Pete Nowikow, information security analyst III, is one of the newest InfoSec team members. In his day-to-day role, Pete aids in designing and deploying Network Access Control (NAC, e.g., Cisco Identity Services Engine, or ISE). He also partners closely with the WUIT Network Engineering team and BJC. Pete will often work with several other departments, depending on the projects with which they need help and the skill set Pete can provide. Pete enjoys working on puzzles. He notes that the “NAC is quite the puzzle,” and he enjoys showing others his skills. While Pete brings puzzle-solving and NAC expertise to the team, he likes that his colleagues who share the same title bring vastly different capabilities.
Pete’s career in IT infrastructure began in 1997, and as he worked in this field, he saw trends pointing toward system administrator tasks becoming more automated. He recognized that he needed to make a change and take on a new challenge, so he transitioned to information security. His first opportunity in this field occurred at a bank where he worked. They needed to segment their network to comply with new regulatory guidelines. He told his director he would take on the challenge because they had no staff member with the specialization to do it. After getting the proper training and resources, he completed 40 sites over three years. Since then, he has helped Mercy and WashU with their ISE deployment. Pete has earned many certifications applicable to his role throughout his career, like the CompTIA Security+, Cisco ISE, and, most recently, the ISC2 CISSP.
One thing that Pete most enjoys about his role here at WashU is the flexibility of a remote work environment. He notes that “a remote job is hands down the best thing that ever happened to his career,” and “the time and stress of not commuting is fantastic!” With this extra time in his day, Pete likes photography, gardening, woodworking, and cycling, and he is a licensed amateur radio operator. He also likes to spend his time as a volunteer with Rebuilding Together STL, a nonprofit that provides free home repairs in the St. Louis community. He stays busy with his two boys, Jacob, 5, and Caleb, 10, camping and going on float trips. In addition to his hobbies, Pete plans to return to school this fall through the WashU CAPS program to earn his bachelor’s degree through their BSIS program. Pete dual enrolled during high school, taking vocational school for computer electronics, eventually earning his associate’s degree.
While Pete has been living in the STL area for quite some time, his immediate family lives in Florida. He has had the experience of living in several different regions around the country, including New England, Georgia, and Florida. He hopes to visit Florida more often to see his family. Pete gave us insight into some family history, saying that his “grandparents immigrated here during WWII from Germany via Ellis Island, NY, with nothing but a few suitcases, a friend, and a little cash.” Pete was the first in his family to be born on American soil, and he is bilingual in German and English.
If you want to learn more about information security, Pete recommends the Darknet Diaries.