About IBM People

Tim Scamporinno: Seizing the Day

In his nearly two years at IBM, Tim Scamporinno has excelled. It's not surprising given his winning combination of intelligence, academic credentials, personal drive and an ability to get the job done. He has recently been promoted to Manager, SAP Systems Management, for Global Services in IBM's San Jose, California, office. He leads a team of 20, working on hardware and software for internal IBM clients. "We just completed a year-long project of upgrading our systems," says Scamporinno. "We support both the application and the hardware it runs. The application is SAP - - Systems, Applications and Products for data processing. SAP is essentially a database that has several native modules to support the major functions of a business, such as human resources, finance, sales and distribution, and manufacturing. The database serves as the central repository for all data related to the business to eliminate redundancy and automate transactions." The skills required to support this application are quite broad - - and skills define the teams Scamporinno manages. The skills include, DBA, System Administration for AIX, NT and Windows 2000, programming (ABAP/4, C, Shell Scripting), Basis Administration (for support of the application itself), Networking, SP, TCP/IP, Client/Server concepts, trouble-shooting and problem-solving skills. "The upgrade we just completed culminated in a weekend event that lasted approximately 48 hours," says Scamporinno. "Although an application upgrade, the hardware was upgraded to support the new requirements of SAP. "There are more than 3,500 users in 35 countries that use the system we support in San Jose," he continues. "As you can imagine, it takes a talented team, willing to provide 24x7 support, to maintain a complex system that runs around the clock. We are very proud of the high system availability rate we have - - approximately 98% - - and a high customer satisfaction rate." More Than Business Success Scamporinno's success is all the more impressive considering what he has overcome. An accident 15 years ago put him in a wheelchair and left him quadriplegic with limited use of his hands. Scamporinno is proud of his accomplishments but quick to credit IBM for giving him a chance. "I came into IBM through Entry Point," he explains. "It's an internship program that helps students with disabilities get a chance at high-tech internships. In my case, I was accepted for a summer internship in May 1998." At Sonoma State University, where he received his degree, computer science majors were in great demand. Scamporinno's faculty advisor was constantly fielding requests from area businesses for a chance to interview top students. "I went on a number of interviews, but once they saw me and my disability, that was it," says Scamporinno. Applying for the Entry Point program, he interviewed at IBM and was given a number of offers. None, however, were in the area of his interest. Coincident to his interviewing for the internship, a speaker from IBM's nearby Silicon Valley Lab came to campus for a presentation. Scamporinno seized the day, handed the speaker his resume and hoped for the best. The IBM manager called, he interviewed for an internship, and the rest is history. After just three months into the internship, Tim was offered a full-time job. "I accepted with the condition that I could return to school to finish my final semester." He did that the following year. How has it been adjusting to IBM and the world of work? "There was a new employee mentor program in place in my department," Scamporinno explains. "My mentor helped me with job skills, answered questions, introduced me to the various teams I'd be working with and was always available to help." Scamporinno is low-key about his disability because it hasn't been an issue at IBM. "I've received complete support from the beginning," he explains. Given that support and how he has excelled, he is quick to reply when asked what he sees for himself down the road at IBM: "The sky's the limit."