IGEL Blog
A Day in the Life of an EUC Maverick: Stu Donnelson
Stu Donnelson is an IT visionary currently serving as Field CTO, North America for Liquit.
How I use IGEL: Cost-effectively delivering security and productivity at the endpoint
About seven years ago, Stu Donnelson learned of IGEL’s digital workspace solutions from industry colleagues and through his relationships with top IGEL partners, including Citrix and VMware. Since that time, IGEL has been an important partner, with whom he has consistently collaborated in his former roles as a system engineer and enterprise architect for Hogan Consulting, followed by Director of Community and Chief Solution Architect for Goliath Technologies.
Donnelson reports that his experience with IGEL has been outstanding. One of the most memorable moments from his journey with IGEL was serving as a beta tester before the launch of IGEL OS 12 in February 2023.
“The opportunity to provide feedback to all levels of the organization, from the CEO to the engineering team, was an amazing experience. The IGEL team has always been responsive and willing to spend time talking and listening to its partners and customers,” says Donnelson. “I also appreciate that in addition to gathering feedback from Citrix experts like me, VMware experts, and power users, IGEL took a 360-degree view to ensure that with the launch of OS 12, it was addressing and solving its customers’ key technical and business requirements. While giving feedback is not always the most pleasant experience for those involved, it is a necessary part of the process.”
Another important aspect of IGEL that stands out for Donnelson took place during the supply chain crisis following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The ability of the IGEL OS to deliver secure access to cloud workspaces on virtually any device enabled us to leverage their software to convert our clients’ existing endpoint devices and delay hardware refreshes,” Donnelson explains. “This dramatically improved time-to-market as we didn’t have to wait on hardware shipments. It also improved productivity and reduced costs. Additionally, reusing hardware with IGEL meant it wasn’t ending up in landfills. It always feels great to do something good for the planet.”
Why I like IGEL: Community and collaboration
Throughout his career in the EUC industry, being a part of the IGEL Community has proven to be very fulfilling for Donnelson. “Within the IT and EUC space, the IGEL Community stands out for its depth and breadth of talented engineers who are always willing to share their knowledge for the betterment of everyone,” he says. “I have spent a significant amount of time in the IGEL community since it was founded in 2017, talking with and helping other professionals like me around the globe expand their knowledge and expertise.”
During this time, Donnelson has found the IGEL Community to be a welcoming environment where people come to present and share their ideas. “Members can bring forth interesting use cases, best practices, questions about the technology, and challenges they are experiencing so that the entire group can weigh in,” adds Donnelson. “The community is always willing to help.”
He continues, “I’ve learned a lot from my involvement in the IGEL Community and have made many friends. Not one of us can know everything, so having a group of people we can count on and bounce ideas off is incredibly valuable. As a consultant, I never hesitated to direct IGEL users to the Community.”
In 2021, Donnelson was recognized as the IGEL Community Member of the Year for North America. Presented annually, the award recognizes the top community member in the USA and EMEA who has demonstrated commitment, passion, leadership, professionalism, and dedication to going above and beyond to help their fellow community members.
“Leadership within the IGEL Community has allowed me to not only meet amazing people but to be part of a larger movement within the EUC industry,” says Donnelson. “Building a network and being out there has many benefits, both personally and professionally, and I am grateful to have had this opportunity.”
About the EUC Mavericks Program
IGEL is where it is today with the thousands of IT professionals who use our industry-leading, software-driven solutions to deliver secure, productive, and cost-effective digital workspaces to organizations around the globe.
To recognize and honor these individuals for their many contributions, we launched the EUC Mavericks program in 2021. EUC Mavericks are at the top of their game, “CHALLENGING EVERYTHING” in delivering cutting-edge IT services.
IGEL inducted Stu Donnelson into the EUC MAVERICKS HALL OF FAME in September 2023.
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