This month’s spotlight shines on an International Man of Mystery. Find out what I mean when you read Mike’s answers to the questions we posed to him.
Tell us a little bit about the type of work you do at Unified Technologies.
I am a Trusted Advisor for Telecommunications Technology
List out a few of your job responsibilities.
My job has two primary components. The first component consists of meeting with stake holders (business owners, executives, and managers) to understand their businesses and then designing the right communication solution to deliver tangible benefits which improve operations and reduce expenses. The second component of my job is to serve as a great, long-term partner and make sure that my customers get what they need to be successful moving forward.
When you aren’t at work, what keeps you busy?
When I am not at work, I dedicate almost all of my time to my family. I have one daughter who swims and another daughter who is a competitive Irish Dancer. Between those events, helping with homework, and volunteering, there is still a little time for food and sleep!
Have you always been in this industry? If not, what brought you where you are today?
I have been in this industry for seven years now. In 2008, my good friend Todd knew Scott Diamond. When Scott asked Todd if he knew anyone who would be a good fit, Todd recommended me. I remember thinking “my knowledge of phone systems consists of picking up the handset and dialing.” Once I met with Scott and he introduced me to the rest of our team, I knew that this was the right place for me. Learning new skills and working hard is the easy part, finding a place to be happy is the tough part.
What’s one thing you love about what you do for a living?
I love meeting with new people, learning about their businesses, and helping them. Because we provide technology that is used in just about every single business imaginable, I am exposed to industries that I didn’t even know existed. It is a reminder of how interesting life can be when you look below the surface.
Tell us a little bit about what you do for fun.
Fun for me is hanging out with my beautiful daughters, having meaningful conversations, making jokes (a lot of bad “dad jokes” are thrown in for good measure), and laughing hysterically. I also enjoy watching Modern Family, The Goldbergs, Blackish, Fresh off the Boat, NOVA, and almost every TED Talks.
If you could do one thing for a living that had nothing to do with your current job, what would it be?
I would be a writer and, of course, the inspiration for my work would require me to frequently travel to new places (Hawaii, Iceland, New Zealand, Austria, and many lesser known destinations are on the list).
Is there something fun or interesting that you’d like people to know about you?
Actually, I prefer to keep people guessing. 😉 Seriously though, I suppose some people may find it interesting that my mom is German and my dad is British. When I was growing up, I could not tell that my mom had an accent…at all. When I brought Julie home to meet her (23 years ago), she told me that she could barely understand what my mom was saying because of her thick accent…who knew? Apparently, it was a two way street though…my mom could barely understand Julie because she talks so fast!
Favorite food or snack?
I love food with complex flavors and a little spice…Indian, Thai, Mexican, Italian (if you count Pizza), etc. For snacks, I love European chocolates, Lebkuchen, brownies, and the cookies from Potbelly…seriously, have you had their Chocolate Brownie Cookie?
Family info:
Happily married to Julie with two awesome daughters, Hannah and Ellie. I have two sisters in Boston, MA and one in London, England. The rest of my family lives in Germany and Switzerland.
