by CUGC HQ

Member of the Month

Jason Tedrick
Omaha, NE, USA

What Citrix technologies are most important to your work?

As I moved into Enterprise Architecture, I have become directly responsible for the organization’s End User Computing strategy. In my role, it is important that I keep up with everything related to end user computing along with current and future needs of the business. Today we utilize XenDesktop, XenApp, XenMobile, and NetScaler in order to manage the VDI platform and the MDM platform. I believe all the Citrix technologies are important for my work, even those that we don’t currently use today. As we mature the platform I would love to see us implement ShareFile and make the move to Windows 10 and hope that Citrix makes that easy for us.

What current tech trends are you most interested in?

I just came back from IBM’s “World of Watson” conference to learn more about cognitive computing and artificial intelligence as it relates to the Internet of Things. I am intrigued in all things related to IoT and cognitive computing as I can see many different applications, I suppose IBM’s Watson is neat as well. I am also tracking technology around aviation as my other passion is poking holes in the sky with my 1977 Piper Warrior. My plane has very little technology, however, I built a Raspberry Pi which provides ADS-B input and GPS for my iPad.

Is there a gadget or app you that you can’t live without, and why?

Sadly, my iPhone is the center of my universe. I spend most of my day in meetings and on the go, and I rely on my iPhone to tell me where I need to be and keep me informed of family and business items throughout the day. I like to be as responsive as possible and respond to a lot of correspondence via my iPhone as I am rarely at my desk. It is probably the most important productivity tool that I own today. Second to that, I enjoy my Apple Watch, which is just an extension of my iPhone.

As a moderator in the forums and a member of CUGC’s Content Working Group, what do you enjoy most about your involvement with the community?

I started out as a Citrix Systems Administrator back in the MetaFrame XP days, so I enjoy giving back by helping others as I know how challenging the job could be day to day. I am passionate about the technology and I enjoy helping people mold the technology to meet their needs. On the flip side, I also enjoy hearing how others are using the technology and listening to their challenges along the way. I learn something new each day that I work with the community. I am thankful to help and I think the community is a great group of professionals.

As 2016 draws to a close, what are you looking forward to tech-wise in 2017?

Well, as technology as a whole goes, I am looking forward to the movement to autonomous automobiles. I’d love to be able to get things done on the commute to work every day, however, I feel like they are a few years or so off. In between now and then, I am keeping an eye on several things: IoT, Hyperconverged Computing, Smart Home technology, and that solar roof that Elon Musk has been bantering about as of late. I feel like 2017 will be an exciting year for all of the above and look forward to it!