DJ Wolff

Name: Michael Liepman, Executive Director

Webpage: www.temple-isaiah.org

Phone Number: 925-283-8575

Email: michaell@temple-isaiah.org

Your name and title.

Michael Liepman, Executive Director

Your company’s name.

Temple Isaiah

What does your company do?

We are a reform synagogue. As the oldest and largest synagogue in Contra Costa County, our roots lie deep in a uniquely Californian, vibrant approach to Jewish tradition and innovation.

We embrace all who come through our doors with warmth and caring, with an openness to diversity and a commitment to the dignity of each person in our midst.

We use our hearts, minds and hands to fulfill in modern times the ancient prophetic call to social justice.

Temple Isaiah is a Jewish Neighborhood of spirituality and study, a place filled with God’s spirit and human kindness.

Our Mission

Temple Isaiah’s mission is to embody, enhance and perpetuate our Jewish tradition by providing a welcoming spiritual home where the membership gathers to worship God, study Torah, engage in acts of Tikun Olam, participate in Jewish rituals and life cycle events, and experience the joy of being a part of a caring community.

How long have you been in business?

More than 60 years.

What’s a little known fact about your Temple?

We purchased our property in 1952. It had been a Polynesian Restaurant before it became our home. It had waterfalls, bamboo and Tiki gods throughout. Only a few bamboo plants remain.

What is the best way to get in touch with and receive information from your Temple?

925-283-8575 michaell@temple-isaiah.org www.temple-isaiah.org

What is your favorite part about your job?

No day is ever the same. My job is to manage the facilities, accounting, personnel and all business aspects of the congregation. However, my favorite part of the job is when I get to meet prospective members and their families and give them a tour of our campus.

What is your favorite… book/ movie/ food?

Many, but my favorite recently was The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

I like almost everything..especially foods that are fresh, locally grown and with not too many calories

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I love to travel but with my busy schedule I don’t get too many opportunities. If I wanted purely an escape from the everyday, it would be to Hawaii. I love watersports of all kinds. However, if I had more time (and $$!) I’d love to go to Europe and Israel again. I’ve never been to Africa, New Zealand or Alaska so those are definitely on my bucket lists as well. 

How has working with ADAR helped your business/organization?

My days are very busy. I.T. was something that became more and more of a burden with an aging server and computers. I was getting more calls about viruses somehow appearing on employee computers and computers starting to break down. ADAR has taken much of that off my plate. That has meant more productivity for all of us and the peace of mind that everything was being backed up. The technical support has been a highlight. Somehow, they have handled any problem that would occur and deal with it expeditiously and professionally.

BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device has become 2013’s new buzzword and it refers to just that; bring your own device to work, or the coffee shop where you work, or the living room in which you complete reports. 2013 pushes the boundaries even further for telecommuting and international employees by introducing the concept of BYOD. With tablets and smartphones taking over the technology sphere, it’s no wonder that the workplace has now too become mobile. Now, work and play are incorporated into one, what’s stopping anyone from checking their work email while relaxing near a pool? Or quickly reviewing a question about a report that was filed before vacation? That’s the beauty and the appeal of BYOD, no matter where you are or what device you’re using, you have the power to be a virtual employee with little risk and great reward on whatever device you’re using.

BYOD first and foremost appeals to the Millennial Generation. Young employees enjoy the flexibility of working from home or on the go versus office-only restrictions. These populations of young adults are social, networkers, and social networkers all in one. They absolutely must have the ability to use their devices to connect to others, be it via email or social network. In fact, infoworld.com reports that 54% of employees “use smartphones for basic work tasks such as checking email, reading online documents, and managing schedules.  42% said most of their employees use smartphones for advanced purposes such as CRM, project management, content creation, and data analysis.” With the ability to access company information anywhere at any given moment, many companies actually see an increase in sales, even as much as 54% (infoworld.com). Once the correct processes and rules are in place, BYOD is a huge blessing to the modern workplace.

However, there is always a potential drawback when a new way of doing things comes about. Recently, there has been a lot of debate over whether BYOD is safe or hazardous for the workplace. Companies tend to run into security, education and processes issues to name a few. Security and education goes hand in hand. If an individual is unfamiliar with safe and smart practices, they leave a company’s information (including passwords and other sensitive data) vulnerable to cyber attack.  However, infoworld.com reports that “35% of [survey] respondents deemed “training for all employees” to better support consumer technologies in the workplace as the top investment priority for 2013 in the next 12 months.” Education is crucial for protecting and potential diverting cyber attacks or allowing digital access of information to any passerby. Company processes have also come under fire, as many companies cannot decide who is responsible for them. Should the IT department be held responsible for devices that are privately owned? Should HR write the rules about what kind of information should or shouldn’t be accessed by individuals once they’re out of the perimeters of the office? Who will write the rules? Best case scenario, everyone works together to ensure the safety and confidentiality of company information. Or, you can go to a private cloud.

Companies like Adar IT offer a comprehensive solution for the questions and concerns raised above. Adar’s system allows for users to use any device; smartphone, tablet, or laptop safely and securely while accessing sensitive information from anywhere in the world using any kind of connection. The system works by using encryption. Specifically, when a user enters their virtual cloud desktop, they begin using PCoIP (PC over IP) protocol. Since the employee is using a cloud desktop, different from the one he or she usually uses, that is remote and in the cloud, it allows for encryption to take place. This means that any sensitive information is hidden from outside attacks. Second, it protects data even if the user accidently or unknowingly wanders onto a dangerous website. If a virus is installed while a user is browsing, Adar’s unique cloud systems allows for instant restoration of a pristine desktop by simply logging out and logging back into the virtual cloud desktop. Also, Adar’s staff constantly monitors for cyber attacks or any kind of suspicious activity.

For more information about how  Adar’s private Cloud IT solutions can help your business, please contact Dan Feinstein, Director of Sales and Marketing at dfeinstein@adarit.com, or call 877.860.0700

Phil Bredeson

Business Developer Manager

As a Business Development Manager for Adar, Phil interprets the complex needs of businesses, determines if a solution from Adar would be appropriate, and then guides prospective clients through the enactment process. Before joining Adar, Phil held a similar position at a logistics firm. In this role, Phil oversaw the adoption of technology solutions to over seventy-five companies.

Phil graduated from Loyola University of Chicago, where he majored in Political Science & Economics.

In his free time, Phil enjoys running, craft beers, travel, and public speaking.

2012 has been a momentous year for cloud computing. Cloud-based Big Data started making headlines early on, while Amazon, Salesforce & Dropbox became some of the most talked about brands & services. What drove cloud growth last year was the realization how many cloud services are actually being used on a daily basis. Whether it came from Gmail, iTunes, or Social Media, it’s arguable that the “cloud” became one of the year’s hottest buzz words.  2012 saw many individuals and small and large business adopt a variety of different cloud services, and it makes us wonder (and gets us very excited) to hypothesize what 2013 will bring. Here are some of our predictions:

Big Data is going to get even bigger. For those unfamiliar with the term, Big Data is the frontier of a firm’s ability to store, process, and access (SPA) all the data it needs to operate effectively, make decisions, reduce risks, and serve customers. This data is driving start-up companies to analyze is and put it to use. The cloud is generally where this data is being dumped and picked up from, therefore driving unique and new uses of cloud technology. Big Data & cloud computing will soon allow virtually any business to see real-time trends collected from thousands to millions of users instead of a small population sample. This will allow for greater technological development in every single field. Although “Big Data” is currently a buzzword, it is becoming a real entity with limitless possibilities and applications, all thanks to the cloud.

Cloud technology will start becoming a necessity instead of optional with businesses of all sizes. Whether companies will decide to build out their own mini-cloud systems, use more Dropbox like services, or entirely virtualize their servers and desktops, one thing is for sure: businesses that reject cloud technology will be considered out-dated. The beauty of cloud systems is that they allow businesses to lower their overall technology cost by storing information or running programs offsite. In fact, 451 Market Monitor predicts that cloud computing will reach “…$16.7B in revenue by 2013,” in comparison to “$8.7B in 2010.” This is a huge jump in revenue which proves that cloud adaptation is vital for survival and advancement.

More people will begin to utilize the cloud for storing their own personal data. Through the years, we have seen floppy disks and CD’s come and go, now, perhaps, the USB is on its way out as well. Physical storage devices are becoming obsolete as personal data can be accessed via smart phone or tablet, devices that nearly everyone has adopted. With these devices penetrating the market quickly and efficiently, data needs to be available instantaneously and stored safely away from a computer that can crash and lose it. For business owners, especially those who have a mobile office, files need to be available at their fingerprints any time, for college students, it’s their research and data, and for the average user, it can be all of the above, coupled with photo availability. The potential for personal or private cloud computing is infinite, as we become a society that is heavily dependent on mobile devices to store & retrieve our data at our whim.

2013 is already proving to be a monumental year for cloud computing and we are only in the first month. Cloud adoption, growth and data mining is going to grow in exponential numbers this year and we are very excited to see what changes and innovations are presented.

Adar IT is a pioneer in bringing the benefits of private Cloud-based IT to small-midsize businesses. Adar’s depth of knowledge and experience creates a seamless, reliable, secure and cost-effective solution for its customers. The complete combination of private cloud-based software, servers, desktops, hardware and support brings a Fortune-500-level infrastructure without the need for an expansive IT department. The result is improved productivity, data security, work flexibility and financial savings that enhance business performance.
For more information about how  Adar’s private Cloud IT solutions can help your business, please contact Dan Feinstein, Director of Sales and Marketing at dfeinstein@adarit.com, or call 877.860.0700

Bill Jacobs

Cloud Server Engineer

Bringing 16 years of experience to Adar, Bill is responsible for implementing cloud infrastructure for new customers and providing cloud support to existing customers. Previously, he worked at IBM supporting customers in the automotive, banking and energy industries. Bill is also a VMWare certified professional.

Bill graduated from Western Michigan University where he pursued a degree in Music Education. He then attended the Schoolcraft College for Computer Science.

In his spare time, Bill enjoys working on his scooter, volunteering with a therapy dog group, playing music on his trumpet and spending time with his wife, two dogs and birds.

Name: Dan Bleier

Webpage: www.abledistributors.com

Phone: 773 – 309 – 6110

Email: dbleier@abledistributors.com

What does your company do?

[We are a] wholesaler of heating & air conditioning supplies.

How long have you been in business?

31 years

Who is your target market?

Contractors in the HVAC Chicagoland Market

What is the best way to get in touch with and receive information from your company?

Email/phone

What is your favorite part of your job?

Meeting people from all over the world

What is your favorite… book/movie/food?

Unfortunately, most foods from around the world

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

New Zealand – Read about how beautiful the country is!

How has working with ADAR helped your business/organization?

Switching to Adar has been the single best strategic decision ABLE has made in the last 5 years!

Kirk Meldrum

Cloud Server Engineer

Joining the Adar team in late August, Kirk is our newest Cloud Server Engineer. His job responsibilities include project management and implementation for new customers as well as support/administration for current customers.

With over 7 years of experience in working as a Systems Engineer, Kirk’s specialties lie in Windows Network Management, Linux Management, VMware infrastructure management, and storage management.  He is also a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

While attending the University of Utah, Kirk earned his B.S. in Business Information Systems. In 2005, he began working as a Systems Administrator for Diamond Insurance Company & in 2007 transitioned to a job at Northwestern University as a Senior Support Specialist. In 2008, Kirk took a position as a Systems Engineer at Northwestern University and moved to Doha, Qatar to help the university build a campus in the Middle East. He worked in Qatar from July 2008 through February 2012. From February 2012 through August 2012, Kirk worked as a Network Engineer at Corporate Executive Board in Rolling Meadows before accepting an offer from Adar IT.

In his free time, Kirk enjoys playing golf, mountain biking, water sports, snowboarding and cooking. Of course, like most individuals in his field, Kirk also dabbles in web development.