Employee Spotlight: Director of Information Technology, Kevin MacDonald
This light-hearted, fun section allows you to get to know, some of the great people on our team! People who help McSweeney & Ricci deliver great service and advice each day. We hope you enjoy it!
When most people think about the IT (Information Technology) specialist at their place of work, they think about someone who’s difficult to relate to. The typical “techy,” speaks a computer language, that is foreign to those of us that haven’t earned degrees from MIT. An avid outdoorsman and family man, Kevin MacDonald isn’t your typical “IT Guy.” Approachable and laid-back, fellow employees look to Kevin for fast solutions to their computer woes without any confusing “tech-speak.”
- How long have you worked for McSweeney & Ricci and what is your title? 12 years as Director of Information Technology and Systems.
- What is the best part about your job? “Just like with teaching scuba diving, my favorite thing about my job is always being able to help people.”
- Are you a member of any clubs or organizations? “I am Chair of the Volunteer Development committee for Applied Client Network and Scuba Dive Instructor for Scuba Diving International and I also teach at South Shore Divers in Weymouth.” (Applied Client Network is a worldwide network of insurance professionals focused on driving system utilization, Applied is also the provider of the Agency Management System we use for tracking our client’s insurance programs). In October of last year, Kevin traveled to Applied Net at the Aria in Las Vegas. Applied Net is one of the biggest gatherings of insurance professionals in the world. Kevin was unfazed as he manned the registration desk for the over 4,300 attendees.
- Tell us a little about your personal life? I am married to my wife Noreen and we have two adult children, Patrick and Erin. I have lived my whole life in Weymouth, MA.
- What are your hobbies and what do you like to do in your spare time? “I enjoy scuba diving, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and traveling. My wife and I have traveled to the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, and we are looking forward to an upcoming trip to Switzerland!” Last August, Wicked Local featured Kevin, his wife and his diving group (South Shore Divers from Weymouth), in an article titled: “Down Under: Scuba Divers Thrive on South Shore”.
- We know you love to scuba dive and that you are a dive instructor, where is your favorite place to dive? “My wife and I love to travel to the Cayman Islands, they have some of the best areas to dive in the world! One of my favorite dive memories, was diving at night in Hawaii with a dozen or so manta rays though!”
- What inspired you to pursue a career in Information Technology? “I started out in High school working on computers. Seeing how fast they changed in such a short time, I knew it would be a career full of change and need for people with the skills to keep up.”
FUN FACT: Every year at the annual McSweeney & Ricci Holiday Party, an Employee of the Year is named. The Employee of the Year Award honors the employee that demonstrates our core values consistently throughout the year. Kevin was named our Employee of the Year for 2019 for all his hard work. While presenting the award to Kevin, President, Mary Lou Ricci said, “you probably only call on this person when you have a problem and need something fixed. Kevin is always there to help and we don’t know what we’d do without him!” That’s the truth! The award was well-deserve. If anything breaks or anyone needs anything done to their computer, whether Kevin is at the top of a mountain in Hawaii, or at his ski house in New Hampshire, he’s been known to log in and fix whatever it is.
For over fifty years, McSweeney & Ricci has provided trusted advice and affordable Home Insurance, Auto Insurance and Business Insurance to individuals and businesses from the South Shore of Massachusetts to Boston and beyond. Give us a call at (844) 501-1359 or click here to request a complimentary review of your insurance or a free quote.