May Employee Spotlight; WenKuen Chiou, Dir. of Information Technology
As Director of Information Technology, WenKuen Chiou keeps PHOENIX's technology and data running smoothly. Wen is featuring in PHOENIX's employee spotlight this month and here's what he had to say about his more than 20 years of service to our company.
PHX: How long have you worked for PHOENIX and how did you get started?
WC: It’s been a long time - I started at the end of 2000 and I remember finding this job with PHOENIX in the newspaper! Back then most people with similar degrees would go to work for Lucent or Motorola, but they are such big and segmented companies that if I went there, I’d be stuck doing one thing and one thing only. I opted for PHOENIX instead because I wanted the opportunity to do many different kinds of things for a smaller company. I liked that PHOENIX was a smaller family-owned business. It felt like a good fit. It’s surprising to realize that I’m still here, 20+ years later!
PHX: What have been some of the most challenging and exciting projects you’ve had to complete to support the startup of Bloomington and the new corporate office building?
WC: Well, we’ve opened up many new buildings in the last several years, but what’s uniquely different this time is the new technology we’re utilizing: cloud-based solutions for all network needs. IT systems are ever-changing, increasingly complex, and the requirements to stay up-to-date and competitive can be overwhelming. Our team is hopeful that the new technology hosted on a cloud platform will help us to better navigate those requirements and support our overall structure much more effectively.
PHX: What is one thing you wish more people understood about IT?
WC: Sometimes people only associate IT with hardware or coding. But IT is not just about laptops and desktops; we develop solutions for data storage, security, networking, communication, lots of things. I want people to see us as a service provider - a resource for people and teams to utilize for assistance with their projects and daily business operations.
PHX: How do you enjoy spending time outside of work?
WC: One thing is for sure – I don’t do anything with computers outside of work! I have three kids (ages 7, 8, and 16) and their activities keep me pretty busy, driving them around everywhere. I enjoy swimming and running, and from a young age I’ve always liked to repair things, especially electronics - just take them apart to see how they work and then put them back together. I’m also currently learning how to refinish some old furniture.
PHX: What’s your favorite product that has a PHOENIX cap?
WC: I really like Nestle CoffeeMate – I’ve even purchased a bottle during one of my visits back to Taiwan and sure enough it had a PHOENIX cap on it.