I don’t have a specific hero, but if I had to choose I would say my family.
A family man, an IT "nerd", and a pool shark! This technology veteran is full of surprises. I now bring you Chris Moffatt.
Hi Chris, thank you for taking the time to do this interview. It's really nice to get to know more about who we are working with, especially since so many of us are working remotely.
No problem.
Let's start with some basics. How long have you worked for Kosh?
For about seven years now. I started on 10/15/2015.
What do you do here at Kosh?
Currently, I am the Shared Services Manager. I managed the tools Kosh uses to keep all our customers up and running. I also manage our Datacenter at BigByte in Albuquerque.
You tackle most of the big technical projects at Kosh, has there been one that was the most gratifying to solve?
Redesigning and setting up the Kosh Datacenter was a huge and challenging project. With the success of that project, we have been able to deploy an entirely new phone system and offer a more robust Kosh Cloud product.
I know that was a big success for Kosh. Now, let's get a little more personal. Where are you from?
I was born in Carlsbad NM. I lived in Carlsbad until I graduated High School in 1991, then I moved to Las Cruces to attend NMSU.
Do you miss anything about Carlsbad?
My family. Most of my family still lives in Carlsbad.
Before working at Kosh, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
Well, I haven’t had very many jobs. While going to NMSU, I got hired as full-time staff on campus from 1993 to 1997. Then I worked for Rio Grande Behavioral Health as IT Director from 1998 to 2013. I worked for myself from 2013 to 2015 and then started working for Kosh. Pretty much any job I have ever had, I worked for them for a long time and dedicated myself to those positions.
What did you dream of “being” when you were in high school?
When I was in high school, I always ranked very high in my class and was known as one of the top math students in the school. I always knew I wanted to do something with technology, but was never sure exactly what I wanted to do. When I started college, I started in Electrical/Computer Engineering, but I quickly realized that I didn’t want to build computers; I wanted to use them. So, I switched to IT (which at the time at NMSU was under a Business Management degree).
What is one or two "passion projects" (hobbies, dreams, activities) that get your feet out of bed? Tell me about what has drawn you to those activities.
Anything related to IT. Even though I have been in the IT Industry for 27 years, I pride myself on always staying current. When I first started, I worked for and with a few older guys that I could tell were stuck and couldn’t learn new technology. I never wanted to be like that. Even though I am an “older” IT professional now, I still consider myself relevant because I always try to learn the latest technology.
What do you think pushes you to keep up with technology?
I have two older sisters that are two of the smartest people I know. Both of my parents have passed away, so now that they are gone, I strive to achieve the most that I can and try to make my sisters proud of me. They are both very accomplished in their fields, and I work hard to do as well as they have and make them proud of my accomplishments.
I'm sure they are proud. Here are a few more rapid fire questions. What makes you angry?
I’m a pretty easygoing guy, but there are two things that really make me angry.
Disrespect – I can't stand it if someone disrespects me or anyone on my team (without cause).
Lack of ambition – Anyone that works for me or is related to me better try to do the best they can and improve themselves or it drives me nuts.
What makes you really happy?
Family. Family is #1, especially my daughter. She went to the early college high school here in Las Cruces and graduated high school along with 2 associates degrees. She went to College in Riverdale NY (near Manhattan). Not many students from NM can say that. She is currently married and managing a store in Northern NM and doing very well with her husband. Nothing makes me happier or proud than my daughter.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us.
I used to be one of the better pool players in Las Cruces. I was never the best in the world or even Las Cruces, but I have played and beaten some of the best players in the world in tournaments, played in large tournaments in Las Vegas against players from all around the world, and did very well (never 1st place but did well). I was the ACUI champion for NMSU for two years in a row (Association of College Unions International)… but like I said, I was never #1 in Las Cruces or the world, but I did accomplish a few things that not many other players did like:
Ran 4 racks of 8 ball in a row, but the funny thing is I still lost the match because the other guy ran 5 and won the coin flip at the beginning of the match.
Beat the Canadian National Champion 1 on 1 in a personal match in Las Vegas.
Ran out more racks than any other player in the local Las Cruces league in one season.
I only know what some of that means, but I take it you were/are pretty dang good!
What is the best concert you attended?
Scorpions/Whitesnake in El Paso
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ribeye Steak and Sweet Potato (with butter only)
What would you like to be known for?
Being the best father to my daughter Taylor that I can be.
And the audience goes, "awww".
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
I would love to go back to see how the pyramids in Egypt were built.
What's your favorite holiday?
Christmas is my favorite holiday because all of my family comes together at that time.
If you had to change careers, what would you change to?
I am very happy working in IT, but if I had to change to something else it would be a chef. I love cooking!
I also found out that Chris ran the Bataan Memorial Marathon in 2019.
