Sam Bennett Email & Phone Number

Bozeman, Mt, Us

Bozeman, Montana, United States

Bozeman, Montana, United States

Bozeman, Montana, United States

• Leadership & Supervision: Provided leadership and supervision to the IT team, supporting 135 staff across six office locations. Ensured the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of tax and accounting data for over 15,000 clients.• Compliance & Security: Ensured GLBA compliance and managed the security of 200+ devices.• Azure Management: Administered, maintained, and secured 20 Azure Virtual Machines hosted in a Microsoft data center.• Network Administration: Administered, maintained, and secured the network infrastructure across six office locations, including managing branch-to-branch VPNs.• Security Training: Conducted security awareness training and simulated phishing campaigns to enhance organizational security.Selected Achievements:• Disaster Recovery & Security Policies: Developed a comprehensive disaster recovery plan, information security, and acceptable use policies.• Network Hardware Upgrade: Successfully replaced all network hardware across six office locations, transitioning to Meraki MX firewalls, Meraki MS switches, and Meraki MR WiFi access points.• Phone System Migration: Migrated the phone system from an analog system to a VOIP system, improving communication efficiency.• Virtualization Migration: Led the migration from a Citrix virtualized application environment to a Microsoft Azure Remote Desktop environment, reducing downtime by 50% during tax season.• Device Management: Implemented Microsoft Intune to manage client devices, decreasing device vulnerability by 90%.• Security Awareness: Implemented security awareness training and simulated phishing campaigns, significantly reducing organizational phish-proneness from 35% to 4.8%.

Bozeman, Montana, United States

• Leadership & Supervision: Led and supervised a 5-member Agriculture IT support team to ensure excellent customer service for 500 agriculture faculty and staff across the MSU Bozeman campus and statewide research centers, farms, and ranches.• Policy Development: Developed and implemented IT policies and procedures, including security, disaster recovery, standards, purchasing, and service procedures.• Budget Management: Developed and maintained the budget for equipment acquisitions, upgrades, and replacements in coordination with college, departmental, and research funding.• Collaboration: Collaborated with the MSU CIO, UIT community, campus groups, and external vendors and partners.• Systems Administration: Managed, secured, maintained, and patched 40+ servers (physical and virtual) located on the Bozeman campus and seven research centers statewide.• Network Administration: Administered networks for agriculture buildings on the Bozeman campus and statewide research centers, farms, and ranches.Selected Achievements:• Cyberattack Response: Played a key role in the ransomware cyberattack incident response team, successfully recovering 40TB of data "lost" during the attack.• Network Upgrade: Successfully replaced all 50 network switches at the 7 Research Centers, implementing a new network design compliant with campus standards.• Phone System Upgrade: Replaced legacy Nortel phone systems with Cisco VOIP phones, enhancing communication capabilities.• Firewall Upgrade: Upgraded firewalls at all Research Centers and Farms to the Meraki MX series with Site-to-Site VPN back to the MSU Bozeman campus.• Security Policy Enhancement: Led the campus IT community to adopt a more aggressive and thorough update and patching policy, significantly increasing information security.• Innovative Connectivity: Designed “Wi-Fi For Cows” to provide Wi-Fi connectivity across several acres for precision agriculture equipment monitoring cattle and crops.

Bozeman, Montana

• Leadership & Management: Managed system administration, information systems security, project management, and volunteer development within a large congregation of 5200.• Training & Productivity: Trained staff and users to increase productivity and efficiency.• Data Integrity & Security: Oversaw information systems and processes to protect data integrity and information security, ensuring constituent privacy and intent.• Continuous Improvement: Monitored and continuously improved security processes, installing video surveillance and physical security modifications.• System Implementation: Implemented new systems and technologies to support the organizational mission.• Operational Systems Development: Developed and implemented operational systems for automation and improved productivity.• Volunteer Management: Recruited, trained, and scheduled a team of 65 to 85 volunteers for weekend gatherings and events.Selected Achievements:• Central Management System Deployment: Led projects to deploy a central management system for 5,200 attendees and activities, including online/mobile giving, volunteer management, group management, check-in processes, facilities management, event registration, and a mobile app for constituents.• Unified Communications: Unified communications, scheduling, donor records, event management, service planning, constituent information, and activity tracking.• Video Streaming & Online Engagement: Deployed video streaming and developed an online congregation of 700+. Launched a mobile app, raising constituent engagement by 30% by simplifying giving, volunteering, and group participation processes.• Volunteer Team Growth: Grew the volunteer technical arts team from 8 to 75 members, positioning the organization for growth during the pandemic while others declined or closed.• Software Implementation: Implemented software programs, including Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Cloud, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Microsoft Office 365.

Bozeman, Montana

• Strategic Leadership: Planned, strategized, developed, and oversaw IT operations for the alumni foundation, contributing to the long-term success of Montana State’s land-grant mission.• Team Management: Led five direct reports, including 2 Data Analysts, 1 Support Specialist, and 2 Gift Processors, managing a $1.5M budget.• Server & Database Management: Managed servers (Windows, Linux, and OS400) and databases (MSSQL, Oracle, DB2, and MySQL).• Data Reporting & Analysis: Developed and delivered accurate data reporting for decision support.• Data Integrity & Security: Optimized data integrity and information security to protect constituent privacy and intent.• Website & Email Management: Directed website management and email services.• Training & Documentation: Provided training and developed documentation to support IT operations.Selected Achievements:• System Implementation: Led the implementation of Microsoft Windows / SQL Server, web-based fundraising, and accounting software, converting from IBM OS400 / DB2 terminal system.• Web-Based Systems Deployment: Deployed web-based collaboration, knowledge and project management systems, as well as a data warehouse and web-based reporting system for users to build and execute reports.• System Consolidation: Consolidated information systems of several MSU-affiliated organizations into a centrally managed system, resulting in greater solidarity and collaboration.• Process Improvement: Developed business process documentation and needs analysis standards.• Software Recommendations: Recommended and implemented software programs, including donor relationship management, accounting software, MS Office, MS Exchange, MS Active Directory, MS Project, and MS Visio.