Jim Leone Technology Expert

Explore my accomplishments & experience showcasing my unique skills and expertise

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About Me

Innovative IT Leader | Driving Strategic Transformation, Operational Excellence, and Scalable IT Solutions

As a seasoned IT Director, and IT Manager, I specialize in bridging the gap between technology and business strategy to deliver impactful results. With a proven track record of over 25 years in managed service providers (MSPs) and IT leadership roles, I excel in designing, implementing, and managing IT infrastructures that are secure, reliable, and aligned with organizational goals.

🔹 Strategic Visionary: I thrive on building IT strategies that empower businesses to scale effectively, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance productivity and operational efficiency.
🔹 Results-Oriented Leader: Known for spearheading complex projects, from disaster recovery planning to customer-facing portal development, I bring clarity and structure to technical challenges.
🔹 Cybersecurity Advocate: With hands-on experience in red team operations and compliance management, I ensure systems are fortified against evolving threats while maintaining regulatory alignment.
🔹 Collaborative Problem-Solver: A natural leader who fosters teamwork, I excel at aligning cross-functional teams to achieve shared objectives while nurturing talent development.

My career highlights include creating automated reporting solutions that integrate with tools like Prometheus and Grafana, building single-sign-on portals, and optimizing system performance through innovative scripting and process automation. Beyond technical expertise, I pride myself on maintaining a professional, results-driven approach to leadership that inspires confidence in stakeholders and teams alike.

Let’s connect to explore how my expertise can help your organization achieve its IT and business transformation goals.

Biography

I was introduced to computing at an early age, and my passion for technology quickly evolved into a lifelong pursuit. By the age of 12, I was an established programmer and active contributor to the Bulletin Board System (BBS) community. Self-taught in multiple programming languages, I mastered C, C++, Basic, GW Basic, Pascal, COBOL, OSJCL, and both 8- and 16-bit PC assembly. My early expertise extended to database applications like dBASE, FoxPro, and AMI Pro.

At just 14 years old, I taught structured Pascal programming to adults through the Toms River Adult Education System, demonstrating both technical knowledge and the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively. By 16, I was working for Supermart Book Distribution in Cranbury, NJ, as a CICS programmer, where I gained hands-on experience with AS/400 systems, hardware upgrades, and network wiring.

At 18, I transformed my basement into a tech hub, operating a Major BBS system with over 300 paying subscribers, supported by a fractional T1 line—an impressive feat for its time. By 20, I was a top-tier support technician at DataComm Warehouse, a division of Microwarehouse. There, I earned certifications as a Novell NetWare Master CNE, Microsoft NT Professional, and Lotus Notes Certified Engineer, solidifying my expertise in enterprise-level networking and support.

At 23, I joined McAfee as a virus reverse engineer, working on disassembling and analyzing malicious code. My expertise with Slackware Linux, AIX, and SCO Unix during this period fueled my growing passion for open-source technologies and systems engineering.

At 24, I became Senior Systems and Network Administrator at Chock Full O’ Nuts (later acquired by Sara Lee), overseeing HP 9000 systems, Sybase databases, and nationwide network infrastructures. I managed EDI automation, ISO9000/9001 certifications, and migrated critical enterprise infrastructure. These efforts involved supporting Novell NetWare and Cisco routers across a nationwide frame-relay network, where I also led a team of 12 IT professionals. My work took me to remote offices across the U.S. and internationally, including locations in the Netherlands and England, managing complex installations to accommodate additional company growth and acquisitions.

Over the years, I advanced to increasingly senior roles, including IT Manager at St. Barnabas Hospital and Director of IT at Withum Accounting and Consulting. At St. Barnabas, I played a pivotal role in connecting hospitals via SMDS and SONET and led infrastructure migrations to modernize operations. At Withum, I managed both internal IT teams and an external consulting group, reengineered LAN and WAN networks, and implemented business continuity solutions.

In roles spanning the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and managed services industries, I introduced cutting-edge technologies, ensured regulatory compliance (HIPAA, PCI, SOC2), and optimized IT systems to drive organizational success. I also expanded my expertise in analytics and data management, working with platforms like Hadoop, Snowflake, and data warehousing solutions to unlock actionable insights for decision-making.

Today, I serve as SOC/NOC Manager at Spectrotel, where I lead complex projects involving SolarWinds, Gisual, FortiSIEM, VMWare, and Grafana. I specialize in API integrations, monitoring, and alerting systems with tools like Prometheus and InfluxDB. My cybersecurity work includes managing our FortiSiem, FortiEDR, Varonis, Rapid7 InsightsVM, and Darktrace systems, as well as performing penetration tests and threat assessments.

Additionally, I oversee cloud and hybrid environments, leveraging platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP to deliver scalable and secure solutions. I have assisted with the implementation of BigPanda for incident management, integrated Snowflake for analytics, and developed visualizations using Grafana dashboards. My experience with Big Data technologies and automation positions me as a key contributor to data-driven innovation and operational excellence.

My journey has been defined by a passion for innovation and problem-solving. Whether reverse-engineering malware, implementing disaster recovery strategies, or building state-of-the-art network infrastructures, I bring a wealth of experience and a commitment to excellence to every endeavor.