There’s an old saying that home is where the heart is, and for Dan Cookson, home has always been Howard, Kansas. Yet, that wasn’t always the case.

You could say he’s been connected to Howard and the people in it all his life. Dan was raised there and the local hardware store, Cookson’s Hardware, has been in his family for three generations. After graduating high school, Dan was ready to move, so off to college he went at Emporia State University.

After earning two bachelor’s degrees – Business Management and Applied Economics – he moved to Wichita where he went to work for a large home improvement company. Living in Wichita was short lived. “It got to the point where we started talking about having kids and decided we didn’t want to raise a family in Wichita. I wanted my kids to have the same experiences that I did growing up in a small town going to school and knowing the names of every kid in their class.”

Returning to His Roots

Dan and his wife moved back to Howard in 2000 and he is certain it was the right decision.

“The best thing about it [Howard] for me is I’m close to my family, where I grew up, and all things I like to do are here. We’re very fortunate,” Dan explains. “We have a phenomenal grocery store, pharmacy, a hardware store where you can get pretty much anything you want, two banks, and a wonderful mechanic who’ll bend over backwards for you. Plus, Howard is loaded with good places to eat like Toot’s, Poplar Pizza, and Sweet & Spicy.”

Because he and his family are so close, it’s no surprise that some of Dan’s favorite pastimes are spent outdoors with them whether it be deer hunting, shooting sporting clays with his dad, brother and nephews at Flint Oak Ranch, or visiting Branson.

“We love going to Branson,” Dan explains. “Branson was a really special place for my grandparents. They got us started going down to Lake Taneycomo for trout fishing. For the last 27 years, I’ve been taking a fishing trip with my dad and brother over Thanksgiving. And a couple of times each year, I’ll take a long weekend with my wife and kids where we enjoy fishing, go carts, the iMax movie theater, and just the lake in general.”

As owner of Specialized Freight Solutions, Dan helps businesses throughout the United States and Canada come up with strategic shipping, transportation and warehouse solutions.

“If you’re a company with a project that requires expansive freight shipping over multiple days, but you don’t have a transportation background or base, that’s where I come in,” Dan explains. “I can put together solutions, present the options, and then manage those details. I integrate the ordering process and put solutions in place to make it all happen.”

High-Speed Internet a Must-Have for Business

Dan prides himself on providing high level personalized service so to better understand his clients’ unique needs, he would travel to meet with them on-site. Like others, COVID-19 changed the way he had to do business and Dan began working from home. With high-speed internet service from SKT, the transition was seamless as he began video conferencing and giving presentations via Zoom.

“SKT gives me the networking capabilities to do it from my home office rather than having to go to Wichita and work in an office,” Dan said. “I can call or text someone and talk with local, friendly people that have boots on the ground locally and are aware of the situation, rather than talking with someone in another state or possibly, another country.”

He continues, “SKT’s network is consistent and reliable. When I first moved back [in 2000] we had dial up. Then, SKT brought high-speed internet to Howard. It’s something we have that a lot of small towns don’t have. SKT’s service technician, Jerald, is a wizard when it comes to internet. He’s the most helpful and goes above and beyond for everyone. Plus, he’s local. Everyone should have someone who’s as knowledgeable, friendly and helpful as Jerald.”

SKT pledges to provide reliable internet service at an affordable rate, backed by hometown customer service. For more information on services available in your area or to upgrade your existing service, please contact our Customer Service team for assistance Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm at 888.758.8976 or by text at 620.584.5555. You can also contact us online here.