John 'Chris' Christopher Beam is Founder of Interconnect Services, the leading Internet Solutions Provider in the Texas Coastal Bend. Interconnect offers products and services ranging from dial-up Internet access to high-speed office connectivity, Internet Firewalls, Client/Server programming, LAN/WAN Consulting, LAN Design and cabling.

Chris, his two brothers and one sister grew up in Victoria, Texas. Their father, James H. Beam (deceased), is a retired Oil & Gas Industry executive. Their mother, Elizabeth McCampbell Beam, is active in quilting and church.

Chris attended public elementary school and the private St. Joseph High School. In 1972, Chris Beam earned the Eagle Scout Award, the highest award given by the Boy Scouts of America. Beam was likewise elected to The Order of the Arrow, Scouting's National Honor Society. Beam graduated from Victoria High School, in Victoria, TX.

In 1975, Beam graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Piney Point Maryland where he received his Seaman's and Tankerman's license. Beam worked throughout the United States, by way of the inter-coastal waterway systems, using his Tankerman's license to manage the transportation of petrochemicals.

In 1977, Beam joined The Pool Company and later Victoria Well Service Company, working directly in the Oil & Natural Gas service industry as a "roughneck." Beam's first-hand experience with oil and natural gas well drilling and well servicing facilitated his employment, in 1978, with the Fortune 500 Baker-Hughes Corporation. In 1980, Beam was promoted to Manager of the South Texas facility of Baker-Hughes' Technical Oil Tools Corporation (TOTCO) division.

With a broad product line of microprocessor based down-hole data acquisition systems within Technical Oil Tool Corporation, Beam devoted a significant portion of his time managing and later teaching others within the company. Beam's main focus were personal and mainframe computer systems, proprietary database systems, database design, programming, debugging and later system architecture. Beam's foresight and vision regarding personal computing and databases have been central to the success of Technical Oil Tools Corporation and the oil and gas drilling industry. In 1986, Beam was promoted to M/D TOTCO's (formerly Technical Oil Tools) corporate offices in Houston and Austin, Texas where he spent the remainder of his 20+ year career in the marketing/strategic planning/forecasting/finance and MIS departments.

In 1991, Beam founded Austin, TX. based Advanced Network Solutions. Advanced Network Solutions began doing business in the Central Texas area providing computer network design and network server installation and maintenance. Later, the company focused on the development of custom software applications for the Texas mortgage industry. Currently, Advanced Network Solutions has custom mortgage analysis software installed on LAN servers with several major Austin based mortgage companies.

Beam graduated from THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN - Texas BBA - Management Information Systems. During the course of his tenure in the McCombs School Of Business, Beam developed many strong and lasting relationships with students as well as faculty. From 1994 until 1995, Beam proctored the Millennium Database Lab at the College of Business Administration.

In 1995, Beam assisted Rick Byars, Senior Lecturer at the McCombs School of Business, with the concept, design and implementation of the MIS Database software project. Through these relationships, Beam was exposed to the Internet and its potential as a channel of communication.

Anticipating the Internet was on the verge of a growth explosion, Beam mapped out a business plan to utilize his astuteness of business, computers and software and in October 1995, founded Interconnect Services (interconnect.net). With seed capital from believers in Beam's wisdom, Interconnect grew to be known as the flagship Internet Solutions Provider in the Texas Coastal Bend.

In 1998, Beam revised Interconnect's business model to focus on high-speed, secure Internet access for business. Additionally, in 2000, through its sister company, Aeroconnect.net, Interconnect deployed its broadband Wireless Internet access in areas where wired-broadband access is not available. As a result of Interconnect's new focus, Beam's vision and the hard work and dedication of the Interconnect Team, the company continues to lead-the-way in business Internet connectivity.

Chris Beam is likewise the Controller for the Port Aransas, TX. based Texas Treasure Casino Cruises.

Beam is an avid investor, software designer and reader. Beam also enjoys cooking, fishing and long-board surfing.