Intro
Graphic arts and web design have been hobbies of mine since 1997, I did desktop publishing and HTML starting in 2001, WordPress and CSS starting in 2004, SASS/Less since 2015, SEO and online marketing since 2011, specialized advertising and mobile app design with UI/UX since 2015. Lately, my specialization has been WordPress and in particular an emphasis on user stories and accessibility.
While at a la mode I enjoyed leading teams while in several departments over my 8.5 year tenure, but my final position had me over five other web designers handling escalated issues and taking special care of upset clients. I also taught daily webinars to our clients focusing on improvement, marketing, and blogging which was both fun and a career highlight.
My position at Innov8tive for 3 years had me mixing with different skills. We had print media, trade show swag, shop signage, web graphics and ad publications for several clients in addition to web and app interface designs and development. We used Agile/Scrum collaboration tools and techniques to coordinate on fast paced projects across verticals. Projects from this time can be found in my older portfolio here.
For the last four years I’ve dealt almost exclusively with WordPress, Webflow, or ReactJS through my work with the BigWing/LOCALiQ agency and SystemSoft Technologies which you can view in my current portfolio here.
Skills
Quick Summary: ReactJS, Redux, WordPress, PHP/SQL, HTML, CSS3 (SASS/LESS), jQuery, Angular5 (Frontend), Git/Node, Agile/Scrum, Shopify, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Proto.io, Webflow, Figma, Public Speaking, Accessibility/A11Y
I’ve worked on web design and graphic arts at least as a hobby going back to 1997 building up experience with various languages, tools, and best practices. Most website work was done via CSS/SASS/Less or other precompilers when possible or in a content management program when it was more efficient to do so (especially if clients intended to handle content management themselves). Graphic design experience has been almost exclusively with Adobe Creative Suite products and included desktop publishing, vehicle wraps, web banners, print media, and decorative illustrations.
A major highlight from my past experience includes the 8.5 years spent at a la mode, inc. establishing a website customization service for their clients and teaching customer-facing live webinars on a variety of topics such as inbound marketing, social media, search engine tactics, and analytics. Over this tenure I developed public speaking skills and worked directly with clients for one-on-one consultations to help improve satisfaction with our products. I also produced video content into a self-service library that clients could review outside of our provided consultations.
Another highlight has been three years with Innov8tive creating print and web ad media, logos, web design projects, mobile and web app prototypes, vehicle wraps and social media graphics. Overall, the position taught me about how large client projects are managed and working under AGILE and SCRUM teamwork roles with scheduled sprints, deadlines, and delivering reviewables to clients in stages.
Additionally, my time with BigWing has helped me to learn more about not just the WordPress environment but also managing older legacy web projects in dire need of updating and changes of environments. BigWing also had agency-level coding standards and great mentorship during code reviews and when onboarding to new projects. On a personal level I also took special satisfaction in learning more about accessibility improvements for impaired users.
Finally, during my tenure at SystemSoft I’ve learned to take the technical lead on large projects, to provide mentorship to juniors who are learning the ropes, and coordinating directly with the various stakeholders in other departments who all have a say in each project’s progress. Overseeing the rollout of their new company website has been a particularly proud milestone.
Additional skills I’d like to develop in the future would include creating custom animations and more complex interactive designs.
References
Work History…
WordPress/Software Developer II
SystemSoft Technologies
November 2020 – Present
Career Highlights:
- Taking responsibility as technical lead in large web projects
- Maintaining constant communication with stakeholders about progress and needs
- Mentoring junior developers and onboarding new help as projects expand
- Resolving hosting issues and configuring CI/CD pipelines
- Oversaw Webflow web design initiative before switching to Figma
- Flexible duties included ReactJS development of micro-services applications
SystemSoft Technologies is a large, multi-national company offering a wide range of services, with websites being just one small portion. Even with over a thousand employees in several time zones, working completely remotely via digital workspaces in Microsoft Teams has made it easy to stay connected and to collaborate efficiently.
My first duty was to help turn around a large web project that was already months underway but was not progressing smoothly at the time, which was handled with detailed feedback lists and regular meetings until all items were addressed.
At the conclusion of that project I was asked to handle the day-to-day technical matters overseeing the remodeling of SystemSoft’s own website, coordinating with designers, copywriters, marketers, the heads of departments, QA, UX researchers and fellow developers. I setup staging environments with CI/CD pipelines connected to our Git repositories, tracked and assigned sprint tickets and bug reports, and managed code review for our junior developers. Despite the sheer number of people and tasks involved, this project progressed smoothly and launched on time and without issue.
Other smaller web projects were completed concurrently, including an initiative to move our design work from Adobe XD to Webflow. Though some websites were designed using Webflow, including one public launch, our design team ended up embracing Figma in the long run.
As company needs evolved, my role shifted to ReactJS and working on our micro-services-based web applications, most notably on some healthcare and private industry related projects.
Front End Developer
BigWing | LOCALiQ
Feb 2019 – September 2020 – 1.5 yrs.
Career Highlights:
- Wireframes in Sketch/Invision for client approval
- Customize purchased themes or full-custom builds following coding standards
- Setting up hosting, domains, SSL, monitors, and plugins
- including occasional one-off custom plugins and feature development
I was brought in to the BigWing agency on a contracted basis after their prior web team experienced high turnover after a corporate acquisition which was putting a pinch on their productivity. Initially, they needed someone with a frontend background to coordinate with their longtime backend WordPress developer to wrap up in-progress client work and help catch up on their backlog. As I got to know their business, and they got to know my abilities, my duties would expand to assist with broader duties.
The clients were largely local as we shared a building and many sales and support staff with the Daily Oklahoman (both the Oklahoman and BigWing had recently been acquired by Gatehouse Media), but we would also occasionally work with long-distance clients by video. Many builds would be handled swiftly using off-the-shelf solutions intended to be maintained by the clients post-launch, but we also engineered fully-custom builds with unique functionality and integrations. Also, as the closest thing the Oklahoman had to in-house development, we’d often be asked to provide quick, last-minute web solutions for internal projects or public-facing sites where previous vendors may have fallen short (needing a rapid save from us).
Solutions were almost always on the WordPress platform and we utilized Gitlab repositories for any custom coding and continuous deployment packages with our host (usually WP Engine but sometimes SiteGround). Coding standards were enforced using code sniffers that ran at time of build before allowing commits or pushes, and with only two developers we’d assign any merge requests to each other to ensure adequate code review before merging to master. All sites were monitored using Uptime Robot and we’d be responsible for responding to any outages or alerts.
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced our office to work remotely in February of 2020 we were largely able to continue working on projects both big and small, but by September many clients and employees had voluntarily left us creating a loss of business and staff. Combined with BigWing being acquired by Gannett Media and merged with their existing LOCALiQ branding (creating redundancies) it was determined that the BigWing web development department would close. After completing outstanding projects and assisting with migrating existing hosting to other partners my contract came to an end.
Graphic Designer and UI/UX
Innov8tive, LLC.
Nov 2015 – Oct 2018 – 3 yrs.
Career Highlights:
- Remodeled iPhone app for healthcare institution to manage help tickets, workplace communication
- Designed frontend of desktop app used by large manufacturer to manage machine parts, plans, versioning
- Setting up WordPress, Shopify, BigCommerce, or Angular website front ends for local businesses
- Create proof-of-concepts, client presentations, visual assets, and functional prototypes to hand off to back end developers to complete finished products
- Social, web, print, and mail marketing materials as well as logos and swag materials for multiple brands
Innov8tive offers managed IT services, data management, hosting, software development, websites, and staff augmentation. If a client needs a web or mobile app, print or web ads, trade show swag, social media graphics, or other visual media then that’s where I came in. Common advertising clients included a high end furniture store, high end clothing store, local construction contractor, neighborhood home owners association, startup social enterprises, a weekly magazine, and a few other small, local businesses.
With regards to software development jobs, often I’d work with other developers where I’d coordinate internally regarding how the project should be structured and create mockups or a semi-functional prototype as a proof of concept for client review, incorporate any of their feedback, and then assist the backend and service layer devs with any assets they need to recreate that look in our chosen platform. Clients of this sort included a large chain manufacturer seeking software automation, a pharmaceutical wholesaler wanting integration with their supply chain, and health care providers who needed tools to manage some aspect of their workflow.
I stayed with Innov8tive until the company closed its doors due to a combination of issues including losing our data center due to flooding and having our largest client move to another vendor.
Various Positions
a la mode, inc.
Feb 2007 – Oct 2015 – 8 yrs. 9 mos.
Career Highlights:
- Phone, video, or in-person consultations for web design, marketing results, technical support
- Created department of six web designers specializing in HTML, CSS/Bootstrap using Brackets.io
- Hosted daily webinars on topics from niche and email marketing, SEO to design tips/tricks
- Handled RMA saves by resolving escalated issues or providing one-on-one consultations on product knowledge or getting results
Design Consultant, Product Coach
Nov 2011 – Oct 2015 – 4 yrs.
In November of 2011 I shifted from technical to design and consulting on a customer-facing basis. This involved discussing client needs and creating a web design project that suits those needs. Primary duties include teaching webinars regarding how to maintain their new web infrastructure and how to monitor the analytical portion of the dashboard, phone-based one-on-one advice consultations, creating training materials such as videos and documentation, and social media marketing. Secondary duties included being tagged in by sales to provide extra special attention to customers in jeopardy of canceling due to either technical or satisfaction issues (both of which I’d be expected to handle) and working directly with the sales department on maintaining general high customer satisfaction.
a la mode’s real estate division became Pipeline ROI in November of 2014 to specialize in comprehensive inbound marketing platforms. The design consultation would be used to create starting designs and contents for a real estate agent’s or broker’s website and then we would coach them on lead generation, management, and nurturing including daily video webinars and one-on-one phone appointments. At first I was the only person in this division but it eventually grew to a team of six with me as the senior handling escalated issues from the others as well as still hosting daily webinars and one-on-one consultations.
When the Pipeline ROI division’s structure changed and it was absorbed back into a la mode and downsized I was not retained as an employee.
Senior Technician
Nov 2009 – Nov 2011 – 2 yrs.
In November of 2009, still with a la mode, Inc., I was promoted to Sr. Tech, specializing in our website product line and e-mail services. In these cases I’d combine customer communication with either remote assistance (if the issue was specific to their computer) or independent fixes or coordinating with development or QA (if the issue appeared to be on our end). I also continued working on our IDX/MLS help department from my previous position during this time.
Technical Support
Feb 2007 – Nov 2009 – 2 yrs. 10 mos.
At the beginning of my career with a la mode my entry-level position was to handle inbound and outbound technical support calls related to a la mode’s appraisal form-filling software. Troubleshooting varied from Windows problems, software diagnostics, or handling general product knowledge questions. After several months on the job, a la mode recognized that my expertise was better suited for handling support of their real estate websites, aiding in domain and DNS questions, web page construction, search engine optimization, and other ways to aid customers with their web presence. I was moved to the internet support team.
In March of 2008, my responsibilities were expanded to include being the representative in charge of “IDX Support”, which specializes in helping real estate agents link up to their local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to add property listings and search content to their websites. I worked mostly independently on this project using primarily e-mail correspondence between myself, the customers, development, and our legal staff requiring good written communication skills. Managing the policy agreements and contacting the local boards to discuss integration as well as aiding in the setup and customer feedback were my responsibility. During this time I remained on the phone lines for tech support and therefore had to juggle two job titles simultaneously.
Field Service Representative
IKON Office Solutions
Oct 2003 – Feb 2007 – 3 yrs. 5 mos.
As a Field Service Representative for this office document services and help desk/IT company it was my duty to transfer to other sites to fulfill vacancies left by ill or absent employees and fill their roles fluidly. With four different help desk sites, each with different procedures and responsibilities, my duties changed daily based upon my location. This required me to familiarize myself with a variety of locations, equipment, and staff as well as different scopes of work for each site. It was also my responsibility to bring new hires up to par with the existing staff and offer additional training as needed.
Document Specialist
FedEx Office
Sep 2001 – Oct 2003 – 2 yrs. 2 mos.
My primary duties were operating the copy machines and organizing customer jobs. Other job responsibilities included handling digital orders as well as document manipulation and sign shop duties using programs such as Adobe Photoshop, PageMaker, Illustrator, Acrobat, Macromedia Freehand, and Microsoft Office. Aside from the extensive machine- and computer-related tasks I also took responsibility of familiarizing new employees with the more advanced aspects of document production and point-of-service training. In October of 2002, I took over as “graveyard shift” for the weekends, working alone around tight deadlines and in situations in which I had to rely on my abilities and work resourcefully.
