This issues Coffee Break featured Bill King who is the Vice President at Centurion Data Systems located in Pewaukee, WI. Mr. King shared with us his own business experiences along with new things happening at Centurion Data Systems.
Name: Bill King
Title: Vice President
Company Name: Centurion Data Systems
Address: N27 W23957 Paul Road, Suite 102, Pewaukee, WI 53072
Web site: www.cendatsys.com
Industry: Information Technology Services
Number of Employees: 8 FTE
Family: Wife, Patty; two adopted rescue dogs; two brothers; two sisters; and of course, Mom.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
“We put a greater emphasis on getting involved and giving back to the community. We feel fortunate to have grown in a very challenging economy and recognize that helping others in need is simply the right thing to do. Donating our time, talent and dollars to local causes is appreciated more than ever. We also believe that a vibrant economy is critical to making a long term difference in the lives of others. Consequently, we are involved in local, regional and state economic development efforts and have helped establish programs to grow our economy. We are focused on promoting an equally healthy consumer and business environment.”
What’s new at your company?
“Everything is new, technology seems to change daily. We are providing improved reporting capabilities so clients can better understand their IT spend and make smarter decisions. We are deploying micro solid state servers to solve business problems on the production floor and we are leveraging marketing technology to get closer to our clients, perspective clients and the community.”
Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
“We anticipate hiring 1-2 new technical staff to accommodate planned business growth.”
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?
“We continually strive to improve our internal processes and efficiently engage our audience.”
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?
“Cloud and mobile computing is a trend that is influencing how users interface with information and each other. From a business IT infrastructure standpoint it comes down to managing data – where it resides, how it is used, by whom and from what device. The term BYOD or Bring Your Own Device refers to making information available from smart phones, tablets and laptops that might run the Droid, iPad or Windows operating system. Those companies that can make all of the above work well together will be more sought after than ever before.”
Do you have a business mantra?
“Make a difference in the lives of others.”
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
“My dad. At the age of 44 he leveraged the farm to finance a new business which developed into an international manufacturer of undercarriage rebuilding equipment for the construction industry. The innovation his company, Centurion Industries, introduced remains the gold standard of the industry.”
What was the best advice you ever received?
“People don’t remember what you say or what you do but they never forget how you make them feel.”
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you in your career? “
“I don’t have just one, my life is one big Seinfeld episode.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
“I enjoy competitive cycling, flying and the endless pursuit of improving my fitness, knowledge and the skill that those activities require.”
