It is a big challenge to keep up with the constantly-evolving trends in technology. But for IT Systems Analyst Tom Mayo, this challenge has been a normal part of his job for more than 22 years.  

Tom joined GUC as a Help Desk Specialist in the IT Department in 1998. A year later, in September of 1999, he was among the many employees who helped save some of GUC’s operations facilities from the historic flooding of Hurricane Floyd.  
 
“That was definitely a unique time to remember,” said Tom about his experience with the flood. “I’ll never forget riding into the Water Treatment Plant on a front end loader, one of the few vehicles that could drive through the flood.” He assisted at the Plant with sandbagging, manning pumps, and guarding a circuit board from the rising waters. 
 
One year later, in September 2001, Tom transitioned from IT Help Desk Specialist to Systems Analyst. That job has changed over the years along with technology. Today, he is part of IT’s Business Intelligence (BI) team and spends most of his time ensuring that data reporting and analytics for many of GUC’s applications and systems are running smoothly. Tom spent many years supporting E-Business Suite (EBS) after the transition from the former Empower System, and while that role has diminished in some ways, he is still on our front line for EBS.   

“I work with various teams at GUC to help keep computer applications running and to help get data where it is needed,” he said.  

Tom’s work also includes helping with upgrades to the Oracle Utility Analytics (OUA) reporting system, and working with Oracle’s Business Intelligence system to report information from various data sources, like Customer Care and Billing (CCB), to various departments and sections. 
 
“Recently, I assisted in getting purchase orders to flow back and forth between EBS and Assetworks,” said Tom. “I’m also working to get information to flow properly from Verizon’s Automated Vehicle Location system to our Geographic Information System.” 
 
Tom shared that throughout his years at GUC, he has constantly learned new things, and remembers how different the systems and programs were that he worked on earlier in his career.  
 
“When I started my work as a Systems Analyst, we worked with Pascal programming language and Crystal database reporting tool,” said Tom. “I’ve also helped with a lot of technology transitions, like going from our former Empower Finance/HR system to our current EBS system.”  
Tom was born in Juneau, Alaska, but lived most of his childhood in Columbus, Ohio, where he graduated from Ohio State University’s College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science.  

Tom met his wife, Jan, through one of his first jobs where they both worked at a library cataloging service company. This year marks 38 years of marriage. Tom shared that it was his wife’s idea to relocate to Greenville so that she could work for ECU. Jan is an Associate Professor and Head of General Collections Cataloging at the ECU Joyner Library. Tom and Jan have two daughters, Maria and Laura Lee, who also live in Greenville. On September 8th, Tom and his wife became grandparents for the fourth time, celebrating the birth of their grandson. It is not a surprise that Tom loves spending his spare time with his grandchildren. He also enjoys riding bicycles and motorcycles, hiking, and cooking.  

When we asked Tom what he’s enjoyed most during his 22 years at GUC, he shared that it’s the people he’s worked with that have made GUC special. He also enjoys helping people.  
 
“It’s gratifying to be able to provide someone with something they were looking for, or to remove an obstacle someone has encountered that hinders their work,” he said. “Or even better, if I can remove an obstacle no one ever knew about, then they don’t need to deal with it in the first place.”  

Favorites

Podcast: PBS News Hour and The Economist Radio
Movies: Flash Gordon (1980), King Arthur (2004), Dr. Zhivago (1965), Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain (2001)
TV Show: Miami Vice
Restaurant: B’s Barbecue, Able’s Lobster Pound (Mt Desert Island, ME)