About Us

Abdul Akel

Abdul is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of T-Cetra⁠, where he leads the company’s long-term global vision, growth strategy, and innovation initiatives. Since co-founding the company in 2007, he has helped transform T-Cetra into a leading fintech and telecom technology provider, serving approximately 10,000 retail locations across the United States through its VidaPay platform and extensive partner network.

With nearly two decades of leadership experience, Abdul has focused on expanding access to essential products and services for underserved and underbanked communities. Under his leadership, T-Cetra has developed innovative payment and technology solutions that help bridge the digital divide while creating new opportunities for retailers, carrier partners, and consumers nationwide.

Abdul is passionate about building organizations that combine technology, innovation, and purpose to deliver meaningful impact. He believes businesses have a responsibility to create solutions that not only drive growth but also improve access and financial inclusion for the communities they serve.

His leadership and entrepreneurial achievements have earned national recognition, including being named an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2022 East Central Award winner and a National Finalist, as well as being selected to Columbus CEO Magazine’s Future 50 Class.

Ghazwan Tarabishi

Ghazwan is the Chief Operating Officer of T-Cetra⁠, where he leads the company’s operational strategy, sales organization, and partner engagement efforts. Since helping build the company’s growth engine, he has played a key role in expanding T-Cetra’s national footprint, supporting approximately 10,000 retailers across the United States through the VidaPay platform and partner ecosystem.

With extensive experience in wireless distribution, channel sales, and operational leadership, Ghazwan oversees day-to-day business operations while driving strategic initiatives that strengthen relationships with carrier partners, distributors, and independent retailers. He works closely with teams across the organization to ensure operational excellence, scalable growth, and exceptional partner support.

Ghazwan is passionate about building high-performing teams and creating sustainable growth through strong partnerships, disciplined execution, and a customer-first mindset. His leadership has helped position T-Cetra as a trusted technology and distribution partner for some of the nation’s leading wireless brands.

As a member of T-Cetra’s executive leadership team, Ghazwan continues to focus on expanding market opportunities, enhancing operational capabilities, and delivering innovative solutions that create value for retailers, carrier partners, and the communities they serve.

Gus Hashem

Gus is the Co-Founder and Chief Information Officer of T-Cetra, where he leads technology strategy, AI adoption, and platform innovation for one of the nation’s leading B2B telecom and fintech companies, T-Cetra. T-Cetra’s VidaPay platform serves approximately 10,000 wireless merchants across the United States.

With more than 20 years of technology leadership experience, Gus oversees ERP implementation, omni-channel communication platforms, cloud-first infrastructure, data warehousing, cybersecurity, and AI-driven initiatives that support business growth and operational excellence.

He believes that a CIO’s most important role is translating technology into organizational capability. By combining proven leadership practices with deep technical expertise, he helps teams navigate digital transformation, modernize operations, and create scalable solutions that deliver meaningful business results.

Before co-founding T-Cetra, Gus spent 15 years in IT leadership roles across Fortune 500 companies and regional startups. He is also an active member of the Columbus CIO Forum, a Co-Founder of the T-Cetra Foundation and Columbus Tech Strategy and volunteers with the American Cancer Society.

Rusten Bailey

Rusten is the Director of Product at T-Cetra⁠, where he leads Product Management, UI/UX, and Marketing initiatives across the organization. He is responsible for shaping product strategy, enhancing user experiences, and delivering solutions that support the needs of carrier partners, retailers, and consumers.

With extensive experience in prepaid wireless, product development, sales compensation design, and risk management, Rusten brings a unique combination of strategic insight and operational expertise. He works closely with cross-functional teams to identify market opportunities, analyze industry trends, and develop innovative products that drive growth and measurable business results.

Known for his collaborative leadership style and customer-focused approach, Rusten is passionate about creating solutions that balance business objectives with exceptional user experiences. His ability to align product strategy, marketing, and execution has helped drive successful outcomes across a variety of initiatives.

Rusten holds a bachelor’s degree from the Pamplin College of Business.

Todd Walberg

Todd is the Vice President of Sales at T-Cetra⁠, where he leads the company’s sales organization and field team strategy across the United States and Puerto Rico. He has played a key role in expanding T-Cetra’s distribution network, supporting more than 10,000 retail locations while helping drive growth through new sales channels and strategic partnerships.

With extensive experience in retail, channel development, and field sales leadership, Todd focuses on building high-performing teams that deliver results for carrier partners, distributors, and retailers. He works closely with internal and external stakeholders to identify new business opportunities, strengthen relationships, and support continued market expansion.

Todd is passionate about developing people, creating winning sales cultures, and helping teams achieve their full potential. His leadership combines a customer-focused approach with a commitment to operational excellence and long-term growth.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a PRSM certificate from Bellevue University.

Cindy Johns, CPA

Cindy is the Sr. Financial Controller at T-Cetra, where she leads the company’s accounting operations, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. A trusted partner to company leadership, she ensures the accuracy and integrity of T-Cetra’s financial management practices while supporting sound, strategic decision-making.

With deep expertise in accounting and financial leadership, Cindy combines rigorous attention to detail with a broad understanding of risk management, regulatory compliance, and internal controls. She plays an important role in driving T-Cetra’s operational efficiency and long-term financial stability.

Cindy holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Minot State University and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Jennifer Kaser

Jennifer is the Director of HR at T-Cetra, where she leads the company’s people strategy and oversees all aspects of human resources, including talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, compensation and benefits, performance management, and organizational development.

With extensive experience in human resources and employee engagement, Jennifer is focused on creating programs, policies, and initiatives that support both business objectives and employee success. She partners closely with leaders across the organization to attract, develop, and retain top talent while fostering a positive, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture.

A passionate advocate for leadership development, Jennifer has dedicated the past 15 years to studying and advancing effective leadership practices. As an Innovative Leadership Certified Facilitator, she enjoys helping individuals and teams strengthen their leadership capabilities, unlock their potential, and build stronger, more engaged organizations.

Jennifer’s leadership helps ensure that T-Cetra continues to be a place where employees can grow professionally, contribute meaningfully, and thrive.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Ohio University, is PHR-certified, a Certified Myers-Briggs Instructor, and an Innovative Leadership Certified Facilitator.

Zaher Al Sabbagh

Zaher is the Vice President of Technology at T-Cetra⁠, where he leads software development, technology architecture, and platform innovation across the organization. He is responsible for guiding the design and delivery of scalable technology solutions that support T-Cetra’s business objectives and enhance the capabilities of the VidaPay platform.

With extensive experience in software engineering, system architecture, and technology leadership, Zaher works closely with cross-functional teams to develop solutions that address evolving market needs and create value for carrier partners, retailers, and consumers. His focus on innovation, performance, and reliability helps ensure T-Cetra’s technology infrastructure continues to support growth and operational excellence.

Zaher is passionate about solving complex technical challenges and building high-performing teams that deliver impactful results. He combines deep technical expertise with a strategic approach to technology development and execution.

He holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Ohio State University.

Sammer Bazerbashi

Sammer is the Vice President of Operations at T-Cetra⁠, where he oversees the Billing, Merchant Services, Operations, and Dealer Support teams. He is responsible for driving operational excellence across the organization, ensuring that T-Cetra’s systems, processes, and support functions deliver a seamless experience for retailers, partners, and internal stakeholders.

With years of experience at T-Cetra, Sammer brings a deep understanding of the company’s business, operations, and customer needs. He works closely with teams across the organization to improve efficiency, strengthen collaboration, and implement scalable processes that support long-term growth.

Known for his thoughtful leadership and problem-solving approach, Sammer is focused on building high-performing teams and creating operational frameworks that enable T-Cetra to continue delivering exceptional service while supporting the evolving needs of its partners and customers.

Sammer holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Ohio State University.

Amar Zedan

Amar Zedan is the Vice President of Product Development at T-Cetra, where he leads the strategy, execution, and lifecycle management of the company’s product portfolio across four strategic functions: VidaPay Marketplace, Catalog Management, Product Operations, and Product & Promotion Management. He is responsible for expanding marketplace partnerships, driving product commercialization, optimizing operational processes, and delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of carriers, retailers, and consumers.

With more than two decades of experience in product management and technology platforms, Amar combines strategic vision with operational excellence to build scalable products, foster strong partnerships, and drive sustainable growth. He is passionate about leveraging technology to solve complex business challenges and deliver meaningful customer outcomes, drawing on a deep understanding of market trends, customer needs, and product innovation.

Amar holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Al-Ahliyya Amman University and earned master certificates in applied project management and IT/IS project management from Villanova University.

Todd Kohl

Todd is the Director of Logistics & Supply Chain at T-Cetra⁠, where he leads the company’s supply chain, logistics, procurement, and fulfillment operations. With more than 30 years of experience across a diverse range of industries, he brings a proven track record of building efficient, scalable operations that support business growth and exceptional customer experiences.

Throughout his career, Todd has led complex supply chain and logistics initiatives spanning sectors from medical devices to large-scale distribution and fulfillment environments. At T-Cetra, he oversees the teams and processes responsible for ensuring products and services are delivered efficiently, reliably, and at scale to support the company’s nationwide retailer network.

Todd is passionate about continuous improvement, operational excellence, and developing future leaders. He believes strong organizations are built through collaboration, mentorship, and a commitment to helping teams grow alongside the business.

He holds an MBA from Ohio State University and a bachelor of science degree from Malone University.

Olimpia Dawidowicz

Olimpia is the Director of Finance at T-Cetra, where she leads the company’s finance organization and oversees treasury operations, cash management, financial reporting, and operational financial controls. She plays a key role in supporting the financial strength and stability of the business while partnering with leadership on strategic initiatives that drive operational efficiency and long-term growth.

With extensive experience in accounting, finance, and business operations, Olimpia works closely with leadership teams to optimize financial processes, strengthen controls, and support data-driven decision-making. She also helps ensure the integrity of financial and inventory-related processes that support T-Cetra’s products, services, and nationwide partner network.

Known for her analytical approach and collaborative leadership style, Olimpia is passionate about building strong financial foundations that enable sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term success.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Franklin University and an associate’s degree in financial management services from the Greater Poland School of Business and Administration. In addition, she has completed advanced professional training in data analytics, business intelligence, data management, and leadership development.