You've Been Heard

Anthony Darden is the Vice President of Information Technology at Protective Industries. Anthony is well-versed in CRMs, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), board-level management, and global talent development. In addition to being responsible for the technology at Protective Industries, Anthony is also part of their strategy team.

During the episode, Anthony shares his wisdom about the benefits and potential pitfalls of using the cloud, best practices for cybersecurity, and his passion for seeing IT teams as part of the business as opposed to just a support for it. He also talks about what he sees happening in IT over the next few years.

Matthew Dawson is the Senior Director of IT at a biopharma company in the Dallas area. The biopharma space is uniquely different from his past experiences, especially because there is a lot of compliance. They have much more to deal with in terms of government processes and regulations.

Matthew is a seasoned IT leader with a track record of successfully building teams that deliver solutions to enable the business. Even after decades working in this field, he still finds IT work interesting—especially in the biopharma industry where cybersecurity is of the utmost importance.

David Stevens is the Vice President of Information Technology at TIE Industrial just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. David began his career as a programmer in 1994 before working his way up through the ranks to his current position. After over 20 years in the industry, David has learned how to lead and get the best out of his team.

Today’s conversation will have you hear David discuss going from a simple programmer to VP of IT, how to find a job that is right for you, and maintaining a work/life balance that works for everyone.

Rob Carson is the Founder and CEO of Semper Sec. His company is a cybersecurity consulting firm that helps small to mid-sized businesses build security programs and navigate compliance to maintain competitive advantage. Before joining the IT industry in 2012, Rob was a military man and a member of the United States Marine Corps where he was an Infantry Officer and High-Risk Training Manager.

Rob discusses how to make cybersecurity relatable to companies, creating a personalized and prioritized approach to security, and the problem with the overabundance of information in the cybersecurity space. He also tells us how Semper Sec demystifies the process of compliance for companies.

Rob Glass is the CEO of Computer Systems Plus Inc. The company was started by his father 38 years ago, and operates as an MSP (managed service provider) for mostly small-to-medium-sized businesses. He has served over 140 businesses in the greater Knoxville, TN area, and his team currently consists of 16 other processionals. Being around his father caused Rob to get into IT from an early age.

Today, Rob focuses on meeting the needs of his clients and keeping up to date with the ever-changing IT landscape. We’ll hear about what it is that an MSP actually does, along why cybersecurity is both necessary and a headache for smaller businesses.

Mike Solverud has nearly 20 years of experience in the IT industry, amassing an abundance of knowledge in security, disaster recovery, and complex infrastructure solutions. Mike has run his own company, taken the role of Systems Administrator, managed projects, and is now Senior Director of IT in his current position. Mike has a hands-on approach to technology and is always willing to learn new things to improve his knowledge.

Check out today’s episode as Mike covers the importance of acknowledging and learning from failures, digging down into the granular level of project management, and how to measure the success of projects and your team.

Jim Smith is the Information Technology Security Specialist at Decisely, a company that offers HR services to brokers and small businesses. Jim has worked in IT for the last 15 years, ranging from Customer Service Specialist, to QA Tester, to Technical Engineer in his current role at Decisely. Jim also has a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity from Kennesaw State University and is a certified Harley Davidson Factory Technician.

Jim is going to explain why security needs to focus on people over tech, why we need to treat people in the service industry better to solve customer service issues, and what every good security policy requires to be effective.

Adam Lopez is the Vice President of Information Technology at Goodwill South Nevada. He has been in the IT industry for over 20 years and is no stranger to running things as a business owner. This combination of skills allows him to communicate at the employee level along with the C-suite executives. Adam has a B.A.S.c in Hotel Administration with a concentration in Casino Management, as well as an MBA from Western Governors University in Information Technology Administration and Management.

Listen to today’s episode to hear Adam discuss the unique challenges of IT in the non-profit sector, why it’s essential to let new IT workers experience different aspects of IT, and keeping your people excited to work.

Mark File is the Director of IT at Gecko Robotics. He has been in IT for 20 years and joined Gecko Robotics about a year ago. From consultant and technician to sys admin and UNIX admin, Mark has worked his way up through the industry to become IT Director and has learned so many things along the way.

Today, Mark tells us about the difficulties of cyber security, why it should be separate from the IT department, and why organizational culture is so important. He’ll also explain how to be an enabler for your team, co-workers, and company.

Stan Meshkov is the CEO and Founder of Umbrella IT Group. Stan has a long history of founding IT companies, along with companies that provide tools and platforms for the industry. Umbrella IT Group has been up and running for 13 years and is a top web and mobile app development company. Stan has a proven track record in project management, marketing strategy, and leadership. He has a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Management and an MBA from the Moscow School of Management.

Today, Stan discusses the advantages and disadvantages of being an outsource work-based company, how to find the best people to hire and what makes Umbrella IT stand out against other companies doing the same thing.