About Sooty

Dean Styles BSc, MEng, MBA, CISSP

Dean started with Environment Canada developing real time interfaces for engineering test equipment. He moved to Digital Equipment (now part of Hewlett Packard) and obtained a Masters of Business Administration while supporting engineering and health care systems, providing sales support, consulting, and project management. He moved to Telus and obtained a Masters of Engineering while working for 16 years managing a team that built and operated a very successful enterprise business system supporting over 2000 users.

Dean tried his hand at consulting by forming Sooty Solutions where he could continue the role of trouble shooter drawing on his training as a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP). Sadly there was little demand for an aging IT security guy except in volunteer work trying to keep the community active. He continues this as a board member of the Vancouver ISSA Chapter and actively posting on security sites.

See the Decline in IT Careers for a sense of the troubles affecting the community. In the end, like so many others, Dean retired to Vancouver Island but continues to be a grumpy old grey beard posting on security sites. Sooty of course remains Dean's alter ego.

You can get a more detailed story in his history RTF or PDF resume.