Scott Bollinger will be joining us as a new delegate at Security Field Day! As an IT Professional for over 25 years, Scott has spent half of that time in a Fortune 50 financial corporation and the other half with small and medium-sized businesses. Scott says he’s looking forward to joining us as a first-time delegate, and it’s safe to say we’re excited too! Be sure to check Scott out on Twitter @kfalconspb, his website, or the Tech Field Day Website. Let’s learn more about Scott!
How did you get into technology and IT?
After a long-time passion for technology, I moved from call center MIS and analysis to Desktop support in 1992. After six cross country moves and working in IT responsibilities from Systems administration to DFIR, I have gained an understanding of a wide swath of IT, and apply it to daily security and operation problems.
What do you do now? Tell us a little about your current role and some of the challenges you face in it.
Currently, I support SECOPs for a medium-sized business and responsibilities include hands on daily with regulatory and Infosec workflows such as SIEM & IR. For challenges, staying abreast of technology changes in IT overall and how they specifically affect Information Security.
How do you manage your work/life balance?
There are times that working through a problem may take an unequal amount of your time. Over the years I’ve learned to identify those times and differentiate the daily “always important” tasks and issues that will be there every day.
What was your first computer? What was great about it? What is your go-to computer now?
Commodore Vic 20 in 1981, today I use macOS as my daily endpoint, but also use a combination of Windows, Microsoft & Linux servers, and well as VMware to do my daily responsibilities.
What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies?
Spending time with my wife of almost 20 years, reading, and learning new things every day. Though my hobbies are all mostly technology, they are usually different from my day to day responsibilities.
What are you most excited about seeing at the event?
I am always excited to see advancements or technology I haven’t seen previously, we all have a long list of problems to solve. Sometimes even items we didn’t know we needed.
Who inspires you?
Anyone who takes learning and advancement into their own hands, strives for self-improvement, and makes themselves more valuable to their career and personal brand.
As a child, what did you want to do when you “grew up”?
From Kindergarten to 3rd grade, of course, was an astronaut, but “computerist” and then pretty much anything to do with computers became my life’s focus.
What superhero movie character would you like to be and why?
Not a super universe type of person, but I’d have to say, Batman. As he has no supernatural powers, just pure determination to use technology and sheer force of will to complete his objectives. Resources, determination, and logic!
What is your favorite thing about what you do?
Learning new skills as technology changes daily. New advancements, vulnerabilities, and exploitations are an ever-evolving landscape in IT.
If you won the lottery and could retire, what would you do with your time?
Start a business that teaches and coaches underrepresented people in IT. I believe that while everyone has the potential to succeed, the opportunity is not always dealt out evenly.
Thanks for taking the time, Scott! We’re excited to have you as a delegate and are glad you’ll be down and Earth and joining us for Security Field Day!
If you haven’t yet, be sure to mark your calendars for Security Field Day 4 on Wednesday, October 21st! We hope you’ll tune in!
