Meet Rob McSwain, Northeast Michigan Region Member Relations Manager

Q: Where did you go to college?
A: Alpena Community College and Northwood University

Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Steak

Q: What has been your most fulfilling experience?
A: Seeing my daughter graduate high school and go to college.

Q: What was your toughest work experience?
A: Working on a core system conversion that did not go well.

Q: If you could meet anyone in the world, who would you like to meet?
A: Milton Freedman, economist and libertarian

Q: What do you do in your free time?
A: I like to camp in northern Michigan and watch college football.

Q: What is something few people know about you?
A: I use to be a DJ in my hometown.

Q: If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be?
A: Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Records

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Southern France

Q: How does being from Alpena help you better understand what Northeast Members want?
A: Over the years I have developed a lot of contacts in northern Michigan. From living here, I understand that small organizations are skeptical of the statewide network because they don't want to lose their autonomy; they don't want to lose their voice. What some organizations don't realize, though, is that this network will provide them with great opportunities for collaboration and the expansion of their resources.

Q: How should we expect the REACH-3MC project to help Northeast Merit Members?
A: The project will open up educational opportunities for distance learning, as well as promote economic development in the area.

Q: What are some of the typical IT issues Northeast Members face, and how can Merit help them overcome these problems?
A: Our biggest issue in the Northeast is a lack of bandwidth, not only for businesses or nonprofits but for individuals who are in blackout zones aswell. There is also a necessity for administrative talent for email, voice over IP, and disaster recovery services in data centers.

Q: What steps can Member organizations in the Northeast take to stay updated with advancing technology?
A: Organizations can stay updated through community institutions that are providing a conduit for bigger and better things. Consortiums and meetings within the community can also give Members the information they need to stay informed.

Q: What do you see as the future of technology for Northeast Merit Members?
A: In the future I can see Members using more web conferencing resources and virtualized, off-site storage security. This also includes disaster recovery and business continuity tools.

Q: How do you think Northeast Members can better use the network?
A: I recommend that Members create a vision that is over and above what they expect to achieve because they may end up surprising themselves with the outcome. Collaboration is going to be a huge benefit to them, especially when trying to cut costs. Working with other organizations can also provide Members with resources and knowledge they may not have been able to take advantage of otherwise.