2013 July PASO Magazine

BUSINESS
Paso Robles Tech:
Computers for EVERY generation
The crew of Paso Robles Tech includes, from left, ‘Poppa Geek’ Bob Colyer, owner Traci
McMahon, bench technician Jonathan Vaughn and lead technician David Marshall.
By S. W. Martin
The nightmare scenario: Your
new computer arrives all shiny and
impressive, but when you plug it in
and turn it on.... Nothing. No operating
system. No happy chime. No
welcome screen. Just ***GASP***...
DOS; a disk management system
used by the geekiest among us long
before the arrival of any version of
Windows. This is where most of us
hope we can wake up screaming, and
then realize it was all just a dream.
Not Traci McMahon.
When McMahon received her
mail order computer in 1993 it arrived
without an operating system installed.
She ordered a copy of the Windows
operating system from her vendor,
then installed it herself, thus gleaning
a more intimate knowledge of her
computer than she would have gained
by just booting it up and beginning to
type. That knowledge eventually led
this Business Administration/Management
Information Systems Cal
Poly-SLO graduate to a five-year stint
with a local computer company. From
there she went on to found her first
business, WebIQ Media, which she
operated out of her home for eight
years. In January 2008 she re-branded
her company “Paso Robles Tech” and
moved it to a downtown Paso Robles
location. Her business now provides
computer services for a number of local
businesses and the general public.
Her business clients include such notables
as Hope Family Cellars, Country
Real Estate, Manzanita Property
Management, Peachy Canyon Winery,
Gateway Dental, Connect Home
Loans, Las Tablas Medical Group
and many others.
“We provide service for everything
from computers to game stations,”
said McMahon. “We help individuals
integrate their personal computer
devices into their everyday lives. We
don’t do ‘geek speak.’ We always try
to make people feel they are better
off for coming in.”
One very important way she serves
her customers is to have staff members
who can relate to anyone with
a computer problem. The company’s
staff of service technicians range in
age from 18 to 75 years of age. Each
has a deep knowledge of computers
from desktops to tablets.
Jonathan Vaughn is an 18-yearold
bench technician who has lived
in Paso Robles all his life. He completed
numerous computer courses at
Paso Robles High School and competed
successfully in the SkillsUSA
competition in his Junior and Senior
years. In 2011 he began as a service
technician intern at Paso Robles
Tech then joined the crew full-time
after graduation.
“I very much enjoy working with
the staff here at Paso Robles Tech,”
said Vaughn, “and I am glad to have
started my career here as well.”
Thirty-year-old David Marshall is
the lead technician. Born in Orange
County, he was raised in Creston and
graduated from Atascadero High
School in 2002. At the age of nine
David was tinkering with his family’s
home computer, finding hidden
DOS programs and games. If you
tinkered too much with computer
settings, HE was the one responsible
for getting things working again. He
is a Cisco Certified Network Associate
who worked for 10 years in
computer sales in service at Staples
during his Cuesta College and CSU
Long Beach years. He enjoys backpacking,
restoring cars and brewing
beers and ciders.
If there is a “Poppa Geek” at
Paso Robles Tech it is Bob Colyer.
Colyer was born in Fresno, raised
in Soledad, attended high school in
Gonzalez and college at Hartnell in
Salinas. He married his high school
sweetheart in 1960 and they raised
seven children, all of them Bearcats.
From his first Clerk Typist position
with the State Prison System, Colyer
advanced until he retired as the Program
Administrator in charge of all
support services in a major correctional
facility. He was responsible for
computerizing many operations and
became proficient in repairing and
maintaining those computers. Later
he worked as a computer techni-
cian at Staples in Paso Robles and
Atascadero for nine years.
“Paso Robles Tech offered me
both the atmosphere and the opportunity
to work with very well-trained
and young staff and I jumped at the
opportunity,” said Colyer. “I will continue
to learn new and better methods
of doing computer work from
these young people.”
“We do a lot more service online
these days,” said McMahon. “With
our equipment we can often access
client’s computers at their site. That
way they don’t have to bring machines
to us. It saves time and money.
We are also doing more remote service
business with people in the residential
setting.”
As for Seniors, McMahon says
they are savvy and getting savvier.
Smartphones, Ipads, Skype and
many other technologies are being
absorbed and used by Seniors, setting
aside the stereotype that they are
confused by technology and unwilling
to embrace it.
McMahon also knows how to give
back to the community. Volunteer
work is very important to her. She is
founder of the Paso Robles Education
Alliance (PREA), and she donates
time as President of the Senior
Citizens’ North County Computer
Club (NCCC).
Paso Robles Tech is located at 705-
C Pine Street in Paso Robles. They
offer all forms of service and support
including small/medium-size businesses,
residential, PC/Mac/Linux,
Smartphone/gaming console repair,
virus/malware/spyware removal, network
maintenance, troubleshooting
and repair, data recover and remote
tech support via the Internet. The
company services the North County
and San Luis Obispo. Customers enjoy
a convenient walk-in repair depot
for each drop-off/pick-up.
For more information call 238-
9900 or visit PasoRoblesTech.com.
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Paso Robles
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July 2013, Paso Robles Magazine 53