Baltimore CEO Leads Company With New Data Center Solutions
Jan Durnhofer is the CEO and product and engineering manager for Graphical Networks in Rockville, Md., a global provider of advanced DCIM and IT visualization software aimed at keeping even the most sophisticated and far-flung IT systems running smoothly.
Durnhofer is fluent in three languages - Spanish, English and German - and has worked on three continents. He graduated from Universidad de Belgrano in Buenes Aires, Argentina with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and from Universidad Nacional de La Plata in La Plata, Argentina with a postgraduate degree in data networks.
What inspired you to enter the field of software engineering?
"I initially entered the field of telecommunications through electrical engineering, my field of study. Telecommunications was really expanding from the mid-late 1990's and led me to software for communication networks. I came to the U.S. in 2002 when I received a job offer for a software engineering position. The company was acquired in 2007, the product discontinued. This inspired us to start our own company, our own product."
How does your educational background relate to your current role?
"I have applied some concepts from my many math courses to certain features in our software. For example, we need to develop graphical algorithms to find shortest paths in graphs or lay out objects nicely on a page, which required some graph theory, algebra and analytic geometry concepts."
How has your education helped to further your career and contributed to your success?
"Even though not that much relates to my current role, it is the skills to troubleshoot problems and the savviness to find answers that I believe come in handy, and those you learn very well in a technical degree like engineering."
What is some advice you can offer others looking to go into software engineering?
"I believe software is a great field. There is a lot of competition, though, so my main advice would be to focus on the fundamentals. Technologies come and go; but great companies focus on how quickly you are able to pick up new concepts and the quality of your work. Also, there is always some frenzy about "hot" fields. I would avoid directing a career based on that."
Susan Brown originally spent many years in banking/finance before confronting her addictions. She has now been in recovery for 20 years.
Primary interests include metaphysics and energy healing in which she has several certifications. She has written for Examiner.com since 2009 and also writes for Om Times. Sue lives in Baltimore.
