with a strong operational focus, he drives measurable results while building trusted client and partner relationships. Alan is skilled at aligning resources to business objectives and fostering innovative approaches that deliver value.
With 35 years of distinguished experience in engineering and technology, Monica has established a reputation for visionary leadership and operational excellence. Her career is defined by her ability to balance daily execution with long-term process transformation. She has held senior leadership roles in engineering, projects, and operations, consistently delivering results through financial stewardship, collaborative problem-solving, and a commitment to developing high-performing teams. Her leadership style emphasizes mentorship, transparency, and a relentless focus on measurable outcomes.
Prior to joining Global Data Systems, Monica served as Director of IT/Project Management for Petroleum Engineers, where she led complex initiatives and contributed to the advancement of technology solutions in the energy sector. She studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, gaining strong analytical abilities and demonstrating commitment to technical excellence. Throughout her career, Monica has championed process innovation, talent development, and strategic growth. She remains dedicated to mentoring future leaders and advancing technology-driven solutions that create lasting value for organizations and their stakeholders."
Throughout his distinguished career, Grant has held pivotal roles spanning software development, system integration, cybersecurity, cloud strategy, and enterprise risk management. His deep technical acumen is matched by his proven ability to lead transformational initiatives and optimize complex IT operations.
As a former Department of Defense contractor, Grant spent more than 21 years supporting national defense programs, including senior roles with Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics Information Technology. He was the Chief Architect of one of the DoD’s earliest cloud products, and he led the first large-scale migration of U.S. Navy systems into the AWS Cloud, achieving full DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) accreditation.
Most recently, Grant served as Director of Technology for St. Tammany Parish Government, where he oversaw multiple mission-critical functions including cybersecurity, network administration, GIS, and IT support services. Under his leadership, the region advanced its digital infrastructure, improved service delivery, and strengthened data protection protocols.
