About Us

Anil Patel brings 25+ years of business and technology expertise, having led award-winning projects for Quest Telecom, Volvo Commercial Finance, US Bank, Herman Miller, Cabi, United Airlines, and many more. As CEO of HotWax Systems, he works with CDOs and CMOs of fashion brands on unified commerce and partners with manufacturers for MEPS solutions. Anil also hosts the Customer Centric Retailing Podcast, where retail experts share insights on trends, strategies, and innovations. Outside work, he leads India’s Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) initiative.

After discovering the internet in the early 1990s and moving to California’s central coast, Mike founded HotWax Systems in 1997. He built a global team of talented engineers and designers from five continents to lead high-profile software projects for brands like Patagonia, HermanMiller, UPS, and Warby Parker. A dedicated open-source advocate, Mike led HotWax’s sponsorship of the Apache Software Foundation and ApacheCon events. He holds a B.A. and MBA from Middlebury Institute and is a Leadership Utah alumnus, outdoor enthusiast, and proud father of three.

Jacopo joined the HotWax Systems executive team in 2008 as a well-known open source software advocate, speaker and project contributor. He has dedicated thousands of hours in managing and developing multiple applications to the Apache OFBiz project, and also serves as Vice President of the Apache Software Foundation for Apache OFBiz, by virtue of his role as Chairperson of the Project Management Committee. He graduated from the University of Padua with a Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering. Jacopo enjoys paddle tennis, sci-fi, and rooting for his favorite Italian football team.

Swapnil brings 21+ years of experience in formulating high-impact supply chain strategies, focused on operational excellence and customer-centric value through software-led transformation. He specializes in custom enterprise solutions using platforms like Apache OFBiz to automate processes and drive supply chain digitization. As a committed contributor to the Apache OFBiz community, he champions open-source innovation. He holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management from the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics which laid the foundation for his expertise in technology-driven supply chain optimization.

Patrick has lead account services and focused on providing a top level client experience for HotWax Systems since 2007. With deep expertise in eCommerce, ERP, warehouse management, and Apache OFBiz, he and his team are trusted by global brands to execute with speed and efficiency. A lifelong advocate for technology betterment, he earned an MBA with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Utah – David Eccles School of Business. Patrick enjoys traveling, cooking, skiing, fishing, and exploring the great outdoors together with his children and dogs.

As the leader of engineering operations, Ashish is key to the design, build, and deployment of all projects for HotWax Systems. He maintains and optimizes infrastructure, and drives open source improvements as a contributing member of The ASF. Ashish earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Jawaharlal Institute of Technology, Khargone, India. He focuses on building a community of excellence with HotWax University in Indore. He enjoys old Hindi songs, off-roading, and enjoy exploring historical sites, serene mountains, rivers, lush forests, and ancient temples.