Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson is the service desk manager for Stratosphere Networks. Before obtaining his current position managing our Network Operations Center (NOC), he spent three years as a Technical Account Lead in our infrastructure team, guiding and maintaining 10 key client environments. An experienced IT professional, Mark works with the front line of our team to enable, educate, and challenge them in providing the highest level of IT service to our clients.

A graduate of North Park University in Chicago, Mark began his IT career in the early ‘90s consulting specifically with Apple-centric environments. He developed a reputation for clear communication of complex technology and successful implementation of business-driven solutions, working primarily with Bell & Howell and Apple Computer. By the end of the ‘90s Mark found himself invited to take over guiding the extensive Apple support team at iconic Chicago advertising giant Leo Burnett. The culmination of this early career stage was several years as an Apple education account executive for the state of Illinois.

Eager to take on challenges and emerging technology, Mark next jumped into the developing Citrix/Terminal Services boom. Switching gears to add Microsoft experience to his existing Apple expertise, he became just the second Certified Citrix Enterprise Administrator CCEA in the region. These skills allowed Mark to build and run the global IT infrastructure for Preferred Hotels and Resorts for nearly 10 years.

In 2008, Mark was offered the opportunity to collaborate with a small MSP in taking over the IT environment for their primary client, a defense contractor with uniquely critical requirements for their infrastructure stability and security. Diving deep into VMWare and HyperV as yet another enabling technology, Mark added more clients and skills to his area of responsibility. Additional Microsoft certifications (Exchange server, Dynamics, Great Plains) along with multiple security project engagements assisting local and federal law enforcement kept him occupied through 2017, when he joined the team at Stratosphere Networks.