R. Joe Thigpen is the President and CEO of Datagroup Technologies, Incorporated (DTI). Joe founded DTI in 2001, and has been the principal architect of the company's research, development, and direction since the beginning. His ability to apply technology to solve critical business challenges comes from a combination of his in-depth experience in the IT industry and a 20 year military career.
A Veteran
Joe served for over 20 years in the U.S. Army in one of the most non-technical skills you could have. While Bill Gates was dreaming up Microsoft Windows, Joe was parachuting into far away countries and mastering the art of war. Joe served with such prestigious units as The 82nd Airborne Division and The 51st Infantry (Ranger Long Range Surveillance) Battalion. He retired as a First Sergeant, is a combat veteran, and is the recipient of The Bronze Star among many other high level achievements.
A Geek
If you ask Joe, he will tell you that he is a Professional Geek. During his military career, Joe discovered the wonders of computing and began taking college courses to learn more about technology. After you've spent a few minutes with him, you'll see that he he truly loves integrating technology solutions with practical problems. He is a problem solver that can see real world applications for technology.
A Mission
After 20 years of military, one combat tour, college education, and various certifications, Joe embarked on a new mission to form and manage an elite technology company. It is his belief that an elite network firm can manage and support networks better if talent and resources are combined in a well-led organization.
A Visionary
Joe is never satisfied with these two words: "average" or "enough". Likely stemming from his elite military background, he truly sets out to bring higher performance, higher capabilities, and lower cost to our clients. He says quite frequently that "anyone can market IT services but to be a leader in your field you must take service and support to a level that competitors are not willing to go". As a result, DataGroup was one of the first Voice Over IP (VOIP) providers to operate Class 5 Telephony switches in Eastern North Carolina. Additionally, he was responsible for the procurement of RemTEK, costing $250,000 to date, which is an advanced network management system that gives DTI enterprise capabilities that only a few providers in the country possess.