Curriculum Vitae

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

FILEMAKER CONSULTANT, independent sole proprietor, San Francisco, CA

For 25 years, I have provided contract consulting and custom software solutions built on FileMaker Pro and related technologies, as well as support and training, networking help, and general IT and MacOS platform, to a wide variety of nonprofits, individuals, and businesses of all sizes. I have worked both as an independent consultant and as a subcontractor to national Filemaker consulting agencies. Clients served have ranged in size everywhere from sole proprietors, nonprofits, and small businesses up through Fortune 500 corporations, and 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. Projects have ranged from 4 hours to 20 months in length.

Past 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, CRM functions, 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, FileMaker integration with external PHP and Javascript pages for reporting, daily sales team schedule updates via automated SMS including realtime 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, and database-wide logging of user actions and edits for audits.
  • 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, read and extract adverse reaction data out of PDFs, and track MedDRA information and FDA reporting requirements compliance
  • 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
  • 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, and 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 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

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

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST, Sarai Inc.  and Techtonics Inc., San Francisco Bay area, CA

Techtonics and Sarai are Bay Area managed IT support services companies. For several years I provided part-time technical support and troubleshooting for a very broad variety of issues and platforms, in both an on-call and scheduled on-site capacity.

  • For Sarai 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, peripherals, and onsite networking equipment including broadband switches, Cisco Meraki cloud-based routers and access points, and VOIP phones.
  • For both Sarai & Techtonics I provided 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.

FILEMAKER DEVELOPER, IT MANAGER, WEBMASTER, and BOOKKEEPER, Green Tortoise Adventure Travel, San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA

Green Tortoise Adventure Travel is a San Francisco-based adventure travel company which offers low-cost camping tours to outdoor destinations throughout North and Central America, and operates guesthouses providing lodging to international travelers in San Francisco and Seattle. I worked part or full time for Green Tortoise in a variety of roles for a total of 18 years, for 14.5 of which I was sole manager of the organization’s office IT infrastructure, and 10 of which I was solely responsible for online operations, website development and maintenance. Responsibilities included company IT decision-making, design and programming of databases and business processes, and long-term sole responsibility for administration, operations, troubleshooting, and design where applicable of all company software and hardware, networking, and all online operations including email systems and web presence.

Responsibilities as in-house FILEMAKER PRO DEVELOPER:

  • Authored and administered large proprietary system of 20 related FileMaker Pro databases (500+ fields and 180 scripts in total) in 24 hour use at San Francisco and Seattle guesthouses 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
  • Responsible for design decisions, administration and troubleshooting of system of 35+ MIS databases hosted on FileMaker Pro Server at San Francisco location, including: relational passenger reservations system, travel information, office communications, online troubleshooting information and guidance, mailing lists, contact databases and more
  • Authored FileMaker Pro-driven HTML code generator for to streamline process of updating schedule information on website
  • Developed management information databases for Seattle guesthouse, including desk clerk shift closeout, employee records/payroll, work/rent trade accounting, and financial recordkeeping

Responsibilities as IT MANAGER:

  • Administer, maintain and troubleshoot hardware, software and networking for office LAN of 13 Macintoshes at San Francisco location, including dedicated server, front desk clerk, phone staff, accounting, and graphics/DTP workstations
  • Administrate and troubleshoot office internet connectivity and DHCP server software
  • Responsible for administration and troubleshooting of system of 35+ management information databases hosted on FileMaker Pro Server at San Francisco location
  • Set up, administrate and troubleshoot automated system backup
  • Advise executives on all aspects of company hardware and software decisions
  • Supervise and train staff in use of computer systems
  • Provide consulting, troubleshooting and administration advice for 4 Macintosh ethernet LAN at company’s Seattle location

Responsibilities as WEBMASTER:

  • Authored and maintained 130 page company website, including javascript, graphic design, CGI and PERL scripts
  • Handle all company internet relations and online marketing and research
  • Retrieve and report to management on website statistics for use in determining online marketing and design strategies
  • Check website search engine placement for selected keywords, perform periodic search engine resubmission and web page optimization for engine placement

Responsibilities as BOOKKEEPER:

  • For 2 years I was responsible for record keeping and report generation for Seattle Guesthouse using Quicken and FileMaker Pro, including business expense tracking, daily income records, credit card and checking account activity and statement reconciliation, and employee time sheets and records

MACINTOSH DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT SPECIALIST, Aquent/MacTemps, San Francisco, and HandyMac/PC, Seattle

Aquent (formerly MacTemps) and HandyMac/PC were temporary staffing agencies specializing in placing Macintosh professionals with businesses throughout the San Francisco and Seattle areas respectively, for whom I worked for a total of 3 years in “long term temp” positions.

  • Provided 6 months of full-time onsite FileMaker Pro development for a Business-to-Business website directory startup
  • Provided Macintosh expertise and administrative help to area law firms, banks, nonprofit groups, and more on assignments lasting from several days to 10 weeks
  • Assignment responsibilities included light system maintenance and troubleshooting, database and spreadsheet design, legal and general word processing

IT & ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, Lawyers Alliance for New York, New York, NY

Lawyers Alliance for New York is a non-profit law firm specializing in pro bono legal work for other 503(c) nonprofit groups. I worked with them on a “long-term temporary” basis for a year after college.

  • Administrated and maintained 12-Macintosh appleshare LAN, FileMaker Pro contact databases, and software library
  • Assisted Operations Director in all aspects of office operations
  • Provided general office computer support, including heavy word processing, clerical duties, and DTP

IT SPECIALIST, John Rooney Inc., Floral Park, NY

John Rooney Inc. is a small general contracting business. I worked for Mr. Rooney during my summers and vacations for 2.5 years while I was in college, occasionally coming to work for a few days while school was in session, and then part-time for 1.5 years after graduation.

  • Worked closely with contractor in all aspects of office IT operations and record keeping, including  spreadsheet design and maintenance, electronic bookkeeping, database upkeep, word process & DTP
  • Created complex interactive record keeping apps, accounting program, and contact databases using Microsoft Excel macro language
  • Instructed contractor and employees in use of Macintosh hardware and software
  • advised on IT purchasing decisions

OPERATIONS ASSISTANT, Intelligent Computer Music Systems, Inc., Albany, NY

Intelligent Computer Music Systems developed interactive algorithmic composition MIDI music software for the Macintosh. I worked part time for them for 1.5 years in college, wearing many hats as needed at this small company.

  • Assisted president and office manager of seminal electronic music software company in all manner of responsibilities
  • Conducted algorithmic composition software sales demos in office and at trade shows
  • Provided software telephone technical support to customers
  • Consulted on software packaging, marketing, and demo file design
  • Assisted with general software product clerical/packaging/shipping as needed
  • Programmed demos of prospective products to be considered for new commercial releases

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 running what had originally been North America‘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: Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Modern Physics, Acoustics, Analog Electronic Engineering, Digital Electronic Engineering, Calculus
– 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.

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