business & i rofessional The IT Man Flexible with change, Sam Rozenberg applied himself in Michigan. Bill Carroll Special to the Jewish News D uring the almost forgotten plight of Soviet Jewry in the 1970s, Sam Rozenberg, then 13, fled the Ukraine with his family to start a new life in America. "The future world of information tech- nology could have been something out of an outer-space movie as far as I was concerned:' he says. "It was completely unheard of. Besides, I was busy adapting to my new country." He knows about IT now. His PMV Technologies operation opened in 2004 in a small building in Troy, then moved in 2008 to a 20,000-square-foot facility in Madison Heights — part of Southeast Michigan's technology-filled Automation Alley. It has grown from 12 to 35 employ- ees in seven years, and has become a multi-million-dollar-a-year business. Rozenberg, 46, of West Bloomfield is co-founder and president of PMV (which stands for "provide maximum value"). The company consists of a team of IT profes- sionals and business experts who help clients — mostly small and medium-sized businesses — optimize their technology investments. "We deliver substantially more value as measured in total cost savings and effi- ciency," he explains. "We provide our 65 clients with expertise in the all-important business planning, telecommunications, business work flow, phone system advi- sory, regulatory compliance and proactive technology management." How did an immigrant from the Ukraine, living in Warren, get so immersed in IT? It started after he got an economics degree from Wayne State University in 1988 and while he oper- ated an automotive service business, Sam's Detail Shop, first in Berkley, then Farmington Hills. Concurrently, Rozenberg spent a 12-year stint in the Michigan Army National Guard, where he became a major and served as an informal IT/auto- mation officer, getting his first experience with computers. He applied that knowl- edge and skills to his current business. "When I left the Guard, I decided I would never work for anyone again',' he Sam Rozenberg says. "I had enough discipline there. I wanted to be my own boss; make it on my own in the new world of IT." He sold Sam's Detail Shop in 2000. "Sam wants to change the world one computer at a time says Scott Goemmel of Clinton Township, who is co-founder and vice president of PMV Technologies. They met when they worked together briefly at 0/E Systems, a technical services company. "Sam's computer savvy has put our company way ahead of the curve." Rozenberg's technical knowledge and Goemmel's sales and marketing expertise make them compatible partners. The Jewish News posed some questions to Rozenberg about the IT business. • Is Scott Goemell's description of you correct? "It sounds pretty reasonable because I have a passion for automation in general and computers in particular. But I want to point out that we're not just computer geeks here. We're business people who leverage our knowledge to help the aver- age businessperson." • Do businesses really need the ser- vices of a company like yours? Can't they just train a few employees on IT? "It's not that easy. They're all busy concentrating on their regular work and taking care of customer needs. They don't have time to chase around for solutions. The IT Man on page 34 health & fitness Summer Exercises To Do While Seated These few moves will help you enjoy the warm weather. W ow! Shape magazine for the Jewish people! Oy! Now, wait a minute, keep read- ing — these are for all ages, so get your T-shirts and tennies and try these out! These moves are designed not only to strengthen and increase your flexibility, but prevent injuries associated with the enthusiasm of summer. All seated exercises should be in an armless chair. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor and your feet out front under your knees. Initially, try each one a few times until you are com- fortable with the movement. Have fun! • Sit and Stand is a basic exercise (that I hope doesn't need explanation!). It is the best exercise for any age. With your hands across your chest, sit then stand a few times at a consistent and moderate pace. You will strengthen the quads, glutes and hamstrings. Muscle control and range of motion will increase, allowing for better movement and stamina when engaging in summer back, keeping heels down, with or with- activities. You can make it harder by holding weights by your sides or not sit- out weight. • Seated Oblique Twists are a great ting all the way down. way to increase flexibility in • Seated Row is designed your core, which not only pre- to help with strengthening, vents injury but makes every- posture and flexibility in the day and summer tasks easier. upper back. Seated in a chair, Typically we reach down side place your arms out in front to side working these mus- of you, palms down, and pull cles, but if you do not twist back until your elbows extend side to side you are missing behind the chair. Keep your half of their function. arms close to your sides and Scoot forward off the back think about pulling a rope of the chair. With hands or rowing a boat. Add small Michell e Black across your chest, twist weights to increase effective- Specia I to the around to one side then back ness. Jewis h News across. To increase difficulty, • Seated Reverse Crunch is stand facing away from a wall, great for strengthening the abs use a weighted ball and twist and anyone can do it. Sit at the around, touching the ball to the wall. edge of the chair with your back straight. Try not to engage your hips and keep Keep your heels on the floor. With hands close to, but not on, the wall. either resting on your lap or across your • Hamstring Curl with Ball is one of chest, lean back until your upper back the best ways to increase the strength lightly touches the chair. Then sit up and flexibility of the hamstring muscles. using your abs. To increase difficulty, sit We use them a lot in the summer with on the floor with knees bent and lean all the bending tasks, like weeding, planting, etc., in the garden. Lay on your back on the floor with a small exercise ball under your heels. Bring your knees up and, with your arms by your sides, lift your tush up and keep it up. Press the ball out with your feet and pull it back in. Keep your tush up and the ball steady the whole time. Take this one slow and perform only a few repetitions at first. To make to this one harder, try it with one leg on the ball and the other straight up in the air! The seated back extension and stretch, balancing heel-to-toe, ball roll up (increases shoulder range of motion), hamstring stretch, then hip/ glute stretches round off the best of the summer 10. For the details on the remaining five, or with any fitness ques- tions, send me an e-mail at mblackfit- ness@yahoo.corn. II Michelle Black is an ACE certified personal trainer and exercise instructor who special- izes in post-rehab, seniors and family fitness. ay 2 0 2011 33