The People Behind Veranda

Our Team is

Built To Deliver

Veranda is built by people who care about making everyday systems work better.

Our team brings together experience in software, hardware, wireless communications, logistics, food systems, operations, and community impact. Those different perspectives shape how we build, how we partner, and how we think about the future of deliveries.

We believe good technology should feel practical, dependable, and easy to use. Our culture is hands-on, collaborative, and grounded in solving real problems for real households.

As we grow, we are focused on building a company defined by trust, accessibility, strong partnerships, and meaningful impact. We are proud to be partnering with individuals and organizations that share our mission to bring reliable and accessible delivery to communities that need it most.

Let's Connect

Open To Discussions & Partnerships

Whether you're exploring a pilot, a strategic partnership, or just want to learn more about what we're building, we'd love to hear from you.

contact@getveranda.com

Core Team

Nic Durish

Chief Executive Officer

Nic is a computer scientist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience building practical technologies across academic, public-sector, and commercial environments. His work has ranged from studying the digital divide in rural communities, to developing accessible software for local governments, to designing scalable cloud infrastructure for large enterprise systems. As Chief Executive Officer, Nic leads the company’s product vision, technical strategy, and long-term growth.

Joshua Wong

Chief Technology Officer

Josh is a technology executive, RF systems expert, and hardware innovator with deep experience in wireless communications, antenna design, and connected-device engineering. He previously served as Manager of the Antenna Design Team at BlackBerry, where he led engineering work on antenna systems for BlackBerry smartphones and tablets. As Veranda’s Chief Technology Officer, Josh leads the company’s hardware architecture, embedded systems strategy, and wireless communications development.

Dion Dawson

Chief Communications Officer

Dion is a social entrepreneur, technology executive, and communications strategist with deep experience building organizations at the intersection of logistics, food accessibility, and social impact. He is the Founder and Chief Dreamer of Dion’s Chicago Dream and CEO of Cosmic Crate, with work recognized by the White House, Crain’s Chicago Business, the Chicago Innovation Awards, and more. As Veranda’s Chief Communications Officer, Dion helps shape the company’s public narrative, partnerships, and market presence.

Patrick Houlding

Director of Software Development

Patrick is an experienced software engineer with a background in building applications, cloud-connected systems, and resilient networking technologies. His previous work has included developing user-focused mobile apps, improving system reliability through test-driven development, as well as researching and building Mobile Ad-Hoc Network technologies. As Director of Software Development, Patrick leads the work on our mobile app, cloud services, and partner-facing systems.

Board Members

Terry Sweeney

Executive Chairman

Co-founder and former CEO of Veranda; former retail CIO and a founding leader of Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank.

Paul Oulahen

Board Member

Toronto entrepreneur and real estate broker with 40+ years building businesses; advises on growth and investment.

Dennis Tobin

Board Member

Corporate lawyer specializing in retail leasing, M&A, and venture deals for major retailers and growth companies.

Advisors

Perry Caicco

Strategic Advisor

Former retail president and CIBC Managing Director; Canada’s #1-ranked Retail and Consumer analyst for 15 years.

John Kim

Finance Advisor

Former investment professional with many asset management and private equity funds; currently investor, advisor and board member for tech startups.

Gale Blank

Technology Advisor

Former CIO of Reitmans, Walmart Canada, and Loblaws; VP & Chief Architect for Walmart globally.

Dietmar Wennemer

Manufacturing Advisor

CEO of Virtek Vision and former BlackBerry SVP of Product Development, where he led 1,200 engineers.

Joseph Evangelist

Logistics Advisor

Vice Chair of Transervice Logistics, a large New York-based 3PL.

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