Exemplifying how passion can shape a successful career, Jason’s journey into IT was driven by a childhood fascination with technology. His trajectory at Mazella Companies, from printer troubleshooter to database problem solver, mirrors Mazzella Companies’ growth and the dynamic nature of the IT field itself.
What led you to a career in Information Technology (IT)?
Jason candidly admits that there was a time when he didn’t think that IT was where he wanted to land. It wasn’t until he helped his dad build his first computer in 2005 that he knew. “I was fascinated by the things these computers could do. As an avid gamer, it was always about chasing the next greatest piece of performance for that extra frame, so IT blossomed as an offshoot of my hobbies.”
Jason said that while he could’ve been anything, he feels lucky to show up daily and interact with technology that is typically right or wrong. “For people like me who like operating in certainties, especially in the math and science fields where you either have the right answer or you don’t, technology is the same way. And luckily, IT is one of the fields that is probably not going anywhere, like food and medicine.”
What led you to Mazzella Companies?
Jason shared that Mazzella Companies came to him in his career in a way. “I was with a company acquired by Mazzella Companies in 2017, so that story wrote itself. Before that, I found my job over ten years ago on Craigslist, of all places. When I landed my position here, I very quickly grasped the technology. As time passed, I went from being the guy that fixes broken printers to the guy that’s fixing database problems.”
How has your role changed since you started?
Jason said that the team was much smaller when he started, so when new things came up, he and his team would need to learn it before putting it out to the company, which put him in touch with a lot of new technology. “When working in a small to mid-sized company in IT, you wear many hats. This has posed a challenge as our team has grown, so now we’re creating more specialized roles, which has changed my role. We’re working towards having specialized roles in the IT function that we can own and be proud of.”
Related: Why Would You Want to Come Back to Mazzella Companies?
What professional development have you received at Mazzella Companies?
Jason says that he has had ample opportunity to develop his professional skills, even if not directly related to a change in role or title. “I was fortunate to be formally certified through the company on various Microsoft certifications. I recently graduated from Vistage’s Emerging Leaders Program, which allowed me to learn how to lead from peers in my industry. Being accountable for someone else’s work was intimidating, but I gained skills and feel prepared now to lead others to success.”
What do you believe the role of IT at Mazzella Companies is?
Noting that IT is always something everybody needs to function, Jason says that, ultimately, his team feels successful when the business is succeeding. “We exist to ensure that our business uses the tools and resources to grow and conduct itself on the public stage with customers and vendors. We’re not the department publicly facing and driving business on paper. What we always try to do is deliver the service we would want for ourselves and continue to build on the resources we can offer everyone.”
How do you collaborate with other teams?
Jason said that most of the interdepartmental collaborations he participates in are project-based. He said this setup allows him and his team to have clearly defined measures of success, complete with clear goalposts.
“Usually, IT can step in if another department wants to build an X or a Y and doesn’t know where to start. We can help guide you to a selection of tools or products on the market. We have the expertise to vet specific solutions and ensure we don’t adopt a technology that’s going to hinder the business or cause any limitations for the business in the future.”
Beyond vetting software solutions, part of what his team does is enable other departments to get content out. “Whether it’s working with the Finance team to ensure accurate record keeping or Marketing on things like newly branded email signatures, the expertise from the IT team on configuration and administration of the platforms to progress the business.”
Jason also shared that his favorite collaborations are the one-off problems that may only affect a small subset of team members. “They may have spent weeks not being able to solve an issue. If somebody has an issue keeping them from conducting business with a customer or they have a deadline, those are the kinds of opportunities where we get to win with someone. When we can help somebody who cares about the company and its direction, those are the moments I’m most proud of.”
What is a challenge your team is facing today?
Jason said that the priority right now for him and his team is getting all of Mazzella Companies’ business units on a single Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform. “We’ve seen time and again that getting everyone on a single platform for transacting allows us to service and sell multiple lines of business to a single entity across all of our subsidiaries.”
Regarding initiatives, Jason said they hope to transition to a Microsoft Government Commercial Cloud (GCC) tenant. “We want the ability to conduct business in government sectors globally for our company, not just in the exiting business units that already have those contracts. The business plans to adopt more automation and leverage AI and machine learning to help gain efficiency. Some of this is uncharted territory, but we imagine ourselves as explorers. It’s an exciting time to be in IT at Mazzella Companies.”
What advice would you give someone looking to join the IT team at Mazzella Companies?
Jason said anyone looking to join the team should be ready to work. “We are a growing team for an even faster-growing organization, and the opportunities available are almost limitless.”
Jason also spoke about the culture at Mazzella Companies and how he and his team are always looking for those who live those values. “Technical expertise matters, but our culture is more important for long-term success. I can teach you how to fix a computer or write a program in a language. I can’t teach you to be humble, hungry, smart, safe, and a lifelong learner.”
Forward-Thinking Spirit
As a part of a collaborative and expanding team, Jason’s story highlights the transformative power of technology and its role in fostering business success. His commitment to a customer-centric approach and his willingness to explore uncharted territories, such as AI and machine learning, showcase the forward-thinking spirit of Mazzella Companies’ IT team, where the possibilities are boundless.
