Digital Innovation (Experimental Custom Solutions) – Northwestern Mutual 2016 – Current

As the Product Manager in the Digital Innovation Team’s Experimental Custom Solution department, I’m accountable for delivering experiments that prove out concepts, derisk technologies, and ultimately accelerate learnings. I am focused on delivering minimal viable products, through POC’s and Pilots, across Northwestern Mutual’s various business lines and our ‘clients’ range from Home Office employees, Field Financial Representatives and NM’s policy owners. Our tactical Scrum teams experiment by building light-weight mobile and web app software solutions and are powered by the cloud in every way. From Watson, Blockchain, VR and AI/Bots; our teams are paving roads for innovation.

Team Lead, Scrum Master, Consultant, Engineer – Centare Group 2010 – 2016

As a Team Lead for the Centare internal Development Center, I’ve engaged in presales engineering, managed internal staff professional and career development, and performed as a Scrum Master. Our teams provide custom software solutions for our clients in numerous domains including Banking, Baseball, Logistics, Building Efficiency, eCommerce, Landscaping, and Health Care on a wide variety of platforms and almost always taping into the possibilities of the cloud.

CEO/President – Creative Reputation, LLC 2008 – Current

The launchpad for creative and engaging products such as Hunt Wisconsin App, the Outfitter Directory (previously Man Up and Hunt), Estimated, Salon Accounting, and Dared. By following the guidance and advice of Steve Blank and Eric Ries, these products have been tested through MVP’s and entered the market as slim MMP’s. Many products are still on-going experiments.

Enterprise Application Engineer – Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) 2010

Develop, test, train, and support custom built software applications in various platforms including thick-client WinForms and WPF and online intranet and web applications. Solutions designed for numerous areas of the faculty and staff, research groups, and students.

Software Engineer – RateLinx 2009-2010

Assist customers/users with development of requirements specification. Provide on-site customer support (hardware and software installation, trouble shooting, operational support and post go-live technical support). Build interfaces to host systems (e.g, ERP, Automated equipment) Work with RateLinx’ Freight Payment & Pre-Audit partner on joint projects.

Lab Consultant – University of Wisconsin – Platteville 2006-2009

Assisted students, faculty, staff and guests with computer related issues. Also instructed and exercised the basic functionality of commonly used software and internet tools available to students of UW-Platteville.

Engineering Technician – Esterline Avista 2008

Verification on embedded systems per DO-178B standards. Perform analysis of requirements, design, development, testing and documentation on mission critical software applications.

Information Technology Intern – Northwestern Mutual 2008

Analysis and Design for development upgrade applications from VB to C#.NET. Implement functionality into C# business applications.

Software Engineer Intern – ATI Ladish Co, Inc. formerly Ladish 2007

Implement GAGEtrak software in sonic and physical testing facilities. Teach technical staff how to perform routine tasks with GAGEtrak.

Marquette University – Masters in Business Administration 2012-2014

Marquette’s MBA program focuses on developing leaders that can manage dynamic environments and address functional areas of business such as society, ethics, global international business, marketing, economics, and accounting.

University of Wisconsin Platteville – Bachelors Degree – Software Engineering 2005-2009

Platteville’s Software Engineering curriculum emphasizes application of theoretical concepts toward practical software engineering design and development. The core courses focus on the development of real-time embedded systems such as those used in control appliances, security systems, automobiles, and aircrafts.