Our People: Dylan Thompson
Dylan Thompson
Manager of IT
Dylan Thompson serves as the Manager of IT at FPA Headquarters in Wall, NJ. He was recently promoted from IT Support Manager to IT Manager. He graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Science.
Manager of IT
Dylan Thompson serves as the Manager of IT at FPA Headquarters in Wall, NJ. He was recently promoted from IT Support Manager to IT Manager. He graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Science.
Can you tell me a bit about your background and how you came to work at FPA?
When I was younger, I went to college for a computer science degree. Originally, I went to Brookdale Community College, but I got my four-year degree from NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology). After schooling, I kind of touched base with an older friend that I had gone to school with who was an engineer here at FPA. He had started here as an intern. He got me an opportunity at FPA by passing on my resume, and then I got interviewed. They were looking for a help desk position. I got in, they offered me a job, and I accepted, and here we are! In August of this year, it’ll be 8 years here.
Can you tell me about a project or an accomplishment that you’re particularly proud of in your career?
Here’s one that’s recent: So recently, I was able to configure, design, and maintain a functioning asset management system that allows for tagging and locating assets, utilizing QR codes, and professional labels. I built that using open-source tools and implemented it into the environment that we use daily.
Have you had any influential mentors or role models in your journey as an IT professional? If so, how have they impacted your career?
Absolutely! The main one, and the most important one, is Julia in Marketing. She started a little after me, and then as soon as I recognized her skill set and what she provides in her leadership in the marketing department, it was really easy for me to start taking some of those lessons and kind of mold my own style under those principles.
In what ways do you believe your work positively impacts FPA’s staff?
Well, I don’t think it’s any surprise that an IT department is needed for employees up and down the ladder to provide access to resources like hardware, software, accounts etc. is important. They are necessary as it pertains to their working environment. So, I make sure that is all managed and well maintained so it keeps a smooth system running.
What do you enjoy most about working at FPA?
I think that the flexibility is of huge importance here. I like the idea that people give me the freedom to be able to run my own group the way that I envision it to go. In that way, it gives me the capability to work within everybody’s needs, concerns, and lives. That would be the biggest thing.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of FPA?
Well, I think the company is growing, as it feels, almost daily. So, a lot of the challenges that we have in terms of dealing with that scalability are fun and provide me with the ability to learn new skills. High tides raise all ships.
Can you share a fun fact about yourself that your colleagues might not know?
I very much love to cook. My favorite dish to make would be buffalo wings. I’m also very good at Super Smash Brothers Melee. That’s the one for the Nintendo Game Cube, so it’s the older version, but I’m pretty good at Smash Bros as a whole, on all platforms. And I am open to challenges!