With over 100 years of combined experience, we’ve got a well-seasoned team at the helm. Whether providing support, building and designing new networks, or developing ways to enhance the client experience, our team is one of the top reasons our company is so valuable to partner with. We’re lifelong learners and open‑minded collaborators who are ready to move mountains on our clients’ behalf.
Jim founded UDI in 1982 with a customer obsession that led him to uncover significant untapped demand for pioneering a Technology Business Management solution for our clients. Through his leadership, Jim has created a long-lasting legacy for employees and clients in our region.
Jim is also credited with pioneering the vision for UDI of being “YOUR BEST EMPLOYEE”. As part of this vision, he has been instrumental in ensuring a culture of adaptation, which is why our mascot is the Chameleon. He knew early on that, for his vision to work in technology, he would need to build a mindset of learning and change. Jim is committed to growing his people to be the best they can be and has created a team of individuals who are dedicated and proud of the work they do. Jim’s founding vision still serves as the soul of UDI today.
“I never went into business just to make money — I found that if I focus on the client experience, the rest will come. The customer experience takes the effort of the whole organization.”
In this role, Chad is focused on building UDI’s business strategy across all offerings and services, mergers and acquisitions, and partnerships. Chad has also worked to define the company’s business architecture, leading strategy and business negotiations with high-profile partnerships as well. These efforts have enabled UDI to combine IT and business with its core values model to meet changing market needs. He is also a champion of other career development programs, where he offers motivation and inspiration to anyone seeking to further their goals and careers.
“Our industry is so different than others, but one constant is that relationships go on for many years and you want every situation to have positive outcomes. I love that I work in an ethical culture built of people who are working to make a difference for our clients.”
I have been with UDI since 2003 and I can honestly say joining the UDI team is the best decision I have ever made. I have really enjoyed seeing the transformation in our industry through the years. We have overcome many obstacles in our community and I believe now, more than ever, we are only at the very beginning of what we can achieve. I have learned that the industry leaders in every business will be the ones that transform first and we are determined to help work in partnership with your business to transform. It is no longer the big beating the small, but the fast beating the slow.
Stephanie joined the growing UDI team in early 2012. What she loves to do most is help people. Stephanie’s passion in life is providing clients with accessible, cutting-edge technology and showing them how IT can be an exciting and effective tool to help their businesses. She is driven by a passion for mutual success with our clients. She takes great pride in a solution-orientated approach and in providing clients with the best customer experience possible.
“My role gives me the opportunity to work firsthand with amazing people and organizations. The best part of my job is getting to tell clients, ‘You’ll love working with our team,’ and knowing it’s the truth.”
Our Director of Operations, Brian, initially joined UDI as a Project Manager and swiftly climbed the ranks, thanks to his natural managerial prowess. Now, he oversees our daily operations with the primary objective of exceeding expectations in delivering exceptional IT support and services to our loyal customers. His expertise, vast experience, and forward-thinking approach make him a valuable member of our team. Brian remains dedicated to elevating customer satisfaction.
UDI was founded under the philosophy that, as technology changed, so would we. Our founder, Jim Perrier, had the foresight to know that we would need to adapt constantly and wanted a name that would withstand the times and not limit the business to geography. This is how our name Universal Data came to be.
Our chameleon skill grew valuable in the computer-networking era as businesses shifted to PCs. We adopted a proactive offering in our solution stack that would allow businesses to have a fixed fee agreement with an IT partner. This was the beginning of Managed IT services
Software and hardware companies raced to fix the Y2K bug and provided “Y2K compliant” programs to help, leaving IT partners on the front lines to support businesses as they raced against time. In the end, there were fewer problems than anticipated due to the preparation and action taken.
Having First Responder status, our employees were available during Katrina power outages and a lack of resources to assist the local business community in restoring systems so they could open for business. “Before, nobody knew what disaster recovery was,” Perrier said at the time. “Now, everybody does
UDI doubled its workforce as a result of increased business before Katrina and a demand for disaster recovery and remote services. In need of larger quarters, UDI decided to return to its place of origin, Elmwood, after 15 years of doing business in the New Orleans Central Business District.
The cloud-era trend was fueled by the want to access data from anywhere and at any time. Today, most businesses are running on some cloud application or server. Whether you were fully or partially operating your business on the cloud, businesses who chose to ignore cloud technology were being left behind
The State of Louisiana implemented K-12 testing requirements on school districts that would be delivered via a wireless network. Our team architected a solution that ensured a wireless network was provided to all students, resulting in the largest wireless deployment initiative in our state’s history.
In the ’90s, viruses and malware began to explode as internet adoption became normalized. UDI took a stance as a thought leader and invested in the technology and people to embark on a new purpose, “Manage Business Risk in the Era of Cyberattacks
Covid caused a sudden shift of tens of millions of workers from on-site to remote-work environments. We began reinventing our solutions portfolio to offer remote workforce solutions that are scaled to support businesses small and large. This planned adaptation created jobs for many technology workers.