Jeff Black is my latest interviewee:
Jeff Black
1) What brought you to CC?
I had heard a lot about CC from Tulio, and it sounded like a great place to work. I jumped at the opportunity when he told me a position opened up. I had done a lot of customer service work in the past, and have always been working on computers, so I thought it would be a good fit.
2) How long have you worked here?
Almost three years. I started in January 2012.
3) Give a brief description of what it is you do here.
I provide excellent service in fixing anything (yes, anything) people bring to me. I’m a generalist, and I know something about everything so that I can solve most of the problems people have. I still do advanced troubleshooting, but for some of the more technical problems I need to rely on the specialists in our department. Still, I strive to solve most of the problems here at the Help Desk without sending people somewhere else. It provides the best experience.
4) What’s your ITS: word (or words) and why?
I picked one – Service. I feel it really is at the center of everything I do. The goal is not to just fix the problem, rather it’s to meet the needs of the customer. Sometimes that is fixing a problem. Sometimes it’s posing an entirely new solution. Sometimes it’s just being here to really listen. At the end of the day things need to be fixed, but the job is much more than just that.
5) Who’s your hero and why?
My Aunt Sue is my biggest hero. She moved here to raise my brother and myself, eventually retiring from her job at Jet Propulsion Laboratories in California to do so. She’s been through more than I can really describe to take care of us, and there is no one that I look up to or trust more. She’s brilliant, determined, and is always learning and growing.
6) What sound or noise do you love?
The sound, or lack thereof, made by falling snow. I live out in Falcon, and I love the peace and quiet.
7) What sound or noise do you hate?
Alarms. Of any sort. Alarm clocks are the worst.
8) Name one or two of your hobbies.
I enjoy gaming (any sort of game, so long as it’s fun), and I like to tinker with mechanical stuff. I have an old motorcycle (1980 CB650) that I recently finished for next summer. It was sitting in a friend’s yard for probably a decade, and he said I could take it if I could get it out of there. I’m looking forward to the next project, and I’m hoping to start on a small 4×4 so that I have something nice to drive during the winters here. I love older stuff.
9) When others describe you, what do they say?
They usually say something about me being happy or cheerful. It’s hard to say what people really notice. There are a lot of sides to me that many people just don’t see.
10) If you could have a super-power, what would it be?
Infinite wisdom. I can’t imagine anything more powerful.
11) How would you use that super-power in ITS:?
I’d be able to discern what our problems really are, and the best course of action to solving them. I’d be able to figure out how to prevent them from happening again. The possibilities are endless when you have a power like that.
Thank you, Jeff, for being willing to be interviewed for the blog…I’m glad we’ve had this opportunity to get to know a little more about you! ITS: is grateful to have you as part of the team, and I know many of our colleagues across campus feel the same way.
ITS:Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro
