IT Executive/Technology Strategist/Team Builder
Thirty-five years turning technology and people into competitive advantage — modernizing infrastructure, hardening cybersecurity, and building teams that outperform. A servant-leader and lifelong practitioner of 改善 kaizen: relentless, continuous improvement.
I'm an IT executive and servant-leader with deep roots in operations, service delivery, and technology strategy. Over three and a half decades I've led across financial services, mortgage SaaS, managed cloud services, higher education, and large-scale enterprise — start-ups, market leaders, and local up-and-comers alike.
What ties it together is a philosophy: develop and empower great teams, then give them modern tools and clear standards. I've turned cost centers into revenue centers, cleared inherited audit backlogs, and delivered generational infrastructure transformations — usually under budget, always with the customer's experience in mind.
I translate technical complexity into language executives and boards can act on, and I bring AI and data analytics into the decisions that matter. My leadership borrows from Japanese principles I've carried my whole career — 改善 kaizen (continuous improvement) and 一期一会 ichi-go ichi-e (treasure every encounter).
From administering a 300-workstation network to steering enterprise cybersecurity for a half-billion-dollar institution — a career built one improvement at a time.
A few transformations I'm proud of — each one a team that rose to the challenge.
Replaced legacy vendor-managed infrastructure with CCU-controlled architecture — firewall, SD-WAN, MDR, identity, and NAC — insourcing strategic control while remediating the entire inherited audit backlog.
Inherited an 837-case backlog at an $8.8B institution serving 1,000+ employees. Rebuilt intake, routing, and SLAs from the ground up with the team.
Built a fee-based Premier Support concierge product and re-engineered call routing — hold times fell from four hours to under two minutes, and service levels jumped from 41% to 92%.
Supported 40,000 endpoints across corporate and 3,200 restaurant sites, absorbing 40% company growth over eight years while holding IT-team growth to just 12%.
Selected from 87 endorsed skills — the capabilities I reach for most.
The threads outside work that shape how I lead inside it.
Credited translator of the beloved Trigun series (Dark Horse / Digital Manga) and founder of a Japanese-translation business I ran for nine years.
I write and speak on blending Japanese concepts — 改善 kaizen, 一期一会 ichi-go ichi-e — with modern technology leadership.
Founder of the Inclusion, Networking & Collaboration (INC) group for job-seekers and hiring managers, plus a longtime volunteer and mentor.
Mensa member since 1992, MBA at a 3.94 GPA, and a giver of 47 LinkedIn recommendations — I believe leaders grow by lifting others.
As VP of Operations, Justin exemplified cross-departmental leadership… he energized and revitalized Client Support, API QA, Document Services, IT, and Professional Services. His kaizen approach and comprehensive understanding of business fundamentals make him a key asset for any company.
A dedicated Technology and Operations wizard — he managed many systems seamlessly and was always looking for new trends and ways to make the organization more profitable.
I enjoy comparing notes with fellow technology leaders, mentoring, and trading ideas about where our field is headed. If something here resonated, say hello. 一期一会