Macktez has evolved since its founding in 1996, from a loose collective of consultants brought together for specific projects, into a dedicated team of full-time specialists.
We are, primarily, consultants, and pride ourselves on our ability to work closely with clients to identify their technical deficiencies, then research, recommend, and specify solutions. Often we can also implement those solutions but our top priority for any client is to see that the most effective solution is implemented, whether or not we are the implementer.
Additionally, we are all technicians, who have experience with a vast number of hardware and software configurations, and are learning new ones all the time. We enjoy understanding these things in detail and communicating them clearly to others. Our educational backgrounds include such diverse fields as literature, architecture, and molecular biochemistry. We take satisfaction in applying useful metaphors from these other spheres when tackling the problems in this one.
Lastly, we are facilitators. By taking advantage of our broad client base and wide-range of experiences, we help you to navigate the challenging world of internet access, voice systems, computers, and software licensing.
Maybe you've met some of us, but you probably haven't met us all.
Christina Patrick joined us to help us make our move to Grand Street possible. Her extensive experience in dealing with rowdy bar patrons made her especially good at wrangling our new space and our motley team into it but her calm demeanor and go get 'em attitude kept her here.
christina@macktez.com
Craig Zimmerman has passionately pursued communications and technology since his 13th year. It all began with taking over as the Sysop of Apple Castle (a BBS for Apple II enthusiasts, in case you don't recognize the name), moving on to many years at Apple's famously virtual agency Chiat/Day; His travels since have taken him through co-authorship of several editions of the Mac OS X Bible, a series of post-production facilities, and now finally to our Team here at Macktez.
craig@macktez.com
Daniel Burkhardt brings a degree in architecture to Macktez, rounding out the Team's collective skills with a decade of hands on experience with AutoCAD and (much more exciting) building information modeling systems. His mixture of experience in design and technology makes him a perfect member and dates back a decade, including stints at such colorful shops as Martha Stewart and US Web/CKS/Donovan & Green.
daniel@macktez.com
Jason Valk remains a skeptical optimist. He is cautious about innovation, relentless in his struggles with various cantankerous machines, and articulate albeit sometime esoteric at expressing technical jargon in user inclusive and friendly terms.
jason@macktez.com
Jay Weinstein may have kept a Mac at his side over twenty years of writing, designing, and troubleshooting, but little else has remained constant. His renaissance wanderings include teaching English to Japanese junior high schoolers, DJ'ing in Oslo opera houses, and managing technology for a very green non-profit. No average technical consultant, Jay brings his own creative temperament to bear against the stubborn. And against technical difficulties too.
jay@macktez.com
Jeremy X. Halpern is perhaps best known as the creator of 1-800-Weirdos, where he concocts unusual music, performances, and videos. Anachronistic, idealistic, individualistic, and occasionally iconoclastic, he's easily spotted in the city because of his top hat. His favorite technology quote is "Don't personify computers; they hate that."
jeremyx@macktez.com
Josh Feinson has been providing support and administration for Mac and Windows systems for over a decade. In the late nineties he took a brief detour into quality assurance at a well known Redmond-based company, an experience that taught him to classify software development in the same category as sausage and politics: those who like the product should never see the production. Josh moved from the Macktez San Francisco office to join us in New York, and still believes in the command line.
josh@macktez.com
Ian Peksa comes to us from Pittsburgh, PA with 15 years of experience in the commercial printing industry. It all began with a job as a graphic designer for a large daily newspaper, then a move to pre-press production manager, and nearly a decade ago now he moved into a more direct technology role and focused on Mac support in pre-press environments. He's especially comfortable working with networking and telephony systems, Windows, and a wide-range of design applications. And with a pair of drumsticks in his hands.
ian@macktez.com
Leslie Sisson joins the Team with one foot squarely planted in the world of technology, one in the world of film and digital art, and one in a roller skate. With a decade of Mac experience under her belt, including time in Texas and a stint uptown with our friends at TekServe, she now splits her time among Macktez, teaching film at the New York Film Academy, and the Roller Derby.
leslie@macktez.com
Matthew Vladimir is our Director of Operations. Besides managing the internal operations of the Macktez office, he also supervises all installations, deliveries, and provides front-line support. He set his personal best in marathons fifteen years ago as a guide for a blind athlete.
matthew@macktez.com
Michael Horst is our Vice President. He somehow reconciles his background in molecular biochemistry and biophysics with his experience in Mac and Windows network installation and administration. The result is a suite of impressive troubleshooting techniques on projects ranging from financial planning to sea kayaking.
horst@macktez.com
Mike Visconti tries to get some work done in between soccer games. His technical experience spans a variety of clients in New York and Santa Fe overs the last seven years. Experienced with both Mac and Windows platforms, Mike is interested in making everyone productive with the tools they have at their disposal.
mike@macktez.com
Noah Landow is our Founder & President. His experience in architecture, print and interactive design, network design and installation, and database development provide a foundation for organizing projects and building collaborative teams. He keeps his head on straight by training in a seriously obscure form of aikijujutsu.
noah@macktez.com
Robert Carlisle began his journey to us in the graphic arts field down in New Orleans the year Macktez was founded. While outputting film and fixing files over the night shift at a busy service bureau, he was tapped, on account of above average understanding of the technical side of things, to join the IT support side and start fixing bigger things. Almost ten years ago he made the jump to focusing full-time on fixing computers not files, and now he's made the next big leap all the way up to join us in New York City.
robert@macktez.com
