Vision Net Hosted Business After Hours at Billings Office
On January 11, 2023, the Billings Vision Net team was thrilled to host a Business After hours winter wonderland theme with the Billings Chamber of Commerce.
Enjoying great company over some delicious food from Tiny’s Tavern. Guests were welcome to shake off the night’s chill at a hot cocoa bar and enjoy the Wheel of Fortune Spin game to win some fantastic door prizes.
During the event, our Business Development Manager, Roy Alexander, shared Vision Net’s investments in the Billings Community, without government or federal assistance, to install our fiber optic cable to ensure our client’s businesses stay online and secure. Now companies in Billings can have fast internet and local support. Check our fiber ring here.
Networking and enjoying the fellowship of other Chamber representatives is always a highlight of Business After Hours. The event reached full capacity, which was a fantastic way to start the year!
Vision Net Opens the Doors on its Newest Data Center
Customers and community invited to an open house and tour in Billingson Friday, September 9
Billings, MT–Vision Net, Inc., a Montana-based telecommunications solution provider, is hosting an open house with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new data center at 1030 Central Avenue in Billings on Friday, September 9, from 11 am to 1 pm. The event will include door prizes, a facility tour, and lunch provided by the La Taqueria Food Truck. Because this is a highly secure facility, tour reservations are requested at www.vision.net/openhouse.
Data centers are facilities that centralize a company's IT operations and equipment at an offsite location. With the advent of edge computing—which brings computation and data storage closer to the customer to save bandwidth, increase response times, and bolster security—the demand for these centers has grown exponentially. At its most basic level, a data center provides valuable "real estate" for a company's most critical IT components, including routers, storage systems, firewalls, and servers.
Vision Net's 1030 Central Data Center boasts 24,000 square feet with dry pipe fire suppression and zoned heat/smoke detection, a floor loading capacity of 200+ pounds per square foot, a redundant HVAC system with hot/cold isle configuration, and a shipping and receiving area with two loading docks. Other vital features include:
- 24-hour Customer Access and around-the-clock "remote hands" assistance and (NOC) Network Operation Center support.
- Diverse Network Connectivity to multiple carriers, and carrier neutrality
- Highly reliable commercial power with redundant ups and generator back-up
- Compliances include System Organizational Controls (SOC 1 Type 2) and PCI DSS SAQ Compliant.
Vision Net Interim CEO Gary Evans is pleased to welcome the community to 1030 Central. "Vision Net's new data center expands our suite of solutions to deliver a more comprehensive, end-to-end customer experience for clients across the country and around the world," he said. "As a Montana-based firm, part of our mission is to fuel growth throughout our state. 1030 Central delivers on this promise, ensuring area businesses have access to the most innovative solutions available today.
The new data center was acquired as part of Vision Net's recent acquisition of iConnect Montana.
About Vision Net
For 27 years, Vision Net has provided a full suite of B2B telecommunications solutions to financial services, healthcare, government, professional and educational clients, allowing them to innovate and expand in Montana and beyond. With offices in Great Falls, Billings, Missoula, and Helena, Vision Net gives its clients the peace of mind to concentrate on their business by providing a secure, agile, and adaptable network built for their needs and budget. Vision Net is proud to be Montana's largest independent network and proud to call Montana home.
Employee Spotlight: Janine Brester
This month’s Employee Spotlight features the Staff Accountant from our Billings office, Janine Brester! During the interview she gives her first impressions about Vision Net and tells how it works being in a different office than her manager.
What is your position here at Vision
Net and what do you do?
I am a Staff Accountant and I help Becky, the Account Manager, close the financial records on a monthly basis and prepare the monthly financial statements for the CEO and Board of Directors. Also, complete various other accounting duties, such as reconciliations, variance reports and budgets.
How long have you worked at Vision
Net?
I started at the end of January (2019).
What made you choose Vision Net?
Vision Net provided me an opportunity to continue to grow on my past 15 years of public accounting experience, in the private industry within a company. Also, Vision Net’s culture, values and ethics was a good fit for me.
What’s your favorite Vision Net perk?
The people.
What are the challenges of being in our Billings office and working on a daily basis with your manager who is located in Great Falls?
It works very well. We use Vision Connect for most of our training, which works well being able to share our screens with each other, while having discussions over the phone.
What are 3 words to describe Vision
Net?
Network, Fiber Optics and Communications.
What advice do you have for prospective
Vision Net candidates?
It’s a great company to work for, with great benefits and good people.
What’s the first thing you do when
you get to work each morning?
Check my email account and respond to any emails.
What do you like most about your
job?
The accounting aspect of preparing the financial statements and analyzing the fluctuations from month to month.
What do you find the most
challenging about your job?
The accounting rules and regulations and how to properly implement any changes, along with properly completing any reports and filing them on time.
What people would never guess you do
in your role?
Backup for Payroll.
Are there any projects you’ve worked
on that you’re proud of?
I’m fairly new here, we are almost done with the budget so it can be presented to the Board for approval. I know there will be additional projects in the future.
What’s something that you’ve learned
at Vision Net?
I would say learning and understating the internal accounting system in the short amount of time that I’ve been here. Also, learning all the various acronyms within each department.
What do you like to do when you
aren’t working?
Travel, golf, concerts and watch my son play hockey and baseball.
What has been the most important
innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime?
Cell phones and all of its capabilities.
Do you have a favorite newspaper,
blog?
Billings Gazette, Accounting Journal and for fun People magazine.
What was the last movie you saw in
theaters?
Avengers Endgame.
Do you have any talents or hobbies?
Playing golf.
Janine playing golf during the 17th Vision Net Golf Tournament, June 2019.
How do you define success?
Success is defined by establishing goals and achieving them. In order to do that, you have to develop a good foundation with your coworkers and team, and work together to meet those goals.
Thanks Janine, we are happy to have you as part of the Vision Net team!
