Donnell Rodgers works as a Desktop Support Specialist with Southwestern Health Resources, focused on turning employees' information technology (IT) frustrations and problems into smiles and solutions. It might seem natural to assume he fits the introverted stereotype that IT professionals too often get pegged with.
Until you talk with him.
"I'm a social butterfly," he says. He may spend his day unknotting network issues, beneath desks setting up systems or repairing a laptop that a remote employee's dog yanked to the floor, but it's immediately evident how much he loves working with and helping SWHR employees, the "end users," as he calls them.
"In my job, every call's a problem," Donnell says. "But I love taking the calls and the customer service part of my job. It's fun to see people's faces when the problem's fixed. It sounds cliché, but every day is great."
Discovering a bent for technology
A career in technology wasn't on Donnell's radar in 1997. He was a high school graduate working at a warehouse in Minnesota without a career path. Then he learned he was going to be a dad, and everything changed. "I knew I needed a stable career," he says.
He has his uncles to thank for steering him toward IT. One was a programmer, and Donnell thought what he did "was so cool." Breaking a computer another uncle gave Donnell one Christmas sparked the problem-solver in him. "It needed to be fixed, and I thought figuring out how to do it was interesting," Donnell says.
That curiosity inspired him to go to college and earn a degree in network support. Over the next 20-plus years, he worked as a consultant for numerous Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities area.
In 2018, Donnell felt the same pull to Texas (away from Minnesota winters) that his mother and siblings had experienced and moved to Euless. He easily landed contract work, including a stint at SWHR. However, when Donnell's contract was about to end, Ben Pedraza, then a supervisor in SWHR tech support, convinced Donnell to move from contract consultant to SWHR employee.
Three years in, Donnell knows he made the right decision. "I have a fair understanding of the culture of corporate America," Donnell says. "This is one of the best companies I've worked for." The culture, management and his five-person team combine to make it a job he loves.
Appreciating life's joys
Although work is high on his list, Donnell's first love is his son, Donnell Jr.
"There's nothing in life I found to be more joyous than those years when my son was growing up, making his way through school," he says. Donnell was his son's biggest fan as he grew into a football star, eventually earning a full-ride scholarship to play at the University of North Dakota. "He holds the school record for tackles," proud dad says. "It was a great experience."
With a sheepish laugh, Donnell admits to having one more soft spot. "I'm a shoe guy. I love shoes. I always have," he says. Money was tight when he was growing up; he remembers scrubbing his shoes with a toothbrush to keep them looking good. "The few things you had, you kept up," Donnell says.
When he became financially stable, athletic shoes became his thing — his "retail therapy." Donnell estimates he has 300 to 400 pairs to choose from when he gets dressed each day. That's whittled down from the 500 pairs he housed when living in Minnesota. But he delights in sharing the wealth, giving shoes away to people in need, family and friends when he rotates in a new pair.
That generous spirit shows up at work, too, in the way Donnell shares his time and expertise. He encourages people to reach out to him directly when technology problems have them handcuffed.
"What matters most is getting people up and running. If I'm available, I'll jump on it right then, rather than having them put in a help desk ticket," Donnell says. "I pride myself on a quick, thorough, professional resolution. When a problem's fixed, I like feeling an end-user's appreciation and joy."
