Art VanZuiden
I build what's missing.
I've been solving technical problems for over 10 years — hardware, networking, software, operations. The stuff that has to work. Now I build custom tools and automation, with AI in the stack, that replace the workarounds people have been living with. I move fast, I keep it simple, and I ship things that hold up. If there's a gap between what you need and what exists, that's where I work.
Every workaround is a tool that doesn't exist yet. I'd rather build the tool.
What I've built
Proof of work
Career arc
The path here
Director of Applications and Data Governance
Sauk Valley Community College · Dixon, ILFeb 2026 — Present
Directed institution-wide data governance and system integrations, maintaining FERPA compliance while building team capacity in reporting and data literacy.
- ▸Established data governance protocols across all institutional systems that ensured FERPA compliance during enterprise integrations, removing risk from sensitive student and financial records
- ▸Supported the college's state reporting process and ensure on-time delivery
- ▸Scaled data literacy across the college by building tools and processes that let team members self-serve on common integration and reporting tasks, reducing dependency on specialized staff
- ▸Designed data continuity strategy that kept systems resilient through major transitions and migrations, protecting record integrity when infrastructure changed
Director of Software & User Services
Sauk Valley Community College · Dixon, ILJan 2023 — Feb 2026
Directed software and IT services for 1,500+ students and staff, owning helpdesk operations, classroom tech deployment, and custom automation tools.
- ▸Led helpdesk and software support teams serving 1,500+ students and staff, managing incident response and daily operational continuity across the college
- ▸Automated critical student workflows including emergency Google 2SV backup code retrieval and print shop ordering, reducing manual support requests and improving user self-service adoption
- ▸Managed classroom technology acquisition and deployment at scale, including student checkout system imaging and software provisioning for institution-wide business processes
- ▸Architected custom tools and chatbots that streamlined campus operations, directly supporting how students and staff accessed essential college services daily
Enterprise Database and Server Administrator
Sauk Valley Community College · Dixon, ILMar 2020 — Jan 2023
Built reporting infrastructure and dashboards for the student information system, enabling cross-departmental data consistency and process automation.
- ▸Engineered automated data pipelines for system integrations, eliminating manual template fulfillment and reducing data entry errors across departments
- ▸Designed and maintained SIS dashboards that consolidated student records into unified views, improving visibility for academic and administrative teams
- ▸Architected reporting standards that standardized data outputs across new system implementations, accelerating integration timelines and reducing reconciliation work
Systems Administrator / Cybersecurity Compliance Officer
Community State Bank · Rock Falls, ILSept 2016 — March 2020
Built and operated the cybersecurity compliance program for a $250M community bank, serving as technology officer across five retail branches.
- ▸Architected FFIEC cybersecurity program from ground zero, establishing policies, controls, and audit frameworks for a regulated financial institution.
- ▸Managed core banking infrastructure and VMware environments as primary systems administrator for five retail locations, reporting directly to CEO.
- ▸Administered Office 365 and Exchange systems supporting the bank's operations, ensuring uptime and security across all user endpoints.
- ▸Owned cybersecurity policy development and compliance documentation, translating regulatory requirements into operational procedures for all staff.
IT Retail Operations Tech
DickBlick Art Materials · Highland Park, ILSept 2014 — Sept 2016
Provided remote helpdesk support to 70 retail locations and automated critical POS infrastructure updates across time zones.
- ▸Automated batch-style POS hardware updates across 70 retail stores, eliminating manual remote configuration and keeping pricing and sales data current in real time
- ▸Traveled to retail sites for hardware builds and infrastructure setup, troubleshooting complex on-site technical issues under tight timelines
- ▸Owned first and second-level support for both hardware and software issues across geographically dispersed stores, solving problems remotely and reducing store downtime
Capabilities
Skills & expertise
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Background
Education
In-Prgoress · Information Systems
Sauk Valley Community College
2025
Beyond the resume
Volunteer & Other
Vocational Training to Workforce Transition
Self-Taught Skill
Used comprehensive vocational education as a launching pad into professional work. Applied classroom learning directly to real-world challenges, developing practical skills through immediate workforce integration.
Due diligence
Want to hear from people I've worked with?
References are available. Reach out and I'll connect you directly.
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