Richard Smith - Senior Technical Support Specialist / Lead Technical Trainer

Summary

Senior Technical Support Specialist providing comprehensive support to faculty, staff, and students in complex environments. Recognized for resolving critical technical issues, including a major authentication incident impacting over 50,000 users, while training and mentoring new technicians to enhance team performance.

Overview

24

years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Technical Support Specialist / Lead Technical Trainer

Harvard Business School

10.2007 - 09.2026

Provide comprehensive technical support to faculty, staff, students, and business departments in a large, complex academic and enterprise environment. Deliver both onsite and remote support and assist customers regardless of their physical location.
Diagnose and repair PC desktop and laptop hardware and coordinate hardware part procurement.
Obtained and maintained Dell hardware support expertise and provided Dell hardware training to other technicians.
Assisted fellow technicians with Dell certification and hardware repair knowledge.
Install, troubleshoot, configure, and support Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, backup applications, encryption solutions, and numerous enterprise applications.
Troubleshot and escalated complex application problems to software vendors.
Support backup technologies including Cohesity and Connected Backup.
Support encryption technologies including PGP, Windows BitLocker, and Intune-managed BitLocker.
Provide printer troubleshooting and print-management support, including Pharos student and faculty printing.
Support mobile devices to ensure faculty and staff can perform their work from virtually anywhere.
Provide network and wireless troubleshooting for users both on campus and working remotely.
Assist with VPN installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and access issues.
Providing browser compatibility support for HBS classroom, campus, and enterprise resources.
Support collaboration and productivity platforms including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Slack.
Use remote-support technologies including BeyondTrust/Bomgar, Windows Remote Desktop, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom.
Provide support for two-step and multifactor authentication, including Duo and Okta.
Assist with security incidents involving HBS computers and mobile devices, including user interviews, computer and account lockdown, malware removal, and coordination with the HBS Network Security Team.
Collaborated with customers to identify technical problems, explain solutions, and restore productivity while delivering exceptional customer service.
Conducted technical training sessions for new employees and interns, enhancing their understanding of support procedures and customer service.
Train and mentor new Technical Support Services employees and Year Up interns.
Regularly trained approximately two new interns every six months in TSS support procedures, technical processes, customer service, and troubleshooting.
Mentor trainees throughout their assignments and provide hands-on guidance with enterprise support procedures.
Serves as a technical resource for other support technicians, particularly in hardware troubleshooting and Dell systems.
Recognized key responsibilities and achievements within HBS operations.
Baker Library Public Computer System
Served as the primary technical support resource for Baker Library public computer systems and printing for approximately five years.
Supported highly secured, automatically logged-in public PCs providing access to licensed financial and research applications.
Supported specialized applications and resources including Bloomberg, Capital IQ/financial resources, and other licensed financial applications.
Maintained reliable computer and printing access for students and library users.
Financial Services / Financial Aid Support.
Served as a primary technical contact for the HBS financial services group.
Managed and supported reserved IP assignments and VPN access-group permissions for department users.
Installed, updated, and troubleshoot specialized financial applications.
Ensured compatibility between financial applications and Adobe, Microsoft Office, EDC Connect, ILINX, and PowerFAIDS.
Performed software upgrades and troubleshooting to ensure critical financial applications remained operational.
Major Authentication Incident
Provided intensive remote technical support during a major Duo two-step authentication incident affecting over 50,000 HBS alumni, assisting users worldwide with authentication and login challenges.
Worked approximately seven days per week and 14+ hours per day during the incident to assist customers with authentication and login problems.
Received a certificate of recognition and financial award from Alumni and Technology leadership for exceptional support and dedication during the incident.

Warranty Hardware Replacement Technician

Unisys Computer Repair

01.2003 - 01.2006

Executed warranty hardware replacements and troubleshooting for Dell, Gateway, HP, and Lexmark systems, ensuring timely resolution of customer issues.
Provided onsite warranty hardware repair services for residential and business customers, including travel to customer locations.
Diagnosed hardware failures and replaced defective components.
Repaired and serviced desktop computers, laptops, and printers.
Traveled to homes, businesses, and other customer locations to complete warranty repairs.
Engaged with customers to clarify hardware problems and present effective repair solutions, enhancing customer understanding and satisfaction.
Coordinated repair assignments to optimize workflow and achieve high levels of customer satisfaction.

Education

High School Diploma -

Medford High School

Medford, MA

06-1986

IT Training

Clark University

Technical Training

IT Academy

Skills

Remote Desktop & Technical Support
Windows Desktop & Laptop Support
Application Installation & Troubleshooting
Microsoft Office / Microsoft 365
Dell Hardware Repair & Certification
Hardware Parts Procurement
Windows RDP
BeyondTrust / Bomgar
VPN Installation & Troubleshooting
Wireless Network Support
Mobile Device Support
Duo & Okta Authentication
Two-Factor / Multi-Factor Authentication
BitLocker & PGP Encryption
Intune-Managed BitLocker
Malware Removal

Security Incident Response
Technical Training & Mentoring
Customer Service & End-User Support
Troubleshooting expertise
Remote support
Hardware troubleshooting
Microsoft Teams & Zoom
Webex
Slack
OneDrive & SharePoint
User support adaptability
Independent and team experience
High-volume support management
Vendor relations and escalation
Support for critical operations
Training and mentoring

Personal Information

Rick Smith

Timeline