I'm Eric Soderquist

Systems Administrator | Programmer | Database Specialist | Technology Visionary

Life-long learner, husband and father, coffee addict.

Get to Know Me

Hello, My Name is Eric.

I'm a highly motivated full-stack IT professional exceptionally skilled at integrating diverse systems and components with a diligent eye on providing solutions that control cost while exceeding user expectations and enriching the computing experience.

I currently work for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, where I spend my time engaged in system administration, programming, and database duties.

During my tenure in Kenai, I've skillfully navigated the ever-changing technology world, keeping the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District at the forefront of this exciting field.

Contact Details

Download Resume

Portfolio

A sampling of both recent and long-running projects with the greatest impact to end-users.

Google Apps for Education

Software Distribution System

Datacenter Architecture

MyNode Storage System

IT Administrator

MySchool

Software Management

District-wide Live Broadcast

Core Principles

I'm a problem solver. At the core of my approach are core principles which I feel are key to achieving greatness.

Systems Administration

Enterprise-class computer networks require a strong foundation. Building that foundation is my passion.

User Experience

Designing and maintaining a technology infrastructure is only a small measure of success. Response to feedback and iterative improvement with focus on the end-user is the ultimate benchmark.

Automation

With a strong commitment toward automation of repetitive technical tasks, a large-scale system can largely maintain itself.

Team

The whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts. Being able to successfully engage a team toward a common goal can be the difference between getting a job done and doing an amazing job. Don't settle for mediocrity, reach for amazing.

Development

When a given problem cannot be solved efficiently using existing tools, create something new to tease out a solution.

Vision

The only constant in technology is change. The challenge lies in assimilating changing technology, recognizing the relevance thereof, and being ready to act and embrace the next big thing.

My Strengths

Evaluating one's strengths is key to improving upon weaknesses.

92%
Technical Vision
95%
Problem Solving
86%
Communication
90%
Leadership
67%
Creativity

My Resume

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. -Albert Einstein

My Education
1995 - 2002

2001 - 2002

Cisco Certified Academy Instructor - AVTEC, Alaska Institute of Technology

The Cisco Certified Academy Instructor course focused on rapid skill acquisition for delivery of Cisco sponsored curriculum covering topics covered on the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) exams.

Completion of this course series resulted in recognition as a Cisco Certified Academy Instructor, certifying me to teach the course curriculum at a post-secondary level.

2000 - 2002

Microsoft Official Curriculum - Compucom

Attended numerous week-long courses covering many technical topics including Microsoft Windows Server administration, Microsoft Active Directory design and implementation, Microsoft Exchange infrastructure design, and Microsoft Windows XP administration.

Each course culminated in passage of one or more topic-appropriate exams in the Microsoft exam series, ultimately leading to Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) credentials.

1999 - 2000

Electrical Engineering - Montana State University, Bozeman MT

Completed a semester of study in the electrical engineering program at Montana State University. After recognizing the program emphasis was more on power distribution concepts rather than electronics and digital circuits, I returned to Alaska to refocus, ultimately landing a job in the field and opportunities to learn while teaching.

1995 - 1999

Graduated - Soldotna High School, Soldotna AK

Graduated May, 1999 as class valedictorian. 4.0 GPA; Class Rank 1 of 135. Course emphasis on the sciences (Calculus, Physics, Advanced Placement Biology)

Work Experience
1995 - Now

2011 - Now

Programmer/Analyst - Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Responsibilities

Lead for systems administration of business finance, student information, email, database, transportation, learning management, Lync conferencing, storage network, account management, desktop deployment, and various other systems and integrations. Design, program, and implement data integration tasks as necessary to automate routine or on-demand recurring tasks.
Impact
  • Storage architecture improvements fundamentally changed how data is managed; a custom-developed solution automates management and movement of 40+ Terabytes of data to optimize performance and respond to user movement within the organization.
  • Through a number of custom developments to the PowerSchool student information system, numerous end-user workflows were improved, allowing school staff to focus on results rather than manual steps.
  • The deployment of Microsoft Lync opened an entirely new avenue for staff and student collaboration. What traditionally was handled by telephone conferencing can now be enhanced with real-time video and collaborative whiteboarding sessions.
  • Committed to success of ongoing implementation of Canvas; Kenai's adoption of Canvas as a learning management platform has the potential to bridge the divide between the traditional and blended classroom. Custom integration and migration tooling completed, with additional work ongoing, to automate, simplify, and streamline this initiative.

2006 - 2011

Exempt Programmer - Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Responsibilities

Lead for systems administration of Microsoft Windows clients and servers, email, database, storage network, account management, learning management, Google Apps, and various other systems and integrations.

Impact

  • Leveraging Google Apps for Education introduced new ways for staff and students to collaborate. Custom integration work brought student contact information and classroom mailing lists directly into Outlook, allowing staff immediate access to email individual students or entire classrooms. As of August 2015, Google Apps hosts nearly 220,000 documents and records email volumes reaching 20,000 messages daily and has become a key component of educating students.
  • Redesign of Windows 7 deployment and supporting systems resulted in dramatic improvements in client deployment and software distribution. Prior to upgrades, summer crews deploying new computers often saw deployment rates of roughly 100 systems per day. Following upgrades, the deployment system was able to support 200-300 deployments daily with the same crew size.
  • Software deployment system was re-written with an eye toward efficiency. Previously, software installation files were stored at each site, resulting in duplication, requiring significant storage resources. New system was written to utilize peer-assisted delivery, meaning a single software repository now serves all computers districtwide. Other improvements include immediate background installation rather than requiring a computer restart, reducing overall time-to-installation for end-users.

2001 - 2006

Programmer - Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Responsibilities

Transitioned from supporting to lead role for system administration of Microsoft Windows client and server infrastructure. Developed custom tooling for client deployment, software license tracking and installation. Designed, deployed, and supported Microsoft SQL database technologies.

Impact

  • Deployment of Microsoft SQL database technologies opened rich opportunities for improving a wide array of processes and tasks. Led the charge toward automation of everything possible, including user account management, email system management, and software installation, resulting in a system that allows for efficient IT administration with minimal staff.
  • Custom tooling developed for client management allowed IT staff to remotely address many client support inquiries, reducing travel and increasing support efficiency.
  • Development of software distribution system allowed building/department staff the ability to manage their own software licenses, allowing deployment of supported software within 30-60 minutes rather than requiring IT staff involvement.

2001 - 2004

Adjunct Instructor - University of Alaska

Responsibilities

Prepare engaging lectures, lab activities and assessments for college-level Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) curriculum. Courses delivered in-person at both Kenai Peninsula College campus in Soldotna as well as the Kachemak Bay campus in Homer.

Impact

  • Consistently strong feedback from students, many indicating that they expect topics covered to have a direct impact on their goals for IT employment

2000 - 2001

Microcomputer Technician I, II - Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Responsibilities

Handled computer and equipment repairs, and end-user PC and network support, installation and troubleshooting. Administered daily operations of FirstClass email platform.

Impact

  • Support district users through build-out and transition to a PC-based network, working to minimize user frustration

1997 - 1999

Student Technician - Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Responsibilities

Part-time work included repair of Apple and PC-based district computer and printer technology. Provided telephone support for end-users.

Impact

  • Independently managed quick repair turnaround time while working part-time as a student during a period of staffing transition

1997 - 1997

Web Technologist - Utah Scientific, Inc.

Responsibilities

Design and implement a corporate intranet page for internal communications. Assist Information Services department with deployment of Windows 95 upgrades in business office and manufacturing plant.
1995 - 1997

Network Technician - Tustumena Elementary (Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)

Responsibilities

Part-time internship involved supporting and maintaining an AppleShare network, Macintosh clients, and Ethernet network. Provide building-level support to district Data Processing department as requested.

Impact

  • Designed a software deployment system based on open-source technologies allowing quick installation of software titles on school computers. Previously, new titles were deployed by visiting each computer with an installation CD; new system allowed for centralized distribution of software over Ethernet network.

Skills & Expertise

Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience. -Denis Waitley

92%

.NET Development

90%

SQL Database (MS/Oracle)

60%

Web (PHP, AngularJS, Bootstrap)

95%

Microsoft Client/Server Technologies

85%

Virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V/Azure)

80%

Networking (Cisco/Aruba Wireless)

Select Accolades

The accolades, just like the scrapes and bruises, fade in the end, and all you're left with is your ambition. -Nicole Krauss

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Golden Apple

http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/workarea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=28634

Eric is the technical architect and designer of much of what we have accomplished with technology infrastructure. He is the filter through which all strategic technology must pass.

President's Environmental Youth Award

http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/050801/dis_050801dispatch0020001.shtml#.VdjhCPlVhBd

National Recognition - Soldotna Creek Park Improvements

Caring for the Kenai

http://caringforthekenai.com/about-cfk/cfk-history/

1st Place - Soldotna Creek Park Improvements

Milestones Achieved

My path has not been determined. I shall have more experiences and pass many more milestones. -Agnetha Faltskog

10

Cups of Coffee

10

Hours Worked

10

Lines of Code Written or Managed Since 2012

5

Unique Code Commits Since 2012

Contact Me

Have something you'd like to discuss?

Say
Hello

Eric Soderquist

esoderq@gmail.com