Polar Star Profile: Kenny Franklin

Kenny’s official title is Professional Services Manager at Polar Systems, but he’d be comfortable with Coach say his fellow engineers. His responsibilities include mentoring Polar’s engineers and making sure they have the latest certifications. He locates additional engineering talent when needed, evaluates new technologies, and makes sure that Polar’s clients’ needs are met by scheduling and assigning resources to client projects.

Kenny brings a certain joy to his work at Polar Systems. “Life is too short not to be having fun at what you’re doing,” he says. “I love talking with our customers and looking for creative ways to solve problems.”

Kenny prepared himself for this role with a degree in business from Cal State University in Hayward, specializing in management information systems.  Then he spent several years doing accounting work before focusing on network engineering, which he’s done for the last eleven years.

What many Polar clients don’t know is that Kenny has been an accomplished jazz musician for the past 27 years, ever since getting together with a group of high school friends to have some fun jamming.  He currently plays electric bass in a big band and also in a small group.  You may see one of his groups at local Portland jazz venues such as Jax Bar or Wilf’s.

Kenny’s other passion is baseball. He and Alicia, his wife of 17 years, and their 12-year-old son Gareth are all avid fans, and Kenny has done some coaching of his son’s baseball teams.

One of Kenny’s former bosses taught him an important lesson that he brings to the job at Polar Systems every day: In a consulting role, communicating effectively with clarity is critically important. “If you can’t communicate the basic problem and your solution clearly and succinctly, clients won’t appreciate the value of what you bring to the table,” says Kenny.