Meet the Team
The People Behind Your Peace of Mind
At Preferred, technology is what we do, but people are why we do it.
For more than three decades, our team has helped businesses work smarter, stay secure, and grow with confidence.
We believe in service that feels personal, communication that builds trust, and technology that empowers people to reach their full potential. Every expert on our team shares the same mission: to deliver proactive, human-centered cybersecurity & IT that drives real business results.
Our Leadership
Vince Arden Founder & President
Vince built Preferred on a simple principle: serve first, then solve.
With more than 30 years in IT and business strategy, Vince leads with vision, empathy, and a deep belief that technology should make people’s lives better — not more complicated. He’s guided Preferred from a small IT consultancy to one of Chicagoland’s most trusted managed service and cybersecurity providers.
When he’s not advising clients or mentoring future leaders, you’ll find him spending time with his family or cross country cycling.
Christine Arden
COO & Co-Owner
As COO and Co-Founder of Preferred Communication Systems, Christine has spent over three decades transforming vision into reality. Since 1990, she has led with a strategic and tactical mindset—scaling operations, fostering employee growth, and ensuring clients achieve their greatest potential in work and life.
Christine’s passion lies in building strong teams, creating opportunities, and delivering operational excellence that drives sustainable success.
When she’s not leading at Preferred, you’ll find her in the warm summers, cycling the back roads of MI with her husband or wintering with a good fantasy novel.
Our Leadership Team
Sam Rau - Team Lead
Director of Data Management
Dave Hoeper - Team Lead
Cybersecurity Technical Account Specialist
Dan Hahn - Team Lead
Sr. Account Manager
Mary Leonard - Team Lead
Business Development Manager
Bill Brown - Team Lead
Technical Account Specialist
Join the Team
We’re always looking for talented people who share our passion for helping businesses thrive through technology.
If that sounds like you, visit our career pages to explore open opportunities.
Our Promise
We don’t just manage systems — we build partnerships.
to connect with one of our experts.