Jim’s career began in 1992 when he graduated from high school and ventured into the field of emergency medical services, working as a paramedic. Always having a keen interest in computers, Jim swiftly became the go-to “IT Guy” for his dispatch center and the neighboring police station. During this time, he also dedicated his off-hours to building computers for his paramedic and police officer colleagues.
In 1996, established Leftech, a small computer company. Leftech quickly gained recognition for producing high-quality PCs at a fraction of the cost of commercial alternatives. As the company expanded, so did its workforce, eventually employing ten individuals. Jim’s foray into network technology coincided with the growth of computer sales, and he further diversified Leftech’s services by teaching computer classes to elderly individuals, advertising in the local Penny Saver. One notable achievement during this period was landing a contract to build 30 computers for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt).
In 1999, Jim sold Leftech, but his journey in the technology sector was far from over. In 2000, thanks to his prior relationship with Pitt, he secured a position as a Systems Programmer 3, marking the beginning of a long and successful career in education technology.
Jim’s network continued to expand when his brother, introduced him to the executive chef at the Westin – Pittsburgh. This connection led to an enduring partnership with the hotel industry, which subsequently prompted Jim to establish Lefcakis Consulting in 2000, providing IT support to his new hotel clients.
In 2003, Jim’s reputation brought him to the attention of the General Manager at the Renaissance hotel in Chicago, leading to frequent weekend during his time off from Pitt. Recognizing the need for further expertise, Jim pursued graduate coursework in Emergency Medicine and Information Science, earning a Master’s in Health Information Management in 2011.
By 2011, Lefcakis Consulting was handling a high volume of project work for hotel management companies, eventually offering 24/7/365 support to more than 15 hotels. The company’s growth continued in 2014 when they hired their first full-time employee.
In 2015, Jim’s path intersected with Amiel Cabiling, the IT Director at Hard Rock – Chicago, resulting in a partnership that involved virtualizing the Hard Rock property. This collaboration led to a series of additional projects primarily at The Blackstone and various other properties.
By 2017, Jim decided to leave his job at Pitt and rebranded Lefcakis Consulting into LEFCON. LEFCON has grown to over 80 employees with a portfolio of over 400 hotels.
Jim has been married to Annie for 22 years and they share four children together. The Lefcakis family shares their home with Golden Retriever brothers Copper and Bo, and Golden Doodle Elway. Jim and his family travel extensively and particularly enjoy cruising. Jim is a certified dive master and enjoys dabbling in an array of IT projects such as flying drones and tricking out his home with the latest and greatest tech. Jim enjoys engaging in his community by supporting local schools, athletics, and emergency response operations. During down time, Jim enjoys old scotch and cooking Greek cuisine.
After a childhood on the stunning beaches of Guam immersed in the hospitality industry, Amiel joined LEFCON in 2015 with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Amiel has held key positions including front desk agent, front office manager, housekeeping manager, purchasing director, IT Manager, and IT director in renowned hotel brands such as Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Hard Rock Hotels and Resorts, and Onward Beach Resort. This diverse experience fostered a well-rounded perspective on all aspects of hotel operations. He is uniquely suited to translate hotel operations into real world, operations-based IT solutions.
As a senior leader with LEFCON, Amiel focuses on business growth and leading the operations and projects teams. Amiel still gets his hands dirty with our most complicated projects. You’ll see him in the field leading teams of engineers opening and transitioning properties.
During his time away from the office, Amiel enjoys spending time with his family and traveling.
Rick began his hospitality career in Chicago, IL over 20 years ago with Marriott Hotels & Resorts. He involved himself in as many aspects of his new passion from Front Office, Food & Beverage, Housekeeping and Rooms Operations before dedicating himself to technology and hotel openings.
After starting his hospitality journey with Marriott, Rick joined a top hotel management company to assist with daily operations, hotel openings and hotel transitions. Over seven years of working in the franchise operator world, he had exposure to world renown brands such as Marriott, Starwood, Hyatt, Hilton, and others. It was at the end of this exciting period that he pursued his entrepreneurial spirit and joined a start-up brand, Virgin Hotels, in 2014. This new venture married technical, project and technology design skills with hotel owners and developers looking to partner with one of the most exciting hotel brands in the world and build the hotels of the future.
Starting in January 2022, Rick assumed the position of Vice President of Business Development at LEFCON. In this role, he is dedicated to fostering sustainable growth across every aspect of the business, as well as providing support and mentorship to an exceptional team. Rick’s commitment is directed towards prioritizing the customer, ensuring impeccable delivery, and maintaining a steadfast commitment to service excellence across all areas.
Throughout his career, Rick has orchestrated the planning, management, and execution of numerous hotel openings worldwide. He played a key role in shaping corporate strategies for mobile app development, enhancing digital guest journey experiences, overseeing budgetary planning, and contributing to hotel tech stack development. Rick’s distinctive perspective stems from his extensive experience coupled with his profound passion and expertise in the business he cherishes.
In his downtime, Rick enjoys cooking and exploring off the beaten path local restaurants with his fiancé and playing with their Boston Terrier, Kylo Renee.
Brian Yoshioka joined LEFCON in April of 2022 with over 25 years of experience in various sales, learning, leadership, and consulting roles. Brian has developed a strong acumen in delivering results, coaching teams, and managing change in companies of all sizes and diverse industries.
Brian has a passion for creating self-aware leaders who embrace change and achieve their goals using a 1-degree intentional practice approach. Brian is a PI Certified Talent Optimization Consultant, which enables him to leverage data and insights to optimize the talent strategy and performance of the organization. Brian is always looking for new challenges, and opportunities to learn, and to have a positive impact on the people and the world around him.
As the VP of Employee Experience at LEFCON, Brian improves, protects, and delivers reliable technology while providing exceptional employee support, unparalleled customer service, and significant community contributions.
When not working, Brian and his wife Tanya enjoy watching their son play lacrosse and football and daughter compete in dance and cheerleading.
Mike Devinney joined LEFCON in 2019 with over 35 years of experience in business operations, executive management, and IT management. Mike started his career as a data processor for a data analytics company where he spent 25 years of his career progressing through the organization. He transitioned to a field service engineer, technical support analyst, IT director, and then director of the computer and communications division. Mike then became a VP of Operations for Security Integration company where he oversaw the IT, Project Management, Service and Installation departments. After 10 years of providing integrated security and life safety solutions across the country, Mike went back to his IT roots and joined LEFCON, LLC as VP of operations. As VP of Operations, Mike is responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of our Technical Operation Center, Network Operation Center and Regional Field Services, as well as ensuring timely and professional customer service. As part of the Leadership team at LEFCON, Mike works closely with Project Engineering and Project Delivery to ensure that we are providing outstanding customer service.
Mike has spent his career conceiving and implementing strategic business plans that consistently produce operational efficiencies to improve performance across the breadth of entire organizations.
Mike Brown brings over 15 years of comprehensive experience in cybersecurity and technological advancements as well as Managed Services offerings. As the Vice President of Security and Technology at LEFCON, Mike Plays a pivotal role in orchestrating and implementing robust security protocols and cutting-edge technological strategies for a diverse range of clients.
Mike has a proven track record of designing and implementing tailored security solutions for various industries. His expertise spans threat analysis, compliance, risk management, networking, systems integrations, Windows servers, and Audio/Video, ensuring that clients’ systems remain updated, and digital assets remain secure in an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Mike enjoys music, building, problem solving, and spending time with his wife, son, and daughter.
Mike has worked in the computer industry for the last thirty years. Prior to joining the LEFCON team, Mike worked at Schneider Downs for 23 years, his most recent position as Senior Technical Operations Manager. Mike attended Robert Morris University.
Mike is the Director of Operations within the Network Operations Center, where he leads a team of skilled Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 engineers. Mike’s expertise lies in managing departmental operations and creating and implementing organizational and operational procedures to regulate internal business processes.
In his free time, Mike likes to spend time with his family. When he is not at home, you’re likely to find him on the golf course or at the bowling alley. He also enjoys making craft projects and furniture out of pallet wood.
Tony’s career has revolved around providing technology support in various sectors including K-12 education, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and healthcare. He kickstarted his journey by deploying and maintaining videoconferencing solutions, eventually transitioning to the K-12 educational market. Starting as a helpdesk technician, he steadily climbed the ranks to become the Director of Technology for multiple school districts. Tony then ventured into the hospitality industry, progressing from a Tier 2 support technician to a project engineer, and ultimately returning as the Director of Field Services.
Having worked with esteemed groups like Sage Hospitality, Sage Restaurant Concepts, Crescent Hotels and Resorts, Pebblebrook, Virgin Hotels, Highgate, and more, Tony possesses a comprehensive understanding of both the vendor and property sides of IT support.
During his leisure time, Tony enjoys brewing beer, attending brew fests, cycling, bowling, skiing, and occasionally cheering on the local Pittsburgh Sporting events (Let’s Go Pens!)
Jennifer Ramus joined LEFCON in 2020 and was quickly promoted from Accounts Receivable to Accounting Manager. Jennifer started her career as a Business Office Assistant with Sewickley Academy and has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector. Jennifer graduated from La Roche college with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration. Jennifer is well-versed in an array of accounting platforms such as Navision, Great Plains, and QuickBooks. Jennifer loves problem solving and takes lead on finance-focused client communications, deposit management, account reconciliation, and contract generation.
In her time away from LEFCON, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her daughter, watching & discussing sports, playing softball, and running.
