Get to know our KTL team! This month, we are catching up with KTL Consultant Joseph Kunes.  Joseph supports KTL’s information management projects, including Microsoft SharePoint®, dynaQ™, and other database applications. As an educator by training, he excels at guiding clients through technology implementation. Joseph is based out of St. Louis, Missouri. 

Tell us a little bit about your background—what are your areas of expertise?

I started my professional career as a French teacher and taught Middle School French in Milwaukee, Wisconsin before I joined KTL in 2012. My first project at KTL was performing some outreach work with the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD). At that time, KTL offered a dynaQ™ assessment/audit tool designed to help our clients establish and/or maintain compliance with NACD’s Responsible Distribution standard.

This initial assignment of providing dynaQ support to KTL’s chemical distribution clients, allowed me to start developing a greater skillset and deeper understanding of KTL’s database tools and the information technology (IT) side of developing them. As my technology skills have grown, my role at KTL has also changed and expanded over time. To this day, however, I continue to work directly to provide IT support on KTL projects (e.g., dynaQ, database applications, and SharePoint tools) and to maintain and grow our client relationships.

What types of clients do you work with? What are the biggest issues you see them facing right now?

I work with public and private clients across a number of sectors—most of which are focused on developing or improving environmental program management. Despite this diverse clientele, I continually see a universal challenge of staying organized enough to grow operational productivity while maintaining the various aspects of regulatory compliance. It is a difficult balance for many organizations to strike, particularly when so many are resource-constrained right now.

What would you say is a highlight of your job?

I take great pride in seeing the fruits of my labor evident in everyday life.  I am currently part of a team tasked with maintaining bridge and rail infrastructure, thus leading to the distribution of goods throughout the nation. In the past, I have worked with organizations to rebuild the electrical grid in the southeast and Puerto Rico after having been devastated by hurricanes. It’s rewarding to play a role on projects like that. I also truly enjoy the client satisfaction and appreciation we often experience once we have restored order to sometimes chaotic systems by setting up custom SharePoint sites with the appropriate tools tailored to suit the client’s needs.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I’m a man of simple pleasures—I enjoy good food and good drink in good company. I am also (and hope to soon be again) an avid traveler and enjoy exploring new places to take in the local fare.  I’m also a big fan of the arts—be it musical, performance, or material—as well as any cultural experiences.

Read Joseph’s full bio.