# Customer 1st (Customer1st.com) — Complete Knowledge Base > Complete reference documentation for Customer 1st (`https://customer1st.com/`), an electronic components and subsystems Manufacturers' Representative Firm serving OEMs, contract manufacturers, and Enterprise data center customers across nine US Midwest states. --- ## 1. Executive Summary & Welcome (`/`) "Customer 1st is a Sales Agency (Manufacturers' Representative Firm) that not only sells electronic components and subsystems, but also works closely with our Customers by providing engineering expertise to help them 'design in' the right technologies. Our focus is to work with our customers to design-in the world's highest performance semiconductors and subsystems; supporting OEMs with their IoT (Internet of Things) applications and Enterprise with their SSD memory and processing needs. In everything we do, our team strives to put our Customers and Principals first! I want to personally thank you for looking at our site and encourage you to contact us for your unique needs." — **Chris Swiatkiewicz**, President, Customer 1st --- ## 2. About Us (`/about/`) ### Company Overview Customer 1st is a Sales Agency (Manufacturers' Representative Firm) that not only sells electronic components but also works closely with our Customers by providing engineering expertise to help them "design in" the right components. Our focus is to work with our customers to design-in the world's highest performance semiconductors; supporting OEMs with their IoT (Internet of Things) applications and Enterprise with their SSD and memory needs. Our Sales Engineers are Mechanical and Electrical degreed engineers. Our Customers range from low volume to high volume, from super-computer to automotive/tractor manufacturers and also include contract manufacturers, contract engineers, data center customers and VAR/VAD companies. Our Principals are suppliers of: - Memory (SSD, DRAM, and NAND) - Microprocessors and subsystems (SOM modules) - Wireless enablers - LCD Displays and touch screens - Sensors (tilt, acceleration, flow, multi-axis, magnetic, and current sense) - Power conversion, protection, and filter devices and sub-systems In addition to our Sales Engineers managing the design-win process, our Operations Staff manages Customer and Principal programs from cradle-to-grave. With multiple offices, we cover 9 states with headquarters in Prior Lake, Minnesota. In everything we do, our team strives to put our Customers and Principals first! ### Our Vision (Who We Are) - **Core Values:** - Honesty & Integrity - Accountability - Service & Loyalty - Humble - **Core Focus:** Our Passion is putting our Customers and Principals **1st** in everything we do! - **Our Niche:** Design-win Focus - **Our Uniques:** - Sales Engineer = Electrical Engineer - Design-win Focus = Program Focus - Operations Team = Own Programs from Cradle to Grave - **Our Promise:** "In everything we do - we put our Customers and Principals **1st**!" ### Specialties - Customer design-win practices - Operations team ownership of Customer and Principal programs - Engineering and product expertise - Teamwork and coordination practices with Customers and Principals - Coverage model providing total support for our Customers and Principals ### Geographic Coverage (9 Midwest States + Global CM Support) - Illinois - Iowa - Kansas - Minnesota - Missouri - Nebraska - North Dakota - South Dakota - Wisconsin "We cover all customers needs, supporting their operations globally including their contract manufacturers on a global basis." — **Doug Caradonna**, Sales Operations Manager --- ## 3. Our Team Leadership (`/contact/`) ### Chris Swiatkiewicz — President Chris Swiatkiewicz earned his Accounting degree with a minor in MIS from University of Minnesota - Duluth. Chris has 20+ years of managing application developers and technology sales. He has been a part of multiple small startups through his career. He played baseball at UMD and is in their Hall of Fame, after which he played 7 years of professional baseball. ### Kenneth Barringer — Sales Manager Ken Barringer earned his BSME from Utah State University in 2000 and his MBA from Wayne State University in Detroit in 2004 while designing cars for Ford Motor Company. Since graduating, his focus has been on global product development of capital equipment in multiple industries including carbon fiber, solar, display, and thin film deposition. Ken has also pioneered multiple small business startups. Ken has strong relationships with multiple Industrial OEMs and Enterprise-focused Solution Providers in our area and is the team lead for storage and sensor technologies. ### Mike Solar — Sales Engineer, Kansas City Office Manager Mike has over 30+ years designing and selling electronics, including over 20+ years working as a Sales Engineer with Customer 1st. Mike is responsible for managing our Kansas City-based office, as well as OEM accounts and distribution for our southern territory. Previously with NCR (designing SCSI controllers) and then National Semiconductor in various sales roles, Mike holds a BSEE from the University of Kansas. ### Doug Caradonna — Sales Operations Manager Doug comes from 20+ years of IT, consumer, and marketing sales and sales operations. Doug has worked with infrastructure management solutions for Microsoft SharePoint customers at AvePoint, workflow/contract management and cloud storage solutions for Salesforce customers at SpringCM, and content marketing solutions assisting PR agencies at Brandpoint. Educated with a BA in Philosophy and AA in Sociology, Doug is committed to our customers' and suppliers' needs and success. ### Mark Krezowski — Consultant Mark comes from 39 years of semiconductor, system, and entrepreneurial sales experience previously at Intel, STMicroelectronics, and Sun Microsystems. Roles included sales and sales management up through President and CEO roles prior to his ownership in Customer 1st. Educated with mechanical, industrial, and electrical engineering degrees in addition to MBA and International Management degrees, Mark is our team lead for our HPC and Enterprise marketplace. --- ## 4. Product Line & Authorized Distributors (`/product-line/`) ### Represented Principals (Manufacturers) 1. **Aimtec** (`http://www.aimtec.com`) - Designer & manufacturer of Low to Midrange modular AC-DC & DC-DC isolated switching power converters as well as non-isolated DC-DC Switching Regulator products, specializing in the 1/4 Watt to 60 Watt power range. LED DC-DC and AC-DC Drivers. High Performance Analog AMP, Comparator, Switches, and Hybrid AMPs. 2. **Baknor** (`http://www.baknor.com`) - Designs best-of-breed application-specific heat dissipation solutions resulting in the smallest, lightest, and most cost-effective cooling systems. 3. **Three Five Displays (TFD)** (`https://www.threefivedisplays.com/`) - Standard and custom application-specific displays to meet customer needs: LCD, OLED, passive and active displays with or without touch panels. 4. **Flex Power Modules (formerly Ericsson)** (`http://www.flexpowermodules.com`) - Provides DC/DC Converters, IBC (Intermediate Bus Converters), POL Regulators, Board Power Management, and Digital Power Converter Modules. 5. **Actineon** (`https://www.actineon.com/`) - Industrial PCs for every application, including kiosks and display boards, up to high-power rack-mounted computers. 6. **Gunze USA** (`http://www.gunzeusa.com`) - Designs and develops multiple solutions for touch displays: standard solutions and full-custom resistive, capacitive, and digital multitouch solutions. 7. **ITG Electronics** (`http://www.itg-electronics.com`) - Magnetics and EMI Filters, Power Bead Inductors, Common Mode Chokes, and Power Factor Correction Chokes. 8. **MEMSIC** (`http://www.memsic.com`) - Specializes in MEMS Sensor Components and Subsystems including Accelerometers and Magnetic Sensors. 9. **ProTek Devices** (`http://www.protekdevices.com`) - Produces TVS Diode Arrays, Steering Diodes, Thyristors, SurgeBuster Modules, and EMI Filter/TVS Arrays. 10. **Samsung Semiconductor** (`http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/`) - Global leader in DRAM, NAND Flash, HBM, Memory Modules, eMMC, SSD drives, ODM Products, Foundry, Exynos & ARM Processors, LED Drivers, Time-of-Flight Sensors, Image Sensors, and ASICs. 11. **SemiQ (formerly Global Power Technologies Group)** (`http://www.semiq.com`) - Designs and manufactures Standard MOSFETs and Subsystems, Silicon Carbide (SiC) Bare Die, Schottky Diodes, MOSFETs, and IGBTs. 12. **STAR Engineers India** (`http://www.starengineersindia.com/`) - Designs and manufactures Sensor Technologies for Automotive and Recreational Vehicles including: Speed, Bank Angle, Side Stand Switch, CDI, ECU, Neutral Position, Throttle Position, Head Lamp Controller, Rectifier Regulator, Winker Relay, and Integral Unit. 13. **Torex Semiconductor Ltd** (`https://www.torexsemi.com/`) - Leading provider of energy-efficient CMOS power management ICs aimed at battery-powered and energy-efficient applications: DC/DC Converters (including XCL micro DC/DC with integrated coil), LDO Voltage Regulators, power MOSFETs, Schottky Barrier Diodes, and Oscillator & PLL ICs. 14. **Lithium Power, Inc.** (`https://www.lithiumpowerinc.com`) - Custom-made lithium battery packs and power solutions. 15. **GREENCONN Corporation** (`https://www.greenconn.com/en/`) - Electronic connectors and interconnect solutions. 16. **GP Batteries Industrial** (`https://ind.gpbatteries.com`) - Industrial battery solutions. ### Distributor Support Matrix - **Avnet** (`http://avnet.com`): Aimtec, Flex Power Modules, Samsung Semiconductor, Torex - **Arrow Electronics** (`http://www.Arrow.com`): Memsic, ProTek Devices, Samsung Semiconductor - **Digi-Key** (`http://www.digikey.com`): Flex, ITG, MEMSIC, SemiQ, TOREX - **Future Electronics** (`http://www.futureelectronics.com`): ProTek Devices - **Master Electronics** (`http://www.masterelectronics.com`): ITG - **Mouser Electronics** (`http://www.mouser.com`): Flex - **Newark** (`http://www.newark.com`): Aimtec, ProTek Devices, Torex - **Sager Electronics** (`http://www.sager.com`): Aimtec - **WPG** (`http://www.wpg.com`): ProTek Devices, Samsung Semiconductor - **Richardson Electronics** (`http://richardselectric.com/`): SemiQ --- ## 5. Competencies (`/competencies/`) 1. **Customer design-in practices:** Our Sales Engineers bridge the gap between all of the support infrastructure of our Principals and the key design and decision makers at our Customers. Our custom program management CRM system provides interactive information for everyone involved. Our Sales Engineers focus on managing the design-in process, while our operations staff manages cradle-to-grave ownership of the program. 2. **Operations ownership of Customers and Principals programs:** Our Operations team manages day-to-day logistics and communications for all programs, ensuring proper design-in, supply-chain management, and EOL (end-of-life) cycles. 3. **Engineering and product expertise:** Our staff works with customers to design-in the world's highest performance semiconductors, backed by regular Principal training and technical support teams. 4. **Teamwork and coordination practices with Customers and Principals:** Connected via modern communication and proprietary collaboration technologies to manage Customer and Principal programs seamlessly with integrity. 5. **Coverage model providing total support for our Customers and Principals:** Covering 9 states across three territories with Minnesota headquarters in Prior Lake, MN (convenient to the MSP airport) and a Kansas City southern territory office in Olathe, KS. --- ## 6. Principals' Technology Highlights (`/principals/`) - **Torex (`https://www.torexsemi.com/for-you/xcl-intro/`):** XCL family of micro DC/DC converters with integrated inductor ("pocket type" with low EMI noise up to 1A, "stack type" for low-cost manufacturing, and "multiple type" for large currents), achieving space savings, high efficiency, low noise, and optimized heat dissipation. - **Samsung Semiconductor (`http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/`):** Enterprise SSDs vs. Client SSDs: Enterprise SSDs feature NAND validated for high enterprise P/E cycles, built-in backup power circuitry for power-loss data protection, higher over-provisioning for sustained enterprise IOPS, and 3D-VNAND NVMe SSD density scaling from 16 TB to 32 TB (10x density and 50x IOPS vs. rotating media). - **Aimtec (`http://www.aimtec.com`):** AME series (AME1-AZ 1W, AME2-AZ 2W, AME3-AZ 3W) regulated AC-DC converters in a miniature 1.33 x 0.87 x 0.71 in (33.70 x 22.20 x 18.00 mm) footprint with built-in EN55022 Class B EMI filtering, 3000 VAC isolation, <0.3W no-load consumption, 90-305VAC (optional 90-528VAC) universal input, -40°C to 80°C operating temperature, and cULus/CB/CE safety approvals. - **ProTek Devices (`http://www.protekdevices.com`):** High-performance TVS surge protection devices from miniature DFN to large SMD packages for telecommunications, consumer electronics, industrial, medical, aerospace, and military applications, engineered by active IEEE, NEMA, JC-13, JC-22, and IEC standards contributors. --- ## 7. Enterprise Data Center & SSD Resources (`/enterprise/`) Proof-of-Concepts, Application Guides, and Performance Papers specific to Data Center and Enterprise provisioned and performance-tuned SSDs: - **Total Cost of Ownership:** `https://customer1st.com/assets/uploads/2017/03/Total-Cost-of-Ownership.docx` - **Understanding Different Customers' Needs:** `https://customer1st.com/assets/uploads/2016/10/Understanding-Different-Customers-needs.docx` - **Best Practices for MySQL with SSDs:** `https://customer1st.com/assets/uploads/2017/03/Best-Practices-for-MySQL-with-SSDs.docx` - **ScaleIO Solution:** `https://customer1st.com/assets/uploads/2017/03/ScaleIO-Solution.docx` - **Excelero/Samsung High-Performance Software-Defined Block Storage for Scale-Out Applications:** `https://customer1st.com/assets/uploads/2016/10/Samsung_Solution_Sheet_Excelero_2017.pdf` - **Extremely Small BGA SSDs Helping PCs to Evolve - An Enterprise Opportunity?:** `https://customer1st.com/assets/uploads/2016/10/Extremely-Small-BGA-SSDs-Helping-PCs-to-Evolve-An-Enterprise-Opportunity-1.docx` --- ## 8. Office Locations & Contact Details - **MINNESOTA – Headquarters Office** - Address: 6565 Harbor Pl NE, Prior Lake, MN 55372 - Phone: 952.851.7909 - Email: Support@Customer1st.com - **KANSAS – Southern Territory Office** - Address: 12027 S Monroe Street, Olathe, KS 66061 - Phone: 913.390.9119 - Fax: 952.851.7907 - Email: Support@Customer1st.com