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Joe DeVault

Advisor

Role and Company

Senior Manager IT Quality Assurance, General Motors

Expertise

24 years experience in information technology

Location

Newport, MI

About Joe

My name is Joe DeVault and I am currently an IT manager at General Motors, responsible for systems integration testing of backend IT systems. I graduated from Olivet College with bachelors in computer science and for the 24 years since, I’ve held a number of positions. Everything from help desk support, to Notes Administration (email), UNIX Security, Site Manager, Emerging Technology Lab Manager, Chief Engineer (Infrastructure), and Manager of Managed Print Services. While I’ve had number of roles in IT, most of my career was spent managing the Emerging Technology Lab with a focus on infrastructure and virtualization; specifically routing and switching, and firewalls with Cisco gear, VMware on Blades and EMC storage frames. For operating systems, I’ve got experience in everything Windows (even OS/2 Warp), various flavors of UNIX, (Solaris, IRIX, AIX, HP UX) and Linux (Redhat/Ubuntu/Suse/...). The teams I’ve managed until recently have mostly been remote which presents challenges. But if distance can be overcome, I find those have been some of my strongest teams. It’s amazing what you can accomplish by just listening.

Over the years each new opportunity offered new challenges that built on each other. Early in my career I would have interactions with project managers, infrastructure engineers, process specialists, and occasionally HR. But it wasn’t until I started down the path of management where it all started to come together. Each of those specialized orgs still exist and I depend on them just as I did early on. Except now I use tools from each of those areas to help manage my teams and now I understand why they play such a key role.

I wasn’t sure if I would ever go back to school. For a time, certifications seemed the way to go. Over time my aspirations have changed from being just a technical subject matter expert to growing and developing other skills to pursue executive leadership.

I spend some of my spare time going to sporting events, fishing, running, yard work and BBQing. I’ve traveled a little and do look forward to more in the future.

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Joe's Recent Answers

5 years ago

Looking for some IT/Technology Career Guidance

Chris, If you are still taking feedback, feel free to shoot it over to me as well.

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