About Us
The idea of COPsync, Inc. derived from the 25-years combined law enforcement experience of its founders Russell Chaney and Shane Rapp. Their background includes the founding of www.CARad.com in January 2000, from a start-up company to its successful acquisition by eBay, Inc. in March 2003. After the completion of the CARad.com acquisition, both Russell and Shane wanted to leverage their prior law enforcement background and their software development skills to improve the day-to-day performance of their fellow law enforcement officers. Their goal centered on how they could focus their background best to help their fellow citizens. Both knew that the officer on the street was tasked with a growing burden in their job, known as paperwork. After spending 18-months on research and development, COPsync, Inc. was launched in April, 2004. The goal of the company is to provide each law enforcement officer worldwide with additional patrol hours each week without increasing the payroll cost associated with additional or overtime hours. To accomplish this goal, each officer would need to be able to patrol additional hours without physically working additional hours each week. Each knew that with the right technological advances applied to the law enforcement field, their personal goals set-forth for COPsync, Inc. could be achieved. Keeping the company focused on this goal will produce an end-result of a safer community, state and nation. Yes, it is technology to Serve and Protect, but more so it also is technology specifically designed to give us a better class of living.
COPsync, Inc. has a diverse group of investors/partners. Our partners include several members of the Law Enforcement Community, retirees, ranchers, business leaders, and friends and family of the founders. We are very blessed to find such a wide variety of partners to assist us in our start-up venture. We have called on this group for their advice, assistance, and financial backing. We have always received their total support. I believe this is representative of the goal that we are trying to fulfill. My partners and I truly believe that we are working on something that will change our communities. We are committed to this goal and will continue to fund this venture until it is self sustaining. After all, we all feel that it is our responsibility to protect our children's future. There could not be a better way to accomplish this goal than to make the best technology available to those commissioned to protect us so they can more effectively prevent and solve crimes. My partners and I feel that the current methods and tools are deficient and place our safety and security at risk. We feel it is a blessing to be tasked with filling these deficiencies for the future of our communities.
We thank you for reading about us. As you can see we are common people with a common goal, to protect our children's future by making our neighborhoods and communities a safer place to live.
The COPsync, Inc. Staff
Management Team:
COPsync, Inc. was launched to fill a large void in the Law Enforcement Community. The founders and consultants of COPsync, Inc. are members of this elite community of professionals. They saw firsthand the negative implications associated with the inability of Law Enforcement Agencies to communicate with each other and failing to share information and intelligence to solve and prevent crimes. After successfully selling a prior software business, remaining all the while in the Law Enforcement arena, the timing was right to launch a technology company to eliminate the deficiencies and barriers that prevent those professionals from successfully accomplishing their mission of protecting our very lives.
The first goal of the founders was to recruit the "right" team of industry professionals to leverage their knowledge to succeed in building the right product that would improve officer safety in the performance of their duties, while promoting improved effectiveness and efficiency. These recruited professionals represent over 85+ years of combined Law Enforcement experience.
Russell Chaney Cofounder - Business Development
Russell’s background in public service started in 1984 as an EMT. After three years of working on the ambulance, Russell decided it was time to further his commitment to his community by moving into Law Enforcement. He started his career in Law Enforcement as a civilian rider, riding with Sheriffs Deputies with the Comal County Sheriffs Office and troopers with the Texas Highway Patrol. In 1988 Russell graduated from the San Antonio Law Enforcement Academy with a Texas Peace Officer Certification. From that point forward, he worked for Municipal Police Departments and Texas Constables Offices, all the while maintaining his career as a Professional Sales Executive. Russell maintains his Law Enforcement Commission to this date with the Comal County Constables Office Precinct #4.
Shane Rapp Cofounder - President
Shane’s background in public service started in 1996 as a civilian rider with various officers and agencies. Shane graduated from the San Antonio Law Enforcement Academy in 1998 with a Texas Peace Officer Certification. Shane furthered his Law Enforcement education by obtaining a Texas Communications Officers Certification and Texas Communications Officers Supervisors Certification. In 2004, Shane placed his name on the ballot to run for Precinct #4 Constables office. His opponents included a retired Assistant Police Chief, a retired 27-year veteran police officer, and a retired San Antonio Police Helicopter Pilot. After hard work and diligent campaign efforts, Shane was elected to the position after going to a run-off election with the retired Assistant Chief. Shane maintains this elected status to date. During his Law Enforcement tenure, Shane continued to work full-time as a business executive in the corporate community.
Ron Woessner Chief Executive Officer
Ron Woessner has worked in a senior executive or legal capacity at publicly-held, start-up and emerging, technology companies for nearly 20 years. His expertise is helping these companies devise growth strategies and avoid the legal liabilities inherent in operating in today’s business and legal environment. He most recently served as senior vice president and general counsel for Zix Corporation (NASDAQ: ZIXI), a subscription-based, encrypted email SaaS services provider that enables healthcare and financial institutions to comply with HIPAA and GLBA. Prior to that, he served as vice president and general counsel of Amtech Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTC), a manufacturer of RFID products and services, whose electronic toll collection systems, including the Northeast’s “E-Z Pass,” Florida’s “SunPass” and DFW’s “TollTag” toll collection systems, are used throughout the U.S., and whose automatic equipment identification systems are used by railroads in 24 countries and on all habitable continents of the world. Mr. Woessner is a magna cum laude graduate of a top 20 law school, a summa cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University, holds a director certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and is a certified Toastmaster by Toastmasters International.
Barry Wilson Chief Financial Officer
Barry Wilson has worked for over seventeen years in a variety of accounting and financial capacities at publicly-held, start-up and emerging, technology companies. His expertise is helping these companies implement sound financial and operational systems which provide accurate reporting and scalability in support of their growth strategies. He served as chief financial officer and treasurer as well as vice president of accounting and finance for Zix Corporation (NASDAQ: ZIXI), a subscription-based, encrypted email SaaS services provider that enables healthcare and financial institutions to comply with HIPAA and GLBA. Prior to that, he served as director of finance at Amtech Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTC), a manufacturer of RFID products and services, whose electronic toll collection systems are used throughout the U.S. and whose automatic equipment identification systems are used by railroads in 24 countries and on all habitable continents of the world. Prior to joining Amtech, Wilson held accounting and finance positions at both publicly-held and privately-owned enterprises. Wilson is a licensed certified public accountant with a degree in accounting from Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA.