The Circuit – May 2026 Newsletter

News From Our CEO

Holding the Line on What We Stand For

As we move through May, I want to take a moment to talk about something that doesn’t always show up on a scorecard, but defines who we are as a company. Over the past several months, our team has been working toward the release of two new products. Both are showing great promise and have a clear place in the market. But we made the decision to delay them.

At Freedom Electronics, a product doesn’t earn its place in our lineup just by working. For a Freedom Engineered product to launch, it has to meet a few key checks:

• Outperform the OEM
• Deliver a better overall value
• Consolidate inventory for our customers
• Extend the usable life of the equipment

If it doesn’t check one of those boxes, it doesn’t ship. It’s that simple. These are tough decisions to make. More investment in tooling, delayed revenues and more work for our teams. But staying true to our core values protects the trust we’ve built with our customers and that matters more than speed to market.

EPA Update: Moving Toward Clarity

On the regulatory side, we’re continuing to stay closely involved in the EPA’s clarification around leak detection equipment and the use of aftermarket and remanufactured components. I recently received a second draft of the EPA Q&A for review and provided detailed feedback. The conversation is evolving in a constructive way, and we’re getting closer to clearer guidance.

The next step is important: several PEI members will soon get their first look at the document as it moves into the final round of review. How this guidance ultimately lands will shape how “manufacturer instructions” are interpreted in the field, and whether the framework continues to support performance-based solutions, or shifts toward a more restrictive approach.

Our position remains consistent: solutions should be evaluated based on performance, reliability, and safety, not solely on origin. We’ll continue to stay engaged and advocate for a practical outcome.

Strengthening the Team

I also want to welcome Dontee Ray, who recently joined us as our new CSR Manager. Dontee brings strong experience leading customer service and operations teams, with a focus on process improvement, accountability, and delivering a high level of customer experience. Customer service is a critical part of how we differentiate ourselves, not just in how we respond, but how we follow through. I’m confident he’ll play a key role in continuing to raise that standard.

Worth Your Time This Month

There are a few pieces in this month’s newsletter I’d encourage you to spend time on: This month’s spotlight is the VeriFone M400 PIN Pad, which has quickly become one of our hottest sellers. With full compatibility across Ruby and Passport systems, PCI 5 compliance, and wireless capability, it delivers both flexibility and reliability where it matters most.

A look at how we’re approaching repair solutions for beverage dispensing valves: highlighting the level of engineering, cleaning, and testing required to bring a safe, reliable product to market. A technical update on tank monitoring system vulnerabilities and practical steps operators can take to reduce risk. And a spotlight on Kevin Wilk, whose decades of experience and steady leadership continue to make a real impact across the organization.

Each of these reflects a different part of who we are: engineering discipline, industry awareness, and the people who make it all work.

Closing Thought

Momentum is important, but direction matters more. We’re going to keep building, keep improving, and keep pushing forward. We’re not going to compromise on what defines a Freedom product or a Freedom customer experience to get there faster. I appreciate the work being done across the team, and just as importantly, the continued trust our customers place in us. That trust is earned in decisions like this and it’s something we intend to protect.

Patrick Jeitler

Freedom Electronics President & CEO