Derek Zavada in

Derek Zavada

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Owner at Down-Zero
📍 Long Beach, California, United States

Derek Zavada is a Technology Director with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of AI, cloud infrastructure, and automation. He specializes in designing technology pipelines for the visual effects industry and is described by colleagues as responsive and easy to work with.

Outside of his technology career, Derek is an accomplished competitive pistol shooter. He has been a Division Champion in the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) and has also contributed his skills as a photographer for the sports official journal.

Unique Fact: Early in his career, Derek developed one of the first-ever EIDE RAID systems, showcasing his foundational expertise in hardware and storage.

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Experience
8 Years
Current Role
Owner
Location
Long Beach, California, United States
Personality Overview

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Communication Style
Decision Approach
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Priorities

Topics Derek cares about

AI Integration
His current company, Down-Zero, focuses on consulting with enterprises to harness optimal AI applications, a theme reflected in his professional background and recent posts.
Cloud Cost Optimization
He actively experiments with and discusses using cloud GPU instances on-demand as a more efficient alternative to investing in on-premise hardware for AI workflows.
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Career

Work history

1-2018
Owner
Down-Zero
1-2023 - 12-2023
Technology Director
AFX Creative
9-2021 - 9-2022
Director Of Technology
Chicken Bone FX Studios
4-2018 - 7-2022
CTO
HALON Entertainment
6-2015 - 4-2018
Head Of Technology
Entity FX
In the press

Media appearances

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Education
Education details unavailable
California State University, Northridge
Social presence
in
Behavioral profile

DISC profile (public)

DISC behavioral profile

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