Other, Prior Positions...

Heberger And Associates
Cheshire, CT

Manager, Information Systems and Software Development
Mid-1992 through mid 1994

Reported to Chief Financial Officer

Responsibilities

• Strategic and tactical planning for all Heberger information systems activities. Advising management on technical implications of business decisions.

• Budgeting of all Heberger information systems purchases, including hardware, software, service, consulting, and research / development funding on an annual basis for integration into a comprehensive business plan.

• Administration of a Novell Netware PC network with several legs and three remote locations connected by server-to-server dial up e-mail exchange, including hardware installation / upgrades, OS installation / upgrades, client software installation / upgrades, workstation configuration, e-mail system maintenance and supervision, and network cabling including repeaters.

• Development of appraisal production workflow systems.

• Development of internal software including shared database for appraisal data.

• User training, help desk, and troubleshooting for Windows and DOS software.

• Editing and production of monthly company newsletter, including design, layout, text flow, and composite artwork, plus liason with printer.

Company Focus

Heberger and Associates was a multi-partner real-estate appraisal firm whose function it was to determine the value of real-estate and produce reports for lending institutions, owners, and buyers.

Heberger and Associates dissolved in 1994 / 1995.

Important Milestones

• Brought in to establish internal accountability for network and software, previously managed by consultant. Found reliable firm to do network testing and managed a rewiring that greatly reduced network downtime and congestion at minimal cost. Upgraded Novell software which reduced server downtime. Instituted printers as network nodes, which improved printer throughput.

• Managed complete replacement of user workstations through competitive evaluation / bid process between several vendors / manufacturers. Hardware performance tests were used to determine best performance, and sample unit reliability was scored during the month long test period. Vendors were then competed on price, and a total of about $250,000 was spent on hardware and software over two years to complete this purchase.

• Instituted and implemented company wide e-mail system. Because partners and appraisers were frequently out of the office, this lowered cognitive load on senders and receivers, improved efficiency and reduced error rates due to loss of phone or written messages. Allowed delaying the implementation of a voice mail system, which was desired by owners. Defined e-mail based workflow procedures and rule-based / form-based systems for appraisal production.

• Upgraded user skills from DOS to Windows, including institution of e-mail to gain partner acceptance and commitment, and training of users in classroom sessions and tutoring. Upgraded word processing staff from Wordperfect for DOS to Word for Windows, despite significant initial resistance.

• Performed comprehensive appraisal database analysis, relational design, and began implementation using C++, user interface class libraries from Liant (now owned by Intersolv) and dBase access classes from Sequiter; wrote 35,000 lines of code representing 200 reusable C++ classes which were used to create an MDI (Windows Multiple Document Interface) self-configuring program for database table editing (worked with one or more database tables selected at run time), and a similarly generic MDI Query by Example.

• Brought MapInfo Geographic Information Systems into Heberger based on recommendation from a fellow employee who had seen a presentation, and a subsequent presentation by a reseller. Aided appraisers in constructing maps for reports and presentations.

• Brought in other new technologies including centralized incoming / outgoing computer-based fax (Xerox and Intel), shared color ink-jet printing, presentation software and projection panels.

• Designed and implemented networks for new offices established in Southport, CT and Woburn, MA.

Working Environment

Heberger and Associates had three offices - a main office in Cheshire, CT (my location), an office in Southport, CT, and an office in Woburn, MA (both field offices established after I started). The company had between 50 and 100 hundred employees and 10-12 partners. President and CEO was Edward Heberger, the founder. I reported to the CFO. Though I used e-mail and phone as much as practical, I spent a lot of time on foot, working directly with users and systems. I occasionally traveled to and worked in the field offices to ensure input from those users.

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