Eric Howard serves as our Director of Information Systems where he is a valued member of our shared services group, supporting both of our business units: Synergis Software and Synergis Engineering Design Solutions, and our other shared services personnel. In this role, Eric has responsibility for the oversight and management of our business systems and network infrastructure. He has been instrumental in the implementation of all our enterprise solutions, including our CRM, marketing automation solutions, ERP, and a Professional Services Administration tool, to name a few. Eric also oversees our internal helpdesk team and often tags in to support the organization when he’s not involved in larger projects.
Eric joined Synergis in 1997 as an Autodesk Document Management Solution Engineer. His initial duties included data management implementations and training on Autodesk Mechanical Desktop. From there, Eric moved into the role of Director of Process Automation, where he completed numerous custom applications for our customers and served in this capacity for many years before moving into his current position.
When I asked Eric about his guiding principles, this is what he had to say: “I want to live my life with autonomy, mastery, and purpose.”
- Autonomy – the freedom to act and decide my own direction.
- Mastery – excelling at whatever I choose to do.
- Purpose – the why behind my actions.
“My purpose in life is driven by a great love for people, and a desire for them to be powerful in their lives. What is power? Power is the ability to make change, to accomplish things, to be proficient, to have a say. When you have power, you are confident, you get things done, and you can unleash your creativity in solving problems. Powerful people make change for themselves and others.
My purpose is to help others find their power. This applies to all people -
- I want all people to have a voice in decisions that affect them
- I want people to unleash their creativity in service of solutions that improve the world
- I want my children to grow up to be independent/free-thinking adults
- I want the opportunity for all people to live a life of autonomy, mastery, and purpose
The work I do supports this purpose, and I am always looking for ways to push my impact deeper and broader.”
This perspective on life, and his love of hiking, biking, and camping is what led Eric to devote much of his time as an Assistant Scoutmaster in the Boy Scout Troop where his sons participate. Eric and his wife, Paige, have three sons: Zane, Greyson, and Hawkins. Eric enjoys his scouting adventures and spending time in the great outdoors, so it comes as no surprise to hear that his favorite places are a cabin in the woods near a stream, or a small cottage at the beach. If he’s near water and nature, and he’s with his family, he’s happy. It could also be said that Eric is happy when he’s surrounded by his pets: One dog, Phoenix, and five cats: Lady Piggy Pickles, Spoon, Chuck Taylor, Squiggles, and Skittish. If you ever speak to Eric, I encourage you to ask him how he and Paige chose their son’s names, and the boys chose their pet’s names.
Eric’s favorite quote is “If you fail, never give up because FAIL means First Attempt In Learning.” Those of us who work with him can attest he’s a life-long learner and is one of the first to understand new technologies. Many of us turn to Eric when we want to know the latest insights on anything of a technical nature. He knows our systems inside and out, and he’s a pleasure to work with – no question is a dumb question where Eric’s concerned.
Eric embodies our Synergis Family Values and not surprisingly, he shared that his most important life lesson is about Communicating with Empathy and Humility. He said, “All people are basically the same. We all take pride in our country, state, and town we live in. We all have struggles and joys. We all want the best for ourselves and our loved ones. We never truly understand what someone else is going through or what is going on in their lives. If we care enough, then we would stop and listen to their story.”
We couldn’t agree more, and we are unbelievably proud to have Eric as a member of the Synergis family.
