- On August 22, 2022
- by: Ceeva Marketing Team
- 4 minutes Read
Our people are at the core of everything we do at Ceeva. And no matter how you know us – whether you’re a client, considering becoming a client, or interested in joining our team – there’s a lot about our team that you may not know.
That’s why we have created a series of spotlight posts to highlight the people we are glad to call our team members. In this employee spotlight, we sat down with Joe Rudolph, a senior member of Ceeva’s team. He shared a little about what he does outside of work, what he thinks about cybersecurity, and how he likes a band that uses a washboard. (No, we’re not kidding.)
Let’s dive in and meet Joe!
1. Name
Hi, I’m Joe Rudolph.
2. What’s your job title?
I’m the Senior Network Engineer and Ceeva’s Privacy and Security Officer.
3. What does your position entail?
The network engineers are the account managers and direct contacts for our clients, so that’s a majority of my role. But over the years, anything with projects, purchasing, working with the internal IT staff, doing any sort of cybersecurity training, you name it, I've done it!
I also spend time on-site with our clients, usually handling their server infrastructure, hardware issues, and acting as anIT help desk resource.
Recently, I have taken on new responsibilities for managing privacy, security, and any sort of compliance regulations, like NIST, CMMC, PCI, HIPAA, etcetera. In the future, I'll be working with all of our clients and our engineering staff to manage any sort of security regulation, cybersecurity, insurance, questionnaires, all of that good stuff.
4. How long have you worked at Ceeva?
I’ve been a network engineer on the Ceeva team for sixteen years now. I’ve known Rick Topping, Ceeva’s Vice President of Operations, since October of ‘99.
Before I worked at Ceeva, I was at an insurance provider. That's where I actually got my start in security and compliance, because when I worked there, HIPAA became law. I had to do hours and hours of HIPAA training. It was very monotonous, but it was really important because it reinforced the importance of data security.
5. What is one IT problem or challenge that you often see, but few businesses are thinking about?
My answer is going to land on the cybersecurity side of IT, which involves protecting critical systems and sensitive information from cyber attacks. Most people still just don't think about this. They don't have the security in place that they need, like firewalls, Multi-Factor Authentication, or routine training.
A lot of people are still not focusing on it and they need to be. Many smaller businesses just aren't doing it, while more and more business insurances are requiring cyber insurance now.
Whenever they send our cyber insurance questionnaires out, we always get responses like, “We don't have any of this!”
6. What’s your favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh?
The place I keep going back to more and more is probably Texas Roadhouse. I love a good steak!
They put a good product on your plate AND they have amazing rolls with cinnamon butter.
7. What’s your favorite song, artist, or album at the moment?
It's been going back and forth between two bands. The one I've been obsessed with for two years is called The Dead South. They're more of a bluegrass indie band which you would normally associate with the southern U.S., but they're actually from Canada.
In May, I went to Philadelphia to see them, and a blues band open for them called Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. It’s a three piece band; the singer is playing a bass, his wife plays the washboard, and then they have a drummer.
I never honestly thought I would see a band with a washboard, but they were actually really good. I’ve been listening to them quite a lot.
8. How would you describe the Ceeva team in two to three sentences?
I could probably just do it in one word, and it's amazing. I love working with this team.
The people that we have assembled are just great. Ceeva has grown in the past sixteen years and now we have a larger team. I’m excited to go to work every day because of them.
9. What’s the most unusual or surprising aspect of working at Ceeva?
The one thing about Ceeva that I've always loved is, you know, every day is different. Before I worked here, it was just the same thing every day. But for the past sixteen years, every day has been different!
With the different technology that we help our clients manage, no day is the same. There’s a vast amount of technology that you learn at Ceeva, what you can work on, and the fact that you work on it on different days.
10. Where was the last place you traveled to?
I was at the Chicago Fanfest, it’s a large Comic Con event. I actually met four hobbits from the Lord of the Rings, and Jay and Silent Bob!
