FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2025

OMAHA, NE — The Mitel User Group (MUG) successfully hosted its first MUG North America Chapter Midwest event in Omaha, Nebraska, welcoming Mitel users, partners, and experts from across the country for a full day of learning, networking, and collaboration. Sponsored by Kidwell and supported by the Mitel team, the event marked a significant milestone for the user-led community and underscored the power of shared insights and customer connection.

“As MUG President and a proud Omaha native, it was an honor to host the Mitel community in my hometown,” said Cas Rangel. “From the opening doughnuts to the final round of cornhole, the event was full of thoughtful discussions, practical demos, and meaningful relationship building.”

The day featured product sessions led by Mitel experts Dan Nemechek, Eric Knudson, and Derek Curry, who covered innovations in AI, customer experience, hybrid UC integrations with Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and MiCollab enhancements. Attendees explored interactive “show & tell” demos, participated in a candid open Q&A forum, and heard from industry consultants Dave Clardy and Melissa Swartz over lunch about the value of external guidance in UC planning. The event wrapped up with casual networking at SMASH PARK, where participants enjoyed duckpin bowling, axe throwing, and food in a relaxed, social setting.

Post-event survey feedback affirmed the impact of the experience. Eighty-one percent of attendees reported learning something new about Mitel solutions, and 75 percent rated their likelihood to further explore featured technologies as 9 or 10 out of 10. Interest was highest in AI-powered analytics, hybrid unified communications, and contact center solutions, followed by security, compliance, and cloud migration strategies. Attendees highlighted key takeaways such as Mitel Revolution, integrations with Zoom and Microsoft Teams, Brightmetrics, and Workflow Studio as standout tools to address current business challenges. Notably, 100 percent of respondents said they would attend another MUG event, a strong signal of the value and momentum within the community.

“It’s incredible to see the reach and engagement in Omaha—with attendees joining from across the Midwest and beyond,” said Dan Nemechek, VP of Sales Engineering, Americas, Mitel. “The conversations we had reflect a strong, unified focus on delivering better customer outcomes through strategic communications planning.”

“Hosting this event at our headquarters was a proud moment for Kidwell,” said Rebecca Carlson, Senior VoIP Engineer and Team Lead. “It was about more than technology—it was about building relationships and aligning on shared goals for innovation.”

“Customer-to-customer engagement is where real value emerges,” added Melissa Swartz of Swartz Consulting. “When people come together to share practical insights and lessons learned, the entire ecosystem gets stronger.”

MUG Board Member and Mitel VP of Customer Success Virve Virtanen agreed: “The Omaha event embodied what MUG is all about—customers helping customers, while shaping the future of Mitel through collaboration and community.”

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