Welcome back to our Team Highlight. Today, meet Adam from Integris’ Wichita office.
Could you describe your role/what you do in 2-3 sentences?
I work with clients to resolve technical issues on their PCs, servers, printers, etc.
How did you become interested in your profession as a career?
I was always handy with technology when I was a kid, but my local colleges didn’t offer the types of courses I needed so my career path went a different way. Fast forward many years later and I was running a Gaming LAN Center with my friend and started taking IT classes that would hopefully be beneficial to helping managing/maintaining our network and PCs. We ultimately had to close the LAN Center but I had just finished college with several IT certs and an Associate’s Degree so working in this field made a lot of sense!
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Interacting with clients and getting to see “behind the scenes” in lots of different types of businesses.
I’ve made several friends at client sites we work with and even met my fiance at one of them! On top of that, I’ve had the opportunity to peek behind the curtain of so many different places, my favorite being a plastics plant. I tell people my job is often like being on an episode of ‘How Things Work!’
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing? What are some of your hobbies?
I’m the Squad Leader of The Great Plains Squad of the 501st Legion and organize and participate in events in full screen-accurate Star Wars costumes! You can Google me (TK-31778) if you’re interested in learning more!
On top of that, I love gaming and play a lot of Xbox and Nintendo Switch. I’m also a big movie/TV buff and love sci-fi/fantasy stuff. At the top of the list are Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Indiana Jones.
I also love music – my favorite band is Foo Fighters! I’ve had the opportunity to see them twice live but Covid canceled the third concert of theirs I was supposed to attend. I’m waiting not-so-patiently for them to come back my way!
I don’t read as much as I should but I pride myself on reading every Star Wars novel that comes out and have been through all eight books of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series three times!
What are some things you love about the place you currently live?
I love that we’re only about 20 minutes away, at most, from anything here in town. People say there isn’t a lot to do here but I’m from a small town and Wichita has always been the “big city” to me. I’m happy where I’m at and have never really wanted to live anywhere else.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Early Bird – even on the weekend I wake up five minutes before my alarm *would* have gone off if it were a weekday. It works out though, that time gives me all the ‘me’ time I need so by the time my fiance is awake I’ve had my fill of gaming, etc. without taking away time from her!
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
I’d like to rebuild my 501st Squad here in the area. We had gotten up to 24 local participants but Covid has limited the amount of events we can participate in and a lot of those members have lost interest over the extended “break.”
Those high-up in the Legion have been afforded a lot of cool opportunities (such as being on screen in Season One of the Mandalorian and getting to go to Red Carpet Star Wars movie premieres) so I’d like to be able to grow my Squad and end up with cool opportunities like that.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Own up to your mistakes and don’t be afraid to admit when you’ve been wrong.
If you could have a superpower, what would you want and why?
Teleportation. I’d love to be able to visit wherever/whenever without transit time and the associated costs.
