At Maveris, we appreciate the opportunity to recognize our team members for who they are and their contribution to the team. Our “Maveris Selfie” seeks to highlight the personality, experience, and individuality of our team members.
For this selfie, we are happy to introduce Derric Lawson!
My name is Derric and I’ve been with Maveris since November 2021. I am a cloud engineer on the HBA project. I primarily handle maintenance and deployments in our AWS environment but also function as a gap filler. I will jump in to assist with a vendor issue, help with documentation, chase down a random internal bug, or whatever else it takes to keep the team moving forward.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had, and what did you learn from it?
For a time, I worked for a small MSP. It was a fairly high stress, fast-paced environment where more often than not you were the last line of defense against the unknown. While I did not enjoy my time there, it taught me that my mind was my greatest asset, and that keeping it sharp was a completely separate but equally important job. That job would require the same level of dedication and consistency my actual job required if I was to remain successful.
What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
This is really a continuation of the last question. I try to carve out time to learn something new on the regular basis. It’s easy to fall into the regular day to day routine and get comfortable but I try to expose myself to as much material that is related to the role as I can.
What book are you reading now?
I’m a big sci-fi guy, so that’s pretty much all I read. Right now, I’m reading The Saints of Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton. A series about a previously benevolent alien race revealing their true colors and humanity rallying against impossible odds. Fairly standard premise, but I’m a huge fan of Hamilton. If you’re into hard sci-fi, do yourself a favor and check him out.
What makes a good boss?
I think being a good boss requires first acknowledging that those that report to you are human, with human faults and desires. You need to know the strengths and weaknesses of your team preferably by having done what they do previously, or by being willing to learn a bit. I think staying somewhat connected with the team on a personal level is important to keep the lines of communication open and free from misinterpretation or uncertainty. I also think taking the time out to acknowledge those that are consistent or willing to go above and beyond is critical.
What’s your favorite thing to do with your family?
Board games are my favorite family past time and I own hundreds. Finding the perfect game for the folks I’m with is a game in itself and I have gotten surprisingly good at it.
What’s the last movie you watched?
John Wick Chapter 4. Visually stunning, but I think Keanu was paid by the word. They clearly wanted to keep costs down.
Derric brings a broad range of experience and a can-do attitude to the VA’s Hueritic Behavioral Analytics (HBA) technical team, which led to Derric quickly becoming a key member. He frequently goes beyond his core duties in supporting other teammates and activities and is quick to offer his insights and an occasional humorous quip on our daily team calls. Derric is also engaged with the Maveris TechExchange and supporting the Maveris Labs development efforts. Derric obviously enjoys his work and is a pleasure to work with. We appreciate his contributions in building Maveris and our culture.
Want to learn more about what it means to be a Maveris Team Member? Check out some of our other Maveris Insights posts!
Interested in joining the Maveris team? Check out our careers page to see what new opportunities may be waiting for you, and be sure to visit our website and LinkedIn page for more information and updates!