Meet the IT Team

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When the firm was initially founded, our engineers and architects sketched plans and blueprints by hand using scaled engineering rulers, stencils, and tedious design methods. In 1982, CAD software was introduced to the architecture and engineering industry, leading to improved efficiency, accuracy in design, and cost savings. The transition to computer aided drafting revolutionized the land development process, and hand drawn plans became a thing of the past.

With the transformation of technology in the past few decades, it is essential that a workforce has easy access to support, so employees can quickly troubleshoot issues and remain productive. 24-hour wait times through outsourced support methods are not only inefficient, but they are also frustrating for employees trying to do their jobs. Having immediate access to CAD, plotter, and technical support is a subtle, but essential benefit that is provided through an in-house department at Barghausen.

The benefits of having an internal IT team are endless. Our internal IT staff work together to resolve issues seamlessly, mitigating frustrating roadblocks to keep things moving, both inside and outside of the office. When a Barghausen employee needs assistance, they get support from someone who they’ve built a rapport with, not an unknown customer service representative behind a chat box. Our IT team knows the internal structure, our business operations, and our team members on an individual basis. This personal level of service allows them to elevate, prioritize and respond to questions more efficiently.

Each position within the team brings value to our technical staff. We have a support position specifically dedicated to CAD questions, training, and tips to help our CAD users continuously learn and be more productive. We also have roles in the department for general IT support through ticket submissions, printer, and plotter maintenance, and a position that focuses on our networking systems, security and more. Each person within the department is an essential piece of the Barghausen puzzle and keeps our operations running at full force.

The value the Barghausen IT team brings:

They are part of our unique culture. They represent our mission and values and work together with other team members towards the common goals of the firm.

They provide instant support. The team is here to provide solutions to IT challenges employees are experiencing, whether it be a simple technology resolution or a complex CAD question. Each person’s role provides support within a certain area of day-to-day technological functions.

They have control over procedures and changes. The team is familiar with our systems, allowing them to implement changes quickly and seamlessly. They are at the forefront of deciding on enhancements or updates, and have direct communication with employees when this happens. They are an immediate source of any follow-up or questions regarding these changes.

They know the ins and outs of our business processes. This gives them an in-depth understanding of our internal structure, which helps to resolve issues, and improve efficiency and productivity.

They have full control over our data. Keeping our data in-house ensures the highest level of security for our clients and partners.

Continue reading to get to know our IT team and their roles here at Barghausen.

Giselle Santamaria | Systems Administrator
		What is your role on the IT team? Systems Administrator What do you enjoy most about your role? Learning new things and improving my knowledge while troubleshooting issues. I feel very lucky that the employees at BCE are very nice and appreciate our work. That is a big plus. What value does your role bring to our employees? I provide support for BCE Employees. I’m in charge of Tier II and III issues. I manage all our servers and most of our services and network equipment. I work very tight with my other IT colleagues, and our goal is to help all employees with IT-related issues to make their work easier. What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Hiking with my dog and watching sunsets at the beach.
Max Lychik | IT Help Desk Technician
		What is your role on the IT team? I’m the IT Helpdesk Tech. I do the tier 1 tickets and set up the new user computers/offices. What do you enjoy most about your role? I like the troubleshooting aspect. It’s like a little puzzle to find out what’s wrong and figure out the best solution. What value does your role bring to our employees? I suppose that without the helpdesk role people would just continue to deal with whatever issues they’re having with their computer. I think the value is pretty self-evident! What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I enjoy reading and going to the gym.
Tom Stoltz | Systems Analyst
		What is your role on the IT team? My official title is "Systems Analyst", but I've worked on almost every aspect of the IT group. What do you enjoy most about your role? It always changing… As technology changes, so does the information needed, so it's a job that you're constantly learning/keeping up with technology. What value does your role bring to our employees? Experience. I've worked in the industry for over 30 years, working at an Industrial Engineering firm, a Geotechnical company, and an Architectural company (all in Texas before I moved to Washington). Being with Barghausen for "many years", I've also learned that listening to people is the most important thing. What do you enjoy doing outside of work? My problem is too many hobbies and interests. I've been an avid cyclist since I was 15 and dabbled in triathlons for a while (I've custom built a few of these bikes too), and now I go mountain biking on most weekends. I also have been restoring a '69 VW bus (currently on year 7 of restore) and more recently another VW camper van. I also enjoy remodeling my house, but after a while it feels more like work. I enjoy metal work, woodwork, and yard work... but these don't feel like "work". In general, I like to keep my mind and hands busy learning about new stuff.
Brian Strandberg | CAD Systems Administrator, ACP
		What is your role on the IT team? Brian Strandberg – CAD Administrator. I assist our Engineers, Architects and Surveyors with any difficulties they have with the various design software packages we use. What do you enjoy most about your role? I get to help people most of my day. If there is a problem with our software, be it technical or training related, I work to solve it. What value does your role bring to our employees? I work to train our new employees as well as performing refresher training for all our employees. What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I like spending time outside in the woods when I can. I am looking forward to peak mushroom foraging season which is coming soon.

We asked some of our employees what benefits they have experienced from having an in-house IT team:

“IT has been prompt to respond to my requests and solve computer issues. I regularly ask employees during performance reviews if they are getting good help from IT and the feedback is positive. It’s easy to obtain equipment in a pinch, such as an extra mouse or charging cable. IT provides good help and training on programs such as Bluebeam. Our computer and phone systems rarely crash and when they do, IT appears to be on top of it. The security training is great as well.” - Chris S. Ferko, AICP | Director of Planning Services, Principal

“Having an in-house IT team is wonderful! You never feel like you are calling to cancel your cable. Interacting with someone who knows you and the importance of what you are working on makes all the difference. It adds the human element back into the typical support experience, which I think is crucial in any role dealing with frustrations from technological woes. Knowing you can pop in and ask questions or get help at your desk is an underappreciated benefit that is necessary sometimes! They understand what our goals are, and how to elevate requests based on those goals regarding employees, clients and deadlines. - Alicia Aravena | Marketing Manager

"I’ve worked at a handful of other companies, so it’s easy for me to say that our IT team is world-class. They are quick to respond to any issue and do so with kindness and understanding. You really could not ask for better support than what we have at Barghausen." Jason Carey | Senior Project Engineer

“The fact that they are on-site enables them to respond quicker to issues with physical infrastructure without having to wait to coordinate with staff for approval and/or direction.” - Tim Tobin, Project Engineer

“Timely and friendly answers to all my IT needs.” - Jason McArdel P.E. | Project Engineer

“Immediate remote support.” - Joel Howitt, Senior Planner

“Prompt responses to issues. Being able to workshop a problem.” - Nick Listar, Project Coordinator