Tech Exec of the Year: Carl Ceresoli

Senior Vice President & Chief Technology and Security Officer, Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Major company achievements during tenure: Carl Ceresoli is credited with helping Pacers Sports & Entertainment rethink its approach to technology-as-customer-service, hardware and cybersecurity. In his time with the organization, he has led the modernization of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse studios, implementing a complete overhaul of the organization’s core switch-and-route infrastructure and new scaled Wi-Fi. On the data and enterprise application side of the business, he has migrated legacy on-premises data stores to fully redundant secure cloud-based infrastructure and radically simplified the company’s suite of collaboration tools, enabling work-from-home schedules without sacrificing security or productivity. One of his largest accomplishments is the design and implementation of a cybersecurity practice that leverages state-of-the-art protection abilities to provide coverage to data, networks and end users. He is the first employee in organization history to file and successfully obtain a U.S. utility patent, which was issued for a technology used to align content from a second screen with a broadcasted event. The technology uses embedded microphones and AI to ensure both stay in sync even though the content is being delivered on separate devices. “Carl’s work is critical to the continued growth of the company,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment President and Chief Operating Officer Mel Raines said in her nomination. “Moreover, his work on cybersecurity and his push to modernize and harden our tech infrastructure protects the company’s most significant assets and ensures we can operate efficiently and effectively.”

Challenge faced: Discovered an ongoing cyber breach three months into the job. “Spent the next six months cleaning it up, which was the real challenge.”

First computer: Commodore 64, used to practice writing basic code

The road: Ceresoli started in the telecom industry just as cellular started to take off. His stops included Cingular for seven years; Microsoft, where he was recruited to help with the retail store buildout; and Starbucks, where he ran global networks and tech for the company’s retail locations around the planet. “I have always liked parachuting into challenging roles, being an agent of change and driving innovation,” he said.

Favorite tech gadgets: anything from Ubiquiti, his Windows phone

Preferred work atmosphere: “One that enables people to be their best and rewards success.”

I wish people understood: “All the end users know is that the internet works, they can send and receive email and print. They have no understanding of a zero-day patch, Department of Justice cyber-audits complexities, threat-management alerts in the middle of the night, and why you can’t plug your home wireless router into the port on your desk at work.”

Free time: “The time that I do have is spent with the kids.”•

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