Dwayne Natwick is a vision-driven and goal-focused leader with a history of success managing the full lifecycle of Cyber Cloud Security and IT products and services, including sales and marketing. He is the CEO and Owner of Captain Hyperscaler, LLC, and was previously the Global Principal Cloud Security Lead for Eviden, an atos business.
Dwayne did not follow the most traditional path to technology and cybersecurity. Unlike many in the field who started building computers in their garages or basements, Dwayne spent his time engaged in sports and playing in a garage band with his friends. However, he did gain some early experience with technology through summer jobs with his father’s company, learning about telephones and computer cabling. This was not out of a particular interest but because it paid better than fast food positions.
While studying business management and human resources in college, Dwayne continued to work for his father’s company during summers. After graduating, unable to find a position in human resources or management, he joined his father’s business full-time. He learned the trade and eventually led crews for telephone and computer installations. His career in technology began in earnest when he was approached by Alltel, a national telecom distributor, to join their management program.
Alltel relocated Dwayne from Maryland to Michigan, where he managed sales and operations for a new location. He earned the structured cabling design certification of BICSI RCDD in 1997, marking the first of many certifications. This role led to a position as a manufacturer representative and regional manager for Siemon Company. During his time there, he utilized their tuition reimbursement program to pursue a Master’s degree in Business Information Technology, focusing on Project Management and Cybersecurity, which he obtained in 2006. This was followed by obtaining his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2007 and ISC2 CISSP in 2009.
Dwayne has always had a passion for teaching others about technology. He presented at the BICSI conference twice between 2000 and 2006, his first of many public speaking engagements. He also led training sessions for network and fiber connectivity demonstrations. In 2019, he began to seriously consider a career in teaching technology.
From 2006 to 2023, Dwayne worked for multiple Managed Security Services Providers in various roles, with a two-year stint as a Technical Training Lead for a Microsoft Training Provider.
In August 2023, Dwayne decided to start his own company, Captain Hyperscaler, to provide training for AI, Cybersecurity, and Cloud certifications and technologies. Captain Hyperscaler officially launched on October 1, 2023.
Commitment to Integrity, Leadership, and Community Impact
Dwayne believes that he brings a level of integrity and commitment to everything he does. He has found that respect is earned when one consistently delivers on promises. This principle guides him in business, coaching youth sports, and mentoring professionals. Dwayne cherishes spending time with his family, whether they are watching television, sitting outside, or enjoying their time on the lake.
Reflecting on his character, integrity, commitment, leadership, and loyalty have always been at the core of his actions and contributions to every company he has been a part of. Before starting his own company, Dwayne served as the Global Cloud Security Lead within the managed security services division of a global systems integrator. His role involved educating and expanding the global team’s knowledge, enabling them to effectively address clients’ cloud security needs.
Leveraging his expertise, Dwayne increased his visibility in the cloud and cybersecurity community. He spoke about managed security at AWS re in 2023 and discussed building a risk-aware culture and architecture at GrrCon 2023. Additionally, he regularly speaks on podcasts, at user groups, and other events to promote security knowledge and understanding. He has created on-demand courses and authored books on cybersecurity. As a Microsoft MVP and AWS Community Builder, Dwayne utilizes social media and his podcast to make a significant impact in the field.
Empowering Industries
Dwayne feels that Captain Hyperscaler’s “Skill Up Like a Super Hero™” approach to creating better training that is skills and role-based provides benefits across industries and communities. Captain Hyperscaler builds upon the needs of not just technical staff, but also executives and users. Cybersecurity, AI, and cloud technologies are necessary for businesses to lower costs through automation and efficient operations, but they must also understand the risks involved and how to respond to them. This is what Captain Hyperscaler aims to address with its origin stories and hero sagas.
Captain Hyperscaler provides professional and technical training for AI, cybersecurity, and cloud technology. They partner with leading certification organizations, such as ISACA, AI CERTs, AKYLADE, EC-Council, Microsoft, and CompTIA. They create custom origin stories and hero sagas based on these certifications, with additional content tailored to meet the specific needs of each organization.
Innovative Professional Training
According to Dwayne, Captain Hyperscaler takes a different approach to professional and technical training. The company aims to go beyond delivering commoditized training that merely prepares individuals to gain certifications. While certification is important, Captain Hyperscaler wants students to acquire the applicable skills necessary for their specific job roles within their organizations.
This is why Captain Hyperscaler embraces the “Skill Up Like a Super Hero™” approach. By using origin stories and hero sagas, they prepare students not only for exams but also focus on applying the skills needed in their respective organizations. This method ensures that students gain practical, role-based skills that make them valuable assets to their employers.
Way to Inclusive Leadership and Team Empowerment
Even though Captain Hyperscaler speaks of how to “Skill Up Like a Super Hero™,” Dwayne does not believe in individual heroics. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and the idea that everyone should be able to contribute. This philosophy fosters a motivated team environment where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Captain Hyperscaler values the contributions of each team member, ensuring that everyone feels important and empowered to make a difference.
Captain Hyperscaler’s values center on building an inclusive culture for everyone, encompassing trainers, client directors, and training attendees. The organization’s culture promotes a sense of ownership in the company’s success at all levels, not just among executives. Dwayne finds peace in achieving this daily within the company and with their students.
Additionally, receiving positive feedback from students on the courses he teaches brings him happiness. This inclusive approach ensures that everyone feels valued and contributes to the collective success of Captain Hyperscaler.
Words for Aspiring Leaders and Entrepreneurs in Security
Dwayne has the same advice for budding entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders as he does for students and professionals in the area of security. He emphasizes the importance of finding something you are passionate about. According to Dwayne, you should not start a company or move into a career in security, AI, cloud, or any other field just because it is the “hot” area. While there is a shortage of quality talent in security, and success is achievable, it’s crucial to have a genuine passion and belief that this is what you want to do.
If you have that passion, Dwayne advises doing thorough research to find an area of need within the security industry. It is essential to have a clear mission and value proposition and to build a culture that others believe in and are motivated by. Building a company is hard, but creating a culture that others respect and are inspired by is the most rewarding aspect.
