Reconnect founder steps aside for new CEO

Pete Andrews, previously VP of Sales, is Reconnect’s new CEO.

Reconnect Inc., a Cumberland-based company that’s developed software and hardware to improve outcomes for individuals in the justice system, recently announced that it had named Pete Andrews as its new CEO.

Sam Hotchkiss, the company’s founding CEO, made the decision to step aside from day-to-day operations and promote Andrews given his extensive sales experience. Hotchkiss will remain as an advisor to the company.

“I’m really excited and proud of what we’ve built with Reconnect, but selling into government is all about relationships and track record, and the fastest way for us to overcome those obstacles is to bring in a seasoned professional who’s worked in this space for the last 20 years and can quickly open doors that would otherwise stay closed,” Hotchkiss told Maine Startups Insider.

Reconnect, formerly known as Call2Test, has developed several data-driven products over the last several years, including app-based tools to automate drug court check-ins and to allow people on parole to check in by taking a selfie. Last year, the company also released lightweight and discreet ankle monitors to replace the bulky, stigma-inducing ones that are still widely used in the justice system. The company raised more than $3 million last year.

“At the end of the day, I’m a product person, not a sales person.”

“At the end of the day, I’m a product person, not a sales person. We built a great product, but the building is mostly finished at this point, and we need to pivot from being a product-focused team to being a sales-focused team, and I’m really excited to see how high Reconnect can fly under Pete’s leadership,” Hotchkiss added.

Andrews, with 20 years of experience in the industry, has a proven record of helping community programs throughout the country and internationally. Before joining Reconnect as VP of Sales, Andrews held a variety of leadership roles at LMG Holdings, which comprises the brands LifeSafer Ignition Interlock, SCRAM Systems, and PAS International. Andrews has launched many new hardware and software supervision tools to a wide spectrum of government entities and community partners, the company said.

“This platform solves real issues and I’m excited to be a part of this company. I see a real opportunity here to impact programs and clients’ lives for the better,” said Andrews. “I look forward to working with our trusted partners and advancing our technology in the criminal justice space to improve better outcomes for our communities.”

Hotchkiss said he’ll be taking some family time while he figures out his next move.

“I’m really excited about the blockchain space, and its potential to fundamentally change the economy and the internet, so we’ll see where that leads me,” he said.