Vanderbilt Behind the Scenes: Featuring Jesse McCrostie, Product Manager

To say that Vanderbilt’s Jesse McCrostie wears many hats is an understatement.

Hired in 2002, McCrostie joined the organization as an IT Tech when the company was known as Geoffrey Industries. With a total of 17 years in the industry, he has witnessed firsthand the evolution of Vanderbilt’s role as a leader in the security market and has also experienced an evolution in his own professional responsibilities.

Early on as he embarked on his career, McCrostie was tasked with building and repairing desktop computer systems and providing IT support for staff within the organization. After a successful four years, he was offered the position of System Analyst, which evolved to his current role as Project Manager of Vanderbilt’s Video Management System (VVMS) and ACT365. But his responsibilities don’t stop there. McCrostie manages the company’s various trade shows, offers specialized support to the sales team and also provides tier 2 technical support for VVMS and ACT365. “I have even written a few lines of code for our bright blue product line,” he stated.

McCrostie’s current role of Product Manager offers the opportunity to be a part of many facets of the organization. With core responsibilities focused on managing the VVMS and ACT365 product lines, elements of engineering, production, sales, marketing and tech support all play a role in his position. Additionally, managing U.S. trade shows means that McCrostie is responsible for everything from planning to execution and installation of products.

When asked what the most rewarding part of his job is, without hesitation McCrostie said it is working with customers to find the best solutions to meet their needs. “Whether it be providing guidance for an advanced configuration or troubleshooting a second tier technical support issue, there is nothing more satisfying than ending a phone call knowing the problem has been solved and the customer is happy,” he said.

It is no wonder McCrostie has adapted so well to Vanderbilt’s culture. One of Vanderbilt’s core values is always placing the customer first, a strength he said has allowed the company to make a difference in the world of security solutions. “It’s been a core part of our culture for as long as I’ve been with the company, and long before that I’m sure. Our customers know they can reach out directly to myself or anyone else at Vanderbilt if they need help.”

Over the last year, McCrostie has been responsible for a special project integrating Allegion ENGAGE NDE and LE locks to the ACT365 product line, which has proved to be both challenging and rewarding, exemplifying the way that Vanderbilt works hard to drive innovation in the industry. “As much of the world moves to cloud-based architecture, Vanderbilt is on the forefront of this technology in the security industry,” he added.

Although McCrostie works hard, he also found time to develop a unique personal hobby: creating his own homebrewed beer. With an emphasis on quality, he was able to simulate much of the equipment that can be found in a brewery. “While the process is detailed and somewhat unforgiving, the best thing about homebrewing is I can make exactly what I want,” said McCrostie. “I don’t have to search the store for something I tried once — I can just make it.”

When not busy tending to his homebrewing projects, he adds to the “work hard, play hard” principle by traveling with his wife. So far they have been to Key West, Florida, five times in the last six years. “There is something about island life I could certainly get used to,” he shared.

Thank you, Jesse, for being such an instrumental part of the Vanderbilt team and wearing your multiple hats with pride.