A CCIE Legislator? It Could Happen.
My name is Jeremy Filliben, and I am running for Delaware State Representative. I am also a network engineer, and CCIE #3851. My networking career began in 1997, when a former manager was promoted to head of networking for a plastics company. He offered me a position as a junior network engineer, but by the time I started, his senior engineer had left, leaving the two of as the only network support staff. It was sink or swim from the start, and we had a number of high profile projects in progress, including the installation of SAP R/3. Acronyms like IOS and IGRP meant nothing to me, and others such as FDDI, SR/TLB and IPX SAPs were not even on my radar! Fortunately, I received expert training from Chesapeake Computer Consultants in Annapolis, MD. Over the next seven months I went through the ICRC, ACRC and CIT courses, all taught by wonderful instructors. I was even able to tack on a one day CCIE preparation session to the end of the four day troubleshooting course. Marty Adkins led three of us through a lab simulation, and by the end, I was confident that earning my CCIE was an attainable goal. By the end of that whirlwind first year in networking, the network was under control and I had earned my CCIE. I cannot say enough good things about the training and support offered by Chesapeake.
So why politics? Our communities would benefit greatly from having professional problem solvers such as ourselves working for the good of the people. In my specific case, the incumbent legislator holds shortsighted views regarding education. Families should have choices in public education, especially in a state that has many failing schools. Education is the greatest opportunity our society has to offer. Who could possibly know this better than a CCIE? Many of us started from humble backgrounds, but through hard work and perseverance, we were able to make life better for our families and ourselves. In addition, possessing a strong technology background will allow me to find efficiencies and cost savings in government services. This is critical now that government budgets are under pressure due to our shrinking economy.
I am fortunate that Delaware has a part time legislature, so I will be able to continue working in the networking field while I serve my state. Just to be safe, I recertified my CCIE through June, 2012. I have also decided to skip the CCDE beta lab in Chicago this October. This was a difficult decision, as I believe this new certification will prove to be valuable to our industry. The Design Expert certification aligns well with the work I am doing for my employer, Genworth Financial, and eventually I intend to earn it.
I encourage you to visit my campaign website, www.jeremyfilliben.com, to learn more about this endeavor. If you are willing to provide financial support, I would greatly appreciate it. Making a difference, even at the state level, requires a substantial amount of money. Please send your words of encouragement and suggestions as well.
Thank you,
Jeremy Filliben