As PLANNET celebrates its 21st anniversary, one of our original members is also celebrating her 20th work anniversary. June Bardwil, an owner and a Principal of the firm, has been an essential contributor to PLANNET’s longevity and competitiveness in our market. Fortune 100 companies all over the globe have trusted PLANNET’s expertise because of members like June, leading from the front.

June started in the technology industry fresh out of the University of Colorado, Boulder. An East Asian Studies major, June unseemingly found a position at StorageTek, IBM’s most significant competitor at that time, because of her knowledge of the Japanese language and culture. June found that she had to overcome many adversities that came with being a young woman in a STEM field in the 70s.

Every day, a young June arrived at her desk hours before her male counterparts and worked twice as hard to get the same recognition. She also had to navigate the blatant sexual bias and harassment so common at the time . . . a common theme that many women could relate to in the early days of the technology industry. June recalls, “I was forced to become street smart and tough, and that generated an inner strength and resolve that could never be broken.”

June eventually was recruited by her competitor, IBM, and found a workplace that valued gender equality and hard work. At IBM, she learned from thoughtful mentors and understood that an oppressive workplace was not the norm. The tides continue to shift as mothers and fathers are now bringing up their own daughters with a technology influence. Universities and workforces also place a much stronger emphasis on technology and equality.

After leaving IBM, June arrived at a boutique consulting firm in Southern California called PLANNET, where most of her coworkers were colleagues from her previous employers. June attributes this as a true testament to a great workplace when everyone keeps coming back to work with each other, job after job.

June shares: “We build equity in ourselves by forging through difficult experiences with dignity and purpose. Then we use that equity to find our tribe, our people, of like-minded and like-hearted colleagues like I found at PLANNET.”

Once she found her home at PLANNET, she quickly started taking other budding information technologists under her wing, taking particular interest in her female counterparts. June has become a mentor within the company and in her community, as she is highly involved in many clubs and programs that help to better our local cities and support women in the workforce.

June also has her own lifestyle blog www.purejunlife.com that documents her life’s victories, struggles, and everything in between. Her inspirational testimonies have touched many people and helps people to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle while living in the moment and learning from our life experiences.

It is women like June, who have put in the early mornings and late nights for decades, which make PLANNET such an incredible company.  As a proud women-owned company that has been successful for over 20 years, we want to look back on the people who have helped get us to where we are now. Our experience, passion, and unique perspectives can be seen throughout all of our client’s work because we have incredible team members like June Bardwil paving the way.

Looking to upgrade your workplace technology? Please feel free to reach out for a consultation on how PLANNET can help you update and modernize your IT infrastructure.