Meet Neil Medwed of Preferred Technology Solutions in Richardson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Neil Medwed.

Neil, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am the President and CEO of Preferred Technology Solutions. PTS is a 26-year-old technology solutions provider that specializes in proactively managing or co-managing the IT Infrastructure of small and medium businesses. In addition, PTS focuses on Cyber Security, Physical Security and Cloud offerings. 

I was born and raised in the Detroit, Michigan area and graduated from Michigan State University in 1982. During my senior year of college, I had the pleasure of visiting an old roommate who had moved to Dallas a year earlier. I fell in love with the people and the city and the energy of Dallas. And I knew that this was where I wanted to be. I called my mother and said “Mom, please pack my stuff, I am moving to Dallas”.

I grew up working in the restaurant business in Michigan but when I moved to Dallas, I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do, so I went to work at a venue called Cactus restaurant and club. Two doors down from the restaurant was a computer store, one of the first in the area.  I was lucky enough to wait on the manager and two employees of Compushop and I must have made a good impression as they asked me “Would you like to sell computers?” I accepted an interview the very next day and that was my start into the technology industry. I took one programming class in college, however, I knew very little about the PC industry; but I was certainly willing to learn. I clearly remember my first day at CompuShop as they put me in front of an original IBM PC, and I feared that if I hit the wrong button, it would blow up or something. Realizing that others may have the same fears, sharing my story helped me quickly become a top producer, as I could empathize with tentative people as they experienced technology for the first time.

I worked at Compushop and another computer retailer and then became a part of a small computer company where I could have a more positive impact.  In my 8½ years as the sales manager there, I learned a lot. I learned what to do in a business as well as what not to do. My background was one where you always took great care of the client. If they had an issue, you did also. The owner of that company did not share those same beliefs. I fought the battle constantly and eventually tired of doing so. That is when my wife and I decided to establish Preferred Technology Solutions.  Yes, that was over 26 years ago.

It has been a great ride because I was able to share my passion of bringing the highest levels of support and services to our clients. I have molded my company around that personality, and I have hired great teammates who share in those core beliefs. And just like in any business, there have been ups and downs, such as the financial crisis and 9/11. Those were difficult times for all, but because we built our business on such a strong foundation, we have been able to not just get past it but thrive.

What I have learned in all my years is that people want honesty, integrity and they want to be able to trust their partners. People want to hear the truth, no matter what, and not just what they hope to hear.    At PTS we pride ourselves on this. By always speaking the truth, you never have to remember the last story. We earn our clients’ trust in deeper levels.  Our goal is to become our client’s trusted advisors, with a seat at the table, so we can positively impact their lives and the lives of others.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have had successes and failures, and for each, I try to learn. One of the biggest challenges that I have faced is having to learn to manage the business using facts as compared to hopes. A great example of this is when the financial crisis and 9/11 happened. Businesses far and wide were greatly affected and we were too. When corporations stopped upgrading their technology or implementing projects, our revenues dropped considerably. I did not make moves as quickly as I should have to lessen the expense load of the company. We were blessed to have a solid financial base so we withstood the challenge, but in retrospect, I should have adjusted quicker.

Another challenge we face is that there are many times our customers and prospects do not take cybersecurity issues as seriously as they should. We know what is happening out there, we have information about the bad guys, and we know how vulnerable many organizations are.  So, it is frustrating and challenging when some of the people we talk to have difficulty internalizing our important cybersecurity message.

Last, but not least, the challenge of focus. I have had times when I have not focused on my primary objectives as much as I should have. There is opportunity everywhere and there have been times when I chased those “squirrels” instead of spending that time on Preferred Technology Solutions. And that was a huge lesson that I had to learn. I am happy to say that I know where I need to have laser focus and that is at PTS. There are only 24 hours in a day, and it is so important to use those hours wisely.

Preferred Technology Solutions – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Preferred Technology Solutions is a unique company. We are an advanced technology solution provider that specializing in Managed Services, Co-Managed Services, Cyber Security, Physical Security and Cloud. Because of the talent that we have at PTS, we are very well suited to add value to many Organizations. We pride ourselves in providing the right solution customized for the exact needs of our clients. In the Managed Service Provider world, many organizations employ mostly lower end technicians and very few certified, high-level Engineers.  At PTS, we are the exact opposite, as we have mainly high-level Engineers and Consultants on the PTS team. And that is one of the many things that separates us from other MSPs.  It surprises many that we are as affordable as we are.

In addition, PTS is licensed by the State of Texas to sell and install Video Surveillance Technologies. Because we are so well versed in data, and because Video Surveillance and Access Control technologies now run over a data network, we have become DFW Metroplex’s leading specialist in these technologies. We bring innovation where others cannot when we speak to IT Directors, CIO’s, Facility Managers and Business Owners.

Last, but certainly not least, is our Cyber Security focus. It is our passion to help secure our clients’ technology environments and to protect their data. In addition, it is our Mission to help create disaster preparedness plans in case of emergencies. There is no such thing as being 100% secure and in understanding that, we want to help our clients plan for the potential disasters that they face.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I am a 36 year technology veteran and am someone who is passionate about helping out where I can. I believe in life you can be on an island on your own or you can be part of a group of like-minded individuals and companies that want to work together for the common good. Because of this, I have invested time and energy in technology communities where the technology company owners come together to share best practices and where we discuss the different ways to help our clients.

One of these Organizations is Ingram Micro Trust X Alliance. The Trust X Alliance is the top reseller community at the number 1 worldwide technology distributor, Ingram Micro. I have been a member of Trust X for about 20 years and I was the 5 State President and the Chapter won Chapter of the year under my leadership. I was asked to be on the Board of Advisors and I spearheaded what was called the Mastermind program which totally transformed the Trust X Organization. As a result of this and other things, I won the “Spirit Award” given annually to the individual who impacted the Trust X Organization the most throughout the year.

A second proud moment is something more recent and not necessarily career related.  I am a proud graduate of both the FBI Citizen’s Academy as well as the DEA’s Citizen’s academy. I am proud of this because it is hard to get accepted into these programs, but most importantly because I have been able to get to know men and women of service and what they do. I am able to better understand the protections that we have as Americans, and to better understand the evil that is in this world. And I have learned how the men and women of service have hearts bigger than their bodies, and how great their passion is to serve. Because of that, I am doing what I can to help support these men and woman who serve us, whether it be on the federal level, the state level or the local level, and that makes me very proud.   We all should raise our glass to these people and do everything that we can to help wherever possible.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1401 North Central Expressway #320, Richardson TX 75080
• Website: www.preferredtechnology.com
• Phone: 972-644-1992
• Email: neil.medwed@preferredtechnology.com
• Instagram: neilmedwed
• Facebook: preferred technology solutions
• Twitter: neilmedwed

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