Our Company
Computer Network Support & Service CNS specializes in providing a full scale of IT services to our customers through out Southern California and the U.S. Our business is providing information technology services to companies that need assistance in managing, implementation, and maintenance of their IT infrastructure. Whether a 5 user company or 5000 user firm, CNS has the technical resources to assist with your information technology objectives.
Mission Statement
At CNS we believe in the value of customer partnerships and we continue to strive for excellence in service response, delivery, and reliability to our clients. Building strong and lasting relationships has been the basis for our business since day one. Our commitment extends beyond technical know-how to assuring a positive customer experience. It’s critical that every customer and end-user we interface with is satisfied with their support experience and we continually strive to exceed expectations.
Partnering with CNS will align your business with a company whose goal is not only providing the technical expertise to optimize solutions, but to promote stability in your IT environment through a strong and lasting relationship.
Why CNS?
No one knows your environment better than you. So before we talk, we listen to customers so we can better understand your business, priorities and practices. We believe understanding your ‘IT culture’ allows us to formulate and deliver services best suited to your needs. We are here to help solve problems, so at CNS we emphasize open communication and timely follow up. After all, quality customer service means keeping you informed!We employ quality professional desktop and network staff reaching every major US city delivering services on-time and on budget. Our service teams are experienced in multiple platforms supporting small to large enterprise environments in diverse business segments including:
• Defense / Aerospace
• Banking
• Insurance
• Automotive
• Healthcare
• Multi Media / Entertainment
• Resorts / Hospitality
Leadership Board
Thomas Stravino
CEO and President
Thomas Stravino honed his considerable customer service skills by literally catering to some of the world’s biggest stars. As head of business development for a Hollywood catering company, he became a master at feeding and pleasing such VIPs as Bette Davis, Diana Ross, Bob Seger, Pete Townshend, Elton John and Pope John Paul II.
In just a few years, Stravino grew gross annual revenue at Michael’s Epicurean, Inc. from $100,000 to $2.5 million. In the process he set the company up with its first computer network and business software system, and was bitten by the information technology bug.
In 1992 Stravino opened his own IT shop, CompNet CNS, in Burbank, California. Stravino’ s client list soon boasted several Fortune 500 companies including Bank of America, The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, Safeco Insurance and Penske Automotive, many of whom still rely on CNS to keep their IT running.
CNS now serves major corporations across the country, helping them with everything from network and software upgrades to on-site engineers and project managers. Among the company’s many successful projects are a 50,000-user VOIP phone deployment, a Windows 7 upgrade for 40,000 users, and deploying servers and teller machines to 285 bank branches in five states.
CNS is also in demand as a subcontractor for such leading IT firms as Xerox and Dell. Among the clients CNS helps them serve are the Boeing Company and the United States Air Force.
A self-taught “marketing guy” who employs the classic principles of Dale Carnegie, Stravino knows how to listen. That’s why his clients can rely on him to give them what they need, not just what they want. “We’re old school,” says Stravino. “We go out to fix problems and we deliver.”
Stravino also has an unmatched ability to find and recruit top IT talent and place them where they will do the most good. While he speaks “geek,” Stravino prefers to let his expert staff handle the hardware and software while he concentrates on providing excellent customer service. “Customer service is customer service, whether you’re in IT or entertainment,” he says. “It’s a people business, and the fundamentals are treating the customer with respect and dignity.”
As a result, CNS is one of the top full-service IT firms, providing repairs, software upgrades, hardware refresh, staffing solutions, project management, network support and help desk services. In 2013, CNSwas recognized by the prestigious Inc. Magazine 500|5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
Stravino is a trained singer and musician who graduated the Crane School of Music with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a minor in education. He taught school and worked as a talent agent in the music business for several years prior to joining Michael’s Epicurean, Inc.
In his spare time Stravino travels and enjoys camping, water sports and jet skiing.
Tom Ford
Business Services Manager
Tom Ford combines the commercial contracting skills of an attorney with the savvy of a diplomat to ensure that relationships between CNS’ clients and suppliers go smoothly. A veteran planner and negotiator, Tom has managed supplier and customer relations for Hewlett-Packard, Affiliated Computer Services and Xerox on behalf of customers that included Nike and GM. At CNS he has worked with such major clients as Boeing, Disney, Marriott, MGM and Mercury Insurance.
Tom enjoys solving challenging problems while ensuring that CNS’ clients can focus on their business instead of worrying about the many details of an IT project. In one instance, he ensured that a Fortune 50 company in the resort industry could set up 6,000 employees with new network-enabled iPhones, despite a limited budget and only one week to find technicians with the required skills.
An alumnus of the University of Oregon, Tom holds a B.Sc. degree in political science with a minor in economics.
He has earned the CCM Associate certification from the International Association for Contract & Commercial Management.
In his leisure time, Tom enjoys skiing, golfing, family vacations and restoring his vintage English Country-style home.
Current Opportunities
NETWORK ENGINEER
This position will include interfacing directly with client’s senior management as well as senior network engineering duties in the data center.This position will be responsible for a variety of activities and strategic efforts within the Data Center Network arena. The primary role will be to provide daily support within the data center. The candidate will interact with the customer and vendors to gather requirements, solutions to meet day to day requirements of the operations of the data center network. The candidate will be responsible for documenting those requirements and working with the team (customer, vendors, and client engineers) to design, develop and oversee implementations that meet the customer’s requirements and maximize availability of those data center systems.
Education
College or Technical diploma/certification in Network Management Systems, related telecommunications field and experience is also acceptable. CCIE or equivalent would be preferred.
Technical Requirements
- Understanding of Data Center networks as well as application access and flow
- High level expertise in Network troubleshooting
- Knowledge of data networking including TC/IP, UDP, RTP and routing protocols
- Knowledge of Active Directory
- Knowledge of protocol Analyzers
- Working knowledge of Firewalls and Proxies
- Network/Availability Management knowledge
- SLA Management knowledge
- Life cycle and capacity planning for network components
- Research, recommend, and oversee implementation of new Data Network technology products
Behavioral
- Excellent customer service skills
- Exceptional written and verbal skills including presentation skills
- Time Management & Multitasking
- Confident – ability to interface with internal and external customers
- Responsible – self motivating
- Project Management skills
- Capable of managing customer expectations
- Understanding of the IT Outsourcing environment
- Knowledge of the financial aspects around service delivery
- Embrace the benefits of new technologies
This position will support client’s executive-level population
Requires PC system experience in a LAN environment, strong understanding of Windows operating systems, experience with all Microsoft Office products as well as troubleshooting experience and understanding of e-mail.
May perform one or more of the following:
PC user support, new hire systems setups, and desktop/laptop software evaluations and upgrades including:
- Provides support for Windows 7, Windows XP, Mac OS 10.7 & 10.6 Office 2007 and Office 2011 for Mac
- Provides support for Laptop Backup and Encryption, Wireless certificates, Parallels
- Provides technical on-site maintenance and support for new and existing systems
- Provides quick response and maximum uptime for all users and performs end user training when necessary.
- Installs and repairs microcomputer hardware and peripheral components such as monitors, keyboards, printers and disk drives.
- Assists in determining suitable software to meet user requirements.
- Troubleshoots software and hardware failures and identifies network problems when they relate to personal computers
This job may include any aspect of field support, and is not limited to system hardware and software, PC’s, and IP networking.
Client is looking for a senior project manager/Program Manager with a minimum of 10 years of experience who has planned, managed and delivered large-scale ITO (Information Technology Outsourcing) and technical infrastructure projects of significant complexity.
May perform one or more of the following:
- Manages people for projects involving department or cross-functional teams focused on the delivery of projects and/or programs into a finished state
- Plans and directs schedules as well as project budgets
- Monitors the project from initiation through delivery, interfacing with customers, clients or department personnel
- Organizes project activities that may require interdepartmental meetings and communication ensuring completion of the program/project on schedule and within budget constraints
- Assigns and monitors work of technical personnel, such as systems analysts and programmers, providing support and interpretation of instructions/objectives
- Directs the activities of project support staff and sub-contractors and is responsible for ensuring appropriate resources are allocated and maintained to facilitate the successful completion of the project
- Ensures the ongoing process/system capability associated with projects and manages any changes required to meet or exceed the expectations established in project designs
- Effectively manages multiple projects simultaneously
This person regularly interacts with senior management or executive levels on matters concerning several functional areas, divisions, and/or customers and clients. Requires the ability to change the thinking of, or gain acceptance from, others in sensitive situations without damage to the relationship.
Additional requirements include:
- Solid understanding of ITO (Information Technology Outsourcing) environments
- Extensive project experience with two or more of the following service areas: service desk, incident & problem management, end user computing (EUC) or desk side support, process reengineering, infrastructure and network management, data center management, operational security, security administration, PMO management.
- Ability to work with sales teams to define and price service-related proposals
- Extraordinary organizational and team building skills
- PMI certification (PMP) a plus
- Ability to accept accountability and ownership for desired results
- Proactive work habits, requiring minimal supervision and management
- Required proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and other basic PC applications
- Outstanding interpersonal and analytical skills
- Outstanding communication skills (written and verbal) and executive presence
- Ability to work independently and with local/remote teams
- Solid understanding of the purpose and usage of project tools (MS Project, Project Charter, Issue Logs, Status and Change Control logs)