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Most IT providers work to a reactionary model, simply fixing problems when they occur. Our founder envisioned a pre-emptive approach to delivering IT peace of mind, and the team at Dyrand Systems continues to anticipate issues before they happen to help our clients avoid system repairs and associated downtime costs. Dyrand Systems is proud to offer a culture of proactive support.
Ed uses his 2+ decades experience to continue to drive Dyrand Systems’ growth while at the same time ensuring that Dyrand Systems exceeds expectations at all levels of customer service.
Originally from Newfoundland, Ed has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and drive for growth. It was this drive that led him to pack all his worldly belongings into his Volkswagen and drive across the country in search of better opportunities in 1995. He landed in the growing IT sector in Vancouver.
Ed gained significant experience working at a national company, serving high-profile clients such as Dynamic Mutual Funds, Grey Advertising, and Delcan Engineering. He quickly progressed from systems specialist to account manager, to team lead, to sales rep and eventually to branch manager. He then knew it was time to branch out on his own and really focus on his passion – customer service.
Quitting his job in July of 2001, in the middle of the dot com crash and just a few months shy of what would become a recession, was the scariest and most exciting thing Ed’s ever done. But he knew there was an opportunity for a better solution in the IT industry.
“I could not get past the fact that we were getting paid to fix things as they broke. When times were slow, you inevitably started hoping things would start breaking at clients’ sites so we would get the call to go and fix them and charge them by the hour – which I knew was very wrong. I wanted a model whereby we got paid to keep things running and where we paid the price when systems went down.”
Ed has always believed that the needs of the client should match up tightly with the offerings of their IT provider. This philosophy of alignment was the genesis of Dyrand Systems and is, to this day, a major differentiator for the company.
Since 2001, Ed has practiced this approach at Dyrand Systems , working with small and medium-sized businesses that are seeking better returns on their IT investments.
Amit joined Dyrand Systems as Project Manager in 2018 and became the company’s VP of Operations in 2020. Amit manages Dyrand Systems’ Technical Operations Teams (Support, Projects), and plays a key role in contributing to our clients’ success through supporting their existing IT infrastructure, or assisting in the digital transformation of their IT infrastructure
Amit holds both a Diploma and a Bachelor of Technology. Before Dyrand Systems, he worked for other IT companies over a span of 20 years in a variety of roles including technical engineering, technical sales, and as a technical architect, designing solutions for clients of another managed service provider. In 2015 he transitioned into Management as a Project Manager, where his inherent skills and quick learning ability ensured his success.
When not working, Amit enjoys hiking and cycling, but his real passion is in helping mentor students through BCIT’s leadership program. As an IT industry speaker, he participates in webinars and Q & A sessions on topics such as Leadership, Management, Career Path, Professional Development. He enjoys sharing his real-world experience with students from the college’s many different programs.
Lauren originally worked as an Account Manager in multiple advertising agencies in Asia, leading the execution of communication strategies and marketing campaigns for brands such as McDonald’s, Samsung, Philip Morris, and Microsoft. Her years of experience in the advertising industry sharpened her skills and knowledge in Client Servicing, Project Coordination and Resource Management.
In 2018, she moved to the IT industry and joined as a Project Coordinator in Managed Services. She drew on her management experience in executing IT infrastructure projects such as security implementations, network upgrades, and email or server migrations. Lauren then joined Dyrand in early 2020, implementing infrastructure projects for multiple clients. She enjoys working in the MSP space, leading mission critical projects for clients in Finance, Accounting, Engineering, and Human Resources.
Outside of work, Lauren enjoys trying out new restaurants and experimenting on exotic new recipes in her kitchen.
When Richard Liu joined Dyrand Systems in 2004, the idea of a managed service provider was not a formalized business model, but he could see the wisdom in Dyrand Systems’ strategy of providing proactive IT services to its clients.
Richard’s IT industry involvement dates back two decades, including a time as an MSCE instructor. While focuses on Microsoft technologies, he is also experienced with Linux and VMWare. He supports deploying industry-common standard solutions to meet customers’ needs, and is certified in multiple on-premises and cloud technologies.
Like many people, Richard worked from home through much of 2020, and witnessed how clients whose systems were in the cloud were able to continue operating without issue. He firmly believes that cloud computing offers many benefits — not the least of which is the ability to continue operating under virtually any circumstance.
Don began his IT career in 2001, and has been with Dyrand Systems since 2010. A man of many talents, he has acquired two VMWare certifications, his MCSA, MCSE, and MCITP, and thanks to a brief stint at a sporting goods store, he can also string your tennis racquet or sharpen your skates.
Don and his wife have a young family of four, but before being a dad occupied much of his time, Don was an Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) participant. HEMA competitors strive for historical accuracy as they learn the tactics and strategy involved in protecting themselves during sword fighting competitions. Points are awarded for cuts and thrusts, and dependent on where on the body contact was made. While Don’s HEMA participation is currently on hold, he continues to learn more about the sport and looks forward to the day he’ll return to participating.
With a background in the fine arts, Deborah’s innovative nature shows in her work at Dyrand. She’s been a curator and a participant in not-for-profit art shows in Vancouver, and a team lead in a small ceramics business. Both experiences reinforced how much she loves working with people. In 2019, she became Office Manager for a managed services provider, then moved into the role of Project Coordinator, responsible for managing multiple projects concurrently.
While she loved working in Projects, Deborah found she missed being on the frontlines of service. Moving to Dyrand in 2021, she utilizes her strong organizational skills to support our technicians. With her customer-centric approach, she prioritizes, monitors, and follows up on the numerous support requests we receive every day. She loves Dyrand’s team atmosphere where everyone pulls together to ensure clients get the help they need.
Deborah is still involved in the arts scene, including producing pieces in her own ceramic studio. She’s also an avid cyclist who’s completed both the 240 km Ride to Conquer Cancer as well as a 750 km ride from Nanaimo to Comox, then back to Vancouver via Powell River and the Sunshine Coast.