Apex Infinite Solutions chief technology officer
Major company achievements during tenure
Apex Infinite Solutions is an IT managed-services provider specializing in end-user support, consulting, infrastructure and cybersecurity. Rivers has been at AIS nine years, helping to grow the company from a two-man shop focused on central Indiana organizations to 16 full-time employees serving more than 7,000 end users. During his tenure, the company has grown from $100,000 in annual revenue to nearly $4 million at the end of last year, and he has led almost every area of the company at one time or another. “Cody is extremely passionate about creating optimal solutions for his clients that lead to enabling business growth,” said Amber Fields, AIS’ corporate sales director. “Cody’s creative thinking has accelerated AIS’ business and that of our clients. He takes complex models and breaks them down to reassemble them profitably for both AIS and its clients.” Rivers also serves as an outsourced CIO/CTO for other organizations in the community, including the Indianapolis Indians.
Challenge faced that only tech people would understand
“In our industry, there are an abundance of tool sets,” Rivers said. But “it’s challenging to sort through them to determine which new tool sets are the best. Even then, you [have] to dig deep to really understand if it can do what it says it can do, if it’s consistently reliable, if it integrates with other tool sets, etc.”
First computer
He was 6 or 7 when he got an IBM ThinkPad with a black-and-white screen. He used it to learn MS-DOS, and took it apart and put it back together several times.
The road
As a boy, Rivers knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps to pursue a career in information technology. At about age 6, he started spending time at the family business. “By the time I was 16, I was a billable employee.” After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in computer engineering, he worked for several years as COO of Rivers Resources and CIO of eSource Resources, his father’s consulting firms. That’s where he met AIS founder and CEO Lamont Hatcher. He joined AIS in 2012, serving primarily small to mid-market organizations. “While enterprise-level organizations were reaping the benefits of technology, small to mid-market organizations were not,” he said. “I saw an opportunity to help create a company that could significantly impact the success of [smaller businesses] by making enterprise-level technology solutions, best practices and methodologies accessible to [them].”
Go-to websites
• Stampedeblue.com, GoldandBlack.com and Zapier.com for personal use
• TheChannelCo.com, G2.com, Microsoft.com and MSPinsights.com for professional use
Favorite gadget
“I’m an Apple connoisseur,” he said. His Apple watch and AirPods and any Apple products.
Preferred work atmosphere
“I thrive in problem-solving atmospheres that are laid-back, surrounded by intelligent, driven people. I enjoy a healthy mix of work atmospheres—working from home, coffee shops, office.”
My job would be easier if …
“There was more time in the day. People were more predictable. I love people, and the diversity of people I engage with, but people are the biggest variable in IT.”
Free time?
family, sports and technology R&D•
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