James Ponder

Led IT across 30 offices and 1,000+ devices, building the department from a single-person function to a multi-person team. Managed a multi-million-dollar annual IT budget spanning staffing, hardware, software, and vendor services. Developed a statewide WAN to connect branch offices to the central data center, reduced physical server footprint through virtualization, and migrated key services to Azure. Oversaw firewall replacement planning and moved backup and recovery processes to cloud-based services, while managing network, phone, and access-control deployments during relocations.

Managed IT operations, support, and budgeting for a two-office accounting firm. Introduced VMware-based infrastructure and implemented related enterprise services including storage and terminal services, along with VoIP and paperless workflow improvements. Upgraded servers and backups while reducing dependence on external consultants.