Meet DCG – Alex Ontiveros

Guide us through your career journey: How did you end up here?  

• Well, it’s been a wild ride getting to where I am in my professional career. My first job was an electronics advisor and cashier at Target when I was 15 years old. I graduated from high school when I was 16 as a result of attending the Academy of Individualized Study in Las Vegas. Right after completing my HS diploma, my mom told me I needed to go to college IMMEDIATELY, so I began working on my associate degree in Computing and Information Technology (IT). I’ve always been good with computer hardware and software support, so it just made sense. I built my first computer when I was 7. After I graduated with my AAS, I moved to San Diego, California and completed my Bachelor of Business Administration at my prestigious alma mater, The University of San Diego in 2011. After I completed my Bachelors, I began working at a security company called Alarm Relay and moved through the ranks from sales, then to IT, then business development, and lastly to an executive leadership position. At that point, the job became stagnant for me and I wanted a more challenging role. So, I decided it was time for a big change and that’s when I found DCG. The leadership gave me an opportunity of a lifetime and I feel so blessed to be a part of the Dynamic Consultants Group team. I absolutely love Kansas City!   

As you are originally from San Diego, what influenced your decision to become part of DCG?  

• The biggest influence of my decision was the immediate company culture I felt at DCG. It aligned with my personality, work ethic, and background in software applications & development. Another factor was the cost of living with my family from Kansas City to San Diego. Lastly, I knew I could grow quickly at a growing firm like DCG, as long as I proved myself as a hard worker and a talented individual hungry for gaining more knowledge in software development and solution architecture.   

What is your favorite Microsoft product that we offer and why?  

• My favorite Microsoft product is Dynamics 365 Field Service. There is so much you can do from a resource allocation standpoint, providing direct integration with the Dynamics Customer Engagement platform. My second favorite product is Resco. It is a growing and versatile platform full of scalability.  

If you were a Microsoft Office product, what would it be and why?    

• If I was a Microsoft Office product, I would have to be Microsoft Visio. I love making architectural diagrams for my projects before I begin mapping out the requirements.  

What are some of your goals for 2019?  

• Some of my goals for 2019 are: 

1. Empower my team members to be as independent and productive as possible. I also want to enforce an open-door policy where they always feel comfortable coming to me with any concerns and knowing I’m there to support them every step of the way in their professional journey.  
2. I would like to find a good work/life balance.  
3. Take a trip to San Diego to visit me and my wife’s family. 
4. Become more involved in marketing and sales operations development. 
5. Visit more Dynamics 365 tradeshows 
6. Try some good barbeque places!  

What advice would you give to our readers if they are unsure about switching to Microsoft Dynamics 365?  

• I would tell our readers that Dynamics 365 is a full stack application that has an exceptional customer experience, whether you are a developer, citizen integrator, user, or anything else in between. The common data service model is so extensible that it allows for you to create external integrations seamlessly to create a holistic ecosystem for sales, operations, finance, HR, and more!   

What technology invention made the most impact on your life?   

• The technology invention that has made the most impact on my life is the computer. Without the computer, I’m not sure what type of career I would ever do. I love the sort of work that I do, computers and technology make that possible. As a quick second place, the smartphone. Specifically, the iPhone makes life easy for business professionals.    

Who is your biggest inspiration?  

• My biggest inspiration is my wife, Camber, without a doubt. She is my biggest advocate and makes sure that I have everything I need to succeed. She’s also my best friend. I couldn’t ask for a better source of inspiration to expand my career with DCG. She’s the nuts & bolts that hold my family together and propel my career ambitions.    

What job would you be terrible at?     

• I would be terrible at Construction. I’m so clumsy and terrible with my hands. I’m too much of a nerd.    

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?   

• The best piece of advice was given to me by my father. He said, “Don’t worry what other people think about you. Just do what you do best with your talents and qualities, and you will never disappoint.”   

If you were to write a book about your life, what would the title be and why?   

• The title of my book would be, “The Autobiography of Alex Ontiveros III”. My book would talk about who I really am as a person, not just simply a professional. I’ve always loved music with all my heart. I’ve had some very difficult lessons in life, and I would want my children, and their children to read it so that they know what mistakes not to repeat and what things I succeeded in. I want them to learn and do it even better!   

What are some of your pet peeves?   

• Some of my pet peeves are aggressive drivers on the road, laziness, and bad grammar.

If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?  

• If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be Raising Cane’s Chicken. I don’t think I would live very long though lol.   

If you could choose your ‘forever age,’ what would it be and why?  

• I would choose to be 23 years old. It was a great time in my life and I was much thinner!  

Where is your favorite place to travel and why?   

• My favorite place to travel is Kauai, Hawaii. It’s where my wife and I went for our honeymoon. It’s so beautiful and very romantic. I want to go again in the next few years.   

If you could bring back any fashion trend what would it be?  

• I would bring back the fashion trends of the 1940s. Many consider this decade to be the last truly gentleman style of elegance.    

You have to sing karaoke, what song do you pick?  

• Journey – “Don’t Stop Believin”  

If you could live anywhere on this planet and take everything that you love with you, where would you choose to live?  

• I would choose to live in Ireland. It’s so beautiful, and my wife has family and ancestry there.    

If you won a million dollars, how would you spend it?  

• If I won a million dollars, I would invest 25% of it in safe stocks. I would buy a home for my family and I, and I would use the remainder to travel at least once a year for a couple of years. 

What are 3 things still left on your bucket list?  

• Visit Ireland 
• Visit Spain 
• Visit Germany

What’s a secret talent that no one knows about you?  

• A secret talent is that I’m great at programming and hacking security systems. The ones I’ve hacked belonged to my previous employer, so they were just tests. I would never hack anyone’s live security system lol

What’s your favorite sport to watch and which team do you root for?   

• I love to watch soccer, and my favorite team is Real Madrid from the Spanish League 1st Division.    

If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be and why?  

• I would choose to meet Luis Miguel. He is my favorite artist since I was 2 years old. He’s an incredible inspiration to me, and someone I admire so much for his courage, beautiful voice, and amazing stage presence. He is also a major mystery in Mexico in terms of his life history. I would love to just chat with him about his songs and what he was thinking when he recorded or performed them.    

How do you wind down after work?  

• After work, I generally watch the news, work more, or sing karaoke. 

The 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s: Which decade do you love the most and why?  

• The ’90s is my favorite decade by far. Out of those decades, the music and clothing style in the 90’s still resonated well with me.  

Thanks for tuning in to learn more about Alex. Join us next month for Meet DCG number seven!