Brian Klier is a Network Manager for a K-12 school district in southern Minnesota, and has worked with technology professionally for 30 years.
Brian established a fascination with computers when his father introduced him into the computer world at age 4, with a Commodore Pet and an Apple ][+. Before age 10, he taught himself how to program in BASIC by creating several game programs with graphics. He received his amateur radio license N0QVC in 1992, and SysOped both an MSYS amateur radio packet BBS and Wildcat! Telephone BBS in the early 90s. Brian continued his computer education by taking several technology-related classes in high school, and majoring in Electronics at South-Central College. Even with formal education, most of Brian’s expertise with computers and computer networking comes from his own hands-on computer projects.
Today, Brian manages the network and WiFi infrastructure, server architecture, virtualization environments, and cybersecurity for 8 buildings and more than 1400 workstations. Brian is familiar with all Microsoft Windows platforms, as well as the Apple Mac.
Brian has stretched his expertise level into home automation by developing his own system at home. In 1998, he started work on the MisterHouse/APRS Tracking System, which is an open-source Perl module for remotely controlling home automation devices and keeping track of vehicle locations using GPS and wireless technologies. Brian now uses a Home Assistant environment with full control over lighting, media, security cameras, heating, and air conditioning.
Brian holds several certifications in the computer, networking, cybersecurity, and telecommunications field, and sits on several committee advisory boards for Electronics Technician’s Association – International including Network Systems Technician, Information Technology Security Specialist, Computer Systems Technician, Digital Video Editor, and Audio/Video Forensics Analyst.
In his spare time, Brian enjoys travelling, motocross, storm spotting, photography, videography, and historical research, an effort that was acknowledged in 2019 with a certificate of special congressional recognition.