Meet Lazaro Vazquez

Lazaro Vazquez

As a systems management professional, Lazaro Vazquez has traveled the world, first with the U.S. Navy and then as an infrastructure architect for major companies including Dell, Altiris-Symantec, Microsoft, UBS Global Asset Management and Whirlpool. When his last employer, American Home Mortgage, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, those companies also offered jobs. But Lazaro chose the opportunity to work for the Laboratory's Information Technology Division (ITD) and stay close to his home in Bohemia.

"I felt very welcomed at Brookhaven," he said. "People here see the human side of work. They worry about safety, for example. Back in the corporate world, that's not necessarily true."

Vazquez said he is particularly honored to be able to contribute to the important work being done at Brookhaven.

"There is so much potential in this scientific community to do something big for the world," he said. "Even though I don't work on the science front, I'm helping to make sure the scientists can do their jobs. I feel like I'm part of a bigger picture, helping to keep the science going."

Vazquez hopes to implement ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) at Brookhaven, a methodology-framework for improving service and processes in information technology, which will in turn also save the Lab money and improve customer service and relationships.

"Team work is very important to me," he said. "I see a lot of potential to improve things in ITD if we work together. I have the drive and passion to go forth with others who want to improve and make Brookhaven National Laboratory IT service improvement a reality."

Originally from Miami, Vazquez served in Iraq, Iran, and Central and South America, and has seen his share of violence and stress in his travels. He has found working at the Lab to be a real pleasure. "I love what I do, and I can see that people really want to be here," he said.

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