The (IT) Architect of Perspective: Meet Al Bergsma
When you’ve been in IT for more than three decades, patterns start to emerge.
You’ve seen technology cycles rise and fall, buzzwords come and go, and “the next big thing” repeat itself under a new name. What matters most, Al Bergsma has learned, isn’t the tools themselves—it’s how thoughtfully they’re applied to real business problems.
As a Senior Solutions Architect at Convverge, Al brings a rare depth of perspective to his work. Not just because he’s been in the industry for 32 years, but because he’s spent that time helping organizations make sense of their data, systems, and technology in ways that actually serve the business.
“I’ve always enjoyed helping businesses find efficient ways to store, access, and make sense of their data,” Al says. That clarity of purpose has guided a career that began in development and evolved into software, solution, and business architecture—shaping not just systems, but the capabilities behind them.
A Career Built Through Change
Al entered the IT industry at a pivotal moment. The mid-1990s “network computing” era was just beginning, setting the stage for client-server applications, n-tier architectures, hosted solutions, and eventually, the cloud.
“I feel fortunate to have entered the industry right at the start of this transformation,” he reflects.
Since then, he’s worked primarily as a consultant across an impressive range of industries—oil and gas, healthcare, utilities, aerospace, agriculture, legal, and more. Each environment brought different constraints, risks, and priorities, reinforcing a lesson Al carries into every engagement today: context matters.
Foundational principles like integration, scalability, and security apply everywhere. But technology is evolving so quickly that deeper specialization is increasingly important if you want to deliver solutions that are truly future-proof.
That long view gives Al a steady, grounded presence in an industry that often feels relentlessly fast-moving.
The Soft Skills That Win at Work
For Al, the most rewarding part of IT has always been twofold: exposure to diverse projects and industries, and the opportunity to make a real, positive impact for people. And with five daughters at home—and having grown up one of six siblings—Al credits family life with sharpening some of his most valuable professional skills.
“It’s taught me the value of listening and communicating with empathy, which is a great skill to have with both colleagues and customers.”
Those soft skills, developed over decades and life stages, are something he actively brings to client work, especially when navigating complex decisions or competing priorities.
Bridging Systems and Sense-Making
Outside of work, Al finds balance outdoors. Camping, kayaking, tackling hands-on yard projects, home improvement, and automotive work offer a counterpoint to the more abstract side of his career. Interestingly, those interests don’t stay separate from his work.
“I often find useful analogies in mechanical systems,” he shares. “Drawing parallels between how things work physically and how challenges show up in the workplace can make complex issues more relatable.”
It’s a fitting metaphor for an architect who’s spent his career bridging systems and sense-making. And despite decades in the field, Al’s outlook on IT is anything but nostalgic. He’s energized by how mature the industry has become, and by the accessibility of modern technology.
Today, so much more can be achieved with far less investment. Opportunities that used to be available only to large enterprises are now accessible to businesses of all sizes.
From punched cards and mainframes to cloud platforms and data enablement, Al has witnessed the full arc of modern computing. And yet, his focus remains forward-looking: choosing the right areas of expertise, applying technology with intention, and helping organizations use it wisely. Because good IT solves problems, but great IT understands people, context, and change.
For Al, that understanding has been decades in the making, and it’s what continues to shape the solutions he helps build every day.
