Our hero of the hour, an IdeaTek installer
IdeaTek, a Buhler company, recently installed our Gigabit fiber, which gives Groover Labs its own dedicated internet access.
Offering gigabit fiber is a key benefit for our coworking space — just part of our 42,000 square-foot collaboration hub at Third and St. Francis.
Our IT manager, Paul Maseberg, said gigabit fiber provides:
Improved support for multiple users and devices
Video conferencing
Fast data transfers and multimedia uploads and downloads
Co-founder Curt Gridley noted that the gigabit fiber at Groover Labs is expandable.
Reminder: Startup Grind Wichita's Pitch Battle is Dec. 12
We're playing host to Startup Grind Wichita's Pitch Battle and holiday party from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 12.
Tickets are available here.
Our next hotseat open house is Dec. 13
Our first hotseat open house was a success, and we're planning another one from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13.
Bring your laptop, give a hotseat a trial run and enjoy our special blend of Local Roasters coffee as well as free donuts.
Hotseats are available in the front part of our building and have a coffeeshop vibe. The white oak desks were locally made by Patrick Walsh of Walsh Oak and Iron, and space at them is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
While you're here, feel free to ask a staff member for a tour of the other parts of our building, including our 14,000-square-foot makerspace and 275-seat event hall.
We're eager to answer any questions you may have about how we are fueling collaboration and product development in Wichita.
Meet Parker McConachie
What does Parker do at Groover Labs? Parker is our community development manager. His job is to bring new members on board, anticipate their needs and ensure Groover Labs fosters an environment of collaboration.
What's his background? Parker has a varied background in sales, nonprofit work, technology, financial services and teaching at the college level. "In one way or another, I pull from experiences at each one of those jobs for my job at Groover Labs," he said. A lifelong learner, a master's degree in English wasn't enough to satiate Parker's desire for knowledge. He earned an MBA as well.
But who is he, really? Parker is an adventurer. He climbs, enjoys open-water swimming and does hot yoga on the regular. After spending several years cooped up in a library studying, he longed for the way he'd felt as a child at camp. So he sought out adventure sports as an adult. He's also an adventurer in other ways. Parker read about Groover Labs in a story by The Wichita Eagle's Carrie Rengers and sent an email to our co-founders, not sure if he'd have a chance at piquing their interest. His eager attitude paid off. "When I interviewed for the job, there was no job description and no title. I think Curt and Tracy are caretakers of the vision, and I think of myself as a caretaker of the culture," he said.
What else should you know about Parker? Although he no longer teaches English at Wichita State University, Parker is always teaching. He loves talking about the origin of words, world history and poetry. He's been in 21 weddings, not including his own.
What's his favorite dictionary? American Heritage. No other dictionary will do for Parker.