James Best Email & Phone Number

Winnipeg, MB, CA

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• IT management for SysGen's largest and most complex clients
• Administration tasks associated to company's internal operations
• Define, deliver and arrange support for strategic plans in the implementation of IT assets
• Manages and mentors a team of 4-6 IT Experts

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Client development and management
• Define, deliver and arrange support for strategic plans in the implementation of IT assets
• IT management activity associated with client network infrastructures
• Administration tasks associated to company's internal operations

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

• KEY ACTIVITIES:
• Designed and procured high-end, multi-GPU workstations for a sports apparel brand
• Assessed the IT Network Technician course for a multi-campus technical college, making recommendations how it could be updated and offer industry-recognized credentials in the process
• Providing industry specialist consultations of the aerospace and defence market through a multi-national expert network firm
• Volunteered my IT skills to a political party during Alberta's 2019 provincial election, administrating NationBuilder CRM, creating web sites and payment processors, working on the service desk supporting local campaigns
• Learned new skills and credentials, most listed below, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, ITIL Foundation, and Python programming

Calgary, Canada Area

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Lead IT operations for the CDL Systems program, its products and services
• Prepared budgets for the IT needs of the CDL Systems program, adjusting to shifting priorities. Liaised with vendors and requested quotes. Coordinated with procurement on generating purchase requests
• As part of the senior leadership team, I coordinated with peer managers to ensure business goals were met
• Liaised with other units of Lockheed Martin on all IT mattersKEY CONTRIBUTIONS:
• Fully restaffed the IT department after assuming role

Calgary, Canada Area

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Shaped leadership direction on network/server upgrades, acquisitions, etc
• Monitored and maintained backup systems to ensure data integrity.
• Monitored network and servers for anomalous activity and potential security threats.
• Maintained and installed security patches for servers and workstations.
• Worked on projects designated by the IT Associate Manager.

Calgary, Canada Area

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Shaped leadership direction in defining system security requirements, network and server issues; recommend acquisitions and upgrades.
• Worked collaboratively with all CDL employees to maintain our multi-platform environment.
• Provided guidance on the daily tasks of the Systems Administrator

Calgary, Canada Area

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Managed leadership expectations to define system security requirements, network and server issues; recommended acquisitions and upgrades
• Worked collaboratively with all CDL employees to maintain our multi-platform environment
• Provided guidance on the daily tasks of the Jr. Systems AdministratorKEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Fully participated in the planning of the IT needs of the company’s new 18,000 sq.ft. office. Contributions included meeting with contractors for network, AV equipment, lighting, building security, etc; specified the.
• Lead the migration of our Active Directory servers to 2008 and the workstations to Windows 7. Created a patch management strategy using WSUS and EminentWare to keep the operating systems and applications on the.

Calgary, Canada Area

• KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Planned and conducted a methodical search through two years of archived emails for an oil and gas client’s SEC audit

Varadero, Cuba

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Directly responsible for resolving and escalating 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level helpdesk calls pertaining to the Oil and Gas Division’s Cuban operations, reporting directly to the Manager – Systems & Support
• Maintained and supported the Windows 2003 servers (domain controllers, file servers) and Exchange 2003 servers, on traditional hardware as well as VMWare virtual servers. Maintained and supported the Active Directory.
• Configured workstations and other computer equipment. Maintained knowledge of security practices and checked for proper security practices and/or security breachesKEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Part of the team that migrated our IBM xSeries servers to HP BladeSystem running VMWare ESX and Citrix XenDesktop, migrating our physical servers to virtual and establishing clients on virtual desktops
• Spearheaded and lead the implementation of a new anti-virus system for our Cuban operation (Sophos)

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Performed system administration on the departments Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, 2003) and Mac OS X servers; web server administration; network administration, maintenance, and support; planned and maintained remote desktop.
• Provided information technology support, consultation, advice, and all aspects of computing needs to the Department of Psychology, its faculty, support staff, and students. Provided special faculty project support
• Planned future departmental computer requirements with frequent recommendations to the Department Executive Committee. Kept apprised of current technology developments and trends, and implemented them within the.
• Responsible for the Department’s web content creation and maintenance
• Administrated and maintained the graduate student computer lab totaling 24 PC workstations. Provided software and hardware support, installation, troubleshooting, repair, planning, and administration

Ottawa, Canada Area

• supported the Macintosh computers in the Ottawa, Halifax, and Winnipeg forensic labs
• researched new solutions to improve productivity in the Biology sections
• assisted the LAN administrator in the support of the Windows 95-based computers and Novell servers in the Ottawa lab, and acted in the role of the LAN administrator in his absence