Bill is the newly promoted VP of IT Operations at Parts Unlimited. A former military man, he values rigid, dependable work ethics but initially lacks ambition, preferring the quiet of his previous role in Midrange Operations. He struggles to balance his demanding new job and its constant crisis-management requirements with his family life.

Wes is the Director of Distributed Technology Operations at Parts Unlimited. He is an outspoken, cynical, and readily confrontational leader who fiercely protects his team from criticism. He is an avid car racing fan and serves as a critical complement to Palmer's more moderate leadership style.

Patty is the Director of IT Service Support at Parts Unlimited. Originally an art major, she has a keen mind for patterns and processes. She serves as the organizational backbone of the IT department, translating Palmer's broad strategies into codified methods and tracking systems.

Steve is the CEO and former chairman of the board at Parts Unlimited. Drawing on his military background and decades of business experience, he employs a domineering leadership style that initially dismisses IT as a mere background utility. He is highly focused on the success of Project Phoenix to save the struggling company.

Sarah is the Senior Vice President of Retail Operations at Parts Unlimited. She is highly ambitious and frequently undermines Palmer's efforts to stabilize the IT department. She actively maneuvers for power within the company, prioritizing her own projects and status over cooperative success.

Erik is a prospective board member at Parts Unlimited and a technology genius with a background in the military, manufacturing, and IT. He serves as an eccentric mentor figure to Palmer, speaking in esoteric wisdom about factory floors, constraints, and the "Three Ways" of business management.

John is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Parts Unlimited. He frequently attempts to insert strict security measures into IT operations at critical times, causing disruption and earning the annoyance of his peers. He carries a large black binder and struggles deeply with his perceived irrelevance within the company.

Brent is a highly skilled lead engineer who is involved in almost every IT operation at Parts Unlimited. His vast, undocumented knowledge makes him indispensable, but he inadvertently becomes a massive bottleneck because no project or fix can proceed without his direct involvement.

Chris is the VP of Application Development and the temporary Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Parts Unlimited. He focuses entirely on pushing out software releases, often clashing with IT Operations over timelines and responsibilities.

Dick is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and effectively the Chief Operating Officer of Parts Unlimited. He is a powerful executive whose primary focus is financial compliance and overall company performance, making him highly demanding of the IT department during crises.

William is the Director of Quality Assurance (QA) at Parts Unlimited. He struggles to test software properly because of the chaotic handoffs between Development and IT Operations.

Paige is Bill Palmer's wife. She provides emotional grounding for him at home while continuously worrying about the intense strain his new executive role puts on their family and finances.

Grant is one of Bill and Paige Palmer's sons. His presence highlights the family time Palmer sacrifices for his demanding executive role.

Parker is one of Bill and Paige Palmer's sons. He represents the family life that grounds Bill away from the stresses of Parts Unlimited.

Bob is the newly appointed chairman of the board at Parts Unlimited. He gives the CEO six months to turn the failing company around and frequently threatens to split up the business to satisfy investors.

Maggie is the Senior Director of Retail Program Management. She desperately needs functional reports and IT support to launch marketing promotions and keep the company competitive.

Ron is the VP of Manufacturing Sales at Parts Unlimited. He struggles with missing inventory and communication gaps, making it difficult for his team to hit their sales quotas.

Nancy is the Chief Audit Executive at Parts Unlimited. She oversees compliance issues, particularly the SOX-404 audit that threatens to bury the IT department in regulatory work.

Tim is an auditor working under Nancy Mailer. He frequently clashes with the IT staff because he does not fully understand the technical constraints of their operations.

Ann is the Head of Operations in the Finance department. She works closely with the CFO to manage the fallout when IT outages severely impact company operations, such as the payroll failure.

Ellen is Bill Palmer's new assistant. She helps him navigate his chaotic schedule, fielding endless calls and coordinating equipment replacements for him.

Laura is the Vice President of Human Resources at Parts Unlimited. She serves as the administrative bridge that elevates Palmer into his executive role after the previous leaders quit.

Kelly is the Chief Industry Analyst at Nestor Meyers. She provides an external, highly critical perspective on the dire financial situation and leadership shifts at Parts Unlimited.