We are thrilled to pay tribute to our March Associate Spotlight Will Smothers, Cloud Team Leader and a Microsoft 365 Evangelist for Edafio and our clients.
The comings and goings of staff are a part of every dynamic organization; therefore, it can be challenging to get to know our coworkers better as people. We have to be mindful that our company culture thrives on our exceptional people as much as their outstanding technical skills. As such, we are finding that our periodic interviews with associates allow us to acknowledge and celebrate the beautiful life stories, extraordinary professional accomplishments, and even the little quirks that make us uniquely beautiful human beings.
We hope you find each Edafio associate story is as inspiring as we do in gathering and sharing them.
How long have you worked at Edafio, and what does your job entail?
I came to Edafio in October of 2017 to be a CEL, but because of my knowledge of data center solutions and cloud infrastructure, Kenny and Keith asked me to lead Edafio’s Cloud efforts. Since then, I have been leading Edafio’s Cloud Team.
What do you like most about your job?
I enjoy educating others on the benefits of “as a Service” solutions like IaaS, SaaS, PaaS, etc.
What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
NEVER STOP LEARNING!
I saw several of my initial mentors released from their jobs in my early career because they became stagnate and content with what they knew. IT is an ever-changing industry, and if you are content with what you know, you will be obsolete before you realize it. Keep learning and stay current with the trends and technologies. You don’t necessarily be on the cutting edge, but you better be on the bleeding edge!
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
Nature photography. I am a classically trained Journalist (studied under the great Ernie Dumas from the Arkansas Times) and had aspirations as a young man of going into nature photography but, as the case with most young dreams, reality set in, and I had a family to provide for and a military obligation to fulfill.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
When I am not working, I like to be in nature; hunting, hiking, off-roading, camping—just being outdoors.
What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?
I developed the first website standards for the United States Army.
Where’s your favorite place in the world?
Germany. PERIOD. Specifically, the Bavarian region in Southern Germany.
What is your motto or personal mantra?
I have a few mantras
1) I won’t ask anyone to do something I am not willing to do or have not already done (lead from the front)
(2) It is okay to say, “I don’t know,” but immediately follow that up with “but, I will find out,” and (3) you are not more intelligent than anyone else. You have a different skill set than them.
If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Both my Grandfathers. They both died when I was a small boy but were exceptional men who significantly impacted me. One was the Command Sergeant Major for all occupying forces in Germany after World War II. The other was an Engineer at RCA who helped develop both the first black and white and color televisions. Grandpa Smothers gave me my sense of duty to my country and my need to serve others. Grandpa Metz gave me my love of electronics, troubleshooting, problem-solving, and good quality craftsmanship. Both taught me never to give up, do everything to the best of my ability or not do it at all, and take pride in my work.
Three words to best describe you:
Honest, loyal, open.
What is the one thing you can’t live without?
My family. I have a wonderful wife and two beautiful, brilliant daughters, and they keep me on my toes. I cannot imagine my life without them.
Who or what made you smile at work today?
Eric Roddy. Eric brings enthusiasm to work every day. He is continually trying to learn as much as he can about everything around him. He is terrific to watch with customers because he is one of those rare engineers who can talk to anyone and not make them feel stupid.
Will plays a vital role within Edafio’s Professional Services Organization, providing technology expertise, owning Edafio’s Cloud Strategy, and striving to understand how we can drive positive outcomes against our client’s business objectives. Will is an advocate for the adoption of Cloud technology and plays an instrumental role in Edafio becoming the premier Microsoft Partner in the state.
Brian Taylor
– VP of Professional Services
EVERYONE AT EDAFIO HAS A STORY ABOUT WHY THEY JOINED THE TEAM. WHAT’S YOURS?
I had been in a leadership role at my previous company doing the work of a CIO without the title or the ability to influence the company’s direction. I had reached out to Kenny about this, and he suggested I come to work as one of the first vCIO for Edafio (now called a CEL). I started to investigate Edafio, and there were many individuals I respected from my days at Acxiom working there. They had a solid client base and a pretty good stable of engineers. It felt like the right fit for me, and the rest is history.
Edafio is always looking for exceptional candidates to join our team. For an opportunity to work with folks like Will, be sure to visit our careers page to learn more.
