MC grad directs campus technology and network securityNovember 17, 2020

Daniel Ortega is proud of his 26-year service in the United States military.  He is also proud of his degree in Information Technology (IT) Network Systems Administration from Midland College.  Both of these things have led him to his current career as director of Technical Services and Chief Security Information officer at Midland College (MC), a position that he has held since February.

Ortega retired from the U.S. Navy in 2014 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.  As such, he said that his primary responsibilities were equivalent to a human resources director, administering payroll and other administrative functions.  Throughout his tenure in the Navy, Ortega served in other functions, and he was stationed in various U.S. states from coast to coast.  One of those stations was in southern Illinois, where he also took classes from Southern Illinois University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Workforce Education & Development.

“I was always eager to try new opportunities when the Navy needed someone for a particular assignment,” Ortega said.  “That’s probably why I was stationed in places that people usually don’t associate with the Navy, like southern Illinois and even Amarillo, Texas, where I served as a Navy recruiter.  Of course, being in Amarillo felt like home to me.  I grew up in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico.  My father was a roustabout in the oil industry.”

Ortega graduated from Lovington High School in Lovington, NM in 1988 and immediately enlisted in the Navy.  In 1989, he married Delma, whom he had known since he was 12.  The couple are still married after 31 years and have four grown children—two sons and two daughters—and two granddaughters.

After retiring from the Navy in 2014, Delma and Daniel Ortega returned to the Permian Basin and settled in Midland.  Delma started working for Midland College in the Veterans Assistance Office, and Daniel went to work for a pipeline company.

“I got a job in the oil industry, but it never felt right,” Ortega said.  “My father was killed in an oilfield accident while I was a senior in high school.  I knew that he wouldn’t want me in that business.  Thankfully, Delma introduced me to some people at Midland College.  I realized that I could get veterans assistance for tuition, and I could take courses at Midland College. So, I enrolled in the Network Administration program.”

Ortega said that while he was in the Navy, he had several friends who were in the information technology field, and he picked up some skills from them.  In fact, he was able to take care of many IT issues in his department. 

“Computers became a hobby for me,” Ortega said.  “I would go to garage sales and pick up old parts in order to build computers.  So, even though I had a bachelor’s degree in another area, I really wanted to learn more about computers and try to steer my career in that direction.  After my first class, I knew that I had decided to do the right thing.”

In 2016, while he was taking courses at Midland College, he was hired as a work study in the computer programming department. In fall of 2017 Ortega graduated from Midland College with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Network Systems Administration.  In February of 2018 he made the transition from work study to full-time as Information Technology Coordinator.  In 2019, Ortega earned a master’s degree from Sul Ross State University.

“When I got my associate degree, I wanted to continue studying in IT,” Ortega said.  “I searched for online programs that would fit my goals, and Sul Ross had a master’s degree program in Educational Technology.  The Educational Technology program was perfect for me.  It combined elements from both my bachelor’s and associate degrees and built upon the knowledge and skills I had learned in my undergraduate work.”

“Daniel’s approach to learning new things is to divide complex topics into smaller, more manageable pieces,” Joseph Bontke, MC assistant professor of Information Technology, said.  “This approach is an excellent strategy for learning.  It is also the foundation of troubleshooting and problem-solving skills, the two most valued skills of an IT professional.  I am very excited that Daniel is on our team here at MC.  His skills and knowledge are certainly an asset to the IT team.”

In early 2020, just like when he was in the Navy, Ortega seized the opportunity to try something new.  When MC Vice President of Information Technology Shawn Shreves was looking for a director of the newly formed Technical Services department, Ortega asked for the opportunity to lead the department, and Shreves promoted him to the director position. 

Since that time, Ortega has led his 10-person team to be one of the most respected and efficient departments on campus.  Ortega oversees all college information technology hardware and software, maintains the budget for computer replacements, administers network security and ensures that the college has the tools necessary for safeguarding student and employee information.  He supervises seven computer technicians, as well as the college’s network administrator and the network manager.

“I learned in the Navy that it’s important to build a good team,” Ortega explained.  “When I interview potential employees, I make sure they will fit in with current members of the department.  I look for skill sets that they can bring to make the department better.  I believe all members of a team should help each other grow.  Dynamics and good communication play an important role within any work group. 

“MC students are our primary customers.  We want to focus on issues that directly relate to them.  Of course, we also realize that employees are important for a well-functioning college.  So, I make sure that we treat everyone professionally and fairly.”

Part of Ortega’s responsibilities include reviewing calls and work requests submitted to the Information Technology Help Desk by both students and employees.  He said that in the past several months, he has seen a huge decline in the number of “emergency” phone calls.  He credits the decline to the fact that technicians are responding to needs and that the team has streamlined processes.

“Daniel not only does a good job supervising, but also invests in the college in many ways,” Shreves said.  “He is committed to helping his fellow veterans, taking care of student and employee technology needs and mentoring his young staff.  He provides a good working environment where his team is encouraged to grow and learn through experience and training.”

Three of the computer technicians in Ortega’s department are graduates of MC’s Information Technology program, and two are currently working toward degrees in the program. 

“I have two mottoes,” Ortega said.  “One is ‘invest in your own product.’  The other one is ‘training is everything, and everything is training.’ 

“The first motto has served me well.  The techs that I have hired from MC’s Information Technology program are skilled and ready to start the job on the first day.  They need very little on-the-job training; there is a very small learning curve.  This justifies the validity of MC’s Information Technology program. 

“The second motto is one that I stress to my team every day.  We are in a field that requires us to be trained extensively before we start working, but then we need to stay on top of the latest trends in computer technology.  It never ends.  Everything we touch is going to change soon.  That’s why I love what I do.  It’s exciting, constantly changing, and I’m never bored. 

“When I started taking IT classes at Midland College, I had no idea that I would never leave.  It was a great place to be a student, and it’s a great place for a career.”