Current Project:
The Times Senior JavaScript Engineer — The Old Gray Lady.
Most Recent Projects:
Credit Suisse Sr. Web Developer — As a part of the LOCUS group, I helped architect a platform built almost exclusively on JavaScript (including Node.js) bringing real-time analytics data to the web as a content delivery team within the banks new 'one bank" portal.
SkedgeMe Director of Mobile Development/Sr. Front End Developer — The next generation of cloud calendaring software built for business and education; powered by a full- featured website, an embeddable widget and a cross-platform mobile app.
Ogilvy & Mather Sr. Front End Developer — Ranked #1 in the world by leading analysts, OgilvyInteractive has been a pioneer in the interactive marketing industry since 1983
Pronto.com Sr. Front End Developer — Pronto.com is an emerging business as part of IAC/InterActiveCorp, a family of sites that includes Ask.com, Citysearch, Evite, Match.com, Gifts.com, The Daily Beast and Vimeo. My primary focus while at Pronto was to build and launch the Pronto Network of micro-sites: ProntoStyle.com, ProntoHome.com and ProntoTech.com. In doing so, I redesigned the HTML/JSP core so that it can be skinned (using CSS) to present three different micro-sites, each with its own look and feel. The project also included reengineering large portions of the preexisting code to make the HTML more semantic and meaningful. This optimization made the micro-sites over 65% faster than the main Pronto.com site.
Manage My Home / Sears Team Lead/Sr. Front End Developer — I developed standards and guidelines for producing a feature-rich website with semantic markup and progressive enhancement. In a pair-programming environment, there was a lot of knowledge transfer and our team was always pushing for innovation — we had excellent results as the first large-scale web application to incorporate JRuby on Rails into a large JAVA project. While at ManageMyHome, we also leveraged such technologies and products as GWT (Google Web Toolkit), Prototype/Scriptaculous/AJAX, JSON, Alfresco WCM, OWL (Ontology), Semantic Web practices and third-party APIs such as Flickr, Plum and Zillow. My contributions to the team also included internal educational presentations on a number of topics such as progressive enhancement, accessibility, CSS best-practices, JavaScript, and microformats.
Past Positions
As New Media Director at Origin, I worked with a broad spectrum of clients on projects such as e-commerce sites, flash assets, email campaigns and content management systems. Daily work included creating and maintaining sites using XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP and ASP as well as utilizing Flash and Actionscript for rich Internet application development. Within the small company, other tasks/responsibilities grew to include server mgmt/admin (email/web/repository - Mac/PC), video and print production, SEO and more.
Excelling in the fast-paced environment at Cherryone, I quickly moved up the ladder where my ultimate position and responsibility was managing a group of 30 designers and developers who were all working independently on a number of projects.
Freelance Work:
The Very Distant Past
Shure / Shurenotes
Shure had hired me as a contract web specialist during each of their website redesign projects. They would also call upon me when their workload became too much for their small staff. Wild Crow Web Design now manages their Shurenotes e-mail and online newsletters. I had coded several issues for them and in doing so, I refactored some of the code using CSS based layouts to make future issues easier to code, manage and maintain.
Screenshots:
Role: developer | occasional designer
Site: www.shure.com | www.shurenotes.com
BANDandLABEL
BANDandLABEL is an online management application for bands as well as record labels who need to manage multiple bands. The software makes short work of managing tasks: show dates, press releases, flyers, online and print reviews, radio submissions, mailing lists, etc. Since this project is currently in development and we are focusing on the backend functionality first, I only have two screenshots on display.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | front-end developer
Reelsounds
Reelsounds is a world-class recording studio with both analog and digital recording capabilities. Located in Skokie, IL, Reelsounds has been recording large and small bands for a decade. The site is in production and will include a full-featured, interactive photo gallery and an online database of equipment.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
Development Site: dev.reelsoundschicago.com
America-Immobilien
America-Immobilien offers resources to German nationals looking to make a big move, i.e. real estate agents, relocation services, lawyers, etc. After completing the design and development, I taught the proprietor of the site (she's also works at the Goethe Institut Chicago) HTML and CSS so that she can perform basic updates and maintenance.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
*joesepi*
The *joesepi* site is in constant development, upgrade and flux. The band is scheduled to release an EP this fall and the site will be redone to coincide with the event. But in the meantime, this site is packed with goodies: weblog, full-featured photo gallery, streaming and downloadable audio/video.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
Site: www.joesepi.com
Wild Crow
I had done freelance projects for the Evanston based design agency, Wild Crow. We redesigned the Wild Crow site working to incorporate a literal interpretation of the company name.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | front-end developer
Site: www.wild-crow.com
Bottomless Pit
This simple site has received many compliments on its usability and sparing design. The imagery is based on the look and feel of the band's latest album, Hammer Of The Gods.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
Site: www.bottomlesspit.us
Pensamplivox Records
Pensamplivox Records is a record label founded in 1998. Here you will find an e-commerce store, a full featured photo gallery, news and literary we blogs, and many examples of streaming and downloadable media.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
Site: www.pensamplivox.com
Kardas Photography
Renowned Chicago photographer, Michael Kardas, has photographed such icons as Mayor Daley, Fran Drescher, Michael Jordan and Slash. He has also traveled the world shooting incredible landscapes. His e-commerce site features an extensive gallery of shots that can be managed and maintained by the artist.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
Adam Siegel Studios
Adam Siegel is an artist well known in Chicago and in art circles throughout the world. His work is featured on Michigan Avenue in a larger than life setting and he has shown in such institutions as the Spertus Museum. His 'works on paper' have been an international hit and he had recently been commissioned to do several large-scale paintings for a very well known restaurant in downtown Chicago.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer
Site: www.adamsiegel.com
Blood Party
This site was designed for a band in Boise, ID. Currently under construction.
Screenshots:
Role: project manager | designer | developer