For our Computronix employee interviews, we sit down with people from all levels of our company and ask them about their jobs, and what it’s like working for Computronix.
Dave Leusink is a very prepared person. Sitting at the meeting table in his office, he presented a copy of the notes he had written for this interview, creating an outline for how he would answer each question. He gives the impression that he’s a man who likes to have a strategy, and one who puts a lot of thought into every decision he’s faced with. Obviously every CEO is responsible for making decisions about the strategic direction of their company, and Computronix is no different. I sat down with Dave to learn what his approach to leadership is, how he has been able to take the reins from the former CEO, who was also the company founder, and what his vision is for the future of Computronix.
In some ways, Dave becoming CEO is a logical continuation of the many roles he has served within the company since 1991. He first started working part-time at Computronix as a teenager in high school. After graduation, he became a full-time employee for two years before deciding to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Management Information Systems) at the University of Alberta, and coming back during the summers. Since graduating with distinction in 1999, he has worked full-time for Computronix. He received an Executive MBA from Athabasca University, taking evening courses. Asked about all the jobs he has done over the years, he rattles off a fairly lengthy list: “Developer, Database Administrator, Team Lead, Analyst, Project Manager, Quality Manager, Finance & Admin Manager, Vice President of Business Development, and U.S. Regional Manager.”
There are few others who can claim such a variety of experience within Computronix, but beyond just doing a lot of jobs, this vast array of experience provided both Dave and the CEO at that time, Herman Leusink, an understanding of the skills and interests that Dave possesses. As he describes it, “that process allowed me to understand that I love the big picture, I thrive on understanding how all the pieces fit together, and I even enjoy aspects like policy and culture.” This big-picture focus was part of what gave the elder Leusink the confidence to turn over the reins of the company in 2013.
Any time there is a transition of leadership, there is potential for uncertainty and even upheaval. When the departing CEO is the company founder and the guiding force for the company for the past 34 years, as in Herman Leusink’s case, the turmoil is only amplified. With those concerns in mind, Dave strategically met with many employees, “Just taking the time to listen to people, getting to know them, and sharing my vision. It really helped smooth things over. We didn’t have anyone that was lost through the process, and in fact, people were excited and engaged with our direction.”
Dave is very passionate about these one-on-one conversations with staff, even listing it as a favorite part of the job. They’re also an obvious priority for him, as “for three years straight, I’ve met with every single person [at Computronix].” Beyond the benefit that it provided during the CEO transition, Dave says that meeting with individuals is crucial to being aware of how he can support his employees, explaining that “I do love the business planning aspects of my job, but it’s easy to get disconnected from day-to-day stuff, and the projects people are on, because I’m not involved in the vast majority of the meetings that happen around here.” And business strategy aside, “it’s just a lot of fun, and it helps me understand the great quality of people we have!”
Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing since stepping in. Not too long ago, Dave and the Computronix staff embarked on the adventure of their lives, building a new corporate headquarters in Edmonton! In the fall of 2014, when Computronix had to move in, the building was far from finished. Despite assurances from the contractors that it would be completed on time, there were power, heat and lighting challenges on move-in day. Organizationally, it was a major headache. Despite the chaos, Dave says that during this hectic growth and building phase, the most important aspects were to, “keep connected with people, from a communication perspective; and to go above and beyond to make them feel like they matter to us. The people we have are so wonderful that they stepped up whenever they saw a need, and they took care of it. So it was a team effort, overcoming the challenges of that time.”
Continue reading Dave’s interview in Part 2
