Peter K. Kardel Founding CEO/CTO, Clever Ducks
Growing up in San Luis Obispo, Peter K. Kardel, 39, discovered his passion for technology while working at his father’s law office. His “one-man show” providing technical support to local firms eventually grew into Computer Network Services and is now called Clever Ducks, after a Danish term of endearment.
As chief executive officer and chief technology officer, Kardel heads its 12-person team. He “is the archetypical ‘Live Here — Succeed Here’ business founder,” said attorney Tom Lebens, who nominated him.
A “pragmatic environmentalist” who maintains company bikes, Kardel donates office space to the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition. When not mountain biking, Kardel works with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, The Endowment for the Advancement of Children, Big Buddies and other local groups.
He and wife, Amy, have four children — Haven, 11, Erik, 10, Sophia, 7, and Jorgen, 5. They also host foreign exchange students, currently Vei Jun, 17, with whom they plan to visit China and attend the Summer Olympics.
“Every interaction you have, you have the opportunity to be a spark, a light, or not,” Kardel said. “I want to be somebody who’s a light to the world.”
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