Learn more about Nth's most important asset – its people.
What’s your job title? vCISO and Sr. Security Consultant
How many years have you been with Nth? 9 years
What does a typical day for you at Nth look like? Meet with various clients, perform pen tests & forensics, help with team items, and assist Account Managers with client needs.
Which fellow Nth’er(s) inspire you and why? Dan Molina (Co-President & CTO) inspires me. I wish I had his method in building relationships. Jeromie Jackson's (Director of Security & Analytics) confidence in speaking is something I wish I could have. Jim Mijares's (Account Manager) past life is of interest, and Rich and Jan Baldwin (Nth Founder, Executive Board Member & Strategic Advisor and Nth CEO) inspire me.
What led you to this career/working at Nth? I was looking to get out of acting in a Blue Team role at the bank. Jeromie and I had struck up a friendship while he was working at TIG. He was a sales engineer for me on pentesting, and I wanted to do that instead of protecting the bank. All my free time was eaten up protecting the bank, and getting late night phone calls from the workers that ran end of day processing. Having bought millions in product and services over the years, I also wanted to learn how a VAR/Reseller works so I could be a better-informed CIO/CISO. That way if I ever went back to being in operations as a CIO/CISO, I would have better negotiation skills.
What’s one of your favorite things about your job? I get to work at my own pace. I am a very active worker and love being busy. Being able to do so many services jobs keep me in the trenches of blue team without the commitment. Then when red team activities come up, I get to be the attacker and switch gears.
What is a work accomplishment you are proud of? The vCISO. Jeromie thought of the concept, but I am proud that I made it a reality. I think back to setting up the guidelines – NIST CSF, finding the first customers (PAAMCO / OCDE / Daylight Transport), and working through the concept in real time with customers. Then building the business by considering customer demands and identifying the various tools we could deliver that they all wanted:
Framework assessment
Security Architecture Visio
Finding new sales leads simply by listening as problems come up
Building relationships with customer teams
Helping customers get CISSP and SANS certified in Security
Building a services opportunity at Nth
Getting others on board and new sales happening
Hearing about the success of the vCISO program
Seeing how well it's doing, and how well the monthly income has helped Nth's sustainability
Building a concept and having others like Joe, Rich, Cameron, Mark, James and Jeromie all sell something and help the company
Watch them expand their capabilities, and add more features and contexts
All of these have been very satisfying and things that I am very proud about.
What motivates you at work? My freedom to create things like vCISO, my customer interactions, and teammates who get me.
What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned in your career? Shut up and listen. This works in sales, service, and life.
What was your first job? Fry cook at Taco Bell when tacos were 39 cents back in 1983. My first location was across the street from Bellflower High School on Alondra Blvd.
What is the best career advice you’ve received? Again, be quiet and listen to those talking, and speak well when you do speak.
You have the power to influence anyone in this world simply by how you speak and carry yourself. – Bob Graham CIO, Farmers and Merchants Bank
Anything else that you would like to share? I have been studying senior management over the last few years. My goal has been to learn some sort of lesson from each of Nth's Executive team. Joyce’s compassion is something I want to emulate. Dwayne’s positive spirit is another. Sara’s joy is something I wish I had. Todd’s clear communication is another. The Baldwins generosity and love. Stephanie’s work ethic. And Dan’s love for his wife, Beatrice, is amazing.
What is your favorite place that you’ve travelled to? I fell in love with Prague, Czech Republic when I was there teaching English. There was an amazing amount of joy in waking up, travelling by subway, and crossing Charles Bridge to Charles University. I walked by so much history every day.
Proposing to my wife on the road from Valencia, Spain to Barcelona was my best day. I love my wife more than life itself. Seeing her joy in the Mediterranean Sea was wonderful.
What is your favorite movie and/or book? I don’t watch movies. The last movie I went to was Hangover 1. I don't find much happiness there. My last book was a data analytics book for school. I like hard bound books. There is something about opening a book and having it in your hand that is so nice.
Describe your ideal weekend. I am a simple man. A day I can simply look into the eyes of my wife means everything to me. My new grandson is amazing. My children and hearing their life stories. Watching my father light up when talking about his new fiancé. Working on my relationship with my mother and sisters. For me, having family over is a good day.
What famous person or historical figure would you most like to meet and why? I met the most famous person for me when my wife and I were involved in MotoGP. When we went to Valencia, it was for the memorial race for Marco Simoncelli in 2011, a year before I joined Nth. On that Saturday night, we were having dinner in the hotel where we were staying. Dani Pedrosa saw my wife and me, and he told his girlfriend and her mother to wait and sat down with us. We had an amazing conversation for about 10 minutes. It's different when a hero sees you and chooses to sit and talk to you. Dani had known us for years, and his face lit up when he walked over and started talking to us. That was the last year we did anything with MotoGP.
What 3 items would you bring with you to a deserted island? I am fine being by myself on a desert island. I would probably bring a book on surviving on a desert island, a blanket, and another book on converting salt water into drinking water.
What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? Balut
What do you like to do for fun? Be with my love
What was your first concert? First cassette tape? First CD? I never go to concerts. I was a Police fan when I was young. I still have an LP of "Ghost in the Machine".
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