20+ years of IT experience combining deep technical expertise with strategic leadership and visionary thinking. Accomplished Director of IT Infrastructure with a distinguished 20-year career marked by progressive leadership roles and expertise in driving major IT infrastructure transformations. Renowned for strategic vision and innovation in managing complex infrastructures, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring technological resilience across global organizations. Expert in leading cross-functional teams, orchestrating the design and implementation of scalable, secure, and robust IT solutions that support organizational growth and digital transformation goals.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Manager, Network Infrastructure
Harbor Freight Tools, Inc
09.2019 - Current
Manage a dedicated team comprising Network Engineers, Senior Network Engineers, Network Administrators, Network Architects, Voice Engineers, and Junior Network Engineers
Lead the strategic planning, implementation, and supervision of scalable network infrastructure services to support a diverse user base of over 28,000 individuals worldwide. This includes managing connectivity for 1500+ retail stores nationwide, 15+ U.S. Corporate and Distribution Centers, and offices throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Conduct resource and project planning activities to guarantee resource allocation for upcoming projects.
Improved team performance by providing comprehensive training and fostering a collaborative work environment.
Lead ongoing enhancements in the Networking Team by introducing automation strategies to boost efficiency for routine operations and project execution.
Enhance metric quality and develop reports centered on continuous improvement, encompassing the evaluation of project timelines, deployment timelines, KPIs, and the examination of SLAs for support ticket response and precision
Reduced costs, optimized resource allocation, and improved efficiency in managing projects.
Collaborated closely with peers from other departments to drive organizational success jointly as one cohesive unit.
Develop comprehensive reports for briefings, regular weekly/monthly updates, incident analyses, and staff development progress
Craft presentations tailored for Senior Management
Conduct weekly one-on-one, quarterly and annual performance reviews and developed individual development plans for team members, contributing to a 20% improvement in team productivity
Foster a collaborative and productive work environment
Oversee the design and deployment of new network architectures, including both hardware and software components
Ensure that designs meet current and future requirements for performance, security, and scalability
Develop and implement strategic plans for the network infrastructure that align with the organization's long-term business objectives
This includes forecasting future network needs, identifying technological advancements, and planning upgrades or expansions
Prepare and manage multi million budget for network infrastructure, including procurement of hardware and software, hiring of staff, and contracting with vendors and service providers
Ensure cost-effectiveness and return on investment for network-related expenditures
Manage relationships with vendors, service providers, and external partners
Negotiate contracts and ensure that all parties meet their commitments.
Communicate with stakeholders across the organization to understand their needs and provide network solutions that support their objectives
Ensure that the network infrastructure complies with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards
Keep abreast of regulatory changes and implement necessary adjustments to network policies and procedures
Stay informed about new technologies and industry trends
Evaluate and recommend innovative solutions to enhance the network infrastructure's performance, security, and scalability
Key Achievements:
Directed the migration of traditional datacenter networks to a Cisco ACI architecture, achieving a 30% improvement in deployment speed and a 40% reduction in operational costs
Led a landmark project for the migration of 1000+ corporate employees to a new Campus HQ office location, utilizing cutting-edge Cisco DNA technologies for network management, achieving a 25% improvement in network resource allocation and a 30% reduction in incident response times
Orchestrated the company-wide rollout of Cisco DNA Center, leveraging its AI/ML capabilities to transform network operations and infrastructure management
Championed the adoption of AI-driven analytics for predictive maintenance, reducing network downtime by 35% and achieving a 20% cut in operational costs
Pioneered the strategic transition from MPLS to SD-WAN across the organization, covering over 1500 sites globally, which resulted in a 50% reduction in WAN costs and a 35% improvement in network performance
Collaborating with executive leadership to align the SD-WAN project with broader business strategies, demonstrating the role of network innovation in driving business growth and operational efficiency
Led the deployment of a CCaaS solution for a 300-seat contact center, resulting in a 40% improvement in call handling efficiency and a 35% increase in customer satisfaction ratings within the first year of implementation
Spearheaded the strategic wireless migration of network infrastructure from Cisco Aironet to Meraki across 1200+ retail locations and 6 distribution centers, aligning with the company’s vision for a scalable, secure, and unified wireless environment
Spearheaded the development and execution of a comprehensive spare depot strategy that reduced dependency on Cisco Smartnet contracts, leading to cost savings of 71% over 5 years.
Director, IT Infrastructure
Gottlieb, LLC
05.2013 - 08.2019
Develop and implement a comprehensive IT infrastructure strategy that supports the organization's overall business goals, including scalability for future growth
Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing IT infrastructure team to ensure operational excellence and the achievement of strategic objectives.
Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
Facilitated cross-functional collaboration for improved decision-making processes within the organization.
Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
Improved project efficiency with strategic planning, resource allocation, and time management practices.
Oversaw operations and provided corrective feedback to achieve daily and long-term goals.
Oversaw a $50M annual IT budget, optimizing expenditures through strategic vendor negotiations, resulting in a 20% cost savings while maintaining high service levels
Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging team members to seek out opportunities to enhance systems, processes, and technologies.
Manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts to secure the most effective solutions and services at the best price
Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
Ensure high availability and reliability of IT services, including the management of disaster recovery plans and business continuity procedures
Managed budgets effectively to ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining financial stability.
Strengthened internal controls by reviewing existing policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Ensure IT infrastructure compliance with data protection regulations and other legal requirements, conducting audits and adjusting as necessary
Formed strategic partnerships and connected with potential clients to drive business development.
Direct and oversee major IT infrastructure projects, from conception through implementation, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to specification
Monitor project progress and performance, resolving issues and adjusting as necessary to ensure successful outcomes
Serve as the primary liaison between the IT department and other business units, ensuring IT infrastructure aligns with the needs of the organization
Key Achievements:
Led the strategic development, planning, and execution of a comprehensive workforce mobility solution using the Citrix application virtualization platform
Spearheaded the digital transformation initiative, migrating key systems to cloud-based solutions (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) with Microsoft Azure, resulting in a 30% improvement in operational efficiency and a 40% reduction in IT operational costs
Led a cross-functional team to scale IT infrastructure, ensuring 80x growth in storage capacity while aligning with strategic business objectives and maintaining 99.99% uptime
Led the deployment of high-availability configurations for enterprise firewalls, significantly enhancing network security and uptime
Championed the strategic migration from an on-premises VoIP system to a comprehensive UCaaS platform, enhancing the company's communication infrastructure by introducing advanced scalability and flexibility
Led the development and implementation of a cloud-first strategy, ensuring alignment with global business objectives and IT standards.
Network Manager
05.2011 - 08.2013
Develop and implement a strategic plan for the organization's network infrastructure, aligning with business objectives to support growth and digital transformation initiatives
Manage the network infrastructure including LAN, WAN, internet connections, and wireless implementations
Led the deployment of SQL and file clustering solutions, securing uninterrupted data access and transactional reliability crucial for fundamental business processes
Managed the assignment of projects and tasks among team members, ensuring that all projects meet the specified business requirements and goals
Directed the transition from outdated systems to advanced Cisco 4500 and 6500 series switches, markedly enhancing network efficiency and reliability essential for key business functions
Led the comprehensive implementation of VMWare virtualization, overseeing every phase from the preliminary planning and analysis through to the deployment and fine-tuning, in sync with the organization's objectives for cost savings and increased operational flexibility.
Senior Network Administrator
05.2006 - 01.2011
Administered Cisco routing and switching infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and minimal downtime
Managed and optimized multiple SAN storage system configurations for improved data accessibility and storage efficiency
Configure and manage Cisco MDS 9100 Series Multilayer Fabric Switches, including initial setup, zoning, port channeling, and VSAN configuration to optimize storage networking for performance and availability
Oversaw the deployment and maintenance of Citrix Network Neighborhood, facilitating seamless remote access and user connectivity
Implemented network load balancing across web server farms, optimizing web application performance and scalability to handle increased traffic volumes
Administered and maintained Microsoft Exchange systems, including monitoring, troubleshooting, and updating to ensure optimal performance and reliability
Led the deployment of Windows File Clusters to enhance file service availability and dependability, aligning with the company's data management and accessibility requirements
Played a pivotal role in the deployment of a company-wide VoIP system, reducing telecommunications costs by 25% and significantly improving communication efficiency
Conducted regular network assessments to identify vulnerabilities; implemented strategic security measures to mitigate risks
Led a team of network professionals, providing guidance and mentorship to junior staff, enhancing team competency and performance.
Network Engineer
BIOMET, Inc
11.2004 - 05.2006
Design and implement new network solutions and/or improve the efficiency of current networks
Install, configure, and support network equipment including routers, proxy servers, switches, WAN accelerators, DNS and DHCP servers, to ensure stable and reliable network services
Plan and conduct the installation of network systems, including hardware, software, and firmware updates
Monitor network performance to determine if adjustments are needed
Troubleshoot network problems and outages, scheduling upgrades and collaborating with network architects on network optimization
Configured and managed Citrix NetScaler to ensure efficient load balancing, enhancing network performance and reliability while maintaining high availability for critical applications
Led the deployment of Citrix Presentation Server 4, successfully establishing a robust application virtualization farm that optimized application delivery and user access across the organization
Oversaw the implementation and management of IntelliReach Message Screen anti-spam filtering and AV.
Education
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCES (CIS) -