TAO Member Spotlight: Tarek Hoteit

Where do you currently work?Banfield Pet HospitalWhat’s your title? Senior Director of IT- Growth & EnablementIn which city (or cities) is your company located?Banfield Pet Hospital is headquartered in Vancouver, WA and operates more than 1,000 hospitals in 42 states, Washington D.C, and Puerto Rico.In what year was your company founded?Founded as a single practice in NE Portland in 1955, Banfield is now the largest general-veterinary practice in the U.S.Describe the company you work for and its product/mission. At Banfield, everything we do is in service of our purpose: A Better World for Pets. We're committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate veterinary care to our patients and positive experiences to our clients. As a practice full of highly qualified professionals, pet owners and pet lovers ourselves, we put the well-being of our patients above all else.Why is your company a member of TAO?Our core technology team is based in Oregon & SW Washington which makes us part of such a great technology community that TAO supports.What do you, personally, like best about being a TAO member? I personally moved and relocated to the area a year ago. TAO is providing a great opportunity to connect with others who share a similar passion in technologies. TAO events also help our IT teams connect and share knowledge with other organizations in the area.What’s your favorite thing about our region’s tech ecosystem? The strong bonds between people and their love for pets, as well as the creative and innovative solutions we frequently witness from the different technology companies in the area.What is your hope for the future of tech in Oregon & SW Washington? During the COVID-19 pandemic, our priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of our 19,000 associates, clients and pets. Innovations in technology are supporting this effort. I am hoping that when we are all past the pandemic that we can focus on technology progress across all segments in society.