Meet Our Leaders

Tom Mercer_ President and CEO of designDATA

Tom Mercer

President and CEO
Dale Weaver

Dale Weaver

Chief Operating Officer

Saul De Jesus

Saul De Jesus

Director of Customer Service and Delivery

Denise West

Denise West

Director of Internal Operations

Chris Ceccone

Chris Ceccone

Director of Finance

Jason Stroud

Jason Stroud

Deputy Director of Infrastructure Services

Russ Coxe

Russ Coxe

Director of Data Center and Cloud Operations

Scott Richards

Scott Richards

Director of Training and Microsoft 365 Programs

Brandon Atkins

Brandon Atkins

Director of IT Services Operations

Kevin Fassanella

Kevin Fassanella

Director of Security and Compliance

Tom Mercer_ President and CEO of designDATA

Tom Mercer

President and CEO

Tom Mercer is the President and CEO of designDATA. He’s known for inventing, engineering and being a thought leader, setting the global stage for technology.

Before joining designDATA’s team, he started as a developer and quickly transitioned into product development. While he’s been working at Arctic IT alongside designDATA, he used to work at 3M Library Systems Business Unit. He worked closely with the leadership team, merging the sector with Bibliotheca and expanding the Cloud Library to several international markets. In turn, this increased the range of content, including audiobooks, magazines, comics and movies.

Tom has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from North Dakota State University and a Master of Science in Management of Technology from the University of Minnesota.

Dale Weaver

Dale Weaver

Chief Operating Officer

Dale Weaver is Chief Operating Officer at designDATA. Dale joined the team to implement the proper framework for driving continuous improvement within the designDATA teams and their clients. He exudes a genuine enthusiasm with his executive leadership for building a strong organizational culture, and his positive energy is truly infectious. This service-oriented culture is highly recognized by the organizations and clients it serves – resulting in growth for all.

Dale has experienced remarkable success improving NPS scores, driving operational efficiency, and creating award-winning customer service programs in previous roles. Dale brings a true entrepreneurial spirit and “Can-Do” attitude with a proclivity for instant connection with the teams and clients around him. He leans on his leadership, military and corporate background to resolve immediate and future business challenges with focus, dedication, determination, and a passion for perfection.

Dale holds a Master’s in Business Administration, Telecommunications Management from the University of Dallas, a Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Management from Radford University, and has completed an Executive Development Program through the Wharton Institute of Executive Education, University of Pennsylvania.

Saul De Jesus

Saul De Jesus

Director of Customer Service and Delivery

In 2015, Saul joined designDATA as an engineer. He excelled in this role and was quickly promoted to Supervisor, then Client Technology Manager, Program Manager, and finally to the well-suited position as our Director of Customer Service and Delivery. Saul is also designDATA’s Microsoft Teams Telephony practice lead and assists customers in planning and migrating to Microsoft’s cloud-based corporate phone system.

Currently, Saul is responsible for leading the client service delivery teams. This commands close collaboration with engineers, client team leadership, and our professional services teams to ensure technical standards are met.

Saul carries several certifications, including Microsoft Teams and 365 Security, Apple ACMT, A+, and Ne+.

Denise West

Denise West

Director of Internal Operations

As Director of Internal Operations, Denise West ensures designDATA runs with efficiency, organization, and heart. She oversees logistics and asset management, directing the full lifecycle of company assets from procurement and deployment to tracking and disposal. Denise also manages internal and client-facing logistics, delivering hardware and resources securely and efficiently while driving cost-effective solutions.

Her role extends into process improvement and operational excellence, where she develops streamlined policies and procedures, monitors performance metrics, and ensures compliance across safety, security, and regulatory requirements. Denise is dedicated to increasing efficiency while reducing costs, always seeking ways to elevate operational standards.

She also leads office and facility management, overseeing everything from workspace optimization to vendor relationships, ensuring employees and visitors alike experience a safe, productive, and welcoming environment.

In addition, Denise plays a key role in shaping team culture and employee engagement. She organizes internal events, team-building activities, and milestone celebrations that foster recognition, connection, and community across the company.

Denise brings a uniquely diverse background to her leadership, having previously owned her own business, worked as a legal assistant, and managed operations at designDATA before joining the executive team. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Wright State University, studied at The George Washington University for her Master’s in Paralegal Studies, and has earned multiple certifications in fitness and training. This mix of creativity, discipline, and organizational expertise allows her to approach challenges with both innovation and precision.

Chris Ceccone

Chris Ceccone

Director of Finance

After seven years at designDATA working as Accounting Manager and now Director of Finance, Chris Ceccone embraces his position within the leadership of our organization. Before joining our accounting team, Chris gained extensive experience dealing with nonprofits. This experience has been highly valuable as designDATA specializes in delivering for the association and nonprofit sector. In addition, his proven ability to effectively strategize and implement systems and processes for long-term growth has contributed to his success in this role.

 Currently, Chris focuses on developing a successful direction for the Accounting Department at designDATA. He works directly with our leaders to create a strategy that adds value for our clients. This decision-making includes finding ways to increase efficiency, opportunities to increase profitability, and improving employee productivity and resource use.

Jason Stroud

Jason Stroud

Deputy Director of Infrastructure Services

Jason Stroud is Deputy Director of Infrastructure Services at designDATA. In 2010 he started on our Service Desk before moving on to User Support Manager for one of our of largest customers, Systems Administrator/Technical Account Manager, and Escalation Team Supervisor. With each of these roles Jason proved to be effective at meeting and exceeding customer expectations, maintaining industry best practices, and mentoring/collaborating with other team members.

As Deputy Director of Infrastructure Services, Jason is responsible for the overall day-to-day operations of the Shared Services team; setting and implementing the company’s tactical direction when it comes to new technology offerings for customers and our internal staff; and implementing technical standards and business processes in direct support of the client teams.

Jason holds certifications from CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco Meraki, Kaseya, VMware, Barracuda, and Sophos. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology and Information Assurance from the University of Maryland.
Russ Coxe

Russ Coxe

Director of Data Center and Cloud Operations

Russ has over 35 years of experience in the engineering and information technology fields and has been improving the technology experience of designDATA’s staff and clients for more than nine years. He started his career as an electrical engineer supporting US Navy defense initiatives; eventually, his interest in computerized data acquisition and processing systems led to a successful career in the information technology industry. 

Russ’ areas of expertise include data center design and construction, enterprise computing systems, storage arrays, backup solutions, and networking. He is a graduate of Penn State University and holds certifications from Microsoft, VMware, Veeam, Sophos, and CompTIA.

Scott Richards

Scott Richards

Director of Training and Employee Engagement

Scott Richards joined designDATA in July 2017 as the Training and Development Manager. In this role, he plans and executes weekly webinars for clients and delivers onsite training as needed. Scott focuses on providing “communication excellence” and works hard to incorporate this into the training programs he develops for both designDATA clients and employees.

Prior to joining the company, Scott enjoyed a long and successful career with IBM. He began as an assembler programmer and product tester and eventually took on different roles such as customer support representative and presales software engineer. In 2002, Scott became a technical sales manager and was responsible for supervising a team of 16 employees. He also took on a secondary position as a training manager and continued to work in both roles throughout the remainder of his IBM career.

Scott is a Certified Microsoft Office Specialist trained in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word and is a member of the Association for Talent Development (ATD). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Brown University.
Brandon Atkins

Brandon Atkins

Director of IT Services Operations

Before joining our team, Brandon built a career as a results-driven technology leader specializing in NOC operations, IT service management, and project delivery. One of his proudest achievements includes creating a high-efficiency support organization from scratch for ZeniMax Media, enabling millions of players to enjoy high-quality gaming experiences. 

Today, Brandon leads our Service Desk and Network Operations Center (NOC) teams, applying ITIL best practices to deliver responsive, high-quality, and empathetic support. He champions a culture of continuous improvement and accountability, using data and teamwork to help employees succeed and give clients confidence that they’re in great hands. 

Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Frostburg State University, along with extensive ITIL certifications, including ITIL 4 Strategic Leader and ITIL 4 Leader: Digital & IT Strategy. 

When he’s not at work, he’s an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy, an obstacle course racing enthusiast, and a dedicated soccer fan, especially when Manchester United is playing. 

Kevin Fassanella

Kevin Fassanella

Director of Security and Compliance

Kevin Fassanella is Director of Security and Compliance at designDATA. With over 20 years in IT, he first began his career on the help desk, steadily advancing through the ranks to system administration before discovering his passion and talent for cybersecurity.  

Prior to joining our team, Kevin worked in various highly-regulated government environments, including the IRS, CISA, and the U.S. Coast Guard, where he introduced automation and cloud strategies that dramatically improved operational efficiency.  

He now draws on that experience to help our clients strengthen their security posture and stay compliant in the face of evolving threats. No two days look the same, but his focus remains the same: offering strategic guidance rooted in proven best practices. 

Kevin holds a CISSP certification, ITIL certification, and a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity from American Public University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. You can also find him lifting weights, playing guitar and making music, or cheering on the Washington Commanders. 

Talk With Our Productivity Expert