The Signal Builder

HOW TANIS CORDER IS TURNING COCHRAN’S DAS SIMPLIFIED GROUP INTO A NATIONWIDE POWERHOUSE

By most measures, Tanis Corder has already had three careers in wireless. She’s climbed microwave towers for utilities, engineered long range Wi-Fi back when laptops still had PCMCIA cards, and spent the past 14 years transforming Cochran’s DAS Simplified business from a scrappy team to a coast-to-coast authority on distributed antenna systems (DAS) and public safety radio. But ask the Spokane-based sales director what excites her now, and she’ll answer without hesitation: “We’re only halfway up the mountain.”

From Alaska trails to national airwaves

Raised in Alaska and educated at Eastern Washington University, Tanis lives for open space—ultramarathon trail races, Spartan Races, and ski days at any of the six resorts within two hours of her Spokane home. That same endurance mindset powers her career: twenty-five years in wireless, mastering every spectrum except cellular before a “friend-of-a-friend” introduced her to Cochran.

"I’d done point-to-point, microwave, emergency radio—you name it. Cellular was the last frontier. Joining Cochran let me conquer that and build something new."

Tanis Corder, Director, Sales (DAS), Cochran

Breakthroughs that reshaped the market

Milestone

– San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – 8-year, campus-wide cellular & public safety DAS

– UCSF Medical Campus DAS – ongoing expansion

– Nationwide AHJ adoption of public safety radio codes

Why It Mattered

These breakthroughs validated Cochran’s ability to design, stage, and guide the installation of multicarrier systems in one of the world’s busiest hubs—while coordinating hundreds of trades.

In addition, they elevated the team to “Elite Partner” status with a leading OEM, proving they can scale advanced hardware across high-acuity healthcare environments.

Tanis' early advocacy positioned Cochran as a go-to integrator just as fire code enforcement exploded from a handful of cities to nearly every U.S. jurisdiction.

These wins shifted building owner perceptions. “A decade ago carriers paid for in-building cellular,” Tanis notes. “Today landlords budget for it like electricity. Our job is helping them treat coverage as a utility, not a luxury.”

Vision 2030: 80% Cellular, Coast-to-coast reach

When Tanis joined, DAS Simplified’s revenue mix was roughly 80% public safety radio / 20% cellular. She is flipping that ratio.

– Target markets – airports, stadiums, and Tier 1 university campuses where thousands of devices compete for bandwidth.

– Strategic goal – grow cellular projects to 80% of division volume while retaining public safety excellence.

– Method – leverage Cochran’s national GC partnerships and Corder’s playbook of “tell the story” metrics and in-person pitches (at times, she has logged 10+ pitches per week across California, Texas, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest).

Values on every frequency

Tanis attributes the team’s high win rates and remarkable retention (most teammates have 6+ years in the group) to Cochran’s core values of transparency, accountability, and kindness.

That ethic requires heavy investment in people: engineers, PMs, and field techs each personally hold multiple OEM certifications, enabling true design-build agility when late-stage architectural changes hit.

Why Spokane? Why Cochran?

When asked why she stays in Spokane instead of relocating to headquarters, Tanis cites the importance of balance and authenticity. “I can run a mountain trail at 6 a.m., catch a flight to SFO by noon, and still be home for dinner on Friday,” she says. That lifestyle and flexibility also attracts recruits to Eastern Washington, Boise, and Wenatchee—growth hubs for Cochran’s emerging markets strategy.

Untapped potential - ready to transmit

With federal broadband incentives, 5G/6G upgrades, and CHIPS Act fabrication plants demanding flawless indoor coverage, Tanis sees limitless runway. “Wherever a customer breaks ground, whether it’s Seattle, Austin, or Charlotte, they know Cochran will light up every bar and every public safety radio from day one.” It’s a clear signal of Cochran’s national ascent.

Going the distance

In addition to running multiple 50k trail/mountain races, Tanis has also competed in approximately 55 Spartan races over the past 8 years.

Pictured here: Spartan Beast Phoenix, AZ November 2019