Thomas Barthell – Regional Account Manager
On August 15, 2013, Tom hopped on board the ADSOTECH band wagon and began his role as an Account Manager. Having just arrived in Helsinki seven days prior, he came all the way from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States to learn from Christer Mäkelä and his experienced team of sales and IT specialists. The youngest member of the ADSOTECH squad, Tom graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in Policy Economics and Spanish. On top of his education, he has extensive experience in international marketing within the IT industry. All in all, Tom brings an energetic spark to the sales team along with innovative marketing strategy.
Throughout his childhood, Tom resided in the Midwest of the US, accompanied by his parents and older brother, Ted. From a very young age, Tom and his brother stayed active. In the summer, the boys were either training for the upcoming football season, swimming on the local swim team or water skiing at their nearby lake house. Once winter rolled around, the Barthell family often ventured westward to Breckenridge, Colorado and downhill skied. Adventures such as this were typical for Tom and his family.
“Growing up in the Midwest, a lot of children are not exposed to foreign cultures too much. I like to say that most kids don’t expand their awareness past the cornfield down the road. However, my parents took me on plenty of expeditions across the US and Canada where we fished, skied, hiked and plenty of other outdoor activities. On a yearly basis we would even travel to places like Puerto Rico, Jamaica or Mexico, exploring the historical monuments and enjoying paradise for a week or so. No matter where we went, my parents continuously exposed me to a wide variety of cultures and different regions of the world.”
During his time at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Tom spent four months in Seville, Spain. While there, he studied Spanish linguistics and lived with a local couple.
“The experience I had Seville is unforgettable. Living in a city with so much history and beauty was a blessing. Not to mention, my host family and group of insane Spanish friends truly made me feel at home. While living in Spain, I also traveled around Europe and Northern Africa. By the end of my study abroad experience, I developed a genuine fascination and appreciation towards the diverse cultures of our world.”
Once he completed his undergraduate degree, Tom harnessed that passion for cultural exploration and began searching for unique work opportunities abroad. Ultimately, Tom chose the position at ADSOTECH in Finland.
“I had a lot of fun exploring my options for post-grad work. I mean, the whole world was my new frontier – I felt like the opportunities were endless. ‘What would it be like to work in Beijing? London? South America?’ Eventually, I came across ADSOTECH in Scandinavia, a region I was completely unfamiliar with and extremely intrigued by. After researching the company and speaking extensively with Christer, I was thoroughly impressed by the things they had accomplished and the cutting-edge work they were doing within the IT industry. Now, to say I am a part of a company that has sparked the exponential growth of so many businesses and corporations is an honor. As the young buck of this experienced team, I can only hope to continue learning from my colleagues and constantly offer my fresh ideas. Undoubtedly, it feels good to say I am part of a reliable company that remains at the forefront of innovation within the IT world.”
Thomas Barthell – Regional Account Manager