Derek Fine has joined Darlington School as technology support specialist, effective July 1. In his new role, Fine will work under the guidance of the I.T. Office assisting members of the Community with various school-issued devices including Darlington’s fleet of MacBooks, iPads, SMART Boards, printers and other technology, supplying helpful tips and resources, installation and repair.
"Derek brings a wide range of skills to Darlington, something that is important to support the growing complexity of technology," said Stefan Eady, Darlington's director of information technology. "His past experience has honed his troubleshooting and customer service skills while his ongoing graduate work has given him a background in many areas of technology including coding and databases."
A native of McDonough, Ga., Fine holds a B.A. in Business and Marketing from Clayton State University and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Information Technology at Southern Polytechnic State University.
“I have always enjoyed computers and technology,” said Fine. “There are always new things developing in the field to learn, and it is a very innovative career path.”
Fine spent the previous five years working as a physical security specialist at Unified Consultants Group, Inc. As such, he used his extensive knowledge of electronic security systems to identify vulnerabilities and provide solutions to protect facilities. Fine holds multiple certifications related to data security.
“A big part of my last position was working with people through their problems and issues to fix things,” added Fine. “I’m a people person, and that is an important part of this new job.”
He and his wife, Darlington fifth-grade teacher Julie Fine, have one young daughter, Adelyn, and are expecting a boy and a girl in October. Before joining the Darlington staff, Fine lived on campus with his family in Thornwood House. They are currently building a home just north of Floyd County in Summerville, Ga.
“When I decided to pursue my master’s last summer, I knew I wanted to move into the I.T. field,” said Fine. “After living here for three years, I know the people and what Darlington is all about—and knew it would be a great fit for me.”
