resume

  • 15 years progressive leadership in business, technology, and education
  • Proven product development, innovation, and marketing ability
  • Strong social media and web2.0 involvement and understanding
  • Masters degree nearing completion in 2009

// experience

Chief Operating Officer :: 2008-present
EasyBits Software :: Richmond, BC
Opening and operating a North American office for a European software company. Hiring/managing software developers; liaising with key clients.

  • Architected core software to positive FAT for key client (Intel), forming the user interface for the CMPC (Intel’s OLPC challenger)
  • Created and managed outsourced resources for all key necessities of a local office: accounting, benefits, banking, payroll, etc.
  • Increased usability of critical software components by 50%
  • Coordinated efforts with a multinational development team, including members in Italy, Ukraine, China, the UAE, Canada, and Norway

Director of Product Development :: 2007-2008
School Specialty Planning & Student Development :: Bellingham, WA
I currently lead all publishing, web, and innovation initiatives for a $130 million division.

  • Increased competitive differentiation by doubling product innovation year-over-year
  • Led creative ideation and overall product strategy, including a video and web training product with Coach John Wooden
  • Repositioned company as a technology leader by developing e-learning web applications for 45,000 schools and 25 million students
  • Controlled costs and shortened development time by blending open source software with a proprietary layer in new technology ventures
  • Trimmed development expenses by 33% by introducing competitive bidding and expanded vendor lists
  • Built proprietary platform for product development by introducing a new trademarked planning system for students: the onTRAC™ planning system
  • Delivered marketing collateral to sales on schedule for the first time in 3 years by accelerating product development cycles

Product Manager :: 2006-2007
Premier, a School Specialty Company :: Belllingham, WA
Product manager for 4 product families with over $75 million annual business.

  • Drove superlative bottom-line performance by managing product portfolio to an average 55% gross margin
  • Created competitive differentiation by tightly tying products to clients’ actual as well as felt needs
  • Realized $25 million in business with an updated product launch
  • Achieved a 10% increase in margin on an aging product line by revitalizing the brand, functionality, and design
  • Launched new product lines from concept to delivery
  • Created and executed strategic marketing plans

Director of Home & Family Markets :: 2005-2006
Premier School Agendas :: Langley, BC
Built a web-based consumer products division from scratch.

  • Launched new division by leading a cross-functional team including IT, Finance, Operations, Customer Service, Marketing, and Product
  • Created the most customer-friendly web-to-print calendar creation site of the day
  • Ensured reliability and scalability by negotiating burstable hosting and uptime agreements with multiple service providers
  • Increased sell-through rates by eliminating all bottlenecks to simple online purchasing
  • Ensured website was intuitive as well as powerful by leading multiple rounds of lab-based and real-world usability testing

Technology Solutions Manager :: 2001-2005
Premier, a Franklin Covey Company :: Langley, BC
Led a web applications development department.

  • Helped create the most successful product launch in company history by creating a social learning/groupware environment that eventually reached 500,000+ users
  • Increased speed to market and decreased costs by building an online product configuration wizard
  • Added value to products by leading creation of online multimedia content
  • Led development of a proprietary learning management system
  • Helped company drive 20% annual growth by integrating lead generation and visit data analysis into website

Marketing project manager :: 1998-2001
Premier School Agendas :: Abbotsford, BC
Led marketing projects.

  • Created and executed marketing strategy for an early stage growing company
  • Helped drive 20% annual growth by leading marketing collateral creation
  • Ensured a successful product launch by planning and leading sales consultant training

// education

Master of Educational Technology (finishing summer ‘09)
University of British Columbia
GPA: 4.01

Bachelor of Arts, English Major – 1994
Simon Fraser University
GPA: 3.69
Full scholarship student

// references

Available upon request, or see my LinkedIn profile.