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Executive Profile: Sam Sandusky
President, Big Sur Technologies
Tampa, Florida - September 11, 2006
Q. Tell us about Big Sur.
A. Big Sur Technologies is a top Managed Services Provider
in central Florida, serving small and medium size businesses,
offering complete Network Design, Network Integration, and
Network Support Services. Our successful Professional Services
model was built on our world class technology supplier model,
in which we have offered software licensing, and enterprise
server and storage solutions to many large state and local
government, education, and health care accounts throughout
Florida and the southeast.
Q. You do a lot of business with state and local government.
What is the most challenging thing about serving the government
sector in contrast with private enterprises?
A. Our recipe for success the last four years has developed
from our commitment to specialize in only a handful of solutions,
with a select group of non-competing manufacturer's, which
includes HP, Novell, Messaging Architects, APC and Microsoft.
So when customers are looking for solutions from these manufacturers,
they will first think of Big Sur.
Our state and local government clients who have enjoyed
our exceptional customer service and competitive pricing
throughout the years, would also prefer to chose Big Sur
in many situations where they feel we would bring the best
solution to their organization, but the government purchasing
- process often dictates that they chose the "low bidder." Many
times our account team, along with the client team, will
work for months to create a unique solution, that's high
in value to the client, only to be lost at the last minute
because the client had to get "two more bids" in
order to satisfy purchasing regulations. Our personal investment
in the "value model" is often lost in the strict
government - bid process.
Q. Big Sur literally got its start in your garage. At what
point did you know it was the right time to move the business
out of the house and into an office building?
A. When we started the company, Lisa and I had two small
children at home, girls ages one and three years. They banged
on the "home office" door every day, "we can
hear you in there, why can't we come in?!" We only lasted
three months in the house before we had to move out. We shared
office space with another small company for the first two
years to help cut costs. It was fun to be in the same office
space with another growing company. Challenging at times,
but rewarding overall.
Q. Do you find it hard or easy to find the talent here that
you need to grow your business?
A. Since when has it been easy to find great employees?
Staffing your team with great people is just hard work, plain
and simple. We are truly blessed with the team we have right
now. Their high caliber and commitment to high standards
makes it that much harder each time we add a new member!
The Tampa metropolitan area is huge. Good talent is here,
maybe not easy to find, but they are here.
Q. You and your team are big supporters of TBTF and the
Tech Jam in particular. What is the greatest benefit you
derive from being involved with TBTF?
A. The leadership team at TBTF is committed to networking
IT people in many sectors. They are also a very professional,
very unselfish bunch, and because of these qualities, they
have always made us feel very important, like our company
is a vital part of the technology ecosystem in Tampa Bay.
I have always felt like TBTF truly operates as a "non-profit" whose
primary interest is to support the IT community, to connect
people, to help it grow.
The Tech Jam is simply one of the most creative ways I've
seen yet to support a good cause. The CompuTer-rific Committee
is packed with talented people who are sincerely eager to
help kids in the Boys and Girls Clubs. Youth is where my
heart is. Volunteering for Big Brothers & Big Sisters
of Tampa Bay for 7 years was one of my more rewarding experiences
in life. Anything I can do to bring a child hope and expand
their horizons is where I want to be. They are God's gift
to us, our chance to make the world a better place.

About Tampa Bay Technology Forum
Founded in 2000, the Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF) is
a professional association whose members work together
to make the Bay area a place where technology and innovation
thrive. TBTF's 400+ member organizations represent more
than 40,000 employees include technology entrepreneurs,
business and community leaders, investors, government representatives,
researchers and educators. For more information, visit
www.tbtf.org.

About Big Sur Technologies, Inc.
Big Sur Technologies, Inc is a services and consulting organization
that provides Information Technology Solutions to commercial,
government, medical, and educational accounts throughout
the Southeastern US. We provide a single point of contact
for a wide variety of network services, hardware sales
and software licensing. Big Sur Technologies has developed
a consulting team that offers unique technical skills for
Novell, Linux, Timespring Cisco, Messaging Architects,
and Microsoft Software Technologies. We have an impressive
success story that spans the last 6 years, covering medium
to large, to enterprise accounts. More information about
Big Sur Technologies, Inc. can be found at www.bigsurtech.com .
Press contact: press@bigsurtech.com