Senior Specialist GenAI, AWS
Marc Clark, a seasoned expert with 15+ years in cloud computing, data analytics, and AI/ML, has led global teams in developing cloud strategies and guiding customers through digital transformations. His current focus on GenAI, combined with his MBA and multilingual skills, makes him a compelling speaker on cutting-edge technologies.
Vice President of Sales, TOLA Named
Steve Mergist, Vice President of Sales, TOLA Named client segment (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas). Steve has over 25 years of industry experience, spending the past 13 years at Presidio leading multiple teams within the organization. Prior to joining Presidio in 2011, he spent 6 years with Cisco Systems as part of the Sales and Channel Organization. Steve holds a bachelors of science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisiana.
Sr Mgr, Strategic Partners at AWS
Dena is an accomplished technology executive who has dedicated her entire career to the channel ecosystem. Beginning as an entry-level sales representative at Ingram Micro, she has since held progressive leadership roles at renowned organizations such as Sun Microsystems, Hitachi Data Systems, NetApp, Pure Storage, and now Amazon Web Services (AWS). The wealth of experience she has acquired across these prestigious companies has provided her with invaluable insights into effectively enabling partners to expand their business profitably. In her current position at AWS, Dena leads a team of seasoned Partner Development Managers who are responsible for the strategic development, marketing, and sales activities with the company’s most influential partners across the Americas region. Under her guidance, the AWS partner ecosystem has experienced significant growth over the past 2.5 years, and Dena remains steadfast in her commitment to driving continued channel expansion. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dena is a devoted family person. She is married to Tom, and together they enjoy spending time with their four children and two grandchildren at their home in Dana Point, California
Sr. Partner Account Manager at AWS
Jimmy is a part of the team supporting Presidio’s public sector business. In his role, he’s dedicated to helping Presidio grow their business in public sector, non-profit healthcare and, and nonprofits. While he’s been at AWS a short time, he spent the majority of his career at IBM in enterprise sales, most recently as a Client Director focused on two of IBM’s largest clients, American Airlines and Walgreens.
SVP, Infrastructure at Netskope
With a relentless focus on data, metrics and auto-remediation, Patrick is responsible for managing end-to-end operations for the Netskope private cloud infrastructure, called NewEdge. Prior to joining Netskope, Patrick spent over seven years at Amazon Web Services (AWS) leading the deployment and operations for one of the world’s largest private backbones and edge connectivity footprints. With experience working at Cisco prior to joining AWS, he “grew up” as a Network Engineer spending nearly a decade as a field sales engineering director and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Instructor.
Senior Vice President of Sales, Digital Business Solutions & Services
Kevin Fleurie is Senior Vice President of Sales, Digital Business Solutions & Services. He joined Presidio in 2009 as an account manager and has held leadership roles such as VP of Sales for the Public Sector and now heads up the Sales strategy for our cloud and digital go-to-market teams. Kevin holds a degree in business management from Colby Sawyer College.
Senior PDM, AWS
Sales Director, South Central
Bret Perkins is a sales leader with over 20 years of sales management experience and 30 years of IT Industry experience. He is focused on building long term client relationships always striving to focus on their business outcomes and leading and developing top-performing sales team to maniacally align with their client’s business needs. Before joining Presidio in 2020, Bret held senior-level leadership roles within Sales, Alliances and Product Development at Veeam, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and EMC. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma.
RSD-ENT SoCal
New RSD leading 11AE’s and covering 285 accounts in SoCal Enterprise space at Dell. 7 years with Dell, 15 in tech sales
SVP, Dell Technologies
Regional Sales Director, Cisco
Mr. Contos has been at Cisco for 11 years in various roles and is currently the Regional sales Director serving partners and clients in a 5 state region including southern California.
He directs a group of Cisco sales leaders with a customer base that spans 5 states across the Western U.S. We support some of the most prominent companies in the world across multiple industries, including retail, healthcare, and technology.
Away from the office, He enjoys spending time with his wife of 26 years, Robyn, and watching his beloved Wildcats, the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns and San Diego Padres. He’s a fan of day baseball, the Bravo TV universe and a clean pair of sneakers. He proudly Bears Down with my Arizona Wildcat family, including his wife who is an alumna, and his two children Jake and Zach who are recent alumni of U of A.
CIO, Sleep Number
Accomplished, goal-oriented executive leader with a comprehensive information technology (IT) management background. Extensive experience across multiple industries, including substantial global experience. Demonstrated leadership abilities in driving IT transformations, managing complex IT projects, and directing teams of mixed skills. Track record of success in implementing systems and strategies that increase revenue growth and brand visibility on a global scale. Known as a digital disruptor to gain business growth.
Account Director Microsoft
Director of Channel Sales - West APC by Schneider Electric
Director of APCs channel in the West living in Costa Mesa, CA. Looking to continue to build momentum and support growth in our power partnerships.
Field CISO , SentinelOne
Mani Keerthi Nagothu is a Field CISO at SentinelOne with experience in Cybersecurity Strategy, Incident Response, and Risk Management. She is a public speaker at various Cybersecurity Conferences, Webinars, and Podcasts. She is passionate about teaching Cybersecurity; three of her courses, Insider Threat Risk Management, Designing Cybersecurity Controls, and Designing Tabletop Exercises, are published on LinkedIn Learning.
SVP of AMS Sales Infoblox
National Channel Account Manager , APC by Schneider Electric
Robert is a tenured sales executive with over 22 years of diverse experience in Channel Management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partner development. He is well versed in industry trends and in Schneider Electric’s product offerings. Robert is always ready to learn and challenge himself. He is former military and in his spare time likes to explore new places, trains for marathons with his wife Cristabel, and spends time with his daughter Sophia and Olde English Bulldog Kona.
Vice President, Cisco Cloud + AI Infrastructure, Cisco
Tim Shanahan leads Cisco Cloud and AI Infrastructure, a global team activating thousands of worldwide Cisco sellers and partners aligned to advance Cisco’s AI-centric $10B portfolio of data center networking and compute technologies supported by software and integrated solutions. He is known for driving successful outcomes with a customer-first approach, market intuition, and passion for innovative technology. Tim catalyzes change by building collaborative stakeholder teams to ensure partners, alliances, and other key influencers gain alignment to forge new market paths to enable enterprise-wide game changing technological adoption.
SVP Product Strategy Cisco
Jeff Schultz is the Senior Vice President of Messaging Strategy and Engagement for Cisco’s product organization, reporting directly to Jeetu Patel, EVP and Chief Product Officer. Jeff leads a dynamic team responsible for driving cross-architecture product messaging across Cisco’s entire product portfolio. Jeff and his team articulate Cisco’s unique value proposition and differentiation to address the most critical challenges faced by customers. He works across business groups to align the portfolio vision and innovation roadmaps with broader marketing campaigns, product launches, and product positioning for sales, channels, and industry partners.
Vice President, Commercial West Sales, Cisco
Jesse leads Commercial field sales, engineering, and architecture teams across 15 Western states, driving $1.9B of Cisco’s annual revenue. Jesse and his team are steadfastly dedicated to assisting customers and partners as they navigate the transition from the pandemic era to the forefront of AI-driven innovation. With over 24 years of sales and leadership experience at Cisco, he brings a broad understanding of Cisco’s key customer segments and partner organizations.
Sales Director, South Central
Bret Perkins, Sales Director, South Central, is a sales leader with over 20 years of sales management experience and 30 years of IT Industry experience. He is focused on building long term client relationships always striving to focus on their business outcomes and leading and developing top-performing sales team to maniacally align with their client’s business needs. Before joining Presidio in 2020, Bret held senior-level leadership roles within Sales, Alliances and Product Development at Veeam, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and EMC. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Vice President of Engineering
Sharan Gurunathan, Vice President of Engineering leads Presidio’s Global Delivery with a focus on cloud solutions and digital transformation through applications and data. This includes developing the company’s strategic global delivery roadmap and a key role as a sponsor of Generative AI and other Innovation initiatives, all focused on solving customer challenges and growing Presidio’s cloud practice. Sharan was a co-founder of Coda Global which Presidio acquired in 2020. He had held additional leadership roles such as the Country Manager in India for Avnet Services.
Vice President, Innovation
Sharan Gurunathan, Vice President, Innovation leads Presidio’s Global Delivery with a focus on cloud solutions and digital transformation through applications and data. This includes developing the company’s strategic global delivery roadmap and a key role as a sponsor of Generative AI and other Innovation initiatives, all focused on solving customer challenges and growing Presidio’s cloud practice. Sharan was a co-founder of Coda Global which Presidio acquired in 2020. He had held additional leadership roles such as the Country Manager in India for Avnet Services.
Senior Vice President and Country Head, India
Gopi Pandurangan, Senior Vice President and Country Head, India leads Presidio’s team in India in solving customer challenges and delivering strategic cloud-native solutions across all practices. He has more than 25 years of experience in managing and delivering large-scale, complex digital business initiatives with a focus on Data, Web, Mobility and Cloud. Gopi was one of the core foundational team members of Coda Global which Presidio acquired in 2020. His prior experience includes senior-level roles at ESPN leading Sports Data Platforms and international projects that increased efficiency and performance.
Chief Security Officer - Sheppard Mullin
With over 20 years of combined experience in the information technology and information security field, Quincey Collins (CISSP, CISA, CEH, GCIH, CIPP/US, CIPP/EU) brings a multi-dimensional perspective with a distinct focus on information security operations, security controls assessments, privacy operations, business continuity, incident response, security auditing, compliance, vendor risk management, and IT operational risk management. Quincey spent 8+ years working for the United States Air Force and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Germany, Italy, and England. Quincey spent an additional 5 years supporting different commands and agencies within the Department of Defense in Europe as an information technology and information security contractor.
In his role as the Chief Security Officer for Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton LLP, Quincey is responsible for information security, privacy operations, and risk management strategy. Quincey maintains a strong emphasis on efficient security operations, effective tooling, configuration management, process management, and team building.
Quincey holds a B.S. in Cybersecurity, and a M.S. in Information Technology with a specialization in Information Assurance from University of Maryland University College.
SVP, CIO - Tokio Marine HCC
As Group CIO for TMHCC, he oversees global IT operations. Responsibilities include delivering strategic IT projects and initiatives, modernizing our technology portfolio, and maintaining operational and reliable technology services across all TMHCC businesses.
CIO - Kern Medical
With 15 years of IT experience, I joined Kern Medical in 2018 as an Infrastructure Project manager to deploy all CERNER related end point devices. Over the last 6 years I have been promoted to couple different positions Managing the technical team supporting the hospital. A year ago, I was promoted to Co – Chief Information Officer to lead the technical and operations side of the IT team at Kern Medical.
Vice President, Cyber Security Practice
Justin Tibbs is the Vice President of the Cybersecurity Practice at Presidio, where he leads the strategy, vision, and execution of secure outcomes for clients. Passionate about enabling and accelerating business growth, Justin focuses on innovative and secure solutions. He joined Presidio through the acquisition of Red Sky Solutions, where he served as Chief Security Officer, driving its security-led transformation and positioning it as a trusted partner for modern cybersecurity challenges. A leader in the cybersecurity field, Justin empowers organizations to fearlessly embrace the digital future, fortified by cutting-edge strategies and an unwavering commitment to security.
SVP, CIO - Stater Bros. Markets
Gil is a 35 year industry veteran and current CIO of Stater Bros. Markets. He has worked for companies that include Hyundai Capital, Ford Motor Credit, AIG and ConAgra Foods.
SVP, Cybersecurity - Molina Healthcare
Originally from Kentucky, I relocated to Orange County in 2014 to take on a leadership role at Molina Healthcare. With 30 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, I’ve had the opportunity to work with industry leaders such as Gold’s Gym and Toyota. Currently, as Senior Vice President of Cybersecurity at Molina Healthcare, I oversee a wide range of security domains, including Security Operations, Identity and Access Management, Cloud and Data Security, Vulnerability Management, and Security Tools and Platforms.
Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer - Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) & BMO Stadium
As Chief Technology Officer at Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and BMO Stadium, Christian has shaped the organization’s overarching technical vision and strategy. His primary area of focus is the use of technology to enhance the guest experience, eliminate friction and provide additive experiences for customers. Through his work as a thought leader and innovator in the space, Lau has successfully positioned the Club as one of the most innovative, tech-forward sports organizations and venues in the U.S.
Lau’s strategic approach has attracted tech partnerships that have allowed the stadium to test and host first-of-its-kind technologies including biometrics for age verification, NFC ticketing and autonomous retail technology, that have helped bring conceptual ideas to market, and have proven to deliver a next-generation guest experience a that will soon be seen in arenas, stadiums, and large venues worldwide.
CIO - Carollo Engineers
Andy Ivey, with 19 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) industry, serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Carollo Engineers. He provides strategic vision and direction for the IT organization, collaborating with the top talent in the water industry, including civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, environmental, and instrumentation & control engineers, as well as scientists, planners, architects, and designers.
CTO - GE Healthcare
CTO at GE Healthcare responsible for Software Engineering, Sciences, AI and Technology. Prior to GE, Hari built from scratch and led the AI and Gen AI Orgs in Oracle for 4 years. Prior to Oracle, Hari was a Leader in various Orgs in Microsoft (Azure, AI, Windows Security, Shell and Operating Systems, Big Data, AI and Search, Office 365, Browser, Windows Phone)
CIO - Dallas Cowboys
Matt Messick is the Chief Information Officer for the Dallas Cowboys. In his role, Matt leads the team responsible for the technical operations of AT&T Stadium, Dallas Cowboys Headquarters at The Star and all Jones Family related entities. Matt oversees a team of IT professionals dedicated to maintaining the Cowboys reputation as the leading franchise in professional sports.
Vice President Cloud Infrastructure & Operations - AMN Healthcare
Todd Stott is a dynamic and driven global IT Executive with 35+ years of IT infrastructure engineering, enterprise architecture, and senior management experience. He is an effective team leader with a reputation for creating business cases and participating in M&A activities to increase revenue and reduce IT expenses.
Todd is a talented thought leader, knowledgeable in all industry best practices, and regularly interacting with C-suite to implement IT initiatives that drive key business objectives and help organizations grow. He is a results-oriented leader with excellent communication skills and a bias towards action.
Todd is skilled in many areas including the following:
Strategic Leadership | Cloud Enablement Azure – Google – AWS | Mergers & Acquisitions
Change Management | Business Process Improvement | Integrations | Vendor Relations
P&L Management | Cyber-Security | Risk-Compliance | Data Management | Data Center Operations | Stakeholder Relations
CIO - DentalXChange
Scott is an experienced CIO with over 30 years in IT, specializing in healthcare IT leadership for the past 20 years. Known for his strategic insights and commitment to security, he has effectively led large-scale technology operations, data management, and cybersecurity initiatives. Currently serving as CIO at DentalXChange, Scott combines creativity and operational rigor to drive transformative projects while fostering collaborative, people-centered leadership. Outside of work, he’s a seasoned BBQ smoker and award-winning competitor, showcasing his passion for flavor and craft in every meal.
CIO - Matson Navigation Inc
Over 25 years in SW Engineering and senior level IT Management and CIO for past 3 years.
CISO - Broadcom, Inc.
Sean Oldham has been the CISO at Broadcom for 11 years. He lives in Colorado where he enjoys sailing, biking, traveling.
Vice President of Infrastructure - Targa Resources
Rick joined Targa in 2023 where he is responsible for all IT and OT Infrastructure. Prior to joining Targa, Rick was the CIO at Matrix Service Company for 8 years and, CIO at TD Williamson for 10 years.
CIO - HealthEquity
Mervyn Lally is the Chief Information Officer at HealthEquity, an American financial technology and business services company. With over 20 years in the information technology field, he’s held previous positions at Experian, Land O’Lakes, and Ingersoll Rand. Lally has an associate degree in electronic engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. Outside of tech, Lally enjoys golf, DIY projects, and spending time with his wife and three children.
VP, Global Technology Strategy and Transformation - TransUnion
Innovative leader with over 20 years’ experience leading global, multi-year transformations and implementing large, complex program delivery in fast-paced technical industries. Combining a hands-on, forward-thinking approach with an extensive background in IT strategic alignment, process re-engineering, budgeting and forecasting, and translation of regulatory requirements to drive success. Public speaker and panel moderator.
Global Head of Information Technology - Nikola Corporation
As Global Head of Information Technology at Nikola Corporation, Gabe Gabaldon is driving digital transformation for the pioneering manufacturer of zero-emission heavy duty trucks. With over two decades of IT leadership experience, including senior roles at Banner Health and USAA, Gabe has led complex initiatives to modernize technology architecture and enable business value.
AVP IT Infrastructure & Operations - DFW International Airport
Cornelius is an accomplished professional with extensive expertise in overseeing IT infrastructure and operations. Currently serving as the AVP of IT Infrastructure and Operations for DFW International Airport, Cornelius excels in telecommunications, system engineering, network management, and life safety systems. With a strong background in managing access control, CCTV systems, and public and private airport Wi-Fi, cellular, and radio networks, Cornelius is recognized for implementing robust IT solutions that ensure seamless operations and enhance security measures.
Head of Networking - Voltage Park
Craig manages the network engineering and operations team for Voltage Park, and oversees the procurement, design, deployment, and management of all network equipment in five data centers offering 28,000 AI GPUs. Craig has held executive and architecture roles at Dell Technologies and IBM Cloud, as well as roles in early- and mid-stage startups.
CIO - Sheppard Mullin
Mentor and leader who has had the privilege of being the CIO, and CISO for Sheppard Mullin, one of the largest 100 global law firms. Proud leader for Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Information Governance teams at Sheppard Mullin.
VP & CIO - ONEOK
Brien Brown is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of ONEOK. He is responsible for all information technology functions, including personnel, hardware, software and the communications infrastructure necessary to support all business segments.
Executive Director- Technical Services, Loma Linda University
Honored to lead our technology teams at LLUH, providing both foundational and advanced automation capabilities to our hospitals, clinics, and schools.
Vice President of PreSales
Norman Egan, Vice President of PreSales, is an Engineering leader with over ten years of architectural leadership of teams across many different practices. Norman is passionate about helping customers transform their business strategy through the use of transformative technologies. Originally from Ireland, Norman has been in IT for the last 30 years and has witnessed many changes in the use of IT across many verticals.
Senior Vice President of Sales, Southeast
Michael Kelly is the Senior Vice President of Sales, Southeast at Presidio. He is passionate about the growth and development of his team and the success of Presidio’s customers. Prior to joining Presidio in 2015, Michael spent 11 years at EMC within its Commercial Sales Division building and leading one of the highest revenue producing commercial sales teams in the country. Michael holds a bachelors of science in business from Northeastern University
Vice President of Sales, Central Region
Justin Filia, Vice President of Sales, Central Region, is a sales leader with over thirteen years of sales management experience and 21 years of IT Industry experience. He is focused on partnering with clients to deliver impactful business outcomes and building, developing, and leading a top-performing sales team. Before joining Presidio in 2020, Justin held senior-level leadership roles at Trace3, VMware, and EMC. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.
Senior Vice President of Sales, US SLED & West Named
Waheed Choudhry, Senior Vice President of Sales leads Presidio’s customer centric sales organization in serving U.S. State, Local and Education organizations (SLED) as well as the West Named Client Segment. Prior to joining Presidio in 2017, he served as President of the North America Organization at Dimension Data and served as President & COO of Nexus IS. Waheed holds a bachelors of science from California State University, Sacramento.
Chief Revenue Officer
Vincent Trama, Presidio’s Chief Revenue Officer leads a hands-on sales team dedicated to solving complex business challenges through digital solutions. He joined Presidio in 2012 and has held leadership roles driving a high performing team to generate new business and partner with customers to identify the best solutions for their evolving needs. Prior to joining Presidio, Vincent was Vice President of Sales at BlueWater Communication Group and Director of Northeast Sales at Visual Networks. Vincent holds a bachelors degree in Information Systems from Fordham University.
Chief Innovation Officer
Chris Cagnazzi is the Chief Innovation officer at Presidio leading the Cloud practice, Engineering and Managed Services Operations. He joined Presidio in February of 2012, following the acquisition of BlueWater Communications Group, LLC, where he was the Chief Innovation Officer. In addition, he has served as the VP of Finance of Dimension Data North America and CFO for Integrated Systems Group.
Vice President, Sales Mid-Atlantic
Matthew Runk, Vice President, Sales Mid-Atlantic, leads a regional sales team focused on the technology needs of our clients. Matt started with Presidio as an Account Manager and has since held numerous leadership positions. He has more than 25 years of experience in technology sales. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Shippensburg University and an MBA from Temple University.
Vice President, Strategic Accounts/Media & Entertainment
Brian Maggiacomo is the Vice President of Sales, Strategic Accounts/Media & Entertainment, at Presidio. Brian has over 25 years of channel experience supporting the global, enterprise, public sector and commercial markets. Prior to joining Presidio in 2012, Maggiacomo was Vice President of Sales and partner at BlueWater Communications Group from 2006 until it was acquired by Presidio. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree of arts in political science from SUNY Cortland.
The people are very important here – our people drive our business.
Meet Rob P
What is a lesson that you’ve learned over the past few years?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the last two years is to take a step back sometimes and just reflect on what’s going on, what the situation is, and then the people and everybody involved in that situation or the business in general. It is important for me to take a step back and just reflect internally, how am I doing? Is there something I could be doing better? How can I help out my team better? How can I help out my business better?
What is Presidio’s culture like?
The people are very important here – our people drive our business. We work with a variety of people overcoming difficult problems and complex situations. Working through these challenges, you bond and become more of a family with everyone instead of just coworkers.
What’s energizing you in your work right now?
The people driving our success, and of course my own team, they’re amazing. I’m proud of things I’ve accomplished here, but I’m more proud of the things that they’ve accomplished here. I love seeing them grow. I love seeing them meet their career goals and I love seeing them be successful. With some of the great feedback I get from our customers, it makes me makes me feel like a proud father.
What is your superpower and how does it align to your work here at Presidio?
I’d have to say empathy. That’s empathy with our customers and understanding what they’re going through to help us drive them to their successful outcomes. It is important to have empathy and understanding of what they’re trying to go through so that we can help them.
The people are very important here – our people drive our business.
Meet Eric B
What keeps you at Presidio?
That culture is what keeps me at Presidio. Developing friendships, and learning about new technologies is also a huge reason I stay at Presidio. Many businesses don’t necessarily develop the latest technologies because they have budgets to consider and existing business to run. At Presidio, you learn the latest technologies as soon as they’re available, and you can then apply them to other customers over time, spreading that knowledge and eventually becoming seen as a subject matter expert in a specific field you’re passionate about.
Presidio encourages education in both technical and managerial skills, helping you become not just a better engineer but also a better person.
What energizes your work right now?
Artificial intelligence, especially in data center solutions, is what energizes my work right now. I want to understand how we can drive more of our customers to invest in data center solutions for artificial intelligence, not just to sell hardware but to enable their business through machine learning technologies.
We have entire teams in India specifically that can help businesses drive business intelligence, which will ultimately drive their revenue higher. This, in turn, leads to more data center solutions that they need. It’s very exciting
Do you have any special hobbies or talents?
I am a scout master for two troops, one that is all girl and one that is all boy. I think it is important for young people to learn about their community and strive to give back. It is equally important to learn about other cultures around the world. It’s a great way to learn how to lead. I have leveraged some of the skills and knowledge I learned through leading a scout group in projects here at Presidio.
Sometimes it seems as if there are more solutions than problems. On closer scrutiny, it turns out that many of today’s problems are a result of yesterday’s solutions.
— Thomas Sowell
Meet Syd S
In your personal life, what is/are your hobbies and why are you passionate about them?
I am an avid cyclist. I have been riding since my college days. I ride rode, mountain, and most recently – gravel biking. I have ridden in the deserts of Botswana, hills of Bosnia-Herzegovina, isles of Greece, shores of Europe and now seek out the trails of the United States.
How do your personal hobbies translate to the work you do at Presidio?
Like cycling, there are times where you are alone and times when with a group. So, you must either grind yourself up a hill or down a long, winding road on your own, or there are times when you have assistance from the group, who encourage you and can even “pull” you by riding in front and providing a wind break.
Do you have any goals you are working towards this year? Either personal or in your job?
I have reach one already. After 30+ years serving our great nation, the United States, in a military capacity, I, Colonel Shinn, retired in June 2023. My next goal is to be there and give away my daughters on their wedding days; so far, one down and one more to go. I figured the weddings would be enough for this year.
What is a quote that you live by?
I have a few and drove my Soldiers and family crazy with my colloquial sayings. But I suspect I really have two I live by.
Be Bold, Be Brief, Be Gone: which translates, be confident in what you are saying and know the facts to stand by them; speak succinctly but specifically when presenting your topic; and do not seek accolades of your accomplished speech on your topic but move on as any compliments or questions will follow.
Sometimes it seems as if there are more solutions than problems. On closer scrutiny, it turns out that many of today’s problems are a result of yesterday’s solutions. –Thomas Sowell
Make sure to understand the long-term ramifications of the choices and decisions one makes today. We humans, most of the time, want to solve the problem immediately, but the immediate may be the detriment of the distant. As a PM, I always need to understand how the potential decisions I make affect the future efforts to reach the goal.
Syd Posing with his wife
Being in a project management organization is a perfect fit for someone who loves to plan and pay close attention to detail. I love working with people and understanding the full scope of a project down to the smallest details.
Meet Nikki B
What attracted you to Presidio? And what keeps you here?
I enjoy the people I work with and learning all about the different applications and processes behind the scenes for Presidio. I appreciate the opportunity to create and improve internal IT processes for my team and help drive change within our organization.
What is it like working at Presidio?
“If you learn something new every day, you can teach something new every day.” – Martha Stewart I am lucky to learn new things daily here, which makes my job so exciting. I share that knowledge with my team, and we work together to update and improve our processes.
What is energizing your work right now?
There are so many new initiatives that the different teams want to do to improve their processes to serve our customers better, and this requires help from the IT team.
What is your superpower?
I am an over-the-top party planner. I love creating decorations and all the little touches myself. I own way more décor than I would like to admit. Pick a theme; I probably have a bin dedicated to it.
How does your superpower align with your work here at Presidio?
Being in a project management organization is a perfect fit for someone who loves to plan and pay close attention to detail. I love working with people and understanding the full scope of a project down to the smallest details.
Whether it’s a dusty old pair of cross-country skis or a state-of-the-art data center running mission-critical apps, there is always something new to learn and optimize.
Meet Bill O
What attracted you to Presidio? And what keeps you here?
Presidio acquired the successful local VAR I was working for and welcomed me into the Presidio family with open arms. This move provided me with countless opportunities to learn new skills, meet new thought leaders, and expand my reach to new customers around the country. Best of all, Presidio is one of the few “engineering first” IT solutions providers in the marketplace today, which is one of the things I love about working at Presidio.
What is energizing you and your work right now?
The biggest mystery for most of our customers is how to intelligently migrate their workloads to the various public cloud providers. Considering there are now 7 “R”s to cloud migration, I don’t blame them! My biggest focus right now is learning how to help customers migrate as cost-effectively as possible to the public cloud where it makes sense and modernize their on-premises infrastructure for everything else.
What’s energizing you in your work right now?
The people driving our success, and of course my own team, they’re amazing. I’m proud of things I’ve accomplished here, but I’m more proud of the things that they’ve accomplished here. I love seeing them grow. I love seeing them meet their career goals and I love seeing them be successful. With some of the great feedback I get from our customers, it makes me makes me feel like a proud father.
What is your superpower/special talent?
I am a hard-core cross-country skier. I recently became a PSIA-certified cross-country ski instructor at the Loppet Foundation, one of our local nonprofit outdoor adventure centers. I teach private and group lessons to new and developing skiers from December through March while competing at a half dozen Midwest Nordic ski races.
How does superpower align with your work here at Presidio?
My passion is to positively impact people in learning new skills, refining their existing skills, and getting the most out of the equipment they have today. Whether it’s a dusty old pair of cross-country skis or a state-of-the-art data center running mission-critical apps, there is always something new to learn and optimize.
Presidio has given me a long-term career and prospects for continued growth. Presidio provided, and continues to provide, me with the room to grow (personally and professionally) and develop through experience, education, and coaching.
Meet Maria C
What attracted you to Presidio? And what keeps you here?
Presidio has given me a long-term career and prospects for continued growth. Presidio provides me with the room to grow (personally and professionally) and develop through experience, education, and coaching. The management teams I have worked with take a genuine interest in your life, your experience with your colleagues and customers, and your career progression.
What is it like working at Presidio?
No day is ever the same – the technologies, customers, and teams involved in projects I manage are constantly changing. It can be hectic at times, however, there is always a supportive environment, to discuss challenges and celebrate the wins, with peers or management.
What is your superpower/special talent? How does superpower align to your work here at Presidio?
Organization – I can organize any room or occasion.
I can think logically and quickly about how a schedule or plan should look, what information is needed, and how it should be stored so everyone who needs it has the access. Lists are my best friend.
I‘m a hobby farmer…It’s like working in technology; it’s always changing. Every season there’s a new challenge or something new to forecast for.
Meet Amanda B
What is your superpower? How does this superpower align with your work here at Presidio?
I’m a hobby farmer. Farming is an adventure where you can have a lot of success and a lot of failures. The failures can either cost your family food or time, or money. I grow between 30 to 40 different crops on a very small scale, but managing all those different ecosystems is very challenging. Every year comes with failures. I’ve had to learn over the seasons what works best.
It’s like working in technology; it’s always changing. Every season there’s a new challenge or something new to forecast for. Is it going to be a wet or sunny year? Did we have a wet or dry spring? All these different factors come into it, and you must adapt.
Do you have a special talent?
I am a Smart Hula-Hooper. My hula hoop is an internet of things (IoT) LED hula hoop that creates light images while you’re using it. I use code to make the light modes and the remote control to change the settings. The hoop also gets software updates from the manufacturer when plugged into a PC.
What is the best career advice you have ever been given?
I had a sales coach who told me that I had the gift of gab and that I shouldn’t be afraid of it but rather that I should find power in it and use it to my benefit. Before in my life, I always feared speaking up, especially as a young woman working in tech. This advice helped me find my own and it helped me come into myself as a person and recognize that my opinions matter and what I say has value.
How do you view Presidio culture?
Presidio is probably my favorite company I’ve ever worked for. I think the reason for that is working at Presidio is kind of like watching words get written on a page while reading them out loud at the same time. So, you have input and output in the very same moment and that just creates this electricity and this vibe of everybody humming and buzzing.
Our team slogan is “do something great every day”. That is what I have felt since the day I joined.
Meet Ramakrishnan H
What led you to Presidio?
Presidio hosted a local hackathon. They gave us a set of problems for us to solve and a time limit to see how many problems we could crack. The prize was an interview with the company. This challenge was a breakthrough, and many people like me were able to gain a foot in the door and provide meaningful contributions and skills. I was working for another company and knew, by participating in the hackathon, that I wanted to join Presidio.
What is it like working at Presidio?
I’m always challenged and I’m always on the lookout to learn new skills and find new things that I can do better. We are constantly receiving new opportunities to explore and there are endless opportunities. Our team slogan is “do something great every day”. That is what I have felt since the day I joined.
What is your superpower/unique talent?
I know the right questions to ask and every meeting I am in. This helps me immensely on finding the exact requirements for any given project. If it is for a customer working through pain points or a general call before I wrap up every meeting making sure I have asked the right questions. I have created a knack for asking the right questions over the journey of 7-plus years of experience. This helps me do my job much more efficiently.
Presidio has a variety of IT solutions and vendors. I never get bored working with only one technology/vendor. This opportunity allows me to continue to learn and obtain new certifications.
Meet Vikki E
Tell us about the road that led you to Presidio.
I was on the customer side of Presidio for about 15 years, and during that time I was introduced to the Presidio Contact Center team. During my time working with that team, I was amazed at how professional and easy to work with they were. When I finished up my customer side contract role, I decided to interview with the Presidio team I had been working with, and I have been here for the past 7 years.
What attracted you to Presidio?
What attracted me to Presidio was the family atmosphere that Presidio embodies. On both my team and in the greater company, the culture is all about people helping people. You can always reach out to anyone in the company and know that they have got your back
What is a tech trend that you are excited about?
Right now, I am excited about AI. Both from what we are doing on my team and for personal use. There is so much potential for what AI can do. On my team, we are just at the very beginning of utilizing Google’s AI to improve analytics, and it’s really exciting to kick off.
What is your hobby and how does it apply to the work you do at Presidio?
I consider myself a teacher, I have always loved teaching. I was a preschool teacher, and I think that set me up for success at Presidio. I think if I can teach preschoolers, I can handle anything! I also was a lecturer at the University of Denver, and I taught project management as well as soft skills. It was always great to see people grasp those concepts.
One thing that I carry on in my role at Presidio from being a teacher is staying updated with the trends so I can be as much of an expert as possible in training my team. I find that I learn a lot from my team too, that’s what teaching is all about.
The people are very important here – our people drive our business.
Meet Angela P
What is a lesson that you’ve learned over the past few years?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the last two years is to take a step back sometimes and just reflect on what’s going on, what the situation is, and then the people and everybody involved in that situation or the business in general. It is important for me to take a step back and just reflect internally, how am I doing? Is there something I could be doing better? How can I help out my team better? How can I help out my business better?
What is Presidio’s culture like?
The people are very important here – our people drive our business. We work with a variety of people overcoming difficult problems and complex situations. Working through these challenges, you bond and become more of a family with everyone instead of just coworkers.
What’s energizing you in your work right now?
The people driving our success, and of course my own team, they’re amazing. I’m proud of things I’ve accomplished here, but I’m more proud of the things that they’ve accomplished here. I love seeing them grow. I love seeing them meet their career goals and I love seeing them be successful. With some of the great feedback I get from our customers, it makes me makes me feel like a proud father.
What is your superpower and how does it align to your work here at Presidio?
I’d have to say empathy. That’s empathy with our customers and understanding what they’re going through to help us drive them to their successful outcomes. It is important to have empathy and understanding of what they’re trying to go through so that we can help them.
The people are very important here – our people drive our business.
Meet Roger G
How did you end up working at Presidio?
I’m originally from Cuba. After moving to the US, I worked for American Express for a year and got the opportunity to join Presidio. I started working for Southern Company, one of our major clients. I found out about Presidio through a recruitment company. Overall, I was very attracted to the talent and technology at Presidio.
What is the culture like at presidio?
The Presidio culture is amazing and very diverse. We have had a number of acquisitions over the past couple years, which I think has really contributed to the culture. We brought in new talent and ideas and fostered a creative and collaborative environment.
What’s energizing you right now?
Becoming a new father. The past few years have been challenging for everyone, being a father is rewarding. Potty training my daughter recently was a significant achievement!
Tell us about your special talent or hobby.
Two of the hobbies I enjoy are video games and martial arts.
How do your hobbies translate to your work at Presidio?
The discipline from martial arts complements the problem-solving skills needed in my role. Building characters and gaining experience in video games parallels my approach to work. It’s about arming myself with tools and preparing for what is ahead.
Traveling gives us a chance to interact with different people. When you interact with different people and cultures, you pick up on the energy and learn new things.
Meet Renukha L
How do you view Presidio culture?
Presidio treats its employees like family. They help us with our careers goal as well as our personal goals. If I have any issues, I can openly speak with my manager. There is also a great sense of work/life balance.
What is it like working at Presidio?
Here at Presidio, I can learn across different practices and upskill my knowledge. I can continuously learn and am encouraged to take on new challenges to enhance my skills daily.
What’s inspires you and your work right now?
Traveling gives us a chance to interact with different people. When you interact with different people and cultures, you pick up on the energy and learn new things. These are life lessons no one can teach us. I visited a globally renowned theme park on a recent vacation to France. I was inspired and energized by the beauty of the park. When developing applications, I always ensure they are fully functional and, above all, visually appealing.
Presidio is a place where people are super energetic. It keeps you on your toes, and it’s super exciting to be among the team. There are always opportunities to grow and explore.
Meet Vimal P
What attracted you to Presidio? And what keeps you here?
I was really looking for a new kind of challenge and for a company where I could show my impact. I came from a larger organization and couldn’t see how I impacted the company and what we did.
What is your superpower/special talent? How does it align with your work here at Presidio?
I love watching documentaries, following geopolitics, reading about diverse topics ranging from history to psychology and, most importantly, spending time with my family & children.
Being aware of the person on the other side of the conversation makes me think, feel and help them by whatever means I can. This has helped me build relationships with clients and the Presidio family. Reading on diverse topics has also enabled me to see things from different perspectives, look for opportunities and think long-term.
How do you view the Presidio culture?
Presidio is a place where people are super energetic. It keeps you on your toes, and it’s super exciting to be among the team. There are always opportunities to grow and explore. Another important point is the leadership is accessible and there to give feedback and help you continue to evolve.
When there’s an emergency, I typically will jump in. This really ties into being there for our customers when the worst happens.
Meet Dave T
What do you do at Presidio?
I get to meet with our clients to talk to them about cybersecurity, where they are today and where they need to be.
What drives you personally?
I was in the Marines for a long time, so I have always had a responsibility to act. When there’s an emergency, I typically will jump in. This really ties into being there for our customers when the worst happens. They must feel that comfort knowing they have somebody who does this for a living, they have somebody right here that knows exactly what is going to happen for the next six weeks while we handle this situation.
Our video crew caught up with Dave at our Global Exchange event to find out what he likes best about Presidio culture and the superpower he brings to Presidio.
Playing drums is a lot like working through projects, in that, you must have coordination between your own tasks as well as play in concert with your team/band. Only then will you be able to make great music or get seamless failover for your application workloads across DCs.
Meet Steve D
What attracted you to Presidio? And what keeps you here?
I was drawn to Presidio for its vast exposure to top engineering talent as well as a wide variety of new technology solutions. These same things keep me engaged along with the satisfaction of being able to truly help our clients.
What is energizing you and your work right now? What drives you?
The love of learning how things work. This is especially true with new technologies that I can lab up and experiment with to see how they can be used to solve a business challenge.
What is your superpower/special talent?
Music! I am a drummer and come from a very musical and artistic family. I have been on tour across the U.S. and Canada playing in previous bands and was even out on a month and a half long tour.
How does superpower align with your work here at Presidio?
Playing drums is a lot like working through projects, in that, you must have coordination between your own tasks as well as play in concert with your team/band. Only then will you be able to make great music or get seamless failover for your application workloads across DCs.
Life at Presidio is fast-paced, interesting, and full of great challenges. There is room to learn and grow, to really hone my skills on large project delivery.
Meet Nate G
What is life like at Presidio?
Life at Presidio is fast-paced, interesting, and full of great challenges. There is room to learn and grow, to really hone my skills on large project delivery.
What’s energizing you and your work right now? What drives you?
The opportunity to work on new technologies and working with customers to move to modern architectures. I love looking at the big picture and finding ways to optimize and modernize customer’s infrastructures.
What is your superpower/special talent?
Whenever I am not working, I enjoy being active and outdoors. I am a qualified rock climbing instructor and run a National Climbing competition. I also mountain bike, snowboard, ski and surf if the weather if good enough.
How does superpower align to your work here at Presidio?
I feel that the common thread between these activities is developing a skill through hard work, persistence and patience. These sports have also taught me how to assess risks and how to approach a difficult situation with a clear head and focus.
I am energized to bring new solutions and see growth in cloud delivery, which is the trajectory we want to be on for our customers.
Meet Doug G
What path led you to Presidio?
I was part of an acquisition, so my journey here was a little different. Presidio was one of our key partners, so it was a natural fit for us. My old company was all about the cloud, but now we can bring In a complete suite of services and capabilities for our clients.
What’s energizing you these days?
I am energized to bring new solutions and see growth in cloud delivery, which is the trajectory we want to be on for our customers. We get to see so much more of Presidio now after the acquisition. We get to provide greater value to our customers and engage more with all of our teams.
What is your superpower?
My superpowers have evolved over the years. Right now, I am focusing on being a manager and listening to the people reporting to me, my peers, and our customers and sellers. Focusing on management and collaboration are my superpowers right now.
Never has technology been so closely integrated – from carrier to cloud services, to app developers, to infrastructure service owners. The silos of the past are collapsing and just like the succession of life in nature, new growth is all around us.
Meet Paul G