About Me

I've been in your IT department's shoes. That's why I can help.

Jonathan Slaven
Based in Grand Rapids, MI
Experience 20+ years in IT
Education International MBA, IT Management

I've spent my career inside IT organizations - not selling to them from the outside. That matters, because it means I understand what's actually happening on the ground, not just what looks good in a slide deck.

Career Path

Where I've been

2023 - 2026
VP, IT Infrastructure & End User Support
The Wound Pros - Nationwide Healthcare
Led IT transformation for 1,100+ users. Managed globally distributed team of 20. Migrated from BYOD to managed devices, centralized SaaS governance, drove cost optimization saving $750/user annually.
2011 - 2023
Senior Software & Systems Engineer
Amway - Global Consumer Goods
12 years in progressively complex technical roles. Built automation that saved hundreds of hours annually, managed enterprise platforms on AWS and Kubernetes, and developed deep expertise in DevOps and systems engineering.
2006 - 2009
Manager, Client Technology, Common Services, Service Desk
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago - $92B Banking
Multiple IT management roles in SOX-governed financial services. Built centralized service desk, achieved 99.9%+ uptime, maintained strict regulatory compliance.
2003
Deployment Team Lead
US Navy - Great Lakes Naval Base
Managed 18 technicians supporting one of the world's largest internal networks. Built deployment tracking systems, led large-scale rollouts under DoD security protocols.
How I Work

What you can expect from me

🔍
Honest assessment
I'll tell you what's actually going on - not what you want to hear and not a scare story designed to cement my position. If something's fine, I'll say so.
🗣️
Plain language
I explain things in terms that make sense to business owners. If I can't explain why something matters in business terms, it probably doesn't.
🎯
Proven over trendy
I recommend what works, not what's new. The best IT environments are built on sustainable, well-established practices - not whatever just got hyped at a conference. If something newer is genuinely the right call, I'll explain why in business terms.
🔧
Hands-on when needed
I'm not just a strategy person who hands you a binder. If something needs to get done and I'm the right person to do it, I'll roll up my sleeves.
📊
Measurable results
I track outcomes, not activity. If we can't measure whether something got better, we need to rethink the approach.
Credentials

The formal stuff

Education
  • International MBA, IT Management - Southern New Hampshire University
  • BS, Computer Science - Western Illinois University
Certifications & Compliance
  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
  • HIPAA & HITRUST compliance experience
  • SOX compliance experience (financial services)
  • Department of Defense security protocols