One of his first moments at UBX Cloud gave Drew Wicklund the full scope of the UBX Cloud experience.

A systems engineer, Wicklund joined the company in 2023 with a focus on administering backup systems and storage systems, as well as setting up end-user management through Windows and Microsoft.

“I would basically label myself as a backup and storage admin,” Wicklund says. “I make sure customer backups are completing on a daily basis on time, while ensuring that customer systems are not overflowing with too many backups.”

He knows the job, and he also knows the tools he needs. So when he arrived on day one, he noticed that the keyboard assigned to him was more oriented for Linux and Apple type applications.

“I mentioned I wanted to get a new keyboard, and Steven said, ‘Pick out whatever you want.’”

Words like that are a tech guy’s dream, so Wicklund made his way to Micro Center and picked out a sharp razor keyboard worth every penny of the $200 the company paid for it.

None of which prevents CEO Steven Panovski from playfully ribbing Wicklund about the purchase.

“He’s been complaining about it ever since!” Wicklund says with a smile. “The way he tells the story, every couple of months the cost goes up by $100.”

But Wicklund is happy to take the ribbing as part of the package that has proven to be an excellent career move.

Born in Florida and raised in southern Mississippi, Wicklund is open about the fact that he spent some years searching for a career path.

“I got to the point where I was jumping from job to job, and everything was dead-ending,” he says. “I was working in the automotive and HVAC industries, doing things like automotive maintenance and HVAC work for apartment complexes. I wasn’t progressing in my career and I was getting stuck.”

He got an opportunity when a national company that works in law enforcement monitoring technology brought him on to handle their onsite IT management. After a year of mastering this position, Wicklund realized he finally found his jam. And it translated well when UBX Cloud came looking for a systems engineer to focus on backup and storage administration.

“I really like the inclusivity of the company,” Wicklund says. “They have good flexibility when it comes to making sure they’re able to accommodate people. I do have some health issues and they accommodate that on a daily and weekly basis. With the friendliness of the team here, it feels like a family.”

Being in a positive environment like UBX Cloud gives Wicklund the opportunity to find real satisfaction in helping to solve customer problems.

“The most satisfying thing for me is hearing the customer ecstatic once they realize their issue has been fixed,” Wicklund says. “We’re the first line of defense when it comes to any and all issues. So making their day is pretty cool, and being able to gain knowledge and replicate that knowledge in my day-to-day work definitely leaves me with a feeling of satisfaction.”