Meet Steve George, IT Support
We spoke to Steve George who was recently hired for IT support at Energenecs and asked him a few questions about his background, computer security and his woodworking hobby.
What is your background?
I’ve been into IT since I was really young. When I was about three years old my parents got an Atari 800XL computer, that was back in the day when you had to manually input every command. You had to tell it exactly what to do, there was no graphic user interface. They told me I was using it when I was four, then I started telling them how to do it! I’ve always kind of been technically inclined. I like to take things apart and put them back together and figure out how they work. It became more of a passion the older I got. In high school I took computers and shop classes then I went to Waukesha County Technical College for IT, and just kept going from there.
My last job I spent fourteen years at Paratech Ambulance Service, I was their IT technician. I was setting up hardware for pretty much everything from cell phones in the squads to televisions in the owners’ houses. If it plugged in I was working on it. We had an electronic patient care report computers that would connect to heart monitors and hotspots in the squads. I also worked on the dispatching station computers, servers, etcetera.
What is a typical day like at Energenecs?
It’s a little of everything right now. I’ve been looking for ways to improve our security at Energenecs, improve our backup capabilities, and make things easier for our team in the field. When I’m not doing that I’m solving issues that people have with their software or hardware. I’ve been figuring out how everything works together and looking for new ways to implement things.
Will you be a resource for Energenecs clients?
Eventually I will set up desktop computers for them. I have remoted to a few clients to fix problems here and there. I’m definitely available to assist them.
What advice would you give for computer security?
- With the computers that our clients are using for monitoring hardware, I would keep internet usage limited. For example, don’t use them for Google searches or open emails on them. Keep those systems separate from browsing and just use them for their intended purpose.
- Make sure the operating system is up to date. Type “Windows Update” into the search bar in the start menu and click “Check for Updates” to be certain. You should be using Windows 10 at the very least, it’s more secure than the older versions. Patches and security updates help keep everything secure. Clients can contact me to help them update their systems.
- Check that your antivirus software is up to date as well. There are a lot of good ones out there at the moment. Make sure that Windows Defender is enabled, as it is a decent solution. It goes in waves as people figure out how to bypass certain antivirus software, then they have to be updated or replaced.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to work on things with my hands. My father, grandfather and great uncle all built furniture. I inherited tools from my father, who built desks, cabinets, tables, pretty much anything and everything. He worked in a machine shop but woodworking was his hobby on nights and weekends. My brothers and I got to clean up all the sawdust, that was our job growing up. Recently I made a new bed frame, though I’m not as handy as my dad, but still like to build things.
I watch football or play video games when I’m not building or repairing things. This last weekend I took my fiancée out shopping, that’s her hobby! So it’s kind of our hobby [laughs].
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