Ahmed Catic, 4x AWS, CISSP

Canada | Turkiye
ahmed@ahmedcatic.com
+1 365 800 3650 | +90 533 041 7648

Professional Summary

  • multi-faceted systems administrator with 20 years' experience in diverse organizations (large/small, local/global, private/public, multi-industry)
  • able to form and manage teams, execute projects, and communicate clearly (agile methods, documentation, remote work)
  • strong ‘can-do’ work ethic, comfortable in new experiences, thrive on helping others
  • growth-oriented via coursework, labs, research, new experiences
  • Employment History

    IT ADMINISTRATOR / TEAM LEADER @ UMDASCH THE STORE MAKERS
    Türkiye | Austria
    Mar 2022 – current
    • pioneering a remote IS team for a new division as part of global growth and diversification
    • collaborating with international remote team, sites, vendors and clients on various digitalization and automation projects such as paperless invoicing, document management, ERP workflows, and collaboration tools
    • managing projects across different national/cultural/company regulations and customs
    HEAD OF TECH SUPPORT @ JOURNALISM DEVELOPMENT NETWORK
    International/Remote
    Feb-Nov 2021
    • taught, motivated, recruited and planned work for four-person remote team using open-source, cloud-based, ad-hoc systems
    • introduced and documented strategic processes/tools; migrated documentation between platforms
    • coordinated security assessments of current and potential systems
    • administered software licenses and project management, esignature platforms
    • procured end-user hardware/software for dispersed global workforce
    • led population of asset mgmt. system, helping budgeting, service, and security plans
    • handled major staffing challenges in few months, including int’l relocation, contract negotiations, team changes, recruitment, and long-term health-related absences
    • created team learning system for documenting and sharing new ideas for constant growth
    SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR @ NIAGARA PARKS COMMISSION
    Niagara Falls, Canada
    May 2013-Jan 2021
    • orchestrated full lifecycle of enterprise systems – plan, procure, install, maintain, upgrade/migrate/decommission
    • managed software licenses, hardware maintenance contracts, and vendor agreements
    • responsible for sections of annual PCI/government audits
    • followed change management process and periodically reviewed key configurations
    • performed after-hours on-call and recruited/managed helpdesk team
    • communicated with entire business (500 users, 30 sites), partners and vendors
    • new ‘security analyst’ role was being prepared for me, but canceled due to COVID staffing freeze
    OWNER/OPERATOR @ VACATION RENTALS
    Niagara Falls, Canada
    Jun 2016-Sep 2018
    • managed two vacation house rentals in touristic town on three platforms, earning consistently high ‘Superhost’ guest ratings
    • targeted specific guest profiles using market research, customized pricing, and tailored experiences
    • managed service providers; handled utilities, repairs, supplies; gave tours; solved guest/neighbour issues
    IT SPECIALIST @ JANES FAMILY FOODS
    Mississauga, Canada
    Apr 2008-May 2013
    • system administrator/one-person helpdesk in 100-user/three-site manufacturing firm
    • patched/secured servers/workstations
    • refreshed/standardized PCs (OSes/models), smartphones (carrier/platform), and printers (deskjets to MFPs)
    • conducted two Microsoft licensing audits within three years
    • helped new parent company merge/cross-train on systems in final year; was lined up to be Exchange Administrator
    HELPDESK AGENT @ FEDEX EXPRESS CANADA
    Mississauga, Canada
    Mar 2006-Apr 2008
    • phone/in-person end-user support for 100s of Canada staff (PCs, printers, mobile devices, applications)
    HELPDESK AGENT @ HEWLETT-PACKARD
    Toronto, Canada
    Mar 2005-Sep 2005
    HELPDESK SPECIALIST @ MAPLE LEAF FOODS
    Mississauga, Canada
    Nov 2000-Sep 2004

    Skills

    IaC/Orchestration
    Terraform, Ansible, GitHub, Docker, Kubernetes
    Windows Server
    ADx · AAD · DHCP · DNS · FS · GP · IIS · PS · RDS · WDS/MDT · WSUS
    Virtualization
    VMware · Hyper-V
    AWS
    S3 · EC2 · Networking · Security · CI/CD · Cost Mgmt ...
    Coding
    Basic Python, Rust
    Microsoft 365
    AAD · EO · OD4B · SPO · Teams · Power Automate · Protection & Compliance
    Google Workspace
    Docs · Drive · Mail · Meet · MDM · Security
    Security Tools
    Palo Alto Cortex · Symantec Endpoint Mgmt | 2FA · SSO | KeyCloak · KeePass · PGP · Wireshark
    Networking
    Firewall · Routing · Switching | Aruba · PFSense · Juniper
    Storage
    HPE 3PAR · HPE MSA · Cohesity
    Monitoring
    Grafana · Nagios · PRTG · Zabbix
    Backups
    Veeam · Cohesity
    Operating Systems
    Windows till 10, Server till 2019 · GNU/Linux · Mac OS
    Collaboration/Support Tools
    Asana · Confluence · OpenProject · SpiceWorks · Slack
    Datacenter
    AC · Cabling · Power · Racking
    Management / Administration
    Audits · Documentation · Leadership · Licensing · Mentoring · Performance Mgmt · Process Development · Reporting

    Languages

    English (native)
    Bosnian (native)
    German (C1)
    Turkish (C1)
    French (B2)