Anniversary Interview: Jared Rudenstein, Vice President & CIO, Celebrates 20 Years with Harmelin Media
Harmelin Media was Jared’s first job out of college, and he is now responsible for the company’s technology infrastructure and support. Over the years, Jared has participated in many technology-related committees and currently chairs the website task force, which is responsible for maintaining and updating Harmelin.com. To celebrate his 20 years at Harmelin, we sat down with Jared to get to know him better.
What are some of the notable changes you have seen in the industry since you started at Harmelin?
Just as the media and advertising industries have become more complex over the years, so has the technology required to support our staff. When I started, I was one of two people in the IT Department. We now have 5 and are part of a larger Technology Pillar responsible for support, software development, and reporting. Everything is more fragmented, which provides new challenges each day.
What has been your greatest success at Harmelin?
Prior to March 2020, I would have said that my greatest success was that I worked my way up from an assistant-level “IT Guy” to a Vice President. However, as I look back today, I am most proud of the way we smoothly transitioned our entire staff from full time in the office to full time remote during the pandemic. It was a full team effort to make that transition in the first few weeks and we continue to enhance the experience for everyone. So, thank you to all my team members and larger Tech Pillar.
Where do you see the industry in the next 1 Year, 5 years, 10 years?
Advertising has become so complex with new digital options and redefining what it means to watch “TV.” The personal technology that has driven this change (iPhone etc.) will continue to evolve and make it that much more complex to decide how best to reach your target audience. AR, VR, the Metaverse, self-driving cars, are all going to introduce new ways to advertise.
Where is your favorite place to be?
Home! Nothing better than wearing sweats at home with the family and watching a show from my always-growing list of TV shows or Marvel movies.
What is the one thing you can’t live without?
It would be very difficult if my iPhone disappeared. I’ve been in a relationship with one since the iPhone 3G came out in 2008. I would have gotten the original one but our Harmelin email system at the time was not compatible! Also, my wife.
What is your philosophy towards your work?
Remain calm. Be helpful. Listen. And when the “you know what” hits the fan, move as quickly as possible to fix the issue.
Lyn Strickler, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, says: “Jared started at Harmelin fresh out of college as an IT assistant. He has grown and developed over the past 20 years, keeping up with the constantly evolving tech industry and making sure that, among other things, the Harmelin staff has a reliable network and can always access whatever data they need to operate on the fly, from anywhere, without down time. The team has grown under his tutelage and we appreciate his management of the IT team!”
Senior Vice President, Brad Bernard, reflects on his years working with Jared: “Like many other new hires at Harmelin, Jared was one of the first people I met at the agency when I started 16 years ago. As the head of IT, I don’t envy his role because most of the time people are reaching out to him when they’re frustrated with some sort of computer glitch, printer snafu or network issue… and often it’s me reaching out. Without fail, his disarming personality and technical expertise quickly eases the tension and turns a bad day into pleasant conversation. Best of all, I always learn a thing or two from him.”
Conor Elliott, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, shares: “In his 20 years at Harmelin, Jared has deftly navigated the challenges of technology stewardship, providing Harmelin Media with the foundation for innovation that has become critical to our success. Jared’s unwavering commitment to his work, friends, and family is emblematic of his character; he is a great colleague, friend, and a wonderful person.”
Congratulations on 20 years, Jared! Thank you for your dedication to Harmelin, our employees and our clients.
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