Celebrating Denise’s legacy as a pioneer in a male-dominated field
Today,after 33 years, we celebrate Denise Booms-Pepin, founder of CBI Telecommunications Consultants (now Saaswedo US), for her leadership that shaped who we are today.
Back in 1991, Denise took a bold step and launched one of the first woman-owned telecom expense management (TEM) firms in the U.S. At the time, the TEM sector was an emerging field and was mainly male dominated.
Over the next three decades, she led CBI through constant industry change, always keeping our services aligned with the latest trends and technologies.
She was ahead of her time in more ways than one. Denise implemented flexible work and work-from-home policies long before they became common. She believed in giving her team the freedom to succeed while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
The founder of CBI also stood firmly for supplier diversity, recognizing early on that working with diverse providers brings fresh ideas, stronger solutions, and better results for clients.
During her time leading CBI, Denise also served on the board of the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, supporting and promoting women-owned businesses.
As of 2025, she has passed the torch to Christian Cor, who is committed to carrying on her people-first approach as he leads Saaswedo US into the future.
Everyone who has worked with Denise has spoken highly of her.
“Denise and her team at CBI Telecommunications is consistently putting their clients first. They have extensive knowledge in the field of telecom and willing to share this knowledge to save their clients’ money! I’m impressed with the fact that they have saved millions of dollars for their clients and yet remain so humble and focused.” Says a former client.
“Denise and her employees at CBI are results driven with a focus on getting their clients the best value for dollars spent of telecom. I have worked with Denise on several projects and her commitment to servicing her customers is exemplary. She is well connected and uses these connections to provide quick, reliable cost savings. CBI is an asset to any company looking to decrease their telecom expenditures.” Is the statement of a former partner.
Besides her professional career, Denise has volunteered for years at the Women’s Resource Center, which holds programs aimed at building safe communities for women. She would help the organization gain sponsorships and assist with hosting their fundraisers.
Who is CBI? A short description
For over 33 years, CBI Telecommunications Consultants has been working on their clients’ behalf offering TEM, technical expertise, bill pay and management, contract negotiation, network optimization and asset inventory.
CBI provides services for wireline, wireless, utilities, transportation audits, carrier contract negotiation, procurement, helpdesk, along with software licensing negotiation and pricing optimization. Additionally, the company offers full lifecycle management, automation with validation, TEM, future thinking and IT Asset management, on top of our experience and expertise for all telecommunications projects. CBI ensures that their customers are informed of all their telecommunications options. CBI is neither affiliated with, nor compensated by any of its vendors, enabling us to offer unbiased recommendations.
A timeline of CBI’s history
Since its founding in 1991, CBI has experienced remarkable growth. Initially focused on telecom invoice audits and cost optimization, the company steadily expanded its expertise and services. Today, as Saaswedo US, it delivers a full-fledged Technology Expense Management solutions tailored to clients’ evolving needs.
1991 – CBI Telecommunications Founded
Founded by Denise Booms-Pepin, CBI quickly stood out as one of the first woman-led firms in telecom expense management. Denise built a workplace where women, especially working mothers, could thrive without sacrificing personal priorities. Early success in telecom invoice auditing established CBI as a trusted cost-reduction partner.
2010 – Launch of Innovative Audit & Optimization Process
By 2010, CBI’s growth led Denise and her team to launch an advanced telecom audit and optimization process that would deliver millions in client savings.
This initiative built upon CBI’s early adoption of a gain-share model, which meant clients only paid when real cost reductions were achieved. This strategy that had already attracted major organizations like the American Red Cross, Gannett, and Kohler as clients.
Through meticulous billing audits, contract negotiations, and network optimizations, CBI’s process routinely uncovered errors and cost-saving opportunities, freeing up significant cash flow for clients. This not only saved client organizations money but also reinforced CBI’s reputation as a problem-solving partner in telecom expense management.
2015 – First WBENC certification achieved
In 2015, CBI obtained their first national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), formally recognizing the company’s status as a woman-owned business.
This accreditation solidified CBI’s role in the WBE community and opened doors to new partnerships with Fortune 50 companies across industries such as insurance and manufacturing.
CBI proudly maintained its WBENC certification through 2024, demonstrating a sustained commitment to supplier diversity that resonated with corporate clients and partners.
2018 – CBI earns the AOTMP “Solution Certification in Telecom” Award
CBI Telecommunications Consultants has earned Solution Certification in both Telecom Expense Management Lifecycle and Enterprise Mobility Management through the Efficiency First® Vendor Solution Certification Program.
This award was delivered by AOTMP, a global firm specializing in information, research, and advisory services for telecom, mobility, and technology management best practices and industry standards.
2019 – Surpassing $6M in Annual Revenue
By 2019, CBI’s loyal client base propelled the company past the $6 million mark in annual revenue. This achievement highlighted the trust that CBI’s team had earned among its clients, as well as the rising demand for telecom expense management solutions delivering a measurable ROI in cost savings.
What started as a niche cost-management firm had evolved into a multi-million-dollar enterprise with a nationwide client roster.
In 2020, CBI was recertified for its TEM Lifecycle and Enterprise Mobility Management solutions by AOTMP.
2023 – Merger with Saaswedo
In 2023, CBI reached a defining milestone by officially merging with Saaswedo – a France-based software leader in IT and telecom asset management – and rebranding as Saaswedo US.
The acquisition of CBI strengthened Saaswedo’s position in the United States, an attractive reference market for TEM software.
By uniting CBI’s proven expertise in telecom cost management with Saaswedo’s innovative SaaS platforms, the combined entity could provide a wider range of products and services to customers.
2024 – ETMA Hall of Fame Induction
In 2024, Denise Booms-Pepin earned one of the industry’s highest honors with her induction into the ETMA (Enterprise Technology Management Association) Industry Hall of Fame.
This accolade, awarded by her industry peers, recognizes Denise’s contributions to the telecom expense management field, as well as her advocacy for high ethical standards and the advancement of women in technology.
Being welcomed into ETMA’s Hall of Fame not only celebrates Denise’s personal achievements as founder and CEO but also underscores the lasting impact of CBI’s journey on the broader industry.
Conclusion
Each of these milestones in Denise Booms-Pepin’s leadership timeline tells the story of a company that grew from a woman-owned firm in an emerging niche and went on to lead innovations that saved clients millions. Her achievements earned national recognition and ultimately led to a partnership with an international company.
At the heart of Denise Booms-Pepin’s success was a leadership style rooted in empathy. She believed that when people feel supported and respected, they deliver work of the highest quality.
Her commitment to her employees’ well-being wasn’t just a management philosophy; She took action to ensure their work-life balance such as implementing work-from-home policies before they became the norm.
Equally important was her early and unwavering belief in the value of supplier diversity. Denise understood that working with partners with different perspectives brought innovation, better problem-solving, and ultimately, stronger results for clients.
As Saaswedo US moves forward, its new president, Christian Cor, is committed to continuing Denise’s legacy. He believes, like she did, that leading with empathy and building a diverse team contribute to earning customer trust and driving long-term success.
“What I’ve loved most about leading CBI is the people—our incredible team and our loyal clients. I’ll miss the daily buzz of collaboration, laughter, and solving tough problems together.”
— Denise Booms-Pepin
“Thank you, Denise, for trusting me to lead Saaswedo US. Your legacy will guide us every day.”
— Christian COR, CEO, Saaswedo US