The leading knowledge exchange for Data Center, IT and Mission Critical professionals.
As a Managing Partner of AlfaTech’s Technology Division, Rich Garrison provides project management and consulting services to a wide variety of clients, specializing in the design, procurement, and implementation project management of technology and infrastructure. Rich specializes in mission critical infrastructure design, smart building technology deployment, project management and strategic management consulting— expertise gained in over 20 years with AlfaTech and focusing on data center facilities.
Prior to joining AlfaTech, he started his career at Rolm Mil-Spec Computers as a computer operator. Over the years, Rich gravitated toward IT operations developing technical expertise in telecommunications and network engineering. He held senior IT management positions for Bay Area companies such as IT Operations Manager at Aspect Telecommunications and Director of IT at AG Associates. During his tenure at these companies, he developed a passion for bringing IT and facilities together through collaboration on several office expansion projects around the globe.
Involvement in Mission Critical
Rich joined AlfaTech in 2003 to establish their technology consulting practice. Combining MEP and technology speaks to his passion to blend IT and facilities on a wide variety of projects. Early in his career at AlfaTech, Rich returned to his roots by focusing on mission critical data center projects. Combining his experience with IT operations and the strength of AlfaTech MEP engineering positioned them to design world-class data centers, becoming a leader in the mission critical industry. Rich now assist clients with data center strategies, program requirements development, design and implementation.
Involvement in 7×24 Exchange
Having been involved in the organization for 18 years, Rich is a frequent presenter and panel moderator at 7×24 Exchange conferences, including both the Spring and Fall 2023 conferences. Most recently, he moderated a case study panel discussion about Adobe’s 117,000 sq. ft. purpose-built corporate data center. Rich is also active in helping the future workforce learn more about the data center industry. He has been an active participant in 7×24 Exchange’s Data Center 101 program, which provides college students with insights into finding a career in the mission critical industry.
He is also chairman of the 7×24 Northern California Chapter and helped establish the first 7×24 Student Satellite Chapter at Cal Poly University. Rich is a well-known and respected participant in the data center industry and a thought leader for technology related design concepts and approaches.
An Active Life!
Outside of work, Rich and his wife Marcy have been married for 37 years and have always had a passion for children. Having been foster parents for over 10 years, they adopted three children while having two of their own and now have 13 grandchildren. At their local church, Rich has been running sound for the last 18 years and leads their media production team. During COVID, while the church was unable to meet in person, Rich implemented a live streaming solution allowing the church to meet online. The church continues to live stream weekly reaching people around the world. Rich enjoys working with youth and interns at the church, training them on technical skills of running sound, lighting, cameras, and media production.
Photography has been a long-time hobby for Rich. From his boy’s football and baseball games to the breathtaking landscapes of Alaska, Hawaii and recently Scotland, Rich enjoys the art of capturing stunning photographs.
Rich and his family live in Oakley, CA, just a few miles from the delta where he and his family enjoy spending weekends boating. Sometimes with the family waterskiing, tubing, or playing on the beach… And, at other times with his wife simply having lunch on the river. The boat is named “The Office” so when someone asks where he is, he can simply say “I’m in the office.”
Rich believes these hobbies help maintain an important work life balance.
