James Ponder Email & Phone Number

I was born and raised in the town of Branson, Missouri. Some of you may have heard of it. It's sometimes referred to as "The Vegas of the Midwest." While it was an interesting and unique place to grow up, the opportunities and career paths given weren't uniquely interesting. It seemed as though the only options were customer service, customer service, and oh yeah, I almost forgot customer service. I spent 10 years after high school working in several different kinds of customer service environments. From waiting tables to managing a convenience store. I knew that this was not the path for me, but for many years I could not tell you what that path looked like. I did not know what I "wanted to be when I grow up."There was not a single "Aha!" moment when I discovered my passion for computers. In my free time, I started to fiddle and tinker in the command line, learning little by little about computers and how they operate. I was fascinated by the concept of programming languages began to absorb as much knowledge as I could. One day I realized that I could turn this hobby into a career.I decided to enroll in college again shortly after and have been working towards the ultimate goal of one day being a successful computer programmer. I then came across the Merit America IT Support Specialist program and decided to apply. I was accepted, and am now halfway through this rigorous program in addition to being halfway through my schooling to receive my A.S. in Computer Science. I am constantly learning in every way I can, and I am no longer afraid of new and sometimes intimidating challenges. I've come so far so fast, and I know now that I can take on anything that comes my way. I am excited to begin this quest toward a new career and a brighter future and I will put forth every effort to be successful in everything that I do.

Listed skills include Strategic Sourcing, Process Improvement, Vendor Management, Sourcing, and 14 others.