Work with a professional, dedicated team that you can trust.
Joe Thigpen
CEO & Chief Engineer
Joe spent the first 20 years of his life in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper where the only technology he used was weapons and explosives. He bought his first computer in 1986 and instantly found his passion for IT. After he retired from the Army, Joe completed his degree in Computer Network Administration and founded DataGroup Technologies, Inc.
Rhonda Rouse
Office Manager / Controller
Graduating from Ashford University and Forbes Business School, Rhonda obtained her B.A. in Accounting and has been showing off her math skills ever since! With over 30 years of experience in accounting, it’s no wonder why she is our financial guru! Her inspiration comes from her sister-in-law; she strives to have her spitfire attitude while still remaining the sweetest person you’ll ever meet.
Shar Shackleford
Account Services Representative
A native of Farmville, NC, Shar has a passion for helping and serving others. She is motivated by her three children who bring her joy and keep her going. Shar values her relationships with her children, her baby sister, and her closest friends, who all hold a special place in her heart. Outside of the office, Shar enjoys cooking, reading, and crafting!
Brad Caudill
IT Services Director
When Brad was 12 years old, he put together his first computer and has been fascinated with IT ever since! Resolving issues, fixing problems, and looking for innovative solutions are what keeps him going! Outside the office, you can find Brad listening to music, playing the piano, or reading a novel.
Teaven Johnson
Help Desk Team Leader
Teaven grew inquisitive of technology when he was 9 years old, after his father gave him his first computer. He earned his degree in Information Technology and has been paving his way through the IT industry ever since! What keeps him going is the desire to provide a better life for his family and success itself.
John Ermolowich
Technical Services Engineer
John realized his love for IT when he was taking a PC programming and network class in high school. From that moment on, he has devoted his career to teaching others how to work with computers and how to fix them. With over 14 years of experience, you could say he’s an expert!
Jon Kemling
System Analyst
Jon discovered his passion for IT in 1980 and has been honing in on his skills for over 29 years! His favorite part of the day is when he’s out in the field. He loves taking on these new challenges every day! Moving here all the way from Nebraska was a crazy move that we are so glad he decided to make!
Troy Surles
VP of Field Operations
A native of Greenville, NC, Troy has worked in sales/service for local businesses for 30+ years, building a reputation for honesty and integrity. He started learning to use computers in 1985 when his family got a Commodore 64 PC. After building his own computer in 1999 to replace the one lost during Hurricane Floyd, Troy changed his major to Computer Information Systems (Generalist), completing an associate degree at Pitt Community College. When not at work, he enjoys working on cars and home projects, gunsmithing, target shooting, movies, and spending time with his daughter.
Charles Hopkins
IT Architect
Originally from Greenville, NC, Charles graduated from East Carolina University with a MS in Networking Technology and a concentration in Computer Network Management. With 25 collective years of experience in Healthcare Informatics, Real-Time Location Systems, and Pharmacy Informatics, Charles is passionate about improving processes and getting people and things to communicate with each other. When not at work, he enjoys golf, fishing, geocaching, karaoke, serving at church, and spending time with family. Fun fact: Charles once visited Australia and Hawaii for two-and-a-half months, “just because.”
Lee Roach
Sales Manager
Lee grew up in Clayroot, NC, a small, tight-knit farming community in Pitt County that has produced many successful, productive professionals, thanks to a work ethic instilled into its residents that still burns strong today. Lee has been involved with sales and marketing for over 25 years. His greatest enjoyment in the business is “the WIN” – whether it’s him winning or helping a teammate win a deal. When not at work, Lee loves spending time with his family at the beach and coaching his daughter’s basketball team.
Betsy Byma
IT Consultant
Betsy grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota, and later spent 4 years in the Marine Corps. She holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Most of Betsy’s career has been spent in Business Development and she enjoys working with clients. When not in the office, she enjoys long-distance running, hiking, and spending time with her husband and three kids. Betsy and her family moved to Greenville, NC, five years ago and have been enjoying all that Eastern North Carolina has to offer.
John Landrine
IT Consultant
After the U.S. Air Force, John spent 30 years in sales, becoming a VP of Sales and Marketing and finally, a CEO at ExecuTrain Corporation, one of the world’s largest IT training companies. With over 20 years of experience in IT sales and consulting, John has been featured in several worldwide publications such as Selling Power Magazine. He shares much of his free time volunteering with charitable organizations in Greenville and serves on the Greenville Board of Adjustment and the Pitt County Planning Board. Contrary to what most of his friends say, John also believes he can play golf.
Tim Pittman
IT Consultant
Tim grew up in Scotland Neck (a small town in Eastern NC) and attended Chowan Junior College. In addition to working in commercial pest control for many years with Orkin, he has been an insurance agent since 2001, licensed in life and health, property, liability, Medicare supplements, and long-term care. Tim and his wife of 22 years, Carol, have two children. When not at work, Tim enjoys attending his daughter Julianna's dance performances and being an advocate for his son Julian, who is on the autism spectrum.
Alex Ezzell
Production & Hosting Manager
Alex is from Washington, NC, and has 10+ years of Hosting and Marketing experience along with a swarm of other creative and IT related skillsets. When not at work, Alex enjoys weightlifting, 4×4 off-roading, adventuring, operating drones, and photography/videography. Alex has a high capacity for learning new and intriguing skills that vary from car mechanics to IT troubleshooting.
Timothy Battle
Web Designer
Timothy comes from a military background ,with a childhood comprised of living in multiple countries, his wildly cultivating interests developed at an early age. Some of which include photography, long boarding, baseball, tennis, football, gaming, and spending time with family. Timothy is a self-taught web designer with 8+ years of experience and an abundance of varying creative skill sets.
Jason Hill
Senior Content Developer
Jason is a man of many words, very few of them actually spoken. He started writing creatively when he was 9 and we still can’t get him to stop. After 12+ years as a digital content specialist in e-commerce, Jason is expanding his skillset into the ever-growing field of digital marketing. When not at work, you’ll often still find him in front of a screen, watching movies, listening to music, or blogging. But the best part of his downtime is spent enjoying life with his two kids.