A BIT ABOUT US

Who We Are

Since 2000, The Computer Guru V5 has become a well-renowned Computer Repair Service in San Francisco. What started out as a hobby turned into a full-fledged business offering the highest quality repairs at affordable prices. Our passion for fixing what’s broken has brought us to the forefront of the repair industry, and our impeccable results have kept us there.

Contact

Circa 1985 - my how times have changed... (note the dumb terminal in the background)

ABOUT...

Mark Paterson

So what makes Mark think he is a Computer Guru?

Born, raised and educated in Adelaide, South Australia… Mark started his working career in the IT departments of the Savings Bank of South Australia (BankSA) and the Credit Union Services Co-Operative of South Australia (CUSCOSA), before being “head-hunted” in 1985 as the new State Manager for Financial Computing Services (FCS) in Brisbane, Queensland. In those days FCS was the major provider of core banking systems and ancillary technologies to the credit union and mutual banking sector in Australia.

In 1988, Mark and his business partners founded The System Works Pty Limited (TSW), and over the following decades, they built a very successful business. In 2002 TSW acquired a number of other businesses and expanded to become The System Works Group of companies (TSWG). TSWG was at the very forefront of the digital revolution delivering Internet and Mobile banking platforms and solutions, and also managing two large banking grade data centres (these days they are referred to as “private clouds”).

TSWG’s clients included banks, mutual banks, credit unions, building societies, mortgage originators, church funds, superannuation funds, wealth management companies and like entities in both Australia and New Zealand. Mark’s IT experience covers a wide range of computer hardware, devices, operating systems, software development and systems design/analysis. From 1993 to his initial retirement in 2007 he was the Sales and Marketing Director at TSW/TSWG.

the full story for those that are interested

Having retired in 2007, Mark chose to travel extensively as well as complete a raft of personal tasks and projects centered mainly around moving his family into a new home. Over the following 9 years, he helped schools, community groups, small businesses, friends and even his golf club get their IT systems sorted and streamlined. Mark returned to the board of TSWG in 2012 and then in early 2016 he was asked to take on the full-time role of Chief Marketing Officer again - to help meet significant demand and an expansion of the group. During 2018 Mark helped to implement a company-wide restructure which also included a return to their original brand and name, The System Works, and the installation of a new management team to take the company through its next phase of development.

Mark is a Justice of the Peace, Qualified (JP Qual) and has maintained a lifelong interest in all things to do with IT and technology. He is, or has been, a member of:

The Australian Mutuals Institute (AMI)
The Australian Institute of Management (AIM)
The Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD)

In 2018 Mark was asked to take on the role of Fintech & Banking Advisor for WORBLI - The World Blockchain Initiative - during their design and launch phase. He very much enjoyed his involvement in helping to determine how best to commercialise Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) or Blockchain services for both developed and developing economies.

Mark retired again from full-time work in 2019, having completed a 40 month long second stint at TSW and logging over 47 years working in the IT side of the banking and finance sector.

Within weeks of retiring he was asked to assist and provide business advisory services and guidance for some Fintech startups:

7Twenty Solutions https://7twenty.solutions – a company focused on developing a platform and tools to help businesses (initially banking but soon also Utility and Telco businesses) to address the new Consumer Data Rights (CDR) legislation in Australia - which is a major component of the Australian Government’s Open Banking regime.
Encipher https://encipher.com.au – a proactive cyber security company focused on delivering subscription-based security services to individuals and SME’s now that corporate networks have become much more distributed with the advent of “the new normal” enforced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In mid-2019 Mark and his wife, who have been happily married for over 36 years, decided on a “sea change” and sold up in Brisbane moving to the Northern Rivers in NSW. They have two adult children and two grandsons. Mark also did a 10 month stint with the local community radio station - Paradise FM 101.9 in Ballina as a volunteer “on-air presenter”, while providing IT and Audio engineering support to the station. In November 2021 Mark joined Geeks2U as a support services Technician. In January 2022 he launched this new business venture - The Computer Guru – to provide much needed in-home IT support and services for his local community. Mark focusses on helping demystify Windows PC’s and Laptops, Apple Macs and MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, the NBN and Internet related technologies, as well as the many and varied peripherals (printers, scanners, multifunction devices, SmartTVs and the like) that are often used by consumers.

Mark is also a keen golfer. - currently a member of Byron Bay Golf Club and a former committee member, and past President of Gailes Golf Club Inc. in Brisbane.