Steven Hayes
Steven Hayes
Cloud Architect & Engineering Leader
Spent five years as Director of Cloud Engineering at Agilysys, leading a 15-person engineering team across the US and India. Migrated 100+ applications to cloud while staying hands-on—personally designing the Virtual WAN architecture, implementing Kubernetes configurations, and troubleshooting production issues. Prior experience at Microsoft, Acuity Brands, and Gwinnett County Public Schools spans both infrastructure and development work.
About
I work on cloud transformations where the need is both strategic and technical. After five years as Director of Cloud Engineering at Agilysys and prior roles at Microsoft and Acuity Brands, I've led large-scale migrations while staying hands-on with code and infrastructure. Currently contracted with Gwinnett County Public Schools on hybrid cloud modernization.
My background covers both infrastructure and development—I've written production code in TypeScript, Python, and PowerShell, configured cloud networking and Kubernetes clusters, and debugged issues across Java, Node.js, PHP, and .NET applications. This technical range means I can work at any layer of the stack, from networking configs to application code.
At Agilysys, I built the cloud engineering team from the ground up—15 engineers across the US and India—and led the migration of 100+ applications to cloud. The work included designing the network architecture, setting up Kubernetes clusters, automating deployments (reducing deployment time by 70%), and implementing cost tracking that provided detailed budget visibility by product line. Before that, I led similar work at Acuity Brands (72 applications migrated, $500K annual savings) and supported public sector cloud customers at Microsoft.
My approach involves working across product groups and teams—understanding existing systems, untangling dependencies, aligning with CIO-level goals, and then building consensus across the organization. This means creating relationships with different teams, understanding both business and technical constraints, and maintaining those connections throughout implementation. Being able to speak both the business and technical sides makes this alignment work possible.
Technical Focus Areas
Proven expertise in architecting and implementing enterprise cloud solutions across these key domains.
Cloud Migration & Implementation
End-to-end cloud migrations including architecture design, Kubernetes deployment, networking configuration, and hands-on implementation. I handle the technical complexities while keeping your teams aligned and costs controlled.
Infrastructure Architecture & Strategy
Technical assessments, architecture reviews, and strategic roadmaps. I evaluate your current state, identify modernization opportunities, and create actionable plans that your teams can execute.
Cost Optimization & FinOps
Cloud cost analysis, resource optimization, and budget tracking implementation. I've reduced cloud spend by 30-40% at multiple organizations through proper tagging, rightsizing, and architectural improvements.
DevOps & Automation
CI/CD pipeline implementation, infrastructure as code, and deployment automation. I build the systems that let your teams ship faster and more reliably.
Experience
Cloud Architecture Consultant
Gwinnett County Public Schools
October 2024 - Present
Currently Engaged- ▸Currently engaged on Azure and Azure Stack HCI modernization initiative
- ▸Architecting hybrid cloud solutions for on-premises and cloud workloads
- ▸Implementing security and cost management frameworks
Director of Cloud Engineering & DevOps
Agilysys
May 2019 - February 2024
- ▸Migrated entire product suite (100+ applications) to cloud, personally designing the network architecture and implementing critical infrastructure components
- ▸Built and led team of 15 engineers across US and India while staying hands-on with Kubernetes deployments, networking configs, and production troubleshooting
- ▸Reduced operational costs by 30% through architectural improvements and implemented cost analysis system with detailed tagging, providing budget visibility by product line
- ▸Automated deployment pipelines from manual processes to full CI/CD, cutting deployment times by 70%
- ▸Achieved 100% success rate on SOC2 and PCI compliance audits through security automation and monitoring implementation
- ▸Established integrated monitoring with Dynatrace and Application Insights across all production environments
- ▸Managed production environments across Java, Node.js, PHP, and .NET Core applications
Cloud & Enterprise Architecture Manager
Acuity Brands
April 2016 - May 2019
- ▸Led migration of 72 applications to cloud PaaS, personally implementing critical components—achieved $500K annual cost savings
- ▸Migrated enterprise authentication to cloud identity platform, replacing legacy .NET membership systems
- ▸Accelerated legacy app modernization by 50% through offshore team coordination and innovative internal bounty program—secured CIO and HR approval for developers to earn additional compensation for modernization projects, with company covering taxes so developers received full project value
- ▸Built 15-person cloud transformation team and established DevOps practices across the organization
- ▸Only person to receive highest performance rating in IT department in 15 years
Senior Cloud Escalation Engineer (Public Sector)
Microsoft
September 2014 - April 2016
- ▸Resolved complex cloud infrastructure issues for government clients requiring security clearance
- ▸Architected compliant cloud solutions meeting federal security standards and regulations
- ▸Led StorSimple and Cloud Infrastructure teams supporting public sector deployments
- ▸Worked directly with Product Managers on product development feedback
Additional Experience
Recent Technical Projects
Recent production systems I've built from architecture through deployment.
Fiber Optic Engineering Platform
Telecom Industry | 2024
Built a production web platform from scratch to manage fiber optic engineering projects. The system handles complex multi-stage workflows, financial tracking, and route planning for projects worth millions. Replaced disconnected Excel files with a real-time, collaborative platform.
Technical Implementation
- ▸Designed database schema handling projects with hundreds of route segments, each with complex state transitions and approval workflows
- ▸Implemented KMZ file parser and interactive mapping for route visualization—critical for field engineers planning fiber runs
- ▸Built granular RBAC system securing financial data and project details across four user roles, implemented at both API and UI layers
- ▸Engineered financial logic for complex billing scenarios including 80/20 payment reserves tied to permit approvals
- ▸Integrated Azure Blob Storage for document management with Application Insights for monitoring and cost optimization
Technology Stack
Fintech Analytics & Automation Platform
Financial Services | 2024
Architected and built an enterprise platform combining AI document processing with financial analytics. The system processes thousands of invoices monthly through custom-trained Azure AI models, provides predictive analytics, and automates reconciliation workflows.
Technical Implementation
- ▸Trained custom Azure Document Intelligence models for invoice extraction with human-in-the-loop review for low-confidence results
- ▸Built serverless processing pipeline using Azure Functions, handling event-driven document processing at scale
- ▸Engineered complex financial metrics including Client Flight Risk scoring and Effective Margin Rate calculations
- ▸Implemented backend interfacing with 50+ SQL Server stored procedures, ensuring data integrity across financial operations
- ▸Created interactive dashboards with drill-down capabilities using Recharts and optimized data fetching with TanStack Query
Technology Stack
Technical Expertise
Cloud Infrastructure & Platforms
DevOps & Automation
Development & Databases
Security & Monitoring
Industry Presentations & Certifications
Presenter at Microsoft Ignite and TechExtravaganza, with appearances on Microsoft MSDN Channel 9 covering cloud architecture and infrastructure topics.
Contact
Let's Connect
Available for consulting engagements focused on cloud architecture, migration, and infrastructure work.
Connect on LinkedInLocation
Suwanee, Georgia