AgSquared

AgSquared is revolutionizing the way that sustainable farms are managed, by providing leading-edge online tools and offering a holistic approach to day-to-day and season-to-season farm management.

The founders of early stage startup AgSquared came to me with a great idea and a grand vision, but a fairly underdeveloped notion of what their ultimate product would be, or which path to follow to get it there. Within the first 3 months, we'd refined the product vision and built a prototype system which was ultimately released to a small number of focus group testers.

Over the 12 months that followed, the software matured to a level that not only captured the attention of the agricultural community, but also earned the company its first round of outside investment. Mission accomplished.

• As Head of Technology, helped refine the product vision and captured system requirements using UML/Use-case modeling, following Agile Development methodologies.
• Architected and built the first iteration of the farm management tools, both front and back end - on a foundation which included the Symfony PHP Framework and MySQL, with a strong emphasis on OOP best practices, design patterns, and code reuse.
• Made extensive use of jQuery, including building a custom mapping API based on the Google Maps API, a geolocation-enabled, widget-exportable farm mapping application, and a number of custom jQuery plugins.
• Often working from design mockups alone, implemented a robust AJAX-based user interface, assuming the bulk of the User Experience Design responsibilities, resulting in a sophisticated Rich Internet Application (RIA).
• Hired and managed the efforts of outside design and programming resources, often utilizing Extreme Programming tactics, such as Pair Programming and frequent code review, to stay in sync with rapidly evolving project requirements.
• Managed project as well as release cycles, assisted by Trac, integrated with Subversion, and responsible for managing development priorities in the context of business and product development objectives.
• Responsible for overseeing all aspects of server and network infrastructure, including all System and Database Administration, starting on a limited capacity shared server platform, then later migrating to a multiple VPS, ready-to-scale configuration.
• Guided the crafting of the company's first outside sponsor/investor pitch, and provide ongoing technology, product, and business strategy recommendations.

Vallarta Adventures

As part of a company-wide marketing campaign and website redesign effort, Vallarta Adventures, the premier tour and adventure company in Mexico, wanted to launch a collection of blogging micro-sites to spread the word and deliver a more personal message about their wealth of family-friendly activities.

• Designed the architecture and built a custom Wordpress system which allows 9 distinct blogging micro-sites to be served from a single instance of Wordpress, and all sites to be seamlessly administered from a single administrative interface
• Made extensive use of Apache's mod_rewrite, and made no modifications to core Wordpress code, so future Wordpress updates were not compromised
• Blog posts may be easily cross-posted to any number of micro-sites
• Wrote several custom plug-ins in PHP using the Flickr and Youtube API's, and provide dynamic archived content
• Implemented Wordpress template which incorporates design elements from the main Vallarta Adventures site, including a Javascript-based photo slideshow using the jQuery Javascript library

American Towns

AmericanTowns.com delivers hyper-local news and event information to large and small communities nationwide. They came to me to transform a regional website business into a national community information delivery platform.

• As Director of Technology, I engineered and implemented the website and all backend infrastructure, including a large scale MySQL database (>50 million records)
• Engineered and implemented internal web-based content aggregation application, which collected more than 300,000 content items per week
• Engineered and built the core Geographical Information System to present targeted geocoded content and data to users in more than 29,000 distinct US cities and towns
• Built a bridge between the Joomla CMS and the CakePHP Framework
• Hired, managed and mentored a team of full-time developers and programming and design consultants
• Introduced code versioning and release management using Subversion
• Introduced issue tracking and project management using Trac
• Defined rigorous Quality Assurance procedures, using manual and automated testing
• Supervised extensive Search Engine Optimization initiatives
• Lead project discussions and draft requirements documents
• Lead weekly development status meetings
• Defined all development policies and procedures, including security practices
• Advised senior management and Board of Directors regarding online strategies and technology initiatives

Security Mentor

Security Mentor provides innovative security awareness training that is brief, frequent, and focused. The training lessons are delivered using Adobe Flash videos which send statistical and other reporting data back to Security Mentor's MySQL database.

The company was looking for a way to provide their Flash developers a streamlined way to test the lessons prior to deployment, as well as the integrity of the intra-server data transmissions. Previously, all testing was conducted manually, and was highly time intensive and error prone.

• Using the Zend Framework, designed and built a Rich Internet Application using AJAX to allow the Flash developers to test lessons in real time, providing instantaneous feedback on the status of a given lesson, as well as the data which was sent back to SM's servers
• Followed an Agile Development approach, beginning with Use Case Modeling (using UML), and proceeding with rapid prototyping and 1 week iterative development sprints
• Pure Object Oriented PHP 5
• Each development iteration was accompanied by a video screencast of the tool to facilitate internal discussions and stakeholder alignment
• Made extensive use of the jQuery Javascript library to provide a dynamic and intuitive user experience
• Custom Apache configuration using mod_ssl and a mod_rewrite reverse proxy technique to integrate the testing tool with the company's existing back end tools in a highly secure arrangement

Truste

As the leading internet privacy services provider, TRUSTe helps thousands of businesses promote online safety and trust, and guides consumers to sites that protect their online privacy.

• Re-engineered the license administration infrastructure from the ground up
• Designed and implemented a database driven intranet system in PHP/MySQL to manage customer and license data, to facilitate sales prospecting and track consumer privacy complaints
• Integrated online customer and license data with organization's back office (ACT! based) contact management system
• Responsible for all aspects of system maintenance, end user support, and administration of the web-based helpdesk system (Mantis)
• Helped define technology objectives for the organization, including evaluating proposals from, and coordinating the efforts of other outside contractors

Idealab

As the leading internet incubator, Idealab's mission is to create and operate pioneering companies.

• Helped launch the company's New York expansion office, and ascended to Director of Technology to manage a team of 5 developers and 2 system administrators
• Served as liaison between senior business development managers and technology resources
• Supervised creation and maintenance of a custom automated site publishing system (Perl/Bash) and 15+ server cluster servicing several live commercial and e-commerce web sites, databases and development environments; implemented load balancing (round robin) and database failover redundancy
• Nurtured Idealab!'s rapid development model by planning, building and launching sophisticated corporate web sites (in Java/JSP) in as little as 2 weeks
• Served as interim CTO for Scan, Inc., an Idealab portfolio company introducing wireless mobile commerce to U.S. and U.K. markets via the Short Message Service (SMS) protocol. Oversaw development of two-way SMS and voice recognition applications, including VoiceXML

Causespring

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Praesent vulputate augue a tortor blandit ultrices accumsan ligula iaculis. Curabitur ut dui vitae ante ultricies vestibulum ac sit amet mi. Integer eget orci ut velit adipiscing viverra in ac sapien. Suspendisse pulvinar risus vel sem bibendum quis semper enim dapibus.

GreenFunnel

GreenFunnel systems provide real-time and historical information to understand when, where, and how electricity is used in your home. This gives you the POWER to save energy, save money, and save OUR planet.

Startup GreenFunnel came to me to build a working prototype of their flagship product: a Rich Internet Application (RIA) to be used in presentations to investors and other interested parties to demonstrate the promise of their vision.

While the application was an early prototype, it showcased many of the core features envisioned for the full product, and was built upon a platform designed to scale and support the company's long term technology objectives.

• Graphical analysis of real-time and historical electrical usage data using the Flot and jQuery javascript libraries
• Rapid application devlopment using the Symfony PHP framework and following an Agile development approach
• Extensive use of AJAX and JSON to create a highly intuitive, dynamic, and engaging user experience
• Devised several algortihms related to statistical sampling and aggregating of raw electricity usage data for performance optimization and scalability

Health Central

HealthCentral's mission is to empower millions of people to improve and take control of their health and well-being.

• Project lead for several efforts aimed at improving site stability or augmenting site functionality in C, Java, STEAM, WebSphere/WebLogic, and PL/SQL
• Made recommendations to senior technical staff regarding technology planning and decisions
• Acted on behalf of senior management during company merger (purchase of ePills.com) to facilitate integration of acquired technology and engineering staff
• Coordinated team development efforts, including defining work processes
• Implemented encrypted user authentication link for joint venture with Yahoo! in C/CGI
• Implemented Internet health profiling sub-site ("Life View" health risk assessment tool) in C and Cold Fusion
• Developed custom Cold Fusion tags in C and C++

Glacier Supply Company

Glacier Supply provides products and services for the Marine Refrigeration industry.

• Oversaw all aspects of technology strategic planning and deployment for this young company
• Lead the efforts of a team to build a database-driven eCommerce web site using Apache/mod_rewrite, MySQL, PHP and CSS
• Evaluated proposals, and performed hands-on database design, integration and deployment
• Architected the company's back office infrastructure and core business processes, including all elements of desktop IT, and wired/wireless networking

Yahoo

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Praesent vulputate augue a tortor blandit ultrices accumsan ligula iaculis. Curabitur ut dui vitae ante ultricies vestibulum ac sit amet mi. Integer eget orci ut velit adipiscing viverra in ac sapien. Suspendisse pulvinar risus vel sem bibendum quis semper enim dapibus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae;

Praesent vulputate augue a tortor blandit ultrices accumsan ligula iaculis. Curabitur ut dui vitae ante ultricies vestibulum ac sit amet mi. Integer eget orci ut velit adipiscing viverra in ac sapien. Suspendisse pulvinar risus vel sem bibendum quis semper enim dapibus.

Toshiba

Built entire site in PHP/MySQL/CSS to client specifications to provide class action law suit information, accept claims online, and store them in a MySQL database (www.satellite5005settlement.com). Implements a sophisticated system of rules to filter invalid claims, and verfies user entered data against Toshiba's user database. Allows secured uploading of supporting documentation.

Ford Motor Company

Implemented entire site to client specifications in PHP/MySQL CSS. Site provides class action lawsuit information and claims processing, including dynamic generation of bar codes for printable claim forms with unique claim numbers. Data entered by claimants is stored in a MySQL DB.

Station Casinos

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Praesent vulputate augue a tortor blandit ultrices accumsan ligula iaculis. Curabitur ut dui vitae ante ultricies vestibulum ac sit amet mi. Integer eget orci ut velit adipiscing viverra in ac sapien. Suspendisse pulvinar risus vel sem bibendum quis semper enim dapibus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae;

Integer eget orci ut velit adipiscing viverra in ac sapien. Suspendisse pulvinar risus vel sem bibendum quis semper enim dapibus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae;

Praesent vulputate augue a tortor blandit ultrices accumsan ligula iaculis. Curabitur ut dui vitae ante ultricies vestibulum ac sit amet mi. Integer eget orci ut velit adipiscing viverra in ac sapien. Suspendisse pulvinar risus vel sem bibendum quis semper enim dapibus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae;

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File Guardians

Implemented a user subscription application to accept new signups and process payments using Javascript, PHP, and MySQL. Pre-dating the term 'AJAX', the application makes extensive use of the XMLHttpObject, DOM/XML, and CSS to respond to user input and communicate with the server, providing immediate updates to the form and screen without refreshing the page. Data is exchanged with a third party vendor using CURL, and stored in a local DB. Implemented as a custom component to the Mambo CMS.

Application Advantage

Implemented Mambo CMS template (graphics/layout provided by designer), and converted existing static HTML site to use the Mambo CMS - using PHP/XHTML and CSS2. Provided extensive consultation on information architecture, streamlining content management, and customized several Mambo modules, including MamboPHPShop and Mambelfish (for Japanese language site version). Forged an ongoing consultative relationship with www.applicationadvantage.com.

MagMall

Develeloped PHP/Bash scripts to process incoming data prior to uploading to public web site (www.magmall.com). Scripts handle renaming of data and image files, and flexibly accommodates various types of field delimiters on tabular data.

Matthew Herbert

Deployed, hosted, and administered (including email accounts) this site for internationally acclaimed music producer Matthew Herbert. Site was online for approximately 18 months, offering free downloads of his entire album.

Legacy simmonstech.net

My previous personal site, including blog (replaced by this site).

Designed and implemented site using the Drupal CMS as the core platform. Site features a custom designed programmatic interface to Flickr.com, using the Flickr API to make photos uploaded to the Flickr.com site seamlessly displayed within the context of simmonstech.net - old news these days, but back then it was a big deal.

Auction Allied Software

Developed custom Windows software in C#/.NET to allow non-technical users to create sophisticated HTML auction templates. Core is based on the Open Source package FCKEditor, and makes use of the MS Browser Component. Made several core modifications to FCKEditor, and created several customized plug-ins in Javascript to augment the feature set. I released some of these plug-ins as Open Source to the FCKEditor developer community.

Auction Allied website

To complement the HTML auction template software mentioned previously, I created a one page marketing site to showcase and provide the software for free download. Responsible for all aspects of the page, including design, copy writing, and coding. Page is coded using pure CSS, with a table-less design. Page was delivered as standards compliant XHTML1.0 Transitional, but changes made by client after close of project now prevent page validation.