IT Leadership · AI Automation · Cybersecurity
Rory Stouder
One-person IT department across 4 manufacturing sites. Founder of Gain3D and CrispyUmbrella.ai. Published author. 8+ years in infrastructure, cybersecurity, and cloud DR.
About
I operate as a one-person IT department across four manufacturing and distribution sites at Safeway Door — owning network, server, ERP, backup, telephony, and cloud DR infrastructure end-to-end. Simultaneously building CrispyUmbrella.ai (a DRaaS SaaS platform for SMB IT practitioners) and Gain3D (custom AI agents for businesses).
Over 8+ years in manufacturing IT, I've deployed FortiGate HA clusters with SD-WAN and IPsec VPN, architected Azure Site Recovery from scratch, led Zero-Trust transformations, and saved six figures through infrastructure optimization. CLI-first, PowerShell-driven, methodical change management in production. Also a published author.
Experience
Founder / CEO
- Founded AI solutions company providing custom-built AI agents for businesses
- Design and deploy tailored AI automation solutions to solve specific business challenges
- Lead product strategy, client engagements, and technical architecture
Founder & Architect
- Founded commercial DRaaS SaaS platform targeting SMB IT practitioners
- Designed multi-tenant architecture with RPO/RTO SLA tiers; developing SOC 2 Type II compliance roadmap
- AWS S3 + CloudFront CDN for asset delivery; application services on Vercel and Render
- Developing IT practitioner-focused content on DR architecture, compliance, and cloud infrastructure
IT Administrator
Safeway Door · 4 Sites (IN, TN, MO)
- Sole IT administrator across four manufacturing/distribution sites — network, server, ERP, backup, telephony, and cloud infrastructure
- Deployed FortiGate F100 HA pair (Active-Passive), six IPsec VPN tunnels, SD-WAN, and OT/PLC VLAN isolation
- Architected full Azure Site Recovery infrastructure from scratch for Hyper-V DR; deployed SQL Server log shipping for SYSPRO ERP DR
- Administers multi-host Hyper-V environment, SYSPRO ERP with Actian Zen, 3CX phone system, and QNAP NAS storage
- Upgraded AD forest from Server 2008 R2 to 2016 functional level; deployed Duo MFA across fleet with GPO strategy
- Led backup migration from Veeam to Acronis; resolved major QNAP NAS incident (19 TB recycle bin, winbind GID rebuild)
IT Leader — Systems Administrator
Flexaust Company · Warsaw, IN
- Developed and executed scalable IT strategy across multiple manufacturing facilities
- Led Zero-Trust cybersecurity transformation using Zscaler, reducing risk exposure by 30%
- Optimized datacenter HA pair replacements for 20% cost savings ($65K/year)
- Mentored IT teams to 15% improvement in operational efficiency
- Negotiated vendor contracts for cloud-based VoIP, reducing costs by 20%
Application Developer / Network Administrator
Intrasect Technologies · Warsaw, IN
- Designed and delivered client-facing application ahead of schedule
- Managed network infrastructure including Active Directory and wireless systems
- Implemented Python and SQL automation solutions for operational integration
IT Specialist (Infrastructure & Cybersecurity)
Flexaust Company · Warsaw, IN
- Oversaw network expansions across four facilities with Cisco and HPE Aruba
- Developed disaster recovery protocols for data safeguarding and system availability
- Managed IT budgets, saving $100,000+ over three years
Results
Sole administrator across manufacturing & distribution sites in IN, TN, MO
FortiGate F100 HA, SD-WAN, OT/PLC isolation connecting all company locations
Full Azure Site Recovery infrastructure for Hyper-V + SQL log shipping for ERP
Zero-Trust transformation using Zscaler at Flexaust
Infrastructure optimization, vendor negotiations, and budget management
Skills
Networking
Cloud & DR
Virtualization & Servers
Security & Identity
ERP & Applications
Scripting & Dev
Education
BS Information Technology
Purdue University · 2017–2020
AS Software Development
Ivy Tech Community College · 2017
Published Author
Non-fiction · ACX audiobook & Amazon KDP
Ongoing Certifications
Azure (AZ-900, ASR) · Fortinet · Duo Security
Get in Touch
Interested in working together? I'm open to IT leadership roles, AI automation consulting, and infrastructure engagements.