be engulfed by technology and innovation , industry sectors are transforming more and more . Businesses and organizations are redefining their operations in order to continue to succeed and lead the way , and avoid playing catch up to competitors . For Greg Chavarria , Assistant City Manager and Chief Information Officer ( CIO ) at the City of Hallandale Beach , regardless of how much technology continues to change , what is and will forever remain the most important part of working in IT is understanding the customer . “ When you ’ re in IT , it ’ s important to not be rigid , be flexible and have a good ear for the customer ,” he says . “ You need to understand your customer and their needs , and this challenges you as an IT professional to bring solutions that may not be evident right away . Perhaps it requires more research , or partnering with top-of the-line experts in order to better understand and realize these technologies .” Chavarria points to the Florida-based organization ’ s recent partnership with Fujitsu in order to improve the city ’ s Storage Area Network ( SAN ). Residents require access to their data and the City of Hallandale was still relying on antiquated technology that no

longer met growing demands . With a limited

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