As a systems administrator working with IT Solutions at Pearl Technology, Ross Cook helps to design, build, and maintain server infrastructure and other major services (Barracuda, Microsoft 365, and more) for clients.
How He Serves
Ross works remotely, primarily with Pearl Technology’s headquarters in Peoria Heights. Though he has only been with the team since 2021, he brings almost three decades of IT experience to his role. No day is the same in his job, and that’s just fine with Ross.
“No day is truly typical in IT,” Ross said. “Most days are spent working on various projects for our clients, but that’s completely dependent on what unexpectedly breaks at any particular time. Then I have to deal with whatever is happening at that moment. You can’t really predict how it’s going to go.”
His biggest achievements have involved helping clients recover from ransomware attacks and completing major infrastructure overhauls.
“When a company fell victim to a ransomware attack, they called Pearl Technology,” Ross explained. “They had previously bought some hardware from us, but they weren’t a regular client. My job was to repair and restore their server after it had been completely encrypted. We helped them to recover from the attack as quickly as possible and recommended changes they could make to help prevent it from happening again. They appreciated our efforts so much, they signed on after that as a regular MSP client.”
What His Experience Means
Before joining the team at Pearl Technology, Ross worked in a variety of positions. In addition to his 27 years of experience with IT, he has 30 years of experience in Customer Service and five years of experience as a Team Lead.
In his prior position, Ross served as IT Lead Technician for eight years, where he coordinated tasks with other technicians, assisted in the equipment procurement process, and provided first- and second-level IT support. Ross also has other experience working with different-sized businesses in the Bloomington-Normal area, accruing a vast array of IT skills.
Ross received his associate’s degree in computer science from Heartland Community College in 1999. He has also taken additional courses at Illinois Wesleyan University and Illinois State University. His professional experience is what’s contributed most to his job though.
“I have studied computer science and information technology, but the truly important skills for any IT job are critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and attention to detail. Just like any mechanic or doctor, the more you see, the better you get at diagnosing a problem, even if it’s something you’ve never seen before.”
What Sustains Him
An East Peoria resident, Ross enjoys playing music in the background as he works. “One of my cats also reminds me of her schedule (perceived or otherwise), so that helps me mentally segment my day.”
His philosophy? “It’s never about ‘what’s the right answer.’ That’s the wrong question. It’s about ‘how do I find the best answer.”
Ross enjoys a variety of hobbies in his free time: cars and driving/road trips, gaming (like many IT nerds), baseball, and music. He has extensive experience with musical instruments.
“Last year, I drove a Miata just over 7,000 miles around the western US, and I love going to live concerts. I also sing and play bass. In the past, I’ve played saxophone, flute, drums, piano, and guitar. I’ve also tinkered with many other instruments, like the violin, oboe, trumpet, trombone, dulcimer, and digeridoo.” He also loves calling out the absurd.
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