David Nivens

Owner, Midwest CompuTech and TruMark Services

AGE: 34

JOB DESCRIPTION: Anything and everything depending on the day, but mostly business management and development.

YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA: Four

ORIGINAL HOMETOWN: Tipton, Mo.

EDUCATION: B.S.B.A. Business Management, Central Missouri State University

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Columbia South Rotary Club (currently the inbound counselor and exchange officer for our club’s foreign exchange program. We have a great student from Brazil this year), CORE 20, Columbia Chamber of Commerce (BC&S committee and Junior Leadership committee), Tiger Quarterback Club, Tiger Basketball Club, as well as involvement in other like clubs and organizations in the central Missouri region where we have offices and/or clients.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: I worked several jobs in the Kansas City area after college, along with being a semi-full-time musician. When I decided to move to a full-time career outside of music, I was very fortunate to land a job with my current company, as I wanted to get into the computer field and move back to Mid-Missouri.

A COLUMBIA BUSINESSPERSON I ADMIRE AND WHY: My uncle, Ken Nivens, would be one. Ken worked his way up through the ranks of Shelter Insurance to vice president of human resources. He has shown time and again to me, both personally and professionally, a moral character that I strive to measure up to on a daily basis. I have also known Dan Scotten for many years, and for the past four years, since I’ve been in Columbia, he has always been very supportive and inquisitive as to my business and is one of the most stand-up guys I know. I think Dan must have a twin brother that goes to some events for him, as I have yet to go to a community event that he’s not at (several times we’ve ran in to each other at multiple events in the same evening).

WHY I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT MY JOB: Growing up during the dawn of the home pc and video game console industry, I’ve always been fascinated with computers, video games and technology. While my job doesn’t involve playing video games (unfortunately), I do love putting technology at the fingertips of small business owners and school children. Giving people access to technology they didn’t dream was possible for them to use, understand or even afford is very gratifying.

IF I WEREN’T DOING THIS FOR A LIVING, I WOULD: Probably be a full-time musician or a high school teacher/coach.

BIGGEST CAREER OBSTACLE I’VE OVERCOME AND HOW: Just the process of taking a small company and expanding into new markets has been extremely challenging. Heavy involvement in different communities’ chambers of commerce, as well as involvement with other civic and community clubs and organizations, has allowed me to meet thousands of great people in the Mid-Missouri area which has been a great benefit to me personally and to our company.

A FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT: Probably the most memorable one recently was redoing the entire computer network at KMIZ while they continued to conduct their daily business. Obviously they’re a 24/7 operation, and going through that process with minimal downtime for them was a challenge. It was not without a couple of harrowing moments, but we made it through without any major disasters or knocking them off the air!

WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROFESSION: Technology can be a challenge and can be complicated, but if you embrace it and have a good IT partner or staff to help you along the way it can open up a world of opportunities for businesses of any size and can help a business in unimaginable ways. In years past, only large companies could afford the technology that many small companies have affordable access to today.

WHAT I DO FOR FUN: I love playing golf; watching the Tigers, Chiefs, Royals and Cardinals (preferably live); traveling with my wife; hanging out with friends and family; and, most of all, playing with my son and watching him develop and grow.

FAMILY: Wife, Sara; and son, Sterling (10 months old)

FAVORITE PLACE IN COLUMBIA: Faurot Field on a beautiful fall afternoon or evening

ACCOMPLISHMENT I’M MOST PROUD OF: Getting my college degree and finding my direction in life

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT I: Well, two things: the first would be that I played drums in a rock band for 15 years, opened for lots of national acts and even considered taking a job as a studio musician at one point. I even once got to perform a song with the rock group KISS (I sang while they played and sang backup….this was definitely one of the most awesome experiences of my life). The second would be that I sent an e-mail to the Hamm’s Beer Web site in college, when Web sites were the cool new thing, and got them to sponsor a float trip that summer with banners, shirts and 40 cases of free beer (I’ll do the math for you, that’s 960 beers). I’m not quite sure why I chose Hamm’s other than I was fairly certain that Budweiser wouldn’t be impressed with the publicity that our float trip would give them, and I used to like the cartoon bear on the Hamm’s beer commercials when I was a kid. I’d never had Hamm’s before and have never had it since.

CONTACT: [email protected]