Guest blog post by Pad Hosame, IT Specialist, Office of the Chief Information Officer, National Technical Information Service (NTIS)

I was born in Bangalore, India. Today, Bangalore is home to many of the most well-recognized colleges and research institutions in India. Numerous public sector industries, software companies, aerospace, telecommunications, and defense organizations are located in the city. Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its position as the nation's leading IT exporter. A demographically diverse city, Bangalore is a major economic and cultural hub and the fastest growing major metropolis in India. After growing up in a technology atmosphere, it was natural that I entered the technology field. I have a bachelor's degree in electronics & telecommunication engineering.

It was my dream to come to the United States and I arrived here in 1998. Although my family and work schedules do not allow time for community service, I view my work at NTIS as a way to give back to the community. I actively try to mentor others in technical areas.  I am fortunate to be a long time NTIS employee, as it has provided me with opportunity to learn and grow in my field.

Currently, I lead the production support team for the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) at NTIS.  In that capacity, I am responsible for Linux, VMWare Virtual Infrastructure, Microsoft servers, storage, databases, and backup for all NTIS and for NTIS products and customers. 

I am influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.  He promoted peace founded on justice, self-determination, diversity, compassion, and harmony, achieved through cooperative and non-violent means. Today, I value his ideals and apply them to improve collaboration across NTIS. I enjoy working with the entire OCIO team, joining forces to resolve difficult problems. At times we bring in former NTIS employees, who still feel they are part of our team and are happy to reach out when we need their assistance. We will always be a family within OCIO. Teamwork and values such as those that Gandhi promoted are a part of our work culture.

I am very proud to be a civil servant. It provides a way to give back to my community and make a difference. My advice would be to start as career in the Federal Government and use your talents and skills for infrastructure improvements.

I am proud to come from Asian heritage and appreciate the acceptance in American society. To me, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month shows we are all welcome here and our contributions are well received.

Ed. note: This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series showcasing the vast and diverse work of Department of Commerce AAPI employees during Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.