Olympic Steel’s Information Technology Team
A team of over 30 employees who keep the Olympic Steel family of businesses connected and operating smoothly.
Olympic Steel’s Information Technology Department has an established mission to provide great support and the technology that keeps the Company running. The department is as complex as the data it manages, and it takes a well-oiled machine to keep an organization of our size running smoothly.
That machine is led by Chris Garrett, Olympic Steel’s Vice President of Information Technology, and comprised of over 30 employees at Olympic Steel, CTI and Berlin Metals. CTI’s IT Department is led by Chris Prodoehl, Vice President of Information Technology, and Berlin Metals’ in-house IT support is Joe Johnson, IT Specialist and Financial Analyst. The functions of the department are broadly divided into two categories: Information Services and Information Technology.
Information Services
Information Services consists of systems development and integration. Debbie Jadrych, Manager of Business Solutions, and Cyndi Marshall, Manager of Business Solutions, lead the team through SEMS and AX development, integration and training. Other platforms that the team supports include OSSIE (our Intranet), electronic data and interchange (also known as EDI, a computer-to-computer exchange of information).
Information Technology
Joe DePascale, Director of Information Technology, manages cyber security, disaster recovery, LAN and WAN support, internet access, voice services, Jabber, WebEx and email. His team handles data communications, systems administration and database administration. They’re also the friendly voices on the other end of our IT Help Desk line!
Department Strategy & Challenges
The IT Department manages systems and technology by leveraging industry expertise and creating standardized infrastructure technologies to support the organization. As you can imagine, this strategy also comes with its fair share of challenges, including:
- Rapidly changing technological advances
- Increased need for technology in everyday processes
- Increased integration across the company
- Increased security risks
- Customized local requirements
Despite these challenges, Olympic Steel’s IT Department supports employees, our business and our processes every day through a few different resources:
- Local Business Support Administrators
- OSSIE – for documentation and policies
- Telephone support – x19695 or 800.641.3387
- Email support – HelpDesk@olysteel.com or support@olysteel.com
What’s Ahead?
The Olympic Steel IT Department manages everyday challenges and works to stay ahead of changing technology. They work behind the scenes to keep all aspects of the business connected. When a group is as reliable as our IT team, it’s easy to take them and their work for granted. There is a comfort in knowing that the work they do every day makes our jobs easier and helps us work efficiently. And, their “to do” list is always growing!
Up next, projects like the Berlin Metals and McCullough Industries SEMS implementations and integrations, scheduled for completion later this year and in early 2021, will keep the department busy and continue to connect our teams across the Company.
Chris Garrett knows the department has a lot on their plate and appreciates the partnership across the Company that allow them to make so much happen – even if much of it is “behind the scenes.” “We’re thankful for the support we’ve received from staff at each division who have helped make it possible for us to meet and exceed expectations.”
