Rory A. Cooksey
Vice President of Brand & Business Development | WheelHouse IT
Fort Lauderdale | New York | Orlando | wheelhouseit.com
Gizmo
Shih Tzu Toy Poodle | Chief Happiness Officer
Tell us about your dog and what makes them special to you.
Gizmo is a Shih Tzu Toy Poodle with a personality all his own. He’s honestly more human than dog sometimes. What started as bringing him to the office every now and then turned into Gizmo becoming our official Chief Happiness Officer at WheelHouse IT. He’s become part of the culture, and at this point, people expect to see him wandering the office making rounds.
How do you juggle work life with your dog?
Gizmo comes to the office just about every day, and on the days he’s not there, people genuinely ask where he is. He makes appearances in virtual meetings, job interviews, client discussions, and conference room strategy sessions. In the managed IT world, things can get stressful fast, and Gizmo has a way of immediately lightening the mood without trying.
What’s your dog’s quirkiest habit or personality trait?
Gizmo stands at attention like a prairie dog whenever he’s curious about something happening around him. He’s also mastered what we call “quiet barking.” He never really yells or loses his mind, but somehow still makes it very clear when he wants something. He’s polite about it, but persistent enough that eventually everyone gives in.
What has been the greatest blessing your dog has brought to your life?
Gizmo unintentionally became part of our company culture. WheelHouse IT works in high-pressure environments involving cybersecurity, outages, compliance, and business continuity. Gizmo brings personality and calm into situations that are usually very serious. Clients ask about him by name. Prospects remember him after meetings. Internally, he reminds our team that no matter how technical the industry becomes, business is still built on human connection.
