Employee Spotlight: Chris Palsenbarg

A man of few words, Chris Palsenbarg is WhiteWater’s very own IT extraordinaire. On any regular day, you’ll spot Chris “saving the day” by making sure that our IT systems are running smoothly, and that no baddies are out to compromise our security. He also helps manage the IT systems in our offices worldwide, so he is a familiar face to all of our employees. While travelling to the various WhiteWater offices on the different continents, Chris also takes the opportunity to visit well-known landmarks in the area, especially if they’re famous golf courses, as his #1 passion outside of work is golf!

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I was raised in Cloverdale, BC. I worked in the sawmill industry for more than eight years before doing a 180-degree career change, switching to IT. I was fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of going back to school at BCIT, taking the Technology Support Professional Program due to my previous employment in the sawmill industry. This enabled me to be classified as a secondary forestry worker.

What do you do at WhiteWater?

My role here is Manager, IT Operations. I oversee the corporate infrastructure and am responsible for several remote offices in addition to our headquarters. I also manage the IT help desk team as we support the many users located around the world

What do you love about working at WhiteWater?

There is never a regular day here in IT or at WhiteWater. There’s always something different happening to keep me on my toes. I enjoy the opportunity to work with different issues globally, and to have the opportunity to learn something new everyday.

What’s your favourite WhiteWater product?

I would have to say that the Boomerango would be my favourite. I had the opportunity to go on the slide when I visited Atlantis in Dubai during one of my visits to our remote offices. It was such an experience, and one that I will never forget.

What’s on your bucket list?

Too young to have a bucket list, but I would have to say that I take full advantage of the travelling that I do for work. I try to visit as many well-known sites when I do travel for work. I’ve been able to visit and golf at St. Andrews in Scotland during one of these trips!

Do you have a hidden talent? Tell us about it!

Patience, lots of patience. Working in IT requires a ton of patience because you are constantly facing several issues and odd user requests. Different personalities can push stress levels to the limit. Being able to control your emotions can be challenging at times. However, I think that I do a pretty good job at it!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Closer to the thought of retirement and hopefully, looking at which golf course I would like to live nearby. Maybe down in the desert of California or Arizona! Ideally, I’d still be working at WhiteWater, helping the company adjust to the ever changing way of IT.

What do you do outside of work? What’s your favourite past time?

GOLF, GOLF, GOLF, and travel. Both my wife and myself love to golf and travel to different golf destinations around the world, enjoying the sun.

What is the most interesting place you’ve visited and why?

Bamfield, BC – this town is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC. It is a very secluded fishing village, and you can only get there on foot and by ferry. We travelled there for a 4 day vacation and loved it. It’s in the middle of nowhere and the variety of wildlife is incredible. It is a great place to get away from the crazy life of the city to relax.