Careers Santa Barbara Summer 2005

By Norman Loukes

Finding a job can be a limiting experience. When it comes to employment opportunities, we seem compelled to stay within our prescribed comfort zone and venturing into uncharted territory seems a frightening prospect.

However, by taking some extra time and research to identify pockets of employment which may not be readily apparent, your odds of attaining that perfect job increase dramatically. And besides, targeting jobs that lie behind the scenes can be a huge advantage in avoiding the mundane grind of predictability in the work place.

Although it has suffered from high-profile losses in the recent past, the technology industry can be a great area to target your search for that perfect behind the scenes job. As the Internet is becoming an increasingly integral part of everyday life, more and more businesses are moving online.

These days, you would be hard pressed to find a company that doesn't have a web site either for promotional or sales purposes. Internet sales, commerce, and banking are reaching staggering proportions, and with the increase in transactions and valuable information comes the need for security.

That is where Demarc Security comes into play. A local company which provides safety solutions for companies that face potential security threats from computer hackers, thieves, and viruses, Demarc Security is the quintessential high tech company.

Co-founded by UCSB graduate, Brendan Rizzo and Josh Moskovitz, Demarc develops and provides cutting-edge security programs for individuals, businesses, and operations seeking to protect their valuable data and information. Rizzo and Moskovitz, who met in the Bay Area while working for a tech firm, started the company after identifying an increased need for adaptive, smart security programs. It didn't take long to pinpoint Santa Barbara as the perfect place to start a fledgling business.

"From the standpoint of a business trying to protect itself, the perimeter of attack has dissolved," said Rizzo from his office overlooking the bluffs of Carpinteria. "The standard virus protections and security measures people have relied on in the past just aren't adequate anymore."

This is one of the reasons Demarc, which opened it's doors in 2001, has grown steadily since Rizzo and Moskovitz designed their initial security software. In the interim, the company has developed exciting new software, Sentarus. Sentarus is a program which provides comprehensive protection for computer networks. From detecting server intrustions to assessing potential vulnerabilities, Sentarus does it all.

Of course, the development of cutting edge software is all well and good, but how does the success of Demarc and the Sentarus program help you in your job search, especially if you don't have the slightest idea how to write a computer program? Brendan Rizzo laughs at the suggestion that one has to be a circuit- head to work in the tech industry. "We have opportunities at every level, from programming to development to sales." Rizzo also notes that the expanding popularity of the Sentarus program means company expansion, and that means more available jobs. By the end of 2006, Demarc plans on having fifty employees in Santa Barbara.

This brings to light an interesting point. Recently formed, growing companies can be a great place to find employment, especially for those looking to be in the midst of something promising, new, and exciting. For those adventurous enough to foray into the sometimes volatile but often rewarding technology industry, the sky could be the limit.

Such is the case at Demarc, which now provides threat management solutions to military and government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and financial institutions. This year Sentarus is being deployed to ensure the qualifying tournament of soccer's World Cup goes off without any technological hitches. Now that's going global. Rizzo smiles at the thought of Sentarus, which is multi-lingual, being deployed to a soccer tournament halfway around the world to protect the sanctity of the world¹s favorite sport. Soon, Demarc itself may have global offices to support the skyrocketing success of it's Sentarus program. But right here, right now, Brendan Rizzo is happy to be in Santa Barbara.

"We believe in what we are doing-in the product, in the company, and in making a difference," said Rizzo. "If someone is a hard worker and welcomes the opportunity to be exposed to an exciting, fast-moving industry, places like this can be a perfect fit."