Ron Steck II

Technology Strategy & Leadership

• Lead enterprise IT and cybersecurity operations across a multi-entity organization supporting critical infrastructure and client environments, managing a team of 12 engineers while improving service delivery efficiency by ~35% and reducing average resolution times by over 40%
• Partner with executive leadership to define and execute IT and cybersecurity strategy, aligning initiatives with business growth and operational efficiency goals, resulting in improved cross-department alignment and measurable reductions in operational friction
• Designed and implemented a Zero Trust security model across identity, endpoint, and access layers, reducing attack surface and significantly lowering unauthorized access risk through MFA enforcement, conditional access, and device compliance controls
• Built a centralized security operations capability using Microsoft Defender and Purview, consolidating visibility across endpoints, identities, and data, reducing mean time to detect (MTTD) and respond (MTTR) by over 30%
• Led implementation of AI-driven security automation to detect risky sign-ins, account takeover indicators, and anomalous behavior, reducing manual investigation workload by ~40% and accelerating response times
• Drove cross-functional initiatives between IT, engineering, and leadership to modernize infrastructure and improve system resilience, resulting in increased uptime and more scalable service delivery

Cybersecurity, Risk & Compliance

• Led organization-wide compliance remediation efforts using Vanta, identifying and closing critical gaps to align with CJIS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, NIST, and FedRAMP frameworks within accelerated timelines
• Developed and implemented enterprise security policies, incident response procedures, and governance standards, improving audit readiness and reducing security-related risk exposure
• Prevented multiple account takeover (ATO) incidents by implementing proactive monitoring, conditional access policies, and automated response workflows, reducing identity-based threats by an estimated 60%+
• Conduct ongoing risk assessments and deliver executive-level reporting on vulnerabilities, threats, and mitigation strategies, enabling informed decision-making at the leadership level

Operations, Infrastructure & Cost Optimization

• Administer hybrid cloud infrastructure across AWS GovCloud and Microsoft 365, maintaining high availability and secure operations for business-critical systems with minimal downtime
• Reduced cloud infrastructure costs by ~20% through right-sizing compute resources and implementing Reserved Instances, generating approximately $10K in annual savings
• Redesigned backup and snapshot retention strategies, reducing storage costs by over 40% while maintaining compliance with business continuity and disaster recovery objectives
• Established and maintained 24/7 operational readiness and incident response coverage, ensuring rapid response to critical system events and minimizing business impact

Team Leadership & Organizational Impact

• Manage and mentor a team of 12 engineers and analysts, increasing overall team productivity by ~35% and significantly improving service delivery performance
• Restructured service desk operations by eliminating specialization bottlenecks and implementing cross-training, reducing first-response SLA to under 2 hours and improving ticket throughput
• Built a high-performance team culture by identifying individual strengths and mentoring employees into expanded and higher-level roles, improving retention and internal mobility
• Established KPI-driven performance management and accountability frameworks, driving continuous improvement and measurable gains in efficiency, response times, and customer satisfaction

• Directed local cybersecurity initiatives using NIST framework, conducting risk assessments that led to mitigation of critical vulnerabilities.
• Led incident response and forensic investigations, neutralizing malware threats, and preventing potential breaches.
• Conducted research on AI-driven SIEM tools and zero trust architectures to support scalable and secure infrastructure modernization.
• Pioneered the integration of AI-driven solutions, streamlining operations and achieving a 25% increase in productivity while reducing costs by 15%
• Designed and implemented proactive maintenance using PowerShell automation, reducing system downtime by 30%.
• Negotiated vendor contracts and managed budgets, ensuring project delivery under budget and ahead of schedule
• Advanced the integration of intelligence frameworks, aligning security operations with industry best practices
• Implemented SCADAFence to assist in vulnerability management in OT environment reducing vulnerabilities 85%
• Researched emerging threats using threat intelligence sources utilizing NIST Vulnerability database and the Hacker News.
• Provided advice to IT engineering teams on security hardening procedures for cloud workloads and internal networks.
• Acted as a liaison between the Information Security department and non-technical stakeholders to ensure complex technical issues were relayed in an easily graspable and understandable format that would ensure buy-in and quick implementation of secure solutions

• Delivered comprehensive technical support, resolving issues across desktop, POS, and Oracle systems with a 98% First Call Resolution rate
• Revamped and standardized training materials, boosting team productivity and knowledge retention
• Trained and mentored over 120 new hires annually, cultivating a high-performing team culture
• Spearheaded the launch of a chat-based support channel, increasing accessibility and response times
• Conducted thorough diagnostics and repairs on network equipment, ensuring that the advanced troubleshooting strategies employed directly minimized disruptions and supported seamless connectivity for 1,000+ end-users
• Achieved measurable improvements in training efficiency, enhanced service delivery, and ensured seamless connectivity for a global workforce
• Delivered exceptional technical support for diverse platforms, including MacOS and Windows
• Streamlined support operations, reducing resolution times and enhancing user satisfaction