Leading with Care: Why People Come Before Technology at Preferred

When people ask what it’s like to lead an IT and cybersecurity firm, they often expect me to start with the technical side of the business. But for me, the story of Preferred has always started somewhere much more personal.

Technology matters, of course, but it exists for one reason: to support the people who rely on it every day. That belief has guided me since the day we started this company more than 35 years ago, and it continues to shape how we operate, how we serve, and how we define success.

Looking back, the vision that sparked Preferred wasn’t about hardware or software. It was about the way technology was becoming an essential part of how people work and communicate. I saw an opportunity to build a company that didn’t just fix systems, but one that partnered with organizations in a way that strengthened their people and helped them thrive. As I often say, “We wanted to build an IT company that could support both the technology and the people behind it.” That philosophy still drives me today.

A Mission That Extends Beyond Work

One of the core anchors of my leadership is my personal mission statement: helping people achieve their greatest potential in work and life. I don’t take that lightly. I’ve always believed that while IT and cybersecurity are vital to business operations, their real impact is in how they affect the human beings doing the work.

A broken laptop or persistent technical frustration isn’t just a productivity issue. It affects stress, morale, and even the time someone can spend with their family in the evenings. I’ve said many times, “IT problems keep people from what’s most important: getting home, being with their kids, doing life.” When you see technology through that lens, you begin to understand why we put such an emphasis on the person on the other end of every ticket, call, and email.

This mission shapes how we treat our team as well. If we want clients to experience a people-first partnership, our employees need to feel supported, valued, and encouraged in their own growth. Work is part of life, not the whole of it, and the more fulfilled and grounded our people are, the more naturally they serve others with empathy and excellence.

Why Care Is the Cornerstone

If I had to choose one word to describe how we lead and operate at Preferred, it would be care. Not the superficial kind, but the kind that requires presence, listening, and a willingness to put others before ourselves. It’s why I often say, “I need to have the heart of the people on my team before I ask for their hand.” That mindset is essential to servant leadership, which has shaped my approach from the beginning.

Care affects everything we do. It guides how we show up for clients, how we speak to one another internally, and how we take ownership when something isn’t right. It helps us move past positional expectations and into true partnership. When people know they’re cared for, they trust more deeply, collaborate more freely, and go the extra mile not because they’re asked to, but because they want to.

This is also why so many clients have become genuine friends over the years. When you operate from care, relationships naturally deepen. We’ve walked alongside organizations through growth, challenges, transitions, and even generational leadership shifts. Those connections are some of the most rewarding parts of what I get to do.

The Human Side of IT

As businesses become more digitally dependent, it’s easy for leaders to focus strictly on uptime, devices, or cybersecurity threats. But at the end of the day, technology is only meaningful when it supports real people doing real work. My team and I remind ourselves of that often.

When a client calls in with an issue, we’re not just solving a technical problem; we’re relieving frustration, restoring momentum, and giving someone their time back. It’s why we focus just as much on the experience as the resolution. We look beyond the ticket to understand the impact. And when you approach IT with that kind of mindset, it changes the way you communicate and the relationship you build.

This perspective is also why we emphasize transparency and follow-through so strongly. Leaders want to know they can trust the partner standing beside them. They want confidence that their people will be supported with kindness and competence. As I’ve shared before, “When an owner knows their people are taken care of and that IT isn’t hindering their growth, that gives peace of mind.”

What Businesses Can Expect When They Work With Us

If someone asks what they should expect from Preferred, I tell them very simply: expect a partner who genuinely cares about your success. Not just the technical side of your success, but the human side too. Expect a team that listens, follows through, and aligns our work with what matters most to you as a leader.

They can also expect peace of mind. We deliver that through transparency, responsiveness, and strategic alignment. And beyond that, they can expect their people to feel the difference. When your staff says, “We love Preferred,” that’s when you know the partnership is working.

Finally, they can expect stewardship. We treat your investments as if they were our own. We’ll guide you toward what is necessary and valuable, and we’ll show you where you can avoid unnecessary spend. That approach creates what we call a smarter bottom line — technology decisions that strengthen your business rather than drain it.

Looking Forward With Purpose

As I think about where Preferred is headed, I feel a deep sense of excitement. We’ve never been more committed to standing ready to protect our clients and empower their growth. We want to continue being the partner that businesses trust not only for their technology, but for the future they’re building. And we want to ensure that each organization we serve feels our care, not just in what we deliver, but in how we deliver it.

Our mission remains unchanged: to help people achieve their greatest potential in work and in life. When we live that out, clients grow, teams flourish, and technology becomes a catalyst rather than a barrier. That’s the future I’m committed to leading us toward.

Let’s Talk About Your Team, Your Goals, and Your Future

If you’re looking for an IT and cybersecurity partner who leads with care, understands the human side of technology, and aligns every decision with your goals, I’d love to talk with you.

Schedule a consultation to explore whether Preferred is the right partner for your organization.