Velocity IQ and SPC Pave the Way to Good Jobs

Brian Thomas

Not every small or medium-sized business has the budget for an in-house information technology department. That’s where the white-glove approach of Velocity IQ — powered in part by talent from St. Petersburg College — comes in.

Known as a managed service provider, Velocity IQ offers IT support for companies that need reliable technology services but don’t have the resources to build these operations from scratch. Based in St. Petersburg, Velocity IQ not only puts out fires, but manages all technology for a company, from user experience and cybersecurity to system maintenance and IT strategy.

“We step into the role of an internal IT specialist or department so you can focus on keeping your business running smoothly,” said Brian Thomas, who bought Velocity IQ in 2023. “We become part of your team — just without the office chair.”

That team includes SPC graduates Theo Varitimidis and Ian Crider, whose SPC education helped prepare them to support Velocity IQ’s hands-on, full-service approach to IT.

“There’s new challenges every day, which I love,” said Crider, who earned his Cybersecurity Certificate from SPC and has been with Velocity IQ for three years. "I really like solving problems, and that’s a big component of what I do. I get to be kind of a detective, and that part I really enjoy.”

Crider has been troubleshooting his own computers "forever" and is an avid computer gamer.

Ian Crider

"I'm always focused on learning things that will make me good at my job, like technical understanding," Crider said. "I got a lot of those fundamental skills from SPC."

Varitimidis earned his bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and is working on his Security+ certification. He found the training and connections at SPC invaluable.

“Earning my bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity gave me the confidence to pursue this opportunity," Varitimidis said. "With support from TitanSec, SPC’s cybersecurity club, I was able to position myself for success and land the job.”

For his part, Thomas said he seeks employees and interns who can jump right in and is excited that SPC students are such an excellent fit for his company.

“Our goal is for clients to not even know we’re here, but if not, we’re here for them on their worst days,” said Thomas, who sits on SPC’s President’s Advisory Council and provides strategic direction in IT collegewide. “We are a customer service company before anything else.”