Douglas G. Ford is president and CEO of San Diego computer and network consulting firm The I.T. Pros. Over the years, the 36-year-old entrepreneur built up the company from a garage office to a 4,700-square-foot facility in Mission Valley.
RESUM & #201;
Name: Douglas G. Ford.
Company: The I.T. Pros.
Titles: President and CEO.
Education: Some college, a lot of life, and some certifications to go with it.
Birthplace: Escondido.
Age: 36.
Current residence: Ramona (San Diego native).
Family: Married with five children, two girls ages 7 and 15, and three boys ages 1, 4 and 10 years old, and a basset hound.
BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY
Essential business philosophy: Under-commit and over-deliver.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: A combination of 10 percent strategy, 90 percent execution.
Guiding principles: Get the right people on the team and into a position where they can succeed and flourish.
Yardsticks of success: Looking back, my success in business is measured in inches, not yards. Every inch of the way has been a victory for The I.T. Pros.
Goals yet to be achieved: I want to be in a position to make a significant impact on the lives of others through donations of service and resources.
JUDGMENT CALLS
Best business decision: I sold the application development division of our company and made the strategic decision to become laser-focused on being the best at managed services.
Worst business decision: I’ve invested in two different technology platforms that fell short of my expectations and cost the company nearly $100,000. I am not afraid to admit when I’ve made a mistake.
Toughest business decision: The decision to let a team member go is always tough , even when it is for the betterment of the company.
Biggest missed opportunity: We were asked to bid on the e-commerce portal for starwars.com by Lucasfilm. If I had to do it over again, I would have come to the table with the winning bid just to say we built the e-commerce portal for starwars.com.
Word that describes you: Willful.
TRUE CONFESSIONS
What you like best about your job: What I enjoy most is positively affecting the lives of the people that I work with every day and their families.
What you like least about your job: Personal financial risk.
Pet peeve: Slow typers.
Most important lesson learned: My father taught me something when I was a boy that I’ve always remembered. It is a simple saying, but has a lot of meaning to me. He’d always tell me, “When you have nothing left to do, pick up a broom.” Initially, it was an object lesson. He literally wanted me to pick up a broom and start sweeping. But as I grew older I began to understand that “pick up a broom” really meant “never be idle,” “always work hard” and “always be thinking of what you can do next.” Those lessons have permeated my work ethic throughout my life. I attribute a portion of my success to the principle of working hard. It’s an ideal my father taught me.
Person most interested in meeting: Thomas S. Monson.
Three greatest passions: My religion, my family and baseball , not necessarily in that order.
First choice for a new career: I would be a farmer.
PREDILECTIONS
Favorite quote: My favorite quote is the definition of insanity by Albert Einstein, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Most influential book: “Microsoft Windows 95 Resource Kit,” a 900-plus pages technical manual that launched my career in computers.
Favorite status symbol: My favorite status symbol is my five children who share my family’s name.
Favorite restaurant: Fuji Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi.
Favorite place for business meetings: One of my favorite places for a business meeting is the racetrack.
Favorite vacation spot: My family and I enjoy water sports. Our favorite place to vacation is in Auburn at a friend’s lake house where we can wakeboard and tube all day.
Favorite way to spend time: Any time with my wife and five children is my favorite time.
What’s on your iPod? Everything from “Nessun Dorma” by Pavarotti to “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne.
What do you drive? Toyota Tundra.
Do you use a GPS? All the time.
Do you use a PDA? I couldn’t do without one. I am an iPhone junkie.
