Ray Hyde

About me

I was born/grew up in: I was born in Kitchener / Waterloo, Ontario. I spent most of my youth there other than 5 year period where I lived just outside Verner, Ontario.

I now live in: Paradise, NL

I completed my training/education at: I completed my training at the University of Waterloo, where I completed a Bachelor of Mathematics in Computer Science / Information Systems. 

What I do at work

I am responsible for ensuring the day to day operations of our IT infrastructure. I make sure everything operates reliably to meet my customer needs on the offshore platforms and our local office. As a manager, it is my responsibility to support my staff and develop those around me. One day may involve solving a technical support problem. The next day might involve support for a staff member's career development plan or developing a proposal to management for a new technology. Each day is something different. The common theme is supporting my team to deliver technical solutions to our customer base. My computer science degree prepared me to solve complex problems, although I no longer use the coding skills I learned in school.

My career path is

I went from high school to university. I was a co-op student for 6 terms and then went directly into the workforce. I have worked in both Canada and the United States with this company. I have travelled to numerous countries around the world. I never expected to be transferred to the US. When I returned, I never expected to end up in St. John's, NL. But each opportunity has been an adventure.

I am motivated by

I love what I do. Every day is a new challenge. A new puzzle to solve. I enjoy the fact there is no one right answer. As a result, building a business case and convincing others is incredibly rewarding. It is very different than in school and being graded. That may be the biggest adjustment going from school to industry. You get to convince your peers, your boss, and your company about a solution you have that doesn't have a pre-determined answer.

How I affect peoples’ lives

As a leader in the organization, I help shape the future technology direction. I also work with other leaders in the organization to help match staff skills to job assignments to help develop their careers.

Outside of work I

Being new to NL, our family enjoys hiking along the coast. We have done many of the East Coast Trails around the Avalon Peninsula. I am looking forward to seeing more of the island.

My advice to others

Follow your passion. You will be amazed at how many jobs are available and how much more enjoyable the job is, when you are passionate about what you do.