I lead the technology so you can lead your organization
I'm Kenneth Thomas, a fractional CTO based in Tallahassee, Florida. I serve organizations that rely on an outside IT company and need a senior leader on their side of the table.
More than 20 years of leading technology teams
I have spent more than 20 years leading technology in media, government, education, healthcare, and telecom. I served as Director of IT at NESN and held leadership roles at Black News Channel, the Florida Department of Health, and Gadsden County. I have directed annual technology budgets above $2 million and led teams through major system changes.
I have also taught. As IT Faculty and Program Director at Keiser University and as an adjunct instructor at Florida A&M University, I learned to explain technology to people who need to make decisions, not decode jargon.
Along the way, I saw a pattern. Growing organizations hand nearly every technology decision to an outside IT company. Nobody on staff checks the work, reads the contracts, or plans ahead. I think leaders and their boards deserve better.
I started this practice to close that gap. I bring senior technology leadership to organizations with 50 to 250 staff, at a size and cost that fits them. My membership, Executive Technology Advisory, serves organizations from 20 staff.
What guides my work
Independence
I sell no hardware, software, or IT services. My advice serves you and no one else. If I ever recommend a provider I have a business relationship with, I tell you in writing and give you an alternative.
Plain English
You shouldn't need a technical background to understand your own technology. I write every report so executives and board members can follow it.
You decide
I review, advise, and recommend. Your leadership makes the final call. My job is to make that call easier and better informed.
Service
I measure my work by your results. Each retainer starts with two or three goals we set together, and I report on them every month.
What to expect once we start
This is how the retainer works. The membership runs under its own terms, with group advice and written answers within 2 business days.
I lead. Your IT company does the work.
I don't replace your IT company or your staff. I set direction, review their work, and make sure it matches your priorities. Help desk tickets, device setup, and installs stay with your IT company.
You always know where things stand.
Retainer clients receive a one-page scorecard each month. It shows progress on your goals, money saved, risks closed, and how your IT company is performing. Each quarter, I turn that into a report your board can read in minutes.
I respond when it matters.
For retainer clients, urgent issues get a response the same business day, and leadership and board questions get a response within one business day. Our engagement letter spells out every expectation up front.
"Kenneth led and oversaw several projects ... that led to huge cost savings and immense organizational efficiencies. Kenneth is well organized. A team would be lucky to walk into an environment that he set up."
Experience and education
Outside of client work
I grew up in Gadsden County, Florida, and I care about the communities that raised me. I work to close the rural digital divide and help young people build confidence with technology. I also support local businesses and speak at schools when I can.
Let's talk about what your organization needs
Book a free 15-minute call. You tell me what you're facing. I'll give you an honest view of what it means and what to do next.