Curriculum Vitae

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

FILEMAKER CONSULTANT & FREELANCE IT SPECIALIST, independent sole proprietor, San Francisco, CA

Since 1996, I have provided consulting and custom software solutions built on FileMaker Pro and related technologies, plus web development, technical support and training, server and networking help, and general IT expertise to nonprofits, individuals, and businesses ranging from sole proprietors, nonprofits, and small family businesses up through Fortune 500 corporations. I also  have provided subcontract development to major FileMaker consulting agencies.

Skills commonly utilized are business data needs assessment, IT decision-making guidance and advice, analysis of existing code or legacy projects and existing IT infrastructure, customer relations, end user support, and excellent communication with nontechnical users, in addition to the technical skills of software engineering, systems design, information architecture, data processing tools and methodologies, and coding.

Clients served have included: several biotech labs, internet startups, small retail boutiques, tour operators, ecommerce websites, preschools, a digital prepress agency, both large and small book publishers, psychotherapy clinics, the University of California, a traveling grade-school music educator, a sign shop, a music publishing company, staffing agencies, a trade show & convention promotional services provider, a sculptor’s studio, a major national healthcare corporation, antique dealers, financial institutions, personnel agencies, a movie prop warehouse, massage therapists, a clothing retailer, a map and cartographic data company, a theater company, a medical practice marketing corporation, and numerous educational and nonprofit groups. I have developed FileMaker Pro solutions for both Macintosh and Windows platforms. Project engagements have ranged from 4 hours to over 6 years in length.

Successful past FileMaker Pro consulting and development projects have included:

  • Long-term (6.5 years) sole developer and user support for very large 5000 field, 110 table legacy MIS database system managing all aspects of corporate data for 80 users at an international dental practice marketing corporation, including:
    • Integrating new standalone accounting packages.
    • Implementing and updating CRM functions in fast-paced, frequently changing business.
    • Tracking manual and scheduled electronic communications between clients and staff including database-managed SMS send/receive via Twilio integration.
    • CyberSource payment processing.
    • SurveyMonkey survey result collection through an API integration.
    • FileMaker integration with external PHP and Javascript pages for reporting.
    • Daily sales team schedule updates via automated SMS including realtime programmatic FileMaker handling of group SMS replies.
    • Calendaring system for managing system-wide automatic scheduling of appointments and work schedules around business holidays.
    • Generating complex statistical reports.
    • Full system per-user and per-department permissions and notification management.
    • System-wide logging of user database actions and edits for audits.
  • Long-term (15 years) sole FileMaker Pro developer and administrator for an adventure travel company which operated national tours and guesthouses in San Francisco and Seattle, which involved:
    • Authoring and administering large proprietary system of 20 related FileMaker Pro databases (500+ fields and 180 scripts in total), in 24 hour use at both guest houses to handle all front desk transactions, petty cash and vending activity, reservations, guest history information, occupancy and vacancy reporting, guest referral source tracking, accounting, management auditing and report generation.
    • All design decisions, administration and troubleshooting of system of 35+ MIS databases hosted on FileMaker Pro Server at San Francisco tour operator office, including relational passenger reservations system, travel information, office communications, online troubleshooting information and guidance, mailing lists, contact databases and more.
    • Developing management information databases for Seattle guesthouse, including desk clerk shift closeout, employee records/payroll, work/rent trade accounting, and financial recordkeeping.
  • FileMaker Pro-based stock and options trading and account management software, including: broker REST API integration, integration with TradingView alerts and custom Pine Script indicators, automatic oAuth authentication flow, automated complex stop order generation based on ThinkOrSwim ThinkScript conditions, and live interactive javascript options risk/reward graphs.
  • Automated FileMaker system including FileMaker WebDirect web browser interface for the pharmacovigilance department of biotechnology research corporation to:
    • Automatically import new and revised CIOMS Form PDFs from clinical partners received via email using 360works Email plugin.
    • Read and extract adverse reaction data out of PDFs using 360works Scribe plugin.
    • track MedDRA information and FDA reporting requirements compliance and generate required reports.
  • Long-term ongoing client tracking database development and support for several large in-house community legal projects for nonprofit overseeing local county pretrial diversion programs.
  • Provided 6 months of full-time onsite FileMaker Pro development for a Business-to-Business website directory startup.
  • Job tracking system FileMaker Pro 12 conversion and overhaul of existing databases for the main prototype fabrication lab of the world’s largest technology corporation.
  • iPad-based CRM app for a women’s clothing boutique using FileMaker Go.
  • Sports challenge and pop quiz participant registration and scoring system for trade show exhibitor, designed to handle up to 800 participants per day at 13 kiosk workstations, including iPad score entry stations implemented using FileMaker Go, and 53″ monitor leaderboard to display up-to-the-minute high scores.
  • Long-term (20 months) onsite customization and support for existing FileMaker management database system for 100+ psychotherapist nonprofit clinic, including:
    • Developing HIPAA-compliant patient records checking and management elements.
    • HR and financial recordkeeping and reporting.
    • Automated therapist email notifications and alerts.
    • Federal standards-based electronic data interchange (EDI) with county health agencies.
  • FileMaker Pro tutoring to help a boutique music publishing company owner learn to understand relational database structure so he can code and maintain his own database-based business tools.
  • Scientific study data and HR management databases for a biotechnology research lab, including desktop FileMaker client and browser-based web interfaces.
  • General MIS development and support for a nonprofit providing Buddhist spiritual training and literature to prison inmates.
  • Inventory and invoicing system for a movie prop rental house.
  • Back-end processing of customer data for an interactive web-based Business-to-Business directory and placement service, including two-way ODBC data transferal between office databases and live MySQL website back-end.
  • Customer reservations tracking, operator relations, scheduling and accounting system for adventure travel tour booking company.
  • CRM and scheduling app for a traveling grade-school-level music educator
  • Student placement and records management system for a nationwide non-profit student exchange program.
  • Help, troubleshooting, and new development on an existing PHP front-end and FileMaker Server back-end database for a FileMaker Custom Web Publishing (CWP) website for class scheduling and student record management for a training company.
  • FileMaker training sessions, 1-on-1 tutorials, and Q&A with a wide variety of individuals and small businesses.
  • Shelf signage printing system for national import/specialty food retail supermarket chain.
  • Job tracking system for the packaging design division of a sporting goods manufacturer.
  • FileMaker Pro v7 migration of digital asset management system for a national corporate clothing manufacturer’s online store.
  • Mailing label formatting help for small local antique dealer.
  • Centralized job and time tracking system in 24 hour use at a 50 workstation digital prepress company.
  • Lead and job tracking database for home improvement contractor, including data synchronization between “satellite” estimating databases on-site in laptops and primary database in office.
  • Appointment scheduling and patient record management for small massage therapy center.
  • Overhaul and troubleshooting of outdated MIS databases for a large nonprofit educational foundation and learning disabilities resource library.
  • Invoice database assistance for a sole proprietor photographer.
  • Management system for elementary school PTA “scrip” fundraising program
  • Centralized multi-campus work order tracking system for international computer manufacturing corporation.
  • Product catalog web page generation system and postage software integration for small software reseller.
  • Troubleshooting, performance optimization and customization of pre-existing budgeting databases for $40+ million dollar construction project.
  • Database instruments for recording and statistical analysis of psychiatric personality inventory results for use in evaluating worker’s compensation claims.
  • Ongoing troubleshooting, customization and staff instruction on MIS databases for an educational book publishing firm.
  • Ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting of relational management and subscriber information database system for a nonprofit magazine publisher.

Successful past Web Development & Support projects have included:

  • 10 years as sole developer and webmaster of a website for an adventure travel company, including:
    • Growing site from an initial 7 static HTML2.0 site to over 150 dynamic pages with CSS and jQuery-driven navigation.
    • Developing Perl CGI user message boards, discussion forums, and database-integrated customer feedback forms.
    • Handling all company internet relations and online marketing and research.
    • Advising management on online marketing and design strategies.
    • Maintaining search engine submissions and optimization, including regularly checking search engine result positions and continually optimizing pages to the latest standards.
  • Numerous Filemaker Pro web integrations, including custom PHP webhooks for incoming Twilio SMS handling and custom browser-based reporting.
  • Interactive customized PHP web catalog for a trade show services vendor, built on the Directory2 template (currently live at https://www.3d-mediagroup.com/promos/).
  • Created FileMaker-driven HTML web pages for an adventure travel company for easy website schedule updating.

Successful past IT Management, Technical Support, and Consulting roles have included:

  • IT management and system administration: For 15 years I was the IT Manager of a San Francisco-based adventure travel tour operator, responsible for all aspects of IT decision-makign and maintenances, including:
    • Administering, maintaining and troubleshooting hardware, software, networking, backup procedures and media, email, and internet connectivity for office LAN of 13 Macintoshes at San Francisco location, including dedicated server, front desk clerk, phone staff, accounting, and graphics/DTP workstations.
    • Advising executives on all aspects of company hardware and software decisions; supervising and training staff in use of computer systems.
    • Providing consulting, troubleshooting and administration advice for 4 Macintosh ethernet LAN at company’s Seattle location.
  • Onsite technical support specialist:  I worked 3 regular days a week for 18 months as IT & networking support for a 5,000 sq. ft. co-working space, solely responsible for servicing all their onsite IT support needs, including:
    • Supporting & maintaining all MacOS & Windows machines and peripherals.
    • Supporting & maintaining onsite networking equipment including broadband switches, Cisco Meraki cloud-based routers and access points, and VOIP phones.
  • On-call support specialist: In partnership with Tech Tonics, Inc., a Bay Area managed IT support company, I did occasional networking, troubleshooting, and end-user support “house calls” to a variety of small businesses and individuals, on an on-call basis, for several years.

More detail on experience, past clients, and completed projects available on request. Please inquire.

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Prior to starting my career as an independent consultant, I had various IT-related positions, including IT assistant to a small General Contracting business, Sales & Technical Assistant and an electronic music software company, Operations Assistant at a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm, and temping doing primarily Excel, FileMaker, and general MacOS end user support for a variety of businesses in the Seattle and San Francisco areas. Please inqure for further details.

ASSOCIATIONS

For two years early in my career, I provided volunteer FileMaker support and training on an ongoing basis as a leading member of Burning Man Festival organization’s Technical Team and of Berkeley Mac User Group’s FileMaker Pro Special Interest Group.

For two years in college I was Teaching Assistant to electronic music pioneer Prof. Joel Chadabe, in charge of all aspects of managing and user training in what had originally been the United States’s first Electronic Music Studio, founded by Chadabe and inventor Robert Moog at State University of New York at Albany.

DEGREE

BA in Natural Sciences with concentration in Physics, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

  • Relevant Coursework: Physics (Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Modern Physics, Acoustics, Analog Electronics Engineering, Digital Electronics Engineering, Calculus), Computer Science (Intermediate through Advanced Programming, Expert Systems), Music (Electronic Music Performance, Analog Sound Synthesis, Digital Sound Synthesis, Electronic Music History, Guitar Performance, Piano Performance, Composition, Music Theory Foundation, Counterpoint)
  • Senior Project: “On the Mathematical Modeling of Lowest-Mode Sounding Frequency of Uniform-Bore Fipple Flutes” under the supervision of Prof. Burton Brody

REFERENCES

Available upon request.

  • Michael Kupietz
  • FileMaker Consultant
  • Serving clients locally and remotely, in California's San Francisco Bay Area and nationwide
  • Phone: (415) 545-8743
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