In Paladin customer service, Kris has been there, done that

When it comes to customer service, Kris Ipock is Paladin’s version of a Swiss Army Knife. He came to Paladin nine years ago as a customer service representative. He moved from there to lead the EDI and Hardware squads, then led the EDI crew, became an account specialist working directly with many of our stores, and now leads the Project Management group. Oh yeah, he’s also part of the After-Hours crew handling store-down issues. So, you can say Kris has pretty much been there and done that when it comes to making Paladin work smoothly for our stores.  

Always joking, Kris and Katy enjoy one of their Oregon adventures.

Kris had a vast and varied background before he even got to Paladin. Born and raised in Bend, Oregon, his parents – Jack and Dixie – stressed education and hands-on experience. Active in Boy Scouts of America and many after-school sports, Kris obtained a private pilot’s license and Ham Radio Operator license with code as a teenager. He also had hands-on training with normal “Central Oregon kid’s stuff”, such as Search and Rescue, wilderness survival, hunting and fishing, and working on engines with his dad, which sometimes had painful lessons.  

“I don’t know how many times my dad shocked me with something,” he jokes, recalling their many automotive projects.  

That education continued in the Air Force where in 10 years he worked as a radio technician in: San Antonio (basic training); Biloxi, Mississippi; Mountain Home, Idaho; Osan, South Korea; and Grand Forks, North Dakota. To include his many deployments to Saudi Arabia, Peru, Turkey, Yemen, Bahrain and Qatar.  

His life of learning followed him back to Bend where he earned three associate’s degrees in Computer Information Systems (CIS) from Central Oregon Community College. Along the way, he also picked up degrees in fixed-wing and helicopter avionics. He put all that education to work for several high-tech companies before finding Paladin in 2013. 

Kris is an avid sports fan – Seahawks, Avalanche, Orioles and Blazers. He loves comic books, and his passion for video entertainment includes both games and movies. 

“People often as me if I’ve seen a particular movie or television show, and the answer is usually, yes,” he says. 

Kris has been married to Katy – the queen of standup comedy in Central Oregon – for 13 years. He also has a 12-year-old son, Lucas.   

 Day-to-day at Paladin, Kris oversees the squad that handles Paladin’s new clients.  

“Getting clients, account specialist, data and the training teams all together to make the ‘Go-Live’ process is as smooth as possible… it’s like herding cats some days,” he says with a laugh. “But I really do enjoy working with everyone at Paladin and all our new clients.”