Growing up, Joel Abramson, chief executive officer of Fully Managed, experienced all the regular technological milestones of the day.
The 35-year-old leader of the multi-platform IT services company remembers his father setting up a Commodore 64 – an eight-bit computer – for him in the living room. He also remembers getting a Super Nintendo for Christmas, and playing early console video games like Summer Games or Skate or Die! that have become iconic over the years.
“I remember when the Internet really first started,” said Abramson. “I built a fan page for the Vancouver Grizzlies because I took a summer course up at [Simon Fraser University] building websites on the Internet. That was when I started to understand the potential of connecting people with technology, simply because of how accessible the Internet started to make information, even back in those early days.”
Abramson graduated from McGill University in 2004. He was on the path to landing a job in New York for Merrill Lynch as an underwriter when his career took a turn, back to the past. An opportunity came up to start PacketSafe Networks Corp., a managed services company. It was something he couldn’t say no to.
“It actually took me back 10 years to when I was 23 years old to something that I had said. And that was that I wanted to connect business and people to technology.”
Over the years Abramson has also started and sold a number of ventures including a niche-market T-shirt website, a collegiate sports memorabilia customization website and a vacation rental management consulting firm.
Abramson ran PacketSafe as its managing director until 2013 when it was acquired by Fully Managed. He started as vice-president of business development, and in January of this year was named chief executive officer.
When asked about the future of technology, Abramson said the only certainty is that the possibilities are endless.
“The rate of change is incredible to watch. We’re in a day and age where the growth of technology available to both consumers and businesses is growing exponentially.”
Join us to celebrate the 2016 Forty under under 40 Awards January 25, 2017 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. For tickets and event info visit www.biv.com/events/40under40.
