1. bc@gnamish.net +1 (503) 209-1885 (usa) +31 614 356 849 (nl) skype: benjamin.s.chambers Brouwersgracht 138F 1013HA Amsterdam The Netherlands I am currently in the process of relocating back to the U.S. I am available to start work now. I am a well-trained, intuitive senior-level IT architect/administrator with a broad skill-set and in- depth knowledge base. I am patient, cool under pressure, and an effective team leader. I see the big picture, and I make informed, well-rounded decisions. The process of problem-solving, investigation and working toward solutions excites and intrigues me, and I do it very well.
 I am always willing to help, and I am super-patient with non-technical folks.  During my 13+ year career in Information Technology, I have learned a wealth of general and industry-specific knowledge and skills. I have also learned that most efficient solutions are often achieved with a blend of curiosity, humility & knowledge. Specifically, in this constantly-changing field, I have learned to prioritize understanding and locating/making-use-of resources over the belief that I have all of the answers.
I worked for 13+ years at Softshare (later acquired by Liaison Technologies). I started in technical support at Softshare, an e-commerce network and solutions provider with locations in Santa Barbara, CA and Amsterdam, NL serving a large and continually growing customer base of small to mid- sized businesses. I enjoyed continual opportunities to grow and expand my knowledge, progressing rapidly to Senior Network Operations/IT Manager, with duties and responsibilities including, but not limited to:  Implementation and administration of low-cost, and highly functional enterprise telephony services o Designed, implemented and maintained a highly customized, reliable, feature rich & cost/tariff-efficient blended VoIP + POTS telephony network across multiple, international sites o Utilized low-cost and highly functional open- source, Asterisk + SIP-based architecture  Mail Services Administrator o MS Exchange Administration o SMTP/POP3/IMAP Services Administration o Barracuda Spam Filtering Appliance Administration  Design, implementation and maintenance of seamless data redundancy across three data centers using BGP + blended technologies  Active Directory/Group Policy Administrator  Backup + Cloud Synchronization Administrator  Cisco Network + Security Devices Administrator  Database Administrator (primarily MSSQL & MySQL)  Domain Services, DNS & DHCP Administrator  VMware Administrator  Web Services Administrator (primarily Apache & IIS)  Windows/Unix/Linux Administrator
I enjoyed 3+ years doing my own thing. In 2011, after a career change, I was on the lookout for new and exciting challenges. I accepted an opportunity to work with an extremely talented, established chef in Amsterdam. I worked for over a year as an apprentice in her kitchen. During that time, I developed my own recipes, which evolved into an event- based, American-style bakery in Amsterdam. It’s called Calibakery and its grown a large following of loyal customers.
I also turned my houseboat in Amsterdam into a vacation rental. It’s provided a great income source while I explored the culinary arts, and a unique opportunity to connect with people from all over the world. I also learned that I have a knack for hospitality and providing the best possible experience for my guests.
When I was younger, I explored a variety of jobs in Social Services, Education and Recreation. Interesting story: in 1998, I was working with local schools, job-coaching several young adults with disabilities. I had been working with a student placed at Softshare for a few months when the HR Manager (at Softshare) approached me. She told me that she admired my professionalism, patience and communication style. She asked me to apply for a position in customer support. Other highlights from the “social season” of my career:  Behavioral consultant for families-at-risk, specializing in intensive work with children and adults with autism and severe behavioral disorders  Program Director, Marin & Sonoma Counties - United Cerebral Palsy  Director at two summer camps spanning several years