A conversation with Fred Alonzi, Par3.IT
In this Reader Spotlight, Par3.IT managing partner Fred Alonzi shares a little about himself, Par3IT, and the state of the channel.
Summarize your background/professional experience.
Alonzi: I have 35 years IT industry experience and started Par3.IT In 1993. I previously worked for Wells Fargo and Fiserv.
What is one interesting/humorous/entertaining fact about you?
Alonzi: When ATMs were first a thing (c. 1980), they all had help phones; pick up the phone and I was the voice at the other end. Bad timing — I could have been the voice of Alexa.
What verticals do you serve and what services and technologies do you sell?
Alonzi: Primary verticals are financial Institutions, professional services, and nonprofits. Basically, any business or organization that fits under a compliance domain such as SOX, PCI, ISO, HIPAA, etc.
What vendor partners do you work with?
Alonzi: SolarWinds MSP is our primary partner, be we also work with Dell, Microsoft, StorageCraft, Fortinet, HP, Paessler, US Internet, OneNeck, Axcient, Proofpoint, Cybernetics, and Rapid7.
What is the best sales opportunity on your 12 to 18-month horizon?
Alonzi: We will be entering the Managed Security Services market. We have been performing one-time pen and vuln testing for years. We want to make that continuous rather than just a snapshot.
What threatens that opportunity?
Alonzi: The only thing that threatens this opportunity is if every hacker In the world decides to turn their talents to home gardening.
What could accelerate it?
Alonzi: More in-the-news hacking, breaches, etc.
What is the most difficult aspect of leading an IT service provision company?
Alonzi: Achieving critical mass while remaining nimble. We need critical mass to be viable, but we need to be nimble to get ahead of changes in technology and the needs of our clients.
How are you attacking that challenge?
Alonzi: This is cultural and must permeate the entire company. We hire and train staff to be teachers while at work and students while at home. We never stop learning and sharing. It sounds like a 24x7 job, and to some extent it is. But we have a motivated staff who are natural problem solvers and I believe we provide them with benefits other companies can't or won't.
In the context of running your business, what apps/tools/utilities could you not live without?
Alonzi: SolarWinds RMM Is top on our list. But we are geeks, so we like all the usual toys, too … Wireshark, nmap, PRTG, WinDirStat, powershell.
On the flip side of that, what would you be happy to do without?
Alonzi: Anything Adobe.